Tornadoes, ‘large’ hail threaten Charlotte area Easter Sunday night. Here’s latest.
Thunderstorms could spawn tornadoes and “large hail” late on Easter Sunday and early Monday in the Charlotte area, National Weather Service meteorologists said Saturday.
“Damaging winds would be the main threat, but large hail and a few tornadoes could result,” NWS forecasters said in a hazardous weather outlook bulletin just before 2 p.m. “Minor flooding may also develop.”
Blame a “strong storm system” moving across the South this weekend, according to the NWS update.
Rain could move in by midday Sunday in some parts of western North Carolina, according to WBTV meterologist Jason Myers. “Strong to severe” storms could impact the Charlotte area, with parts of the mountains seeing especially heavy rain, Myers said late Saturday.
A cold front will follow into Monday but storms will clear out after Monday morning with temperatures warming up throughout the day.
The severe weather forecast also covers Upstate South Carolina, the N.C. foothills and S.C. and N.C. mountains.
“Periods of moderate to heavy rain are expected Sunday as a warm front moves over the region ahead of this system,” meteorologists said in the bulletin.
Rain is likely to start before noon Sunday and persist until about noon Monday before skies begin to clear, according to the latest National Weather Service forecast Saturday afternoon.
The Charlotte region has a 90% chance of rain from before noon Sunday until early Monday, with thunderstorms from 9 p.m. Sunday until at least 1 a.m. Monday, according to the NWS forecast. Showers and thunderstorms have an 80% chance of sticking around through Monday afternoon, NWS meteorologists said.
A half- to three-quarters of an inch of rain is expected in Charlotte Sunday, with a forecast high of 68.
Mostly sunny skies should return Monday afternoon, with a forecast high of 78. Skies should remain mostly sunny through Friday, NWS meteorologists said in their online forecast.
This story was originally published April 11, 2020 at 10:58 AM.