Severe Storms, Damaging Winds Threaten Asheville and Western North Carolina

A line of severe thunderstorms tore through the North Carolina mountains during the early morning hours of March 16, bringing 60 mph wind gusts, the threat of isolated tornadoes, and a rapid cold snap that dropped overnight temperatures to 19 degrees across Western North Carolina.

The National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg had warned the night before that strong storms capable of producing damaging winds and a few tornadoes could move through the region. The line moved fast: tracking at 40 mph, it extended from 13 miles north of Brevard to 15 miles northwest of Pickens and swept across the NC mountains between roughly 4 a.m. and 7 a.m., reaching communities east of the mountains later that morning.

A severe thunderstorm watch issued at 4:40 a.m. covered 34 counties and remained in effect until 11 a.m. The list stretched from Buncombe and Haywood in the west to Mecklenburg and Cabarrus in the piedmont, also encompassing Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Davie, Gaston, Graham, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin and Yancey counties.

A warning issued at 7:05 a.m. remained in effect until 8 a.m. and specifically targeted Hendersonville, Columbus, Arden, Mills River, Fletcher, Flat Rock, Etowah, Fairview in Buncombe County, Mountain Home and Laurel Park. The weather service warned that gusts up to 60 mph threatened to damage trees and power lines, with hail also possible. Several additional severe thunderstorm warnings issued at 7:20 a.m. expired at 7:45 a.m. as the line pushed eastward.

The storm system's back end brought its own hazards. A wind advisory was issued at 1:18 a.m. for Buncombe, Haywood, Madison, Mitchell, Northern Jackson, Southern Jackson, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey counties, taking effect at 4 p.m. and running through 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 17. Forecasters said northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts between 50 and 60 mph were possible at higher elevations, capable of blowing around unsecured objects, downing tree limbs and causing isolated power outages. Drivers operating high-profile vehicles were specifically urged to exercise caution.

Above 3,500 feet, the afternoon brought a secondary hazard: rain changing over to snow, with accumulation of less than half an inch possible. The chance of snow before 8 p.m. stood at 30%. Temperatures then plunged to 19 degrees overnight before climbing only to a high near 37 on March 17, when skies were expected to clear to sunshine.

The weather service urged anyone in affected areas to move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building if a warning was issued, and encouraged all residents to maintain multiple ways of receiving weather alerts during the early morning commute hours when the storm line moved through the mountains.