TIMELINE: I've had a million questions about Wednesday's storm timeline; here's a reasonable timeline for you. I would not take it literally, but a line of storms will roll in from west to east through the morning into the afternoon
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The NOAA Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 1, Level 2, and now a Level 3 out of 5 risk for severe weather. These are official outlooks from the National Weather Service, which I include in my graphics to make them easier to understand.
📌 WHAT: A strong cold front will move through Wednesday. Winds just above the ground will be incredibly strong (60-75 kts at 850mb). This is a high shear, low CAPE setup, meaning strong wind energy but limited instability. Wind shear (changes in wind speed/direction with height) will be highest across Eastern NC, where the isolated tornado risk is greatest.
⚠️ THREATS:
Damaging wind gusts (60-70+ MPH)
Isolated tornadoes possible, mainly from Raleigh eastward
Strong gradient winds even outside storms (40-55+ MPH in the mountains, breezy statewide)
Bottom Line: Severe weather is normal in NC. Stay weather-aware Wednesday, have a way to get warnings, and be prepared. Some power outages are possible, but no need to panic. I'll keep you updated!
Please see my pervious post on the page for a full rundown.
-Ethan