Tornado surveyors to assess damage in Orange County from Thursday's storms

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By WRAL Severe Weather Center

Cedar Grove, N.C. — Tornado surveyors from the National Weather Service will be in Orange County on Friday to assess damage from Thursday’s severe weather.

Orange County emergency officials said at least three homes in the Pentecost Road area sustained damage, but no injuries were reported.

Taelor Chrisco and her mother sat in their bathroom for over an hour while waiting for storms to pass.

“It got really loud, and it sound like a train horn,” described Chrisco. “I thought it was our phones because we were watching the news and it sounded like a train horn. Then, our lights started flickering and you just heard the slab noise. It sounded like stuff was crashing into our house. I thought a tree fell into the house.”

After storms passed, Chrisco said her backyard was covered in debris and her 8,000 pound shed had moved several inches. The family’s panel truck was also completely flipped over.

“We came out, and we saw all the debris and stuff in our yard and we saw the back fence was destroyed. There’s trees down everywhere on the back fence line and we saw our shed … the roof ws ripped off, and it was just everywhere,” said Chrisco.

Chrisco said the family’s horses were outside when the storms were passed but they are OK.

A spokesman for Orange County Emergency Services said vaccinations will continue at OC Speedway on Friday.

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9:00

The Tornado Watch for most of central North Carolina has expired, and the threat for severe weather is over for Thursday. The only counties in the WRAL viewing area that remain under a Tornado Watch is Mecklenburg, Virginia, and Northampton, North Carolina until 11 p.m.

8:15

The last remaining Tornado Warning in Warren County has been canceled.

The Tornado Watch remains in effect for Cumberland, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Nash, Vance, Wake and Warren counties until 9 p.m. The watch has been canceled for other counties in the WRAL viewing area.

Northampton County, Virginia, is under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 8:45 p.m.

8:05

The Tornado Watch for Chatham, Durham, Lee, Moore, Orange and Person counties has been canceled.

Cumberland, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Nash, Vance, Wake and Warren counties will remain under a Tornado Watch until 9 p.m.

The National Weather Service has dropped the Tornado Warning for Franklin County, but Halifax and Warren counties remain under a Tornado Warning until 8:30 p.m.

8:00

The National Weather Service has canceled the Tornado Warning for Vance County.

Halifax County remains under a Tornado Warning until 8:15 p.m. while Franklin and Warren counties remain under a Tornado Warning until 8:30 p.m.

WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell said there is no imminent threat to Wake County at the moment, but additional development can’t be ruled out.

“The same line of forcing is heading our way and we have more storm energy in Wake County than in other counties west of us,” said Campbell. “We’re going to be watching that very closely, but the highest threat right now is in our northern communities.”

7:45

Orange County Emergency Management officials said at least three homes in the Pentecost Road area were damaged in Thursday’s storms.

No injuries have been reported.

7:30

A Tornado Warning has been issued for Franklin County until 8:30 p.m., along with Vance and Warren counties.

Halifax County remains under a Tornado Warning until 8:15 p.m.

The National Weather Service has also issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke and Moore counties until 8:15 p.m.

WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell said Futurecast is showing the line of storms passing through our eastern counties by 9 p.m.

“Some of our eastern counties are not included in the Tornado Watch because we do expect the atmosphere to be more stable by the time it gets to you,” said Campbell.

7:15

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for Halifax, Vance and Warren counties until 8:15 p.m.

Around 7:11 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Oxford, moving east at 35 miles per hour.

Granville County will remain under a Tornado Warning until 7:45 p.m.

The Tornado Warning for Durham County has been canceled.

Alamance, Chatham and Orange counties are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 7:30 p.m.

7:00

The Tornado Warning for Granville County will remain in place until 7:15 p.m. Durham County remains under a Tornado Warning until 7:30 p.m, while the Tornado Warning for Person and Orange counties has been dropped.

Orange County Emergency Services officials said there are multiple trees down near Pentecost Road, but no injuries have been reported.

Much of central North Carolina remains under a Tornado Watch until 9 p.m.

6:55

The Tornado Warning for Orange County has been canceled, but Durham, Granville and Person Counties remain under a Tornado Warning until 7:30 p.m.

The National Weather Service said a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Butner, or 10 miles west of Creedmor, moving northeast at 45 miles per hour.

6:45

East-central Orange, central Durham northern Granvillle and Person counties are under a Tornado Warning until 7:30 p.m.

Orange County officials are already reporting damage in Cedar Grove, including a structure that has been leveled.

Alamance, Moore and Orange Counties are also under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 7:15 p.m. The National Weather Service said to expect damage to siding and roofs with the Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.

“The winds with these storms are likely to be strong” said WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell.

Campbell said the storms are moving to the northeast on average of 35 mph.

6:40

A Tornado Warning has been issued for east-central Orange County and central Durham until 7:30 p.m.

WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze said the storm will be in northern part of downtown Durham around 6:55 p.m.

6:30

Orange County officials are reporting multiple trees down and roofs off of houses, including one structure that was leveled, in the 6700 block of Pentecost Road in Cedar Grove.

Northwestern Durham and Person counties remain under a Tornado Warning until 7:00 p.m.

6:18

The Tornado Warning for Alamance County has been dropped, but a Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the county until 7:15 p.m.

Northwestern Durham, northern Orange and Person Counties remain under a Tornado Warning until 7 p.m.

At 6:10 p.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Prospect Hill, moving northeast at 50 mph.

6:00 p.m.

A Tornado Warning has been issued for Alamance, northwestern Durham, northern Orange and Person Counties until 7 p.m.

“The way the storm is heading it will generally heads across the northern portion of Orange County and head into Person County,” said WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze.

The city of Durham is NOT included in the Tornado Warning.

As of 5:57, the tornado-warned storm was located near Graham.

4:30 p.m.

Most of the WRAL viewing area remains under a Tornado Watch until 9 p.m.

“This includes all of the Triangle, Fayetteville, the Sandhills, Johnston County, Nash County and Halifax County,” said WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell.

A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for a tornado. A Tornado Warning means severe weather is imminent or occurring.

“You should be reviewing your safety plan and if a warning is issued, that is when you should be implementing your safety plan,” advised Campbell. “We do not have any Tornado Warnings in effect [in the WRAL viewing area] but there are two tornado warnings in effect in the state.”

Tornadoes, damaging winds and hail are all possible in central North Carolina, including the Triangle, on Thursday. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center (NWS SPC) has most of the WRAL viewing area under a Level 3 risk for severe weather.

Thursday afternoon, the NWS SPC removed the southeast corridor of the state from a Level 4 risk. That’s a significant change from Wednesday, when all of central and eastern North Carolina was placed under a Level 4 risk.

Damaging wind gusts 75 mph or greater, downed trees and isolated power outages are all possible. Tornadoes are more likely to occur in our southern and eastern counties.

“We’re still under a Level 3 risk, which is serious,” WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said. “Our risk for tornadoes is a little bit lower.”

“This is the line [of storms] that we are going to be watching that we’re going to be watching for the next several hours moving from west to east,” said WRAL meteorologist Mike Maze.

The key in what we will see depends on the placement of the emerging warm front, which Campbell said the warm-front has pushed through, bringing temperatures in Raleigh to 70 degrees.

“These warmer temperatures ahead of the line of storms will only help to energize our atmosphere,” said Campbell.

Campbell said in addition to the warming temperatures, there has also been sunshine popping up in counties south of Raleigh.

“Any sunshine or warmer temperatures will add fuel ahead of these storms,” she said.

Futurecast shows the timeframe for the strongest storms has shifted back a bit, and now appear as if they won’t move into our area until around 6 p.m. Storm cells will generally move northeast, impacting the I-95 corridor through about 11 p.m. This line carries the largest chance for damage.

Storm warnings are possible over Durham and Southern Pines between 3 and 4 p.m. Wake County and Fayetteville will be in play through the normal time of the evening commute – through about 9 p.m.

Damaging winds pose the biggest threat.

“We’ve backed off to a medium risk for tornadoes today,” Gardner said. “Hail is possible, but flooding with this system is unlikely.”

The Storm Prediction Center is warning about the chance for egg-sized hail at least 2 inches in diameter, locally damaging winds up to 75 mph and several strong tornadoes, which could blow at more than 100 mph on Thursday.

Travel and outdoor activity during those hours could be dangerous. With the forecast in mind, Durham Public Schools announced that all students would learn remotely, so they can be at home during the hours of greatest risk.

Most of the Triad and points west in North Carolina are under a Level 2 risk.

Other schools followed with plans for remote learning or early dismissal on Thursday.

Wake County officials canceled all first- and second-dose coronavirus vaccinations scheduled for Thursday. The appointments have been rescheduled for Friday at the same times and locations. All scheduled Friday appointments also will be held.

The county also suspended free public testing on Thursday. Tests will resume on Friday. City crews in Raleigh were clearing blockages of inlets, grates and culverts to remove debris.

It will be especially important to keep devices charged beforehand, have an emergency plan in place for your household and download the WRAL Weather app to receive severe weather alerts.

If there is a tornado warning in the viewing area, WRAL meteorologists will be tracking the storm on air. You can watch on TV or right in the app. There were 23 tornado reports and 43 reports of hail in the southeast on Wednesday.

Thursday’s high will be warm, in the mid 70s. The day will begin with cloudy skies, a light breeze and a small chance for showers, then showers and storms will become more likely later in the afternoon and into the evening.

There is a 30 percent chance for rain on Friday, and highs will stay around 60 degrees.

“We will have a cold rain tomorrow, and one of the models suggests some wet snowflakes mixed in across our northern counties tomorrow morning,” said Maze.

The weekend looks mostly sunny and dry but colder, with highs in the mid to upper 50s for both Saturday and Sunday.