PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The massive weather system brought damage to some parts of Hampton Roads and Northeastern North Carolina.
Winds knocked down flagpoles and even parts of buildings – all as temperatures dropped and some area families spent Christmas Eve without power at home.
Gusty winds from the arctic blast toppled flagpoles near Scope Arena in Norfolk on Saturday. Debris forced sidewalk and road closures in the area.
In Portsmouth, damage is also visible. Cradock Baptist Church’s steeple fell off Saturday afternoon.
“Shock, I was like 'What is that doing on the ground? That's not where it belongs,’” said Erin Bracy, the church’s event and youth director. She recounted just leaving the church, when all of a sudden, she received a call that winds knocked down the 51-year-old steeple.
"And we have a lot of foot traffic, so it was very good that it didn't land on anybody or anybody riding by in a car. We just feel like it was God. If it had to fall off, that was the way it should go,” said Bracy.
Church leaders expressed gratitude to the neighbors who helped roll the steeple from the road to the sidewalk, adding that where it broke off does not directly connect to sanctuary.
Bracy described it like a "Christmas miracle." Christmas Eve service happened as planned, and so will the service for Christmas Day.
"It's just such a blessing because we're here for the community, and we've been here for 100 years,” Bracy added.
Roofing crews should arrive Monday to tarp up the hole. Church leaders are expecting a visit from insurance adjusters soon.
Hampton Roads saw a similar steeple toppling in October. The one at Galilee Church in Virginia Beach fell, when remnants of Hurricane Ian pummeled the Oceanfront.
The massive weather system and its winds also caused power outages, but not necessarily for one neighborhood near Estabrook in Norfolk. A neighbor told 13News Now someone crashed into an electricity pole, leaving families to spend Christmas Eve either somewhere else or in the dark for hours.