Currituck County spent early Monday evening under a severe thunderstorm warning as a line of storms rolled across the Albemarle Sound region, threatening Outer Banks communities with damaging wind gusts, frequent lightning and spotty power outages.
The warning, issued at 5:04 p.m. and in effect until 5:45 p.m. for Currituck County, was reported by the News & Observer. Local officials and weather services urged residents to stay alert to quickly changing conditions and to be ready to move to shelter.
Forecasters Warned Of Damaging Wind
The National Weather Service office in Wakefield cautioned that storms in the area could produce wind gusts up to 60 mph and warned people to “expect damage to trees and powerlines.” The National Weather Service also recommended moving to an interior room on the lowest floor and asked the public to report severe weather by calling 757-899-2415 or using the office's social media channels.
Where The Line Was Headed
At 5:03 p.m., forecasters were tracking storms along a line from near Regent University to Back Bay to near Moyock, moving east at roughly 15 mph, the News & Observer reported. The paper listed estimated impact times that put Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Back Bay and Princess Anne around 5:10 p.m., with Knotts Island near 5:25 p.m.
Lightning And Safety Steps
Lightning strikes the United States about 25 million times a year and kills roughly 20 people annually, according to the National Weather Service, which makes the frequent lightning in storms like these more than just a dramatic sky show. The agency advises going indoors, avoiding corded phones and plumbing during a storm, and waiting 30 minutes after the last thunder before heading back outside. For more details, see the National Weather Service.
Residents are urged to monitor local alerts and National Weather Service updates and to treat any new warning as a cue to take shelter. If you encounter downed power lines or storm damage, stay clear of the area and contact local emergency services.
