Severe storms to follow a dangerously hot Saturday in Charlotte, NWS says
Severe storms with damaging winds and “torrential rainfall” were expected in the Charlotte area, Carolinas mountains and Upstate South Carolina after a dangerously hot afternoon Saturday, National Weather Service meteorologists said.
Forecasters originally expected a heat index of 105 in Charlotte on Saturday, but they lowered the predicted index to 101 by afternoon, according to the NWS Charlotte forecast at 3 p.m. Saturday.
The heat index combines temperature and humidity to reveal how the outdoors feels to the body.
The NWS heat value index chart classifies 105 as “very hot” and warns: “Sunstroke, heat cramps, or heat exhaustion LIKELY, and heat stroke POSSIBLE with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity.”
Saturday reached 92 degrees, the NWS reported.
Stormy night expected in Charlotte
“Heavy rain” was likely to dump on Charlotte late Saturday and early Sunday, according to the forecast. The chance of storms was 70%, the forecast showed.
Storm clouds rolled in by afternoon in some areas of Charlotte, the mountains, N.C. Foothills and Upstate South Carolina.
Strong storms with possible 50 mph winds and pea-sized hail raced into Charlotte about 4 p.m. Saturday, according to NWS alerts on Twitter. About 4:30 p.m., the NWS warned of similarly strong storms in Huntersville, Concord and Kannapolis.
A similar warning was in effect until 5:30 p.m. for Mooresville, Cornelius, and Davidson.
“Numerous thunderstorms will move across the region this afternoon into the early evening hours,” according to an NWS hazardous weather bulletin Saturday morning. “Several of these storms may become severe with damaging wind gusts as the main threat.”
“Gusty winds, torrential rainfall and cloud-to-ground lightning are possible with any thunderstorm that develops,” forecasters said in the alert.
Showers and thunderstorms were likeliest mainly before 2 a.m. Sunday, NWS meteorologists said in the forecast.
“Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall,” NWS forecasters said.
More hot temps ahead, forecast shows
Up to an inch of rain could fall before the storms move from the region later Sunday morning, according to the forecast.
Charlotteans should then brace for a week of hot temperatures under mostly sunny skies, NWS forecasters said.
Highs are predicted to climb from 92 Sunday to 93 Monday, 96 Tuesday and Wednesday and 98 Thursday. The high should then dip to 95 Friday, the forecast showed.
This story was originally published July 15, 2023 at 8:57 AM.