Phones buzzed, porch doors slammed and people from Hendersonville to Tryon hustled inside early Thursday evening as a severe thunderstorm warning flashed across Henderson and Polk counties. Radar showed a compact, slow-moving core bearing down on the foothills, and forecasters said it could bring damaging wind and hail strong enough to dent vehicles and knock down limbs. Local officials and utilities stood by for word of power issues and road hazards while heavy rain cut visibility on the region's narrow mountain roads.
When and where the warning applied
The National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg issued the warning at 3:39 p.m., listing it as in effect until 4:45 p.m., according to the Raleigh News & Observer. The alert drew a polygon around a good chunk of the area, naming Hendersonville, Flat Rock, Laurel Park, Saluda, Valley Hill, Dana, Lake Adger, East Flat Rock and Tryon as locations inside the warning zone.
What the storm could do
Forecasters said the cell, located near Hendersonville or near Flat Rock, was crawling southeast at about 10 mph and could pack wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail up to one inch in diameter, a combination that can cause minor vehicle and roof damage. According to the National Weather Service, "Minor hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to trees and power lines."
Lightning and safety tips
Lightning is an underappreciated killer, with the National Weather Service estimating roughly 25 million cloud-to-ground strikes in the U.S. each year and about 20 lightning-related deaths on average. The agency's safety slogan, "When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!" drives home the guidance to steer clear of corded phones, plumbing and windows and to wait 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder before heading back outside, according to the National Weather Service. Local coverage also passed along driving tips for heavy rain and hydroplaning, including using headlights, sticking to higher lanes and postponing nonessential trips while storms move through, per the Raleigh News & Observer.
Regional outlook
The Henderson-Polk warning was part of a broader severe-weather pattern sweeping parts of the country Thursday, with clusters of damaging storms expected from the Midwest into the Mid-Atlantic. WeatherBug noted that the Storm Prediction Center had highlighted enhanced risk areas, and forecasters urged residents along the front to keep an eye on local National Weather Service products and emergency alerts.
