A fast-hitting line of strong thunderstorms ripped across Wake County around midday Tuesday, triggering a focused National Weather Service alert that warned of wind gusts up to 40 mph and marble-sized hail. Doppler radar showed the storm cell near Raleigh racing northeast at about 30 mph, with the short-fuse warning scheduled to expire around 12:15 p.m. Officials urged anyone outside to head indoors and told drivers to brace for sudden downpours.
According to The News & Observer, the NWS Raleigh office issued its report at 11:34 a.m., calling for marble-sized hail (0.5 inches) and wind gusts topping out around 40 mph. “At 11:33 a.m., Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm near Raleigh, moving northeast at 30 mph,” the NWS said, warning that the gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and send unsecured items tumbling.
What the watch covers
The National Weather Service's Raleigh office (NWS Raleigh) also outlined a broader Severe Thunderstorm Watch for much of central North Carolina from 11:45 a.m. through 8 p.m. Tuesday, signaling that more storms were possible into the evening. The watch area included Wake County and neighboring parts of the Triangle, and forecasters urged residents to stay tuned for any upgraded warnings.
Roads and safety
Roads across Wake County were part of the concern: The News & Observer reports the warning specifically covered stretches of Interstate 40 between Mile Markers 286 and 304, I-440, I-540, US-1 and NC-264 as they pass through the county. Drivers were advised to slow down, flip on headlights in heavy rain, steer clear of standing water, and give road crews plenty of space if fallen trees or limbs blocked any lanes.
The alert capped off several days of late-June storms that have largely skirted the Triangle, part of a now-familiar pattern of afternoon showers and gusty cells. Earlier in the week, similar bouts of heavy rain and gusts on Friday, June 19, underscored the need for residents to keep their storm plans, and their umbrellas, flexible.
