Charlotte-area severe storms could pack damaging winds, NWS warns
The Charlotte region and the mountains could see severe storms packing damaging gusts Sunday night, National Weather Service meteorologists warned.
“The primary threat from any storms that reach severe criteria will be damaging wind gusts,” according to a hazardous weather bulletin issued at 4:30 a.m. Sunday by the NWS office in Greer, South Carolina. “Cloud-to-ground lightning can also be expected with any thunderstorms that develop today.”
The warning area also includes Upstate South Carolina and central North Carolina, according to the alert.
At 30%, the chance of showers and thunderstorms remains “slight” in Charlotte Sunday morning and afternoon, while the risk increases to 40% at night, according to the NWS Charlotte forecast at 9 a.m. Sunday.
Winds are forecast to intensify during the day, with gusts up to 21 mph predicted, NWS meteorologists said.
Saturday, the NWS office said storms could emerge after 2 p.m. Sunday, but they have since pushed that chance to “before 9 a.m.” Sunday. NWS meteorologists also removed the threat of large hail from their forecast.
A rainy low-pressure system moved northeast of the Carolinas Saturday, restoring dry skies at least for the day, according to the NWS office.
Forecasters expect the cold front to track across the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia Sunday, “bringing another round of showers and thunderstorms as well as breezy winds,” according to the NWS.
“Dry high pressure returns for much of next week, with breezy to gusty winds expected to continue into early next week,” according to a Saturday bulletin by the NWS office.
A high of 79 is expected in Charlotte on Sunday, the forecast showed.
Sunny to mostly sunny skies are expected throughout the work week, with predicted highs of 71 Monday, 77 Tuesday and 83 Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. A high of 76 is forecast Saturday, as rain chances increase
This story was originally published April 15, 2023 at 10:11 AM.