Tornado watch issued for Charlotte as ‘severe’ storms near region late Saturday
A tornado watch expanded to Charlotte and surrounding towns late Saturday as a line of “severe” thunderstorms approached the region, according to the National Weather Service office in Greer, S.C.
The watch is in effect until midnight, according to the National Weather Service office in Greer , S.C.
The Charlotte metro area has an 80% chance of severe storms through at least 10:30 p.m., NWS meteorologists said.
Cabarrus, Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan and Union counties were also placed under the tornado watch at 8:30 p.m.
The NWS expanded its tornado watch to the Charlotte area from Upstate South Carolina, as “a line of heavy rain showers with embedded thunderstorms” were expected to cross the area along a cold front, according to an NWS alert.
“Very gusty winds are expected to accompany the line of showers and storms, with isolated damaging winds possible,” NWS meteorologists said in a hazardous weather outlook bulletin. “A brief tornado also cannot be ruled out.”
This story was originally published January 11, 2020 at 10:26 PM.