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N.C. Gets High Winds, Power Outages After Reported Tornadoes
UPDATED: 5:39 pm EDT May 12,
2008
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Strong winds raked western North Carolina on Monday and knocked out power to thousands following a severe weather system that spawned seven tornados a day earlier. "We've got a lot of trees down in the mountains," said Doug Outlaw, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office. "It really got going late yesterday and just increased overnight." Duke Energy and Progress Energy reported more than 22,000 customers were affected by power outages Monday afternoon, mostly in the western part of North Carolina.
VIDEO: Gusty Winds Shut Down Outdoor Activities
Outlaw said wind speeds reached an estimated 60 mph in the mountains and higher in mountain gaps where the wind was funneled. He said a roof was lifted off a house at Lake Lure as wind charged through a gorge at the end of the lake southeast of Asheville. A man in Black Mountain was trapped briefly in his house when wind blew a tree onto his roof, said town Fire Chief Steve Jones. No one was injured. "Some of these trees just uprooted, and there was one tree that went right through a trailer," Jones told the Asheville Citizen-Times. He said a tree fell on the back of his vehicle while he was driving around 2 a.m. Monday. "We would clear one road and take out one tree then another tree would fall," he said. On Sunday, about 15 people were injured by tornados in the eastern part of the state. Gov. Mike Easley said Monday nine people were injured in Bertie County and six in Onslow County. Most of the injuries were minor. The weather service issued a wind advisory until 6 p.m. for the western part of the state. A coastal flood watch was in effect until Tuesday afternoon, and a high surf advisory through Wednesday. The Coast Guard urged caution on coastal waters and a gale warning was posted for Virginia and North Carolina. The wind was caused by a low-pressure system moving toward the east and high pressure behind it, Outlaw said. Winds were expected to diminish by the end of Monday.
Gusty Winds Shut Down Outdoor ActivitiesOutlaw said wind speeds reached an estimated 60 mph in the mountains and higher in mountain gaps where the wind was funneled. He said a roof was lifted off a house at Lake Lure as wind charged through a gorge at the end of the lake southeast of Asheville. A man in Black Mountain was trapped briefly in his house when wind blew a tree onto his roof, said town Fire Chief Steve Jones. No one was injured. "Some of these trees just uprooted, and there was one tree that went right through a trailer," Jones told the Asheville Citizen-Times. He said a tree fell on the back of his vehicle while he was driving around 2 a.m. Monday. "We would clear one road and take out one tree then another tree would fall," he said. On Sunday, about 15 people were injured by tornados in the eastern part of the state. Gov. Mike Easley said Monday nine people were injured in Bertie County and six in Onslow County. Most of the injuries were minor. The weather service issued a wind advisory until 6 p.m. for the western part of the state. A coastal flood watch was in effect until Tuesday afternoon, and a high surf advisory through Wednesday. The Coast Guard urged caution on coastal waters and a gale warning was posted for Virginia and North Carolina. The wind was caused by a low-pressure system moving toward the east and high pressure behind it, Outlaw said. Winds were expected to diminish by the end of Monday.
Copyright 2008 by WSOCTV.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
