Tornado Watch, Flash Flood Watch Declared for Charlotte Metro Area

CHARLOTTE, NC -- The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch and flash flood watch for the Charlotte metro area and surrounding counties Wednesday. Severe thunderstorms are expected to develop in the area, leading to conditions that could produce damaging winds, large hail, heavy rain and possibly tornadoes, NWS said May 24.

The most likely time for severe weather to occur in the Charlotte area is mid to late afternoon, NWS warned.The Flash Flood Watch ends at 10 p.m., while the tornado watch is in effect until 6 p.m. A tornado watch means weather conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms, called supercells, that are capable of producing tornadoes.

Counties included in the tornado watch include: Alexander, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Union and Yancey.

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Wednesday’s storms add to the week of severe weather in North Carolina. A tornado with winds reaching about 110 mph touched down outside of Raleigh earlier in the week, decimating a volunteer fire department in Autryville.

Footage of the tornado’s aftermath can be seen here:

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Image via National Weather Service