Trees uprooted in Raleigh neighborhoods, students shelter in place as tornado warning passes through Wake County

Large trees fell Wednesday in several Raleigh neighborhoods during the time that a tornado warning was issued for the area.

Before 1 p.m., a large tree blocked the entrance to the Timbers Apartments off Millbrook Road. A line of cars formed, and residents couldn’t access the complex. WRAL News was there as a group of volunteers used handsaws and lifting power to remove the tree.

The large tree was completely uprooted. A tornado has not yet been confirmed in the area, but WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth saw rotation in the area around 12:15 p.m.

People in the areas of Duraleigh, Ebenezer Church, Lynn and Creedmoor roads were asked to seek shelter during the storm. The tornado warning was canceled around 12:30 p.m.

WRAL reporter Chelsea Donovan spoke to Craig Morrow, a Raleigh resident who was driving in the area of Leesville and Millbrook roads during the tornado warning and heard the alert on the radio.

“Literally within 10 seconds, rain was coming down like crazy,” Morrow said. “All of a sudden all these branches started blowing, and my car blew a little bit over to the right lane, and we saw some movement. In about 10 seconds it was over. It was crazy, I’ve never experienced anything like that.”

Nearby, in the Walden Woods neighborhood off Departure Drive, a massive tree was split in half around the same time. Bark was stripped off the part of the tree that was still standing.

A group of teenagers walking by told WRAL’s Chelsea Donovan that the tree almost hit a man. Apparently, the man heard a “cracking” sound and quickly moved out of the way before the tree fell.

Find hour-by-hour storm updates here.