Severe Charlotte-area storms could spawn tornadoes this weekend, NWS forecaster says
Severe storms are expected to race from the mountains into the Charlotte area Sunday morning and could spawn a low-intensity tornado or two, a National Weather Service meteorologist said Saturday.
“There is a threat of tornadoes” for Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, NWS forecaster Jake Wimberley told The Charlotte Observer. “But it’s not going to be a major outbreak.”
Any tornadoes would be brief and of low intensity, “not the kind in Oklahoma,” he said, referring to much stronger twisters.
“Strong to severe” storms
Blame a low-pressure weather system for the line of thunderstorms forecast to hit the mountains between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday and the Charlotte region around 9 a.m. or 10 a.m., Wimberley said.
Beginning Saturday afternoon, the storms are expected to barrel east from Memphis, Tennessee, he said.
“A few storms may become strong to severe, with locally damaging winds and an isolated tornado or two being the main threats,” NWS meteorologists said in a hazardous weather outlook bulletin Saturday morning.
“The best chance is along and south of I-85, but can’t be ruled out elsewhere,” according to the bulletin.
The NWS alert included Mecklenburg and surrounding counties, Upstate South Carolina and the Carolinas mountains.
Wind shear in the storms colliding with a cold front could spawn the tornadoes, Wimberley said.
The severe weather should leave the Charlotte region by 11 a.m., he said.
The mountains could see snow on the back end of the storms, Wimberley said.
Freezing rain could leave a light glaze on roads Saturday afternoon in Boone, Wilkesboro, Sparta, West Jefferson and Rocky Mount, the NWS office in Blacksburg, Virginia, said in an alert.
Snow remains in Charlotte’s forecast, but not until Wednesday.
Charlotte forecast
Charlotte was a miserable 39 degrees at 2 p.m. Saturday as a steady rain fell across the region.
The city has a 100% chance of showers on Sunday, with gusts up to 38 mph, according to the forecast.
After an expected high of 46 on Saturday, highs are predicted to bounce around through the week.
Sunday should see a high of 65, before highs drop to 49 on Monday, 54 on Tuesday, 37 on Wednesday, 42 on Thursday and 43 on Friday, according to the forecast.
Monday and Tuesday should be mostly sunny, while Wednesday has a 90% chance of rain and snow showers in the morning and afternoon and a 60% chance at night.
A 60% chance of freezing rain takes over from 10 p.m. Wednesday until 4 a.m. Thursday, the forecast showed. Meteorologists predict mostly sunshine for Thursday and Friday.
This story was originally published February 15, 2025 at 9:37 AM.