Marble-sized hail and punchy wind gusts were on the menu Monday afternoon for parts of Guilford and Alamance counties, as a fast-moving line of storms threatened to rattle Greensboro, Burlington and nearby towns. Meteorologists warned residents to hunker down, with scattered power outages and messy travel possible as the storms pushed east through the early evening.
NWS issues special weather statement
The National Weather Service in Raleigh put out a special weather statement at 4:02 p.m. Monday, warning that thunderstorms could bring "wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail" across northwestern Alamance and central Guilford counties. The product listed a maximum hail size of 0.50 inches and specifically named Greensboro and nearby communities in the storm's path, according to the National Weather Service.
Where storms could hit hardest
Forecasters and local reports singled out Greensboro, McLeansville, Summerfield and Gibsonville, along with several lakeside marinas around Lake Townsend, as communities to watch as the squall marched east. Stretches of Interstate 85, Interstate 40 and Interstate 73 were also flagged for potential wind and hail impacts, according to details reported by the Raleigh News & Observer, which updated the alert as the storms developed.
Safety tips from officials
Officials urged anyone caught outside to get into a sturdy building or an enclosed vehicle and to steer clear of tall objects and wide-open areas. The National Weather Service’s safety guidance advises waiting at least 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder or flash of lightning before heading back outdoors, and federal weather agencies note that lightning kills roughly 20 people in the U.S. each year, underscoring the risk, according to NOAA.
What to expect after the line moves through
Strong gusts can snap tree limbs and send unsecured items flying, raising the odds of isolated power outages and tricky driving conditions. Officials also cautioned about localized flooding in poor-drainage spots as downpours roll through. Residents were urged to stay tuned to local alerts and to avoid driving through flooded roadways until water levels drop, according to the Raleigh News & Observer.
