Severe thunderstorm warnings hit Greensboro, Burlington, Graham, no major damage reported

Strong thunderstorms threatened Guilford County and neighboring communities late Thursday as the National Weather Service warned that isolated severe cells could develop along an advancing cold front during the afternoon and evening.

The National Weather Service office in Raleigh had already flagged Guilford and Alamance counties in its hazardous weather outlook on Wednesday, April 29, and by Thursday afternoon it said the main threats were large hail and damaging wind gusts. At 2:50 p.m. EDT, the office showed no active watches, warnings or advisories, but that changed later as storms intensified quickly.

One of the most specific warnings came at 10:05 p.m. EDT on April 29, when forecasters said a severe thunderstorm was over Graham and moving southeast at 30 mph into northern Alamance County and southern Orange County. The warning called for wind gusts up to 60 mph and quarter-size hail, with hail damage to vehicles expected and possible wind damage to roofs, siding and trees.

For Greensboro, the timing mattered just as much as the intensity. The weather story for central North Carolina said the strongest storms were most likely late in the afternoon and evening, a window that could overlap with the drive home, school pickups and outdoor events across Guilford County, Burlington and Graham. Any storm that dropped quarter-size hail or brought 60 mph wind gusts could also interrupt power service if trees or limbs came down on lines.

The threat fit the season. National Weather Service climate normals show April 30 in Greensboro usually reaches the upper 70s to around 80 degrees, the kind of warm setup that can fuel fast-developing spring storms when a cold front moves in.

Weather officials also pointed to the role of SKYWARN, the trained volunteer spotters who help provide timely ground reports during severe weather. That reporting becomes especially important when storms are moving fast and warnings are issued cell by cell, as they were Thursday evening across Guilford, Alamance and Orange counties.