Since Hurricane Hugo’s landfall 35 years ago, the Carolinas have seen a handful of devastating hurricanes and tropical storms, yet we have not experienced another Category 4 storm.
Those who lived through its impact in Charlotte still remember how hard these major hurricanes can hit, even more than a hundred miles from the coast. Rob Thomas, who lived in Myers Park, said it took more than two weeks to get his power restored after the storm and months for all of the downed trees to be cleared from the neighborhood.
35 YEARS SINCE HURRICANE HUGO
- The aftermath of Hurricane Hugo looms large 35 years later
- Marking 35 years since Hurricane Hugo ripped through Charlotte
“It was a helplessness feel,” he said. “How do you react to something like that?”
At Duke Energy, Jason Hollifield, the Carolinas’ Storm Director, works to prepare for that scenario.
Since Hugo, he said the utility has grown substantially. They hired far more personnel to their storm response team and built up reciprocal agreements with out-of-state crews to respond in emergencies. On top of that, advancements in technology make it easier to find and fix issues with the grid, communicate with customers and predict storms.