Durham, Wake, other counties under storm warning as severe weather rolls in

By Alfred Charles, WRAL.com managing editor

Raleigh, N.C. — A host of weather warnings has been issued as storms march through the Triangle and central North Carolina.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning that includes Durham, Wake and Warren counties. The warning extends until shortly after 5 p.m.

For a complete list of advisories issued by the National Weather Service, click here

WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth said the storms could bring torrential downpours, hail, lightning and the possibility of isolated tornadoes.

“The storms are moving to the east at about 20 miles per hour,” she said, adding that wind gusts could reach up to 65 miles per hour.

The Triangle is under a Level 2 threat for severe weather, and damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain are possible. At 1 p.m., a thunderstorm watch was issued for North Carolina’s northwestern counties, including Mecklenburg, Alamance, Person and Forsyth.

Areas north of the Virginia border are under a level 3 risk for severe weather Tuesday, and storms will begin there around 3 p.m. According to Gardner, storms will arrive in the Triangle later, around 6 p.m., and will linger until early Wednesday.

In addition to the storms, Tuesday and Wednesday will be hot and humid, with heat index levels above 100 degrees each day.

While Tuesday’s high is 95 degrees, the humidity levels will make it feel as hot as 105 degrees outdoors.

Wednesday has a 60 percent chance of rain, and by Thursday evening the Triangle could see more than half an inch of rain.

Wednesday’s high will be in the lower 90s before highs stay in the upper 80s the rest of the week.