Sunday turned rough across North Carolina’s Piedmont as a fast-moving line of strong thunderstorms roared through, packing wind gusts that officials said could hit 55 mph. The squall made for dicey driving on key highways and raised the risk of falling tree limbs and flying debris, prompting residents in the path of the storms to head indoors until the weather calmed down.
What the National Weather Service warned
At 1:17 p.m. EDT, the National Weather Service office in Raleigh issued a Special Weather Statement noting that Doppler radar was tracking a line of strong thunderstorms capable of producing wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph as it pushed east across the Piedmont. Forecasters warned that the gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects, and they called out stretches of Interstate 95 between mile markers 145 and 116 as an area of particular concern, according to the National Weather Service Raleigh.
Where the alert stretched
Local coverage reported that the advisory extended over a broad section of the Piedmont, including Warren, Halifax, Franklin, Nash and Edgecombe counties, with communities such as Roanoke Rapids, Louisburg, Littleton and Enfield all listed under the alert. That report also highlighted portions of I-95 as a storm corridor to watch, according to the News & Observer.
Safety reminders and lightning risk
The National Weather Service urged anyone caught outside during the storms to head for shelter, noting, “If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.” Along with high winds, thunderstorms bring the threat of lightning. The agency notes that lightning strikes the United States roughly 20 to 25 million times a year and is responsible for about 20 deaths annually, a sobering reminder of why getting inside quickly is so important, according to the National Weather Service.
