The National Weather Service (NWS) will broadcast the drill over NOAA weather radio stations and the Emergency Alert System. Wednesday has a 60% of rain a showers throughout the day and night, with sunshine finally expected to emerge on Thursday, NWS meteorologists said. As weather conditions improve, our crews will begin making repairs and conducting a full assessment of the damage incurred, the Charlotte utility said. We also see a secondary peak in the fall from August to October. March 6-12 is Severe Weather Preparedness Week in North Carolina. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Lay flat on the ground and put your hands behind your head. Numerous trees are down, county officials said in a news release, adding that emergency crews were assessing the extent of damage. By Jason Myers, Bekah Birdsall, Al Conklin, Rachel Coulter and Elissia Wilson. Official website for the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. Severe weather requires some preparation in advance, even when it's not the season for storms. All rights reserved. Damaging wind gusts will be the greatest threat from any severe storms today. Weather IQ: How do tornadoes in the Carolinas form? How to get severe weather warnings from WCNC, Sunny, warmer, and high pollen into midweek, In a post-Roe world, North Carolina has become an abortion landing place, Thunderstorm brings down trees in Mecklenburg County, Brad Panovich | Here's why wind shear can cause severe spring weather. Download the free WBTV Weather app on your mobile device, to receive weather alerts and get your latest WBTV weather forecast on the go. This watch included, but was not limited to: Alexander, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lancaster Lincoln, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Richmond, Rowan, Union and Watauga counties. Saturday looks mainly dry for the piedmont, yet the NC mountains may see some scattered snow showers for the higher elevations. Just before 9 p.m., the city said crews had restored power to most customers impacted by the outage. The rural Iredell communities of Union Grove, Turnersburg and Olin also fell under the warning. There have been 2,400 power outages reported in Catawba County as of 8:15 p.m. Strong to severe storms are possible into our Wednesday evening hours, with scattered rain possible overnight into early Thursday, as a cold front moves through. CHARLOTTE, N.C. Wednesday brought the WCNC Charlotte viewing area's first tornado warning of the year -- and 14 of them in one day, at that. A tree also was blocking part of Lawrence Road, and power was out in the area. He explained the cloud in the photo, which was taken near Pineville during the tornado warning, was a photograph of a wall cloud and not a tornado. Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. No injuries or damage to buildings had been reported, officials said. Managed to see some rotation in the cloud base near Mint Hill, NC (~2mi WNW) as it passed to my north. The big question is what happens behind the first wave, Munroe said, referring to the first wave of showers that stretched from the mountains to Charlotte through early afternoon. Updated March 18, 2021 7:14 PM . Any enclosed place away from windows is your target. In a mobile home, get out and run to a tornado shelter nearby. TAKE COVER NOW! Crouch and cover your head. As the severe storms moved through the greater Charlotte area Thursday, portions of York County and Chester counties in South Carolina, followed by Anson, Randolph, Stanly, Moore, and Montgomery counties in North Carolina, were under tornado warnings as meteorologists tracked rotation inside the severe thunderstorms. A tornado watch issued south and east of the Charlotte area has been allowed to expire. Conditions will be sufficient for development of scattered strong to severe thunderstorms, NWS says. A Tornado Watch was issued for parts of North Carolina through 8 p.m. A Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of the Sandhills and . Tornado Warnings were also issued for parts of the state. Arrival delays of up to a half-hour were reported, after all inbound flights were held at their originating airports until 4:30 p.m. to avoid Charlotte-area thunderstorms, according to FlightAware. If the tornado is far enough away you can drive away from it in 90-degree angles until you find a safe place. "All Charlotte-Mecklenburg residents, businesses and organizations are encouraged to participate in the drill. Some establishments will have a marked tornado shelter. Thunderstorm winds are capable of producing damage similar to a tornado. An EF1 tornado can push a car and an EF2 can lift it off the road. Following a storm, wear sturdy shoes, long sleeves and gloves when walking on or near debris, and be aware of exposed nails and broken glass. A tree was also blocking part of the road, with power dark in the immediate area. In 2021, the NWS issued 194 tornado warnings for North Carolina and recorded 21 tornadoes. The National Weather Service warned the storms could produce damaging winds up to 60 mph, and hail upwards of 1.75 inches in addition to a possible tornado. Weather IQ, Cash (power outages mean banks and ATMs may be unavailable), Important documents and records (Photos, IDs, proof of residence, etc), Three-day supply of non-perishable food items, One gallon of bottled water per person, per day, Hearing aids and other specialty medical items, Baby, elderly and pet supplies if necessary, Family communication plan with emergency contact information. #TurnAroundDontDrown #ncwx pic.twitter.com/8Je2mI5dMv. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app. Familiarize yourself with the warning signs that can indicate a tornado, such as: Dark sky; Large hail; Large, dark, low-lying clouds that could be rotating; Loud roar; . A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Avery, Burke and Caldwell counties until 6 p.m. Heat wave to blanket Charlotte and Raleigh, NWS says. Severe thunderstorms earlier Thursday prompted several tornado warnings for counties in North Carolina and South Carolina. Charlotte Waffle House found with live roach, unclean equipment during health inspection, The top-ranked pie in North Carolina doesnt look like pie at all. Strong to severe storms are possible through this evening, with damaging winds and an isolated tornado the biggest threat. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Sunny, warmer, and high pollen into midweek, In a post-Roe world, North Carolina has become an abortion landing place, Thunderstorm brings down trees in Mecklenburg County, FORECAST: Strong and severe storms possible this afternoon and early evening, Schools dismissing early due to severe weather threat, We've listed more severe weather safe places here. RELATED: A suspected tornado touched down Thursday near Polkton. DO NOT seek shelter under a bridge or overpass. Don't forget the jacket or umbrella if you head outside tonight. Hail causes over $1 billion in crop damage every year. The National Weather Service would issue Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and Tornado Warnings when life-threatening weather is occurring in real-time. This story was originally published March 22, 2022, 11:09 AM. Your safe place should have a flashlight, as well as food and water. Learn More. Buford Middle School, Buford High School, Andrew Jackson Middle School, Andrew Jackson High School, and Indian Land Middle School were dismissed at noon on Wednesday. In an apartment building, the same rules apply. Brad Panovich's family keeps helmets in their safe space, along with other supplies for a tornado warning. Near Polton, several chicken houses were destroyed along with substantial tree damage. A Tornado Watch was issued for parts of North Carolina through 8 p.m. A Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of the Sandhills and southeastern NC until 8pm. If it is nearby, DO NOT try tooutrun it. Soaring temps to reach near-record highs in North Carolina. Meteorologists and emergency management officials blamed severe thunderstorms spawned by Fred for knocking out power to several thousand Duke Energy customers west and southwest of Asheville, and 1,000 customers in Valdese, Burke County. San Francisco, CA warning 45 . A basement is ideal, but if you don't have one, find the most interior room of your house away from windows. A thunderstorm is only considered severe when it has at least one of these: When a thunderstorm has either of these criteria, the National Weather Service will issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for individual storms. Friday was a Weather Aware Day for the Charlotte region as storms brought the threat of damaging winds, hail and isolated tornadoes to the Carolinas. Why fans love it. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management Office urges Mecklenburg . Any storm can produce damaging lightning regardless of whether or not it is warned. Panovich said the best timeframe for severe weather will likely be from around noon to 2 p.m. By 4 p.m., the trailing edge of storms will be moving through with a threat of strong storms. Tornado: There will be some spin to the atmosphere and there is a chance for a spin-up tornado but the treats are very low at this time. Do not wait to see or hear the tornado. At 7:43 p.m., the National Weather Service says a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located seven miles northeast of Marion, or near Lake James, moving northeast at 25 mph. Soaring temps to reach near-record highs in North Carolina. Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich said the risk for severe thunderstorms in Charlotte and surrounding areas increased because of afternoon sunshine, which allowed the atmosphere to heat. A Tornado Watch has been issued for Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Rutherford counties until 12 a.m. Strong to severe storms are possible into our Wednesday evening hours, with scattered rain possible overnight into early Thursday, as a cold front moves through. A tornado warning had been issued for parts of the Charlotte, North Carolina, metro area Monday afternoon, but it expired after the storm threat passed, the National Weather Service said. If you find yourself inside a tornado warning, you should immediately seek shelter inside a sturdy structure. Flying debris tends to move even faster, making it more dangerous. A number of tornadoes were reported in Mississippi and Alabama late Wednesday . At 11:45 a.m., Alexander County received reports of a tornado in the Hiddenite-Stony Point area. Started 4 hours ago. Heavy bands of rain are expected to move into Charlotte and surrounding areas by 2 or 3 p.m., NWS meteorologist Ashley Pratt told The Charlotte Observer at 9:45 a.m. Storms could continue developing in the region until 3 or 4 a.m. Wednesday, she said. Winter storm update: 11 inches of snow forecast in NC mountains, all rain in Charlotte. The tornado touched down near Burnt Umber Drive, just south of Reedy Creek Park, in east Charlotte, around 1:37 p.m., according to a preliminary report Tuesday. If driving, you should leave your vehicle immediately to seek safety in an adequate structure. If damage occurs during the storm, you will want to be wearing protective clothing when you emerge from your safe place. As a result, Duke Energy reported 500 of their customers in the south Charlotte neighborhood were without power Thursday morning. Later Thursday, Panovich verified a storm photo on social media. Winter storm update: 11 inches of snow forecast in NC mountains, all rain in Charlotte. For all still hoping: Snow has defied meteorological winter in Charlotte before, Make the most of spring-like weather in Charlotte with these outdoor activities, If theres a winter heat wave in Charlotte now, this is what can you expect for spring. No injuries or home or business damage was immediately reported. This will all come within a six-hour period, which will lead to some significant ponding in areas. In addition, the NWS issued 1,114 severe . The dangers of hail: Severe Weather Preparedness Week: How to prepare for severe thunderstorms like Brad Panovich, Severe Weather Preparedness Week: Tornadoes and straight-line winds, Severe Weather Preparedness Week: Lightning safety. Gusty winds not associated with storms will continue into tonight, with wind gusts around 35 mph at times. Instead, pull over. Severe storms race through Charlotte area, prompting tornado warnings, flight delays By Joe Marusak. Know where the nearest safe room is, such as a basement or interior room and away from windows and go there immediately if you hear or see a tornado. Brad Panovich's family keeps helmets in their safe space, along with other supplies for a tornado warning. No one was hurt as the EF-1 twister the second weakest on the Enhanced Fujita Scale for tornado intensity and damage carved a 5.1-mile path through a rural stretch of the counties, the NWS team reported. RELATED: Brad Panovich | Here's why wind shear can cause severe spring weather. North Carolina cops say January 11, 2023 12:41 PM Duck below the dash and cover your head. . As a cold front then moved eastward across the Carolinas, it produced storms along the boundary between the warmer, moist air and the cooler air riding along the front. Through the late afternoon and evening hours, the line associated with an advancing cold front continues to move through eastern portions of the Carolinas. Conditions will be sufficient for development of scattered strong to severe thunderstorms, NWS says. There's also a low risk for a few brief tornadoes. The most severe storms barreled through southern Mecklenburg County from Upstate South Carolina late afternoon. You should always wear shoes because if there is damage, you may have to walk through nails or broken glass. The warnings have all since expired. Of all the forms of severe weather possible Thursday, it is damaging winds that are most likely to be observed on a widespread scale. Heres the latest forecast. Showers and thunderstorms before 3am, then a slight chance of showers between 3am and 4am. A place like under the staircase, an interior hallway or a room with no windows is your safe place. Panovich said the convective available potential energy -- known as CAPE, or "thunderstorm fuel" -- will build up in the middle of the day. One of the tornadoes was confirmed Wednesday by a National Weather Service storm damage survey team. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. The 2018 election through then Republican candidate Mark Harris' eyes. As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, 82 flight delays were reported at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. "You can see it does build a little towards the middle of the day," Panovich explained. As of 9:20 p..m., Woodside Place and Woodside Street were the only areas that remained affected by the power outage.