Parts of central NC to the coast under Tornado Watch

By WRAL Severe Weather Center

Raleigh, N.C. — Level 1 and Level 2 risks for severe weather are in place across North Carolina for Thursday afternoon and evening.

A Tornado Watch has been issued until 9 PM.

Storms were firing up on the DualDoppler5000 Thursday afternoon radar.

Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Johnston and Wake counties are among the over 30 counties currently under the watch.

The watch which contains parts central North Carolina and all the way to the coast.

Watch for isolated tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued until 7 PM for Fayetteville and Cumberland Counties and southeast toward the coast.

A line of storms is developing in western North Carolina and it will strengthen as it moves eastward in the afternoon. Our northern counties will begin to see some cells pop up as early as 2 p.m. More will start to develop around 4 p.m. as rain becomes more widespread.

“The timeline for these storms in the Triangle is around 3:30 to 5:30,” said WRAL meteorologist Aimee Wilmoth. “After 5:30, the storms will be focused in our eastern communities. I think the storms are east of us around 7.”

Much of central North Carolina is under a Level 1 or a Level 2 risk, with a greater risk for storms east of the Triangle. Scattered severe storms with damaging winds, hail and isolated tornadoes will be likely, but they shouldn’t be widespread.

WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner said the tornado risk is greatest toward the coast.

“We could see some straight line winds, but our tornado risk is isolated” in central N.C., she explained.

Temperatures will be warm on Thursday, in the mid 70s. Overnight, conditions will become drier, and lows will drop into the 40s.

Friday will be a cooler day, with highs in the mid 60s. It will be a pleasant but breezy day to get outdoors, with mostly sunny skies and wind gusts up to 30 mph.

Saturday will become cooler and partly cloudy, “not as breezy, but it will be a chilly spring day,” Maloch explained. Highs may not make it out of the 50s, and a stray sprinkle or shower will be possible during the daytime hours, but the day will be dry overall.

Some patchy frost will be possible overnight into Sunday morning. Sunday will be a dry day with a high around 60 degrees.

The first half of the new work week is already looking warmer than the weekend, with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s.