Triangle under Level 1 risk for severe weather this evening

By Aimee Wilmoth, WRAL weather executive producer

Johnston County, N.C. — The Triangle is under a Level 1 risk for severe weather because of the chance that isolated storms could form Thursday evening and bring gusty winds and heavy downpours.

WRAL meteorologist Kat Campbell said stormy weather could form for the afternoon rush hour commute and stretch into the evening hours.”

“Our concern will be damaging wind gusts,” she said. “We could see a lot of lightning, frequent wind gusts and heavy rain will be possible.”

Thursday’s storms could be similar to severe weather that rolled through parts of central North Carolina Wednesday evening.

In Johnston County, some residents were cleaning up after isolated storms Wednesday evening felled trees and left many people without power.

Trees fell on homes and in yards in Johnston and Lee counties, but no injuries were reported.

In Johnston County, a car ran into a downed tree but the driver was not hurt.

The Main Library in Hillsborough, on West Margaret Lane, was 88 degrees inside when staff left Wednesday, officials said. Thursday’s high is expected to be 94 degrees.

Hit-and-miss storms are possible Thursday afternoon and evening, and intense heat means a lot of lightning is possible, WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said.

“When we have big heat like this, and they cause thunderstorms, they bring a lot of lightning with them and the potential for some damaging winds,” Wilmoth said.

Temperatures will peak at 94 degrees in Raleigh, but it will feel like 102 degrees by 2 p.m.

There’s a 30% chance of rain.

Temperatures reach 98 degrees over the weekend, and the heat index could get to 113 degrees.

Next week could see below-normal temperatures as a ridge of high pressure moves west. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-80s.