News Summary
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for multiple counties in the Charlotte area, along with a tornado watch for regions near the North Carolina-Virginia border. The storm is expected to bring damaging wind gusts and the possibility of tornadoes. While some warnings have been canceled, residents are advised to stay alert as conditions may change. Travel disruptions have already been reported, including significant flight delays at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Charlotte – A severe thunderstorm watch was issued Friday afternoon for over a dozen counties in the Charlotte region, including Mecklenburg County. The watch is set to last until 8 p.m. on Friday, May 30. Additionally, a tornado watch was implemented, covering several counties along the North Carolina-Virginia border, including Alleghany, Ashe, Wilkes, and Watauga counties, which is also set to expire at 8 p.m.
The storm system began impacting the mountainous areas early Friday afternoon and is expected to reach Charlotte by mid-afternoon. Forecasters anticipated wind gusts of up to 70 mph, large hail, and the possibility of tornadoes as the storms moved across the Carolinas. The National Weather Service (NWS) alerted regions from Columbus, Georgia, through Charlotte, Hickory, and Winston-Salem of the severe weather threats.
Due to the increasing severe weather threat, the day was declared a First Alert Weather Day. Chesterfield and Lancaster counties were placed under a tornado warning around 3:45 p.m. The warning was canceled by 4:15 p.m., after authorities confirmed that no tornado had indeed occurred, although Doppler radar had indicated a potential tornado at that time.
As the initial wave of storms passed by 5 p.m., multiple severe thunderstorm and tornado watches were canceled. The storms were predicted to affect the Charlotte area between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m., moving at speeds of about 45 mph. While isolated storms might continue into the late evening and overnight hours, they are not expected to be severe.
The primary risks associated with the thunderstorms included hail and damaging winds, along with the slight chance of brief spin-up tornadoes. Following the initial storm activity, the NWS removed the severe thunderstorm watch for Mecklenburg County and neighboring areas. However, officials cautioned that severe storms could still develop in the early evening. A new alert was issued for additional regions, extending to foothills counties including Burke, Caldwell, and Rutherford.
At this time, no immediate damage from the storms had been reported, and utility company Duke Energy noted minimal outages in the Charlotte area. By 5 p.m., approximately 1,900 customers were without electricity across the state. The weather disruptions also caused significant travel delays, with at least 399 flights delayed and 91 canceled at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Earlier forecasts had warned residents of the risk of tornadoes and the occurrence of hail the size of ping pong balls. Despite the issuance of watches and warnings throughout the afternoon, official reports indicated that no tornadoes had touched down in the affected regions.
As evening approaches, area residents are encouraged to stay tuned to local forecasts for any updates on developing weather conditions. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide further information as necessary.
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Additional Resources
- WBTV
- Wikipedia: Tornado
- WCNC
- Google Search: Severe Weather Charlotte
- Charlotte Observer
- Google Scholar: Severe Thunderstorm Watches
- Herald Online
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Tornado
- WYFF4
- Google News: North Carolina Severe Weather
Author: HERE Charlotte
The CHARLOTTE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERECharlotte.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Lovin' Life Music Festival, Charlotte Pride festival, and major sporting tournaments at Bank of America Stadium. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance and Foundation for the Carolinas, plus leading businesses in finance and entertainment that power the local economy such as Bank of America and NASCAR. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAsheville.com, HEREGreensboro.com, HERERaleigh.com, and HEREOBX.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into North Carolina's dynamic landscape.
