13,000 without power after severe thunderstorms in Mecklenburg County

Severe thunderstorms swept through the Charlotte region on Wednesday afternoon, causing street flooding in Mint Hill and Matthews and power loss to nearly 13,000 Duke Energy customers in Mecklenburg County.

Heavy rain fell especially in southeast Mecklenburg County, with numerous reports of small hail in Matthews.

Weather radar indicated wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph in northeast Charlotte, in the Robinson Church Road area.

While southwest Charlotte stayed dry, more than an inch fell in about 45 minutes in eastern Mecklenburg County. A gauge at Bain Elementary School in Mint Hill reported 1.51 inches, and a gauge in Matthews near Butler High recorded 1.45 inches.

In Cabarrus County, the Harrisburg Fire Department reported about 5:45 p.m. that it was responding to a house fire on Sweethaven Lane. Fire officials said the blaze might have been started by lightning.

Around 4 p.m., a severe thunderstorm developed in western Lincoln County and swept southeast across Mecklenburg County and into Union County, where it weakened after 6:15 p.m.

In Lincoln County, emergency management reported buildings damaged by strong winds in Iron Station. Six to eight large trees were blown down on Timber Road in the unincorporated community east of Lincolnton.

This story was originally published May 31, 2017 at 6:53 PM with the headline "13,000 without power after severe thunderstorms in Mecklenburg County."