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Severe weather expected Thursday in the Carolinas
Severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes are forecast Thursday.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Severe weather is forecast to impact Charlotte and throughout the Carolinas Thursday. The storm threat brings with it the possibility of tornadoes, damaging wind, and hail.
Brad Panovich and the WCNC Charlotte First Warn Storm Team consider much of the greater Charlotte meteropolitan area to be at a “high risk” Thursday for seeing storms. The greatest risk includes uptown Charlotte and extends south of Interstate 85, including places like Concord, and Monroe in North Carolina, and Rock Hill, Fort Mill, and Lancaster in South Carolina.
Locations north of Interstate 85 are still considered to be at a medium-to-high risk of seeing severe weather capable of threatening life and property. Those locations include, but are not limited to, Gastonia, Hickory, Statesville, Morganton, Boone, Blowing Rock, and Salisbury.
The severe weather forecast
Warm, moist area will move into the Carolinas throughout the morning Thursday. This air will prime the atmosphere with the fuel needed to make super cells, a powerful thunderstorm capable of becoming severe.
As a cold front advances eastward across the Carolinas, the transition between the two air masses is forecast to trig storms. Much like summertime storms, the storms Thursday could trigger both along the front and out ahead of the front. In other words, discrete, pop-up cells will require everyone to monitor the weather and stay weather aware.
It is likely the National Weather Service will issue a Severe Thunderstorm Watch or a Tornado Watch ahead of the event.
Watches are issued when particular weather conditions, such as thunderstorms or tornadoes, are expected in the hours to follow.
The National Weather Service would issue Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and Tornado Warnings when life-threatening weather is occuring in real-time.
This scenerio is already playing out across the South Wednesday, where watches and warnings for tornadoes are issued in states including Arkanas, Mississippi, and Alabama.
If you find yourself within a Tornado Warning, you’ll want to:
- Move to the lowest, and most interior, room inside a sturdy structure. Put as many walls between you and the outside world as possible.
- Stay away from windows and doors.
- Cover yourself in a helmet or blanket.
- Have shoes and pants on before moving to your safe place. If damage occurs during the storm, you will want to be wearing protective clothing when you emerge from your safe place.
The highest chances for tornadoes span from much of southern and central Mecklenburg County in North Carolina and well into South Carolina. The higher chances don’t dissipate until well east of Raleigh. Our northernmost counties in the viewing area will at most see a 5% chance for tornadoes, chances which stretch through far eastern Tennessee and up into the extreme corners of Kentucky and Virginia. Cities and towns like Hickory, Lincolnton, Statesville, and Salisbury will see a 10% chance of severe storms, a band that extends into the Greenville and Spartanburg parts of the Upstate of South Carolina.
What are the exact impacts we can expect in our area? Current models say there’s a moderate chance of tornadoes spanning from around 10 a.m. through 2 p.m., with lower chances before and after that timeframe. Flash flooding is also of some concern from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m. The impacts to be on the lookout for the most: high wind and hail. Current models suggest high wind will be a larger concern from 10 a.m. through 3 p.m. Meanwhile, hail could hit hard from 11 a.m. through 3 p.m.
To wrap it up: high winds are likely to be the most concerning severe event, with high impacts predicted Thursday. Tornadoes are likely to have a moderate impact along with hail but don’t count them out when compared to high winds. Flooding will have a lower level of concern throughout the day, but rain levels should still be monitored, especially in low-lying areas.
Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich said lots of wind shear will be in place Thursday, which could lead to rotating storms if paired with tall storms to develop and change the wind direction and speed.
The best way to prepare for severe weather Thursday is to be ready now. You can download the WCNC Charlotte Weather app on your phone to get real-time alerts from the weather team as we track the latest in the area.
You should also have a battery-powered NOAA weather radio set to alarm and portable chargers handy in case you lose power during severe weather.
The WCNC Charlotte Weather team will also provide real-time alerts on social media, and we’ll be live on-air and online if conditions get worse. You should also check in with family and friends regularly and let others know of any severe weather headed their way if they’re not aware.