Outlook
A pattern of mostly cloudy skies and elevated rain chances from time to time, and generally cool temperatures will continue through the early part of the week. The wet pattern will continue mid to late week, but with temperatures likely warming well above normal.
March 2020 County Commissioner Meeting
The video of the entire meeting of the Macon County Board of Commissioners regular meeting for March 2020 has been published. [LINK]
Corona Virus Updates for March 15, 2020
Resources for Reliable Information about the Corona Virus (COVID-19) [LINK]
Governor Cooper Bans Mass Gatherings, Closes Schools for Two Weeks [LINK]
Walmart Adjusts Hours of Business to 6am to 11pm to Facilitate Cleaning and restocking [LINK]
President Declares National Emergency, March 13th [VIDEO/TRANSCRIPT]
Presidential Adress, March 12th [VIDEO/TRANSCRIPT]
Corona Virus (COVID-19) Guidance from NCDHHS
Number of Cases
County Presumptive Confirmed Total
Mecklenburg 1 0 1
Cabarrus 1 0 1
Forsyth 2 0 2
Chatham 1 0 1
Durham 1 0 1
Wake 10 1 11
Johnston 1 0 1
Wayne 1 0 1
Harnett 1 0 1
Brunswick 1 0 1
Onslow 1 0 1
Craven 1 0 1
NC TOTALS 23 1 24
The following section is a repeat from yesterday, but it does bear repeating.
NCDHHS
NC Dept of Health & Human Services
Raleigh
March 12, 2020
As the number of cases of COVID-19 rises in North Carolina and the United States, and with the designation of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, the state is responding with a whole government response. COVID-19 is a new infection that is particularly severe in older persons and those with medical conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, and weakened immune systems.
At this time there are no approved treatments and no vaccine to prevent it. However, there are known methods to reduce and slow the spread of infection. Individuals can practice everyday prevention measures like frequent hand washing, staying home when sick, and covering coughs and sneezes. Community-based interventions can also help slow the spread of COVID-19. This includes measures collectively known as “social distancing.” Social distancing measures aim to reduce the frequency of contact and increase the physical distance between persons, thereby reducing the risks of person-to-person transmission. These measures are most effective when implemented early in an epidemic. We are at a critical inflection point where we may have the opportunity to slow the spread of this epidemic by taking proactive steps now.
NC DHHS is making the following recommendations to reduce the spread of infection while we are still in an early stage in order to protect lives and avoid strain on our health care system. NC DHHS is making these recommendations for the next 30 days and will re-assess at that point.
The following recommendations pertain to persons statewide.
1. SYMPTOMATIC PERSONS
If you need medical care and have been diagnosed with COVID-19 or suspect you might have COVID-19, call ahead and tell your health care provider you have or may have COVID-19. This will allow them to take steps to keep other people from getting exposed. NC DHHS recommends that persons experiencing fever and cough should stay at home and not go out until their symptoms have completely resolved.
2. HIGH-RISK PERSONS WITHOUT SYMPTOMS
NC DHHS recommends that people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 should stay at home to the extent possible to decrease the chance of infection.
People at high risk include people:
Over 65 years of age, or
with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, or
with weakened immune systems.
3. CONGREGATE LIVING FACILITIES
NC DHHS recommends that all facilities that serve as residential establishments for high-risk persons described above should restrict visitors. Exceptions should include end of life care or other emergent situations determined by the facility to necessitate a visit. If visitation is allowed, the visitor should be screened and restricted if they have a respiratory illness or potential exposure to COVID-19. Facilities are encouraged to implement social distancing measures and perform temperature and respiratory symptom screening of residents and staff. These establishments include settings such as nursing homes, independent and assisted living facilities, correction facilities, and facilities that care for medically vulnerable children.
4. SCHOOLS
We do not recommend pre-emptive school closure at this time but do recommend that schools and childcare centers cancel or reduce large events and gatherings (e.g., assemblies) and field trips, limit inter-school interactions, and consider distance or e-learning in some settings. Students at high risk should implement individual plans for distance or e-learning. School dismissals may be necessary when staff or student absenteeism impacts the ability to remain open. Short-term closures may also be necessary to facilitate public health investigation and/or cleaning if a case is diagnosed in a student or staff member.
5. WORKPLACE
NC DHHS recommends that employers and employees use teleworking technologies to the greatest extent possible, stagger work schedules, and consider canceling non-essential travel. Workplaces should hold larger meetings virtually, to the extent possible. Additionally, employers should arrange the workspace to optimize distance between employees, ideally at least six feet apart. Employers should urge high-risk employees to stay home and urge employees to stay home when they are sick and maximize flexibility in sick leave benefits.
6. MASS GATHERINGS, COMMUNITY, AND SOCIAL EVENTS
NC DHHS recommends that organizers of events that draw more than 100 people should cancel, postpone, modify these events or offer online streaming services. These events include large gatherings where people are in close contact (less than 6 feet), for example: concerts, conferences, sporting events, faith-based events, and other large gatherings.
7. MASS TRANSIT
Mass transit operators should maximize opportunities for cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces. People should avoid using use of mass transit (e.g. buses, trains) while sick.
Macon County Public Health Update, March 10th
- Carmine Rocco, Interim Health Director
- Jennifer Garrett, Public Health Nursing Supervisor
Recent Meeting Videos Delayed
Thanks to an assist from the folks at Wired, the video editing computer is back up and videos should be forthcoming. Thanks to everyone who has been patient and thanks to the donor who has made it possible to have a new video editing computer built that will be in service soon.
Public Safety Log
(this section is temporarily deprecated until I get caught up with videos from past meetings.
THREE DAY GFS FORECAST
The maps have been switched from showing the eastern United States to the Western Atlantic Region in anticipation of warmer weather when our weather pattern is more susceptible to being impacted by what happens in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
This animated image shows a forecast of precipitation, air pressure and thickness level (cold-air damming) for three days in six-hour increments.
Green, Yellow, and Red indicate rain. Orange and Purple Indicate Freezing Rain or other freezing precipitation. Blue indicates snow.
The next one shows the forecast for rain in 24hour totals over the next few days.
And this one shows the forecast for surface pressure (in mb) and winds at 10 metes (30 feet) over the same time period.
WEATHER SPONSOR
Adams Products, a Division of Oldcastle is underwriting the daily weather briefing & public safety updates for the month.
Open 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, M-F, located at 895 Hickory Knoll Road, Franklin, NC. Visit our Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/Adams.Oldcastle.Franklin.NC/
All your masonry needs are available. Our phone number is 828.524.8545, the public is welcome, we’ll help you with your next project.
Weather Hazards
Hazardous Weather is not expected.
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WEATHER FORECAST MAPS
Forecast maps for 7 am, 1 pm, and 7 pm.
[click on any image in this article to enlarge]
FRANKLIN AREA FORECAST
Today
Rain likely, mainly before 8am. Patchy fog between 8am and 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, with highs in the mid-60s. Light winds out of the west. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight
A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-40s. Calm winds increasing to come out of the southeast around 5 mph after midnight. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 9am. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the upper 50s. Light winds out of the southeast. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday Night
Showers likely, mainly after midnight. Cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-upper 40s. Calm winds. The chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday
Showers likely, mainly before 2pm. Cloudy, with highs in the mid-to-upper 60s. The chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday Night
A chance of showers before 8pm, then a chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with lows around 50. The chance of precipitation is 30%.
OTTO AREA FORECAST
Today
Rain likely, mainly before 9am. Patchy fog between 8am and 10am. Otherwise, cloudy, with highs in the mid-60s. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph in the morning becoming calm in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight
A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-40s. Winds out of the southeast 5 to 10 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday
A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-50s. Calm winds. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday Night
Showers likely. Cloudy, with lows in the upper 40s. Calm winds. The chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday
A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-60s.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with lows around 50.
HIGHLANDS PLATEAU FORECAST
Today
Rain likely, mainly before 9am. Patchy fog between 8am and 9am. Otherwise, cloudy, with highs near 60. Winds out of the northwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning shifting to come out of the southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. The chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tonight
A 50 percent chance of rain. Patchy fog between 2am and 3am. Otherwise, cloudy, with lows around 40. Winds out of the southeast 5 to 10 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday
A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-to-upper 40s. Winds out of the southeast 3 to 5 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday Night
Showers likely. Cloudy, with lows in the low-to-mid 40s. Light winds out of the south. The chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday
A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-to-upper 50s.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-40s.
NANTAHALA AREA FORECAST
Today
Rain, mainly before 9am. Patchy fog before 11am. Highs near 60. Winds out of the northwes 5 to 10 mph. the chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 7pm. Patchy fog between 11pm and 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-40s. Winds out of the northwest around 5 mph becoming light and variable by midnight. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the mid-50s. Calm winds. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday Night
Showers likely. Cloudy, with lows in the mid-to-upper 40s. Calm winds. The chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday
Showers likely, mainly before 10am. Cloudy, with highs near 60. The chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 40s.
Published at 5:00am on Sunday, March 15, 2020
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