Severe weather possible across Charlotte area late Wednesday night

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A line of powerful thunderstorms will bring a threat of severe weather, including damaging winds and flash flooding, to the Charlotte area Wednesday night into Thursday morning. 

First Warn forecaster Larry Sprinkle says the storms will move into the western part of the Carolinas around 7 p.m. Thursday, with showers in the mountains and foothills. By 10 p.m. heavy rain will be widespread across the Charlotte area.

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A long line of storms will stretch from Taylorsville down the I-77 corridor to the upstate of South Carolina. That line will continue to push east overnight with heavy rain and strong winds. 

“From 10 p.m. until around 1 a.m., heavy rain will continue with the threat of flash flooding and potential for some strong to severe thunderstorms,” Sprinkle said.

Chief meteorologist Brad Panovich believes the biggest threat for damaging winds and flash flooding will be between midnight and 3 a.m.Thursday.

Some areas in the Charlotte metro area could see up to 2 inches of rain during the storms.

That heavy rain is expected to last until around 5 a.m. before it finally moves east of the Charlotte area. By 7 a.m., Sprinkle expects the showers to be gone with no rain expected the rest of Thursday. 

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