Union County hurricane guide¶
Union County Emergency Management, part of county Emergency Services in Monroe, plans for and coordinates the response to disasters. The county has no storm surge evacuation zones, but it warns that inland areas like Union County often get high winds, flooding, and even tornadoes when a hurricane passes through. Check whether your home is in a flood zone, and sign up for UC Alerts before hurricane season.
Checked on October 2, 2026
Every phone number and web address on this page was checked against official sources on that date. Details can change, especially during a storm. Always follow instructions from Union County Emergency Management. In a life threatening emergency, call 911.
Emergency and information numbers¶
| Service | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 911 | Police, fire, and ambulance. Call only when someone's life or property is in danger. |
| Emergency management office | 704-283-3575 | Union County Emergency Management Director. Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| County non-emergency line (911 center) | 704-289-1591 | Union County Emergency Communications. |
| County information line | 704-283-3500 | Union County Government. Office line. Not for emergencies. |
| Sheriff's Office non-emergency | 704-283-3789 | For police matters that are not emergencies. |
| Animal services | 704-283-2308 | Union County Animal Services, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Report lost and found pets here. |
| Water and sewer emergencies | 704-296-4210 | Union County Water. Report sewer backups, overflows, and other wastewater emergencies. On-call staff respond 24 hours a day. |
| Road and traffic conditions (511) | 511 | NCDOT road conditions and closures. Live operators during the day. From outside North Carolina, call 877-511-4662. |
Official alerts and information¶
- UC Alerts: Free alerts by text, email, or phone. Sign up before a storm. Website.
- Union County Hurricane Preparedness: The county's official hurricane information page. Website.
- UC Road Closures: Current road closures from Union County Emergency Communications. Website.
- Union County flood maps: Check whether your home is in a flood zone. Website.
- Union County Numbers to Know: County list of utility and service numbers to keep for after a storm. Website.
Evacuation centers¶
Open only when announced
Evacuation centers open only when officials announce them, and not every center opens for every storm. Check the official list of open centers before you leave home. Bring your own bedding, food, water, and medicines.
Union County does not post a standing list of hurricane shelters. Before and after a storm, follow local officials for shelter information through UC Alerts and the county's hurricane page, and never go to a shelter until officials say it is open.
Help to evacuate¶
- Union County Emergency Access and Functional Needs Registry: Run by Union County Public Health to help emergency workers plan evacuation and sheltering. For residents who need help with daily living, need medical monitoring, are disabled or homebound, rely on electricity for life-sustaining equipment, or have a service animal. Sign up online in English or Spanish. Joining is voluntary and does not guarantee special help. People in nursing homes and assisted living do not sign up on their own. Website.
- Union County Animal Services: 3340 Presson Rd., Monroe. Part of the Sheriff's Office. Make an evacuation plan for your pets and have them microchipped. Phone: 704-283-2308. Website.
Radio, TV and weather¶
Keep a battery or hand crank radio. When power and cell service fail, radio is often the only way to hear official updates.
Radio stations¶
| Station | Frequency | Language | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WBT | 1110 AM; 107.9 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (PEP) |
| WSOC-FM | 103.7 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (LP2) |
| WHQC | 96.1 FM | English | Emergency Alert System primary station (SR) |
Emergency Alert System roles come from the North Carolina state EAS plan of October 2019, the newest one published.
NOAA Weather Radio¶
A weather radio turns itself on for warnings, even in the middle of the night. Set it to this frequency.
| Station | Frequency | Transmitter |
|---|---|---|
| WWF60 | 162.500 MHz | Buck Mountain |
| WXL70 | 162.475 MHz | Charlotte |
| KHC27 | 162.425 MHz | Rock Hill |
TV stations¶
| Station | Channel | Network | Language |
|---|---|---|---|
| WBTV | 3 | CBS | English |
| WSOC-TV (WSOC-TV Channel 9) | 9 | ABC | English |
| WSOC-TV (Telemundo Charlotte) | 9.2 | Telemundo | Spanish |
| WCNC-TV (WCNC) | 36 | NBC | English |
| WJZY (Queen City News) | 46 | Fox | English |
| WCCB (WCCB Charlotte) | 18 | Independent | English |
| WTVI (PBS Charlotte) | 42 | PBS | English |
| WUNG-TV (PBS North Carolina) | 58 | PBS | English |
| WUNE-TV (PBS North Carolina) | 17 | PBS | English |
Official forecasts¶
- National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg, SC: Local forecasts, watches, and warnings. Phone: 864-848-3859. Website.
- National Hurricane Center: Official hurricane forecasts, watches, and warnings. Website.
Power, water and debris¶
- Duke Energy Carolinas: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-769-3766. Website.
- Pee Dee Electric Membership Corporation: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-693-0190. Website.
- Union Power Cooperative: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 800-794-4423. Website.
- City of Monroe Electric: Report an outage online or by phone. Assume every downed line is live and stay far away. Phone: 704-282-4600. Website.
- Union County Water: Wastewater emergencies answered 24 hours a day. Customer care Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the City of Monroe, call Monroe water and sewer at 704-282-4511. Phone: 704-296-4210. Website.
After the storm: help for displaced residents¶
If your home is damaged or you cannot go back, these organizations help with shelter, food, money, and paperwork. Many programs open only after a disaster declaration, so check their pages for current status.
Where to start¶
- NC 211: The 211 helpline for all 100 North Carolina counties, run by United Way of North Carolina. Free and confidential, in most languages. Dial 211 at any hour. From outside North Carolina, call 888-892-1162. Phone: 211. Website.
Housing and shelter¶
- FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers: After a federal declaration, these centers help you apply for aid in person. Use the locator to find the nearest one. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
Food¶
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina: Regional food bank for 14 counties in North Carolina and 10 in South Carolina, based in Charlotte. Charlotte headquarters. Phone: 704-376-1785. Website.
Money, work and insurance¶
- DisasterAssistance.gov: Apply for FEMA aid after a federal declaration. Phone: 1-800-621-3362. Website.
- SBA disaster loans: Low interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses after a declared disaster. Phone: 800-659-2955. Website.
Legal help¶
- Legal Aid of North Carolina: Free civil legal help for low-income residents of all 100 counties, including problems after a disaster with housing, insurance, benefits, and contractors. Also written 1-866-219-LANC. Apply by phone, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday, or apply online. Phone: 1-866-219-5262. Website.
Emotional support¶
- Partners Health Management: The public LME/MCO that manages mental health, substance use, and developmental disability services in 15 counties. Behavioral Health Crisis Line, 24 hours a day, every day. Member and Recipient Services: 1-888-235-4673, Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. For a crisis at any hour, you can also call or text 988. Phone: 1-833-353-2093. Website.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text, any time. Phone: 988.
Relief organizations¶
- American Red Cross Southern Piedmont Chapter: The Red Cross chapter for 6 counties east of Charlotte. It runs shelters and gives emergency help after disasters and home fires. Chapter office in Monroe. For disaster help at any hour, call 1-800-733-2767. Phone: 704-283-7402. Website.
Cities and towns¶
Each city has its own services and some have their own alerts. The county's evacuation zones, evacuation centers, and emergency alerts cover everyone, in every city and in unincorporated areas.
Related guides¶
- Should I evacuate?
- What to expect at a hurricane shelter
- Hurricane supply list
- After a hurricane: the first 24 hours
- Insurance claims and disaster aid
Sources¶
Checked on October 2, 2026. If a number or address here is wrong, please tell us at Keith@KMyers.me.
- https://www.unioncountync.gov/government/departments-a-e/emergency-services/emergency-management
- https://www.unioncountync.gov/government/departments-a-e/emergency-services/emergency-communications
- https://www.unioncountync.gov/government/departments-f-p/public-health/emergency-preparedness
- https://www.unioncountysheriffsoffice.com/home-sheriff
- https://www.unioncountysheriffsoffice.com/services/animal-services/lost-and-found-pets
- https://www.unioncountywater.org/about-ucw/contact-us
- https://www.ncdot.gov/travel-maps/traffic-travel/511-information/Pages/default.aspx
- https://www.unioncountync.gov/government/departments-a-e/emergency-services/emergency-management/hurricane-preparedness
- https://www.weather.gov/source/nwr/JS/CCL.js
- https://api.weather.gov/zones/county/NCC179
- https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WBT
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WSOC
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WHQC
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WBTV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WSOC-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WCNC-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WJZY
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WCCB
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WTVI
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WUNG-TV
- https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/service/facility/search/WUNE-TV
- https://www.duke-energy.com/safety-and-preparedness/overhead-power-lines
- https://www.pdemc.com/outages-safety/report-an-outage/
- https://www.union-power.com/outage-reliability/outage-center/
- https://monroenc.org/183/Electric-Outages
- https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator
- https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
- https://www.sba.gov/disaster/
- https://www.partnersbhm.org/
- https://nc211.org/about/
- https://www.secondharvestmetrolina.org/
- https://legalaidnc.org/topic/disaster/
- https://www.redcross.org/local/north-carolina/about-us/locations/southern-piedmont.html