RIGHT
RIGHT NOW. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE FOR
THE NEWS .
AND I'M BEN THOMPSON.
AND I'M CAROL LIN.
BRUCKE SEVERE WEATHER
THREATENING OUR AREA.
WE'VE GOT TEAM COVERAGE FOR
YOU , LARRY.
SPRINKEL STANDING BY
METEOROLOGIST BRAD PANOVICH.
BRAD, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH
YOU .
THE TIMING OF THIS THING HAS
CHANGED BUT THE SEVERITY STILL
REMAINS.
YEAH, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT
WE DON'T HAVE THE MORNING
THREAT.
THE BAD NEWS IS THAT SHIFTING
TO THE AFTERNOON ACTUALLY PUTS
SOME AREAS IN A LITTLE BIT
HIGHER RISK BECAUSE OF THE
HEATING OF THE DAY.
BUT OVERALL THE RISK HAS COME
DOWN, ESPECIALLY AREAS TO THE
WEST.
LET ME SHOW YOU THE SEVERE
WEATHER OUTLOOK WHICH WAS
UPDATED THIS MORNING.
YOU COULD SEE THE AREA IN
ORANGE WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH OUR
ENTIRE AREA IS NOW IN THE
MEDIUM RISK.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A
DOWNGRADE FROM EARLIER.
WE HAVE A ONE THROUGH FOUR
SCALE ON THESE OUTLOOKS.
YESTERDAY WE WERE TO THREE.
TODAY WE'VE KIND OF BACK DOWN
TO A TWO.
SO IT IS A DOWNGRADE BUT IT'S
STILL A TWO.
IT'S NOT ZERO AND I THINK
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
BECAUSE WE JUST SAW A NEW
TORNADO WATCH ISSUED FOR PARTS
OF SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 6:00
P.M. THIS EVENING.
NOW THE CONCERN FOR OUR AREA IS
THAT WE'RE LIKELY GOING TO
SEE SOME TYPE OF WATCH ISSUED
AS THIS WARM FRONT MOVES TO THE
NORTH.
I MEAN IT IS REALLY WARMING UP
AREAS LIKE WAYNESBORO,
ROCKINGHAM TO ROCKHILL HAVE ALL
JUMPED INTO THE 60S NOW BECAUSE
OF THIS WARM FRONT MOVING TO
THE NORTH RAPIDLY THAT WARM
FRONT COMBINING WITH THIS LINE
OF STORMS MOVING IN FROM THE
WEST COULD PRODUCE SEVERE
STORMS.
IN FACT, WE'RE SEEING SOME OF
THE INGREDIENTS COME TOGETHER
JUST TO OUR SOUTH AND MOVING
INTO THE REGION.
SO THE POTENTIAL THAT WE COULD
SEE SOME STRONG OR SEVERE
STORMS RIGHT OVER THE PIEDMONT
INCLUDING THE CHARLOTTE METRO
AREA AROUND MID-AFTERNOON THAT
2:00, 3:00, 4:00 O'CLOCK TIME
FRAME STILL IS IN THE CARDS.
COMING UP, WE'RE GOING TO TALK
MORE ABOUT THAT THAT RISK GOING
INTO THE AFTERNOON.
BUT LARRY HAS MORE ON WHERE
THOSE STORMS ARE OUT THERE
RIGHT NOW.
AND LARRY, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF
FOG THIS MORNING THAT'S BEEN A
BIG CALLING CARD THIS MORNING
BEFORE THE SEVERE WEATHER MOVES
IN WITHOUT A DOUBT THE FOG AS
WE'VE BEEN MORE OF AN ISSUE
THAN ANYTHING ELSE, WE'VE
AVOIDED ALL THE HEAVY RAIN, THE
STORMS RIGHT NOW SOME VERY
LIGHT RAIN AND DRIZZLE HERE,
HEAVIER PRECIPITATION AS YOU GO
OVER TOWARDS THE I-40 CORRIDOR,
ALL OF THE NORTH CAROLINA
MOUNTAINS SO IN THE HIGH
COUNTRY ROUND THE BLOWING ROCK
AREA THAT GET A LOT OF FOG UP
THERE.
IN FACT, WE TAKE A LOOK AT
BLOWING ROCK SWEETGRASS LAKE.
YOU CAN SEE IT IS A FOGGY,
FOGGY DAY OUT THERE MUCH LIKE
WE'VE SEEN HERE VISIBILITY
LOCALLY ABOUT A HALF MILE AND A
QUARTER MILE VISIBILITY
GASTONIA THREE QUARTERS AT
SHELBIE SO BE AWARE PATCHY EVEN
SOME DENSE FOG OUT THERE AS WE
TAKE A LOOK AND SHOW ACROSS THE
REGION FOR THE AFTERNOON THAT
TIME FRAME RIGHT THERE AROUND
FOUR O'CLOCK WE'RE GOING TO
SEE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.
ALSO SOME OF THOSE COULD BE
SEVERE ISOLATED TORNADOES STILL
IN THE FORECAST COULD BE A MILD
AFTERNOON UPPER 60S, MAYBE 170
IN A COUPLE OF SPOTS CLEARING
SKIES AS WE GET LATE IN THE
EVENING.
TOMORROW WILL BE A HOLD ON
SITUATION, A BIG COOLDOWN AND
MUCH COOLER FOR THE UPCOMING
WEEKEND.
THE BIG QUESTION WILL IT BE
RAIN AND STORM FREE WILL CHECK
ALL THAT WITH THE SEVEN DAY
FORECAST COMING UP IN JUST A
FEW MINUTES.
JUST A REMINDER, BE SURE TO
DOWNLOAD AND SEE CHARLOTTE
MOBILE APP ANY URGENT WEATHER
WARNINGS AND ALERTS THAT MAY
HAPPEN THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE
SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE SO
MATTER NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE
YOU'LL RECEIVE THOSE AND YOU'LL
KNOW IF YOU IF AND WHEN
YOU NEED TO SEEK SHELTER.
OUR TEAM COVERAGE CONTINUES
RIGHT NOW.
FIRST ONE METEOROLOGIST CHRIS
MOKI OUT ON THE ROADS IN OUR
SEVERE STORM TRACKER.
AND CHRIS, YOU GUYS ARE HEADING
BACK TOWARDS MORGANSON AREA.
I KNOW JUST WITH WHAT LARRY
JUST SAID ALREADY THE FOLKS UP
IN THE MOUNTAINS OFTEN SEEM
LIKE SORT OF THE LEADING EDGE
OF THESE STORMS.
WE DO SEE WHAT ARE YOU SEEING
THERE?
YEAH, THE WAY WE ALWAYS LOOK
UPSTREAM WHERE THE IS COMING
FROM.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT NOW?
WELL, IN FRONT OF ME IT'S JUST
THOSE TYPICAL DARK SKIES.
WE DID HAVE SOME HEAVIER RAIN.
ONE OF THOSE WAS THE POP UP ON
THE RADAR.
THERE'S ALREADY PAST AND GONE
BUT WE'RE VERY CLOSE AND WE'RE
ALREADY STARTING TO SEE THE
LEADING EDGE OF THOSE LINE OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT
BRAD AND LARRY HAVE BEEN
POINTING.
SO IT'S THE LIGHT RAIN THOSE
DARKER GREENS THAT WE'RE
DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.
BUT THE RAIN IS GOING TO PICK
UP WHAT I THINK IS REALLY
INTERESTING ABOUT THE FORWARD
MOTION OF THIS STORM SYSTEM
IT'S FLAT TO ABOUT 40 TO 60
MILES PER HOUR IS THE STORM
MOTION.
SO THAT'S ALSO A BIG DEAL
BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF
TWISTS, STRONGER WINDS UP ABOVE
AND THEN A DIFFERENT WIND
DIRECTION.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT WEAKER AT THE
SURFACE SO WE HAVE THE RIGHT
INGREDIENTS FOR A SPIN TO THE
ATMOSPHERE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE
GOING TO BE LOOKING AHEAD FOR
OUR CHANCE FOR SOME SUPER
CELLS.
THOSE ARE ROTATING
THUNDERSTORMS.
SO THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS I
DON'T THINK WE REALLY HAVE ANY
MAJOR ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING
WITH WET ROADS, LIGHT RAIN BUT
CERTAINLY THAT LINE IS GOING TO
WRAP UP AS WE HAVE THAT MORE
UNSTABLE AIR THAT MOVES BACK
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT FIFTY
TWO DEGREES AROUND MORGANTON.
THAT IS NOT TO BACK UP ANY
SEVERE STORMS.
SO IT'S NOT UNTIL A LITTLE BIT
LATER ON THAT WARM FRONT IS
GOING TO NUDGE INTO THE AREA.
NOW WE HAVE A PROBLEM SO STAY
WEATHER AWARE.
STAY SAFE EVERYONE.
I'M METEOROLOGIST CHRIS MCKAY
REPORTING FROM THE SEVERE STORM
.
ALL RIGHT, CHRIS, WITH A VIEW
OF HOW THINGS ARE THERE IN
MORGANTOWN, LET'S ZOOM OUT TAKE
A BROADER VIEW OF THE SITUATION
OUT THERE SPECIFICALLY ON THE
ROADS.
WE'RE JOINED NOW BY JIM
THOMPSON WITH THE NORTH
CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION.
AS ALWAYS, A PLEASURE TO SPEAK
WITH YOU .
TALK TO US ANY BIG PROBLEMS SO
FAR THAT YOU GUYS ARE SPOTTING
OUT THERE ON THE ROADS EVEN?
GOOD AFTERNOON.
THANKFULLY WE ARE IN GOOD
SHAPE.
THIS WEATHER SYSTEM WE'RE JUST
HEARING ABOUT NOW IS IS KIND OF
MOVING THROUGH THE STATE FASTER
THAN INITIALLY PREDICTED AND
GOOD NEWS TO THAT MAYBE THE
SEVERE THREAT IS NOT AS WHAT IT
ONCE WAS BUT WE'RE NOT LETTING
OUR GUARD DOWN AT ALL.
ALL OF OUR CREWS ARE PREPARED
AND READY TO RESPOND AS NEEDED.
WE HAVE ALL OF OUR EQUIPMENT
READY IF WE NEED CHAINSAWS TO
CUT DOWN ANY LIMBS OR TREES
THAT MIGHT BE BLOCKING THE
ROAD.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF BARRICADES.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF HIGH WATER
SIGNS.
OUR ADVICE THOUGH FOR FOLKS
TODAY IS TO STAY INSIDE, DON'T
TRAVEL IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO
WAIT UNTIL THE STORM PASSES
BECAUSE THERE COULD BE ALL
KINDS OF PROBLEMS WITH FLYING
DEBRIS.
WE'RE EXPECTING A LOT OF WIND,
MAYBE EVEN SOME ISOLATED
FLOODING AND MAYBE EVEN SOME
DOWNED TREES, DOWNED POWER
LINES.
SO THIS IS STILL A SITUATION
WHERE WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO
LET THEIR GUARD DOWN AT ALL.
I KNOW RAIN AND WET WEATHER IS
SOMETHING THAT WE CONCERN
OURSELVES A LOT ABOUT WHEN IT
COMES TO DRIVING.
BUT BUT ESPECIALLY THIS
LISTENING TO THE FORECAST WE
KNOW THAT HIGH WIND MIGHT BE AN
ISSUE, A HAIL MIGHT BE AN ISSUE
AS WELL.
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND TO FOLKS
WHO DO HAVE TO BE OUT AND
DRIVING WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE
SORTS OF WEATHER CONDITIONS IF
YOU HAVE TO GO OUT OF COURSE
LEAVE YOURSELF SOME EXTRA TIME
TO GET TO WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO
BECAUSE THE CONDITIONS ARE NOT
GOING TO BE IDEAL.
SLOW DOWN AND INCREASE YOUR
FOLLOWING DISTANCE IF PERHAPS
WE GET A TORNADO AND YOU ARE
OUT IN YOUR VEHICLE, WE DON'T
RECOMMEND THAT YOU PARK UNDER A
BRIDGE OR PARK ON AN OVERPASS
BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE NO
PROTECTION FROM FROM THE WINDS
OR FROM ANY DEBRIS THAT MIGHT
BE A FLYING PROJECTILE COULD
CAUSE SOME SERIOUS DAMAGE IF
YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER IN A GAS
STATION AND CONVENIENCE STORE A
RESTAURANT, JUST ANY BUILDING
YOU CAN GET INSIDE AND GET SOME
SEPARATION BETWEEN YOU AND THE
ELEMENTS AND AND GET INTO A
SMALL INTERIOR ROOM IF YOU CAN.
AND WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT
FOLKS GO ON OUR WEBSITE WHICH
IS A DRIVE AND DOT OF ANY ROAD
CONDITIONS, CLOSURES, FLOODING
ANY ANY IMPACTS DUE TO THIS
STORM WILL BE ON THAT WEBSITE.
IF YOU DO HAVE A TRAVEL CHECK
AT FIRST BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT
AND MAKE SURE THAT NOWHERE IN
YOUR DESTINATION IS GOING TO BE
IMPACTED BY ANYTHING AND REPEAT
REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME IS
DRIVE AND SEEGA DRIVE AND
SEEGA.
ALL WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT LIVE
PICTURES OF THE ROADS AND FOG
PERHAPS THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR A
LOT OF FOLKS RIGHT NOW.
JEN THOMPSON JEN, AS ALWAYS,
THANK YOU .
THANK YOU , KAREN.
OUR TEAM COVERAGE CONTINUES
RIGHT NOW IN NORTH CHARLOTTE.
CHARLOTTE'S BILLIE JEAN SHAH
JOINING US THERE LIVE.
SO BILLIE JEAN, WE KNOW SEVERE
WEATHER IS NOT THE CONCERN
RIGHT NOW BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN
IT'S PRETTY OUTSIDE, THAT'S FOR
SURE.
THAT'S RIGHT, CAROL.
AND MEAN YOU THERE HAVE ALREADY
BEEN A FEW CRASHES THIS
MORNING.
ONE IN PARTICULAR CALLED A BUSY
RAMP TO SHUT DOWN RIGHT NEAR 85
77 EXIT 13 UP IN NORTH
CHARLOTTE.
A TRACTOR TRAILER FLIPPED ON
HIS SIDE AROUND 8:00 O'CLOCK
THIS MORNING.
TAKE A LOOK AT THESE IMAGES.
IT CAUSED SOME MAJOR BACKUP
RIGHT NOW AMERICA IS ON SCENE
TRYING TO REMOVE THAT TRAILER
FROM THE AREA.
BUT WHEN I CHECKED IN WITH
HIGHWAY PATROL THEY TOLD
ME THAT THAT RAMP WILL BE
CLOSED UNTIL ABOUT 12, 30 OR SO
WHILE THEY TRIED TO MOVE
EVERYTHING OUT OF THE WAY.
THE TRAILER AT THE TIME WAS
CARRYING CLEANING SUPPLY WAS
GOING A LITTLE TOO FAST FOR
CONDITIONS AND THE DRIVER HIT
THE CURB TOO FAST AND FLIPPED
OVER.
THE DRIVER WAS SENT TO THE
HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES.
HOWEVER, HE IS EXPECTED TO BE
OK BUT I WANT YOU GUYS TO
SEE THESE IMAGES JUST TO REMIND
YOU THAT EVEN THOUGH WAS NOT
ACTIVELY RAINING AND THINGS
SEEM TO NOT BE AS SEVERE AS WE
EXPECTED SINCE EARLIER THIS
MORNING THERE ARE STILL SOME
SLICK SPOTS BECAUSE THERE WAS
SOME RAIN POCKETS OF RAIN
COMING DOWN EARLIER TODAY.
SO YOU STILL HAVE TO BE MINDFUL
OF THAT AND BE CAREFUL WHEN
THEY SEND IT OVER TO RUBY
DURHAM SO SHE CAN TELL US HOW
YOU CAN GET AROUND ALL OF THIS
BACKUP.
THANK YOU , BILLIE JEAN.
OK, IF YOU TAKE A LIVE LOOK AT
MY PICTURE, I HAVE KIND OF A
DIFFERENT VIEW AGAIN THIS IS I
EIGHTY FIVE NORTHBOUND RAMP TO
EAST SEVENTY SEVEN NORTHBOUND
WHERE THAT TRACTOR TRAILER
ACCIDENT BLOCKING THAT ACCESS
TO SEVENTY SEVEN NORTHBOUND
RIGHT NOW TO AVOID IT TAKE SIX
WHEEL ROAD TO SUNSET ROAD THAT
WILL REASSESS YOU BACK TO 77
NORTHBOUND.
AGAIN ONE PERSON WAS TAKEN TO
THE HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS
INJURIES.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A 12, 12, 30.
WELL IT'S TOTAL NINE RIGHT NOW
12 30 TIME LIMIT ON WHEN THEY
HOPE TO GET THINGS BACK UP OR
RUNNING BUT OTHERWISE TRY TO
AVOID IT IF YOU CAN OUT THERE
OTHER THAN THAT, NO MAJOR
ISSUES AROUND THE AREA.
BROOKSHAW BOULEVARD AT BETTY
FORD WROTE WE HAVE A LOT
BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT.
YES.
SO MANY COMMUTERS I JUST
CHECKED YOUR ROUTE NO ACCIDENTS
.
EIGHTY FIVE NORTHBOUND INTO
CHARLOTTE WIDJOJO DRIVETIME IS
TWENTY EIGHT MINUTES BUT I
THINKS ANYONE WHO CAN SEE US
HAS CANCELED ALL AFTER SCHOOL
ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDES ALL
SPORTS AND A COMMUNITY USE
PROGRAMS AS A PREFERRED.
THE DISTRICT ANNOUNCED
OVERNIGHT THAT ALL STUDENTS AND
TEACHERS WILL LEARN REMOTELY
TODAY BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE
WEATHER THREAT.
LISTEN UP IF YOU HAVE A VACCINE
APPOINTMENT TODAY YOU MAY WANT
TO CHECK WITH YOUR LOCATION
WHETHER IT'S A CLINIC OR
PHARMACY OR A DOCTOR'S OFFICE
AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE OPEN A
LOT OF CLINICS THEY'RE KEEPING
AN EYE ON THE SEVERE WEATHER
AND COULD CHANGE PLANS TODAY.
WE KNOW STANLEY COUNTY, THE
HEALTH DEPARTMENT THERE HAS
DECIDED TO MOVE THEIR VACCINE
CLINIC INSIDE SO GIVE THEM A
CALL BECAUSE THE
CHARLOTTESVILLE MCGINTY JOINS
US NOW IN THE STUDIO WITH MORE
ON WHAT TO DO SPECIFICALLY
SPECIFICALLY DURING BEFORE
AFTER A TORNADO BILL.
YEAH, WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING
COVERED HERE FOR YOU .
BUT JUST REMEMBER BATTERIES GO
DEAD AND THESE STORMS DON'T
HAPPEN ALL THAT OFTEN.
SO WHILE YOU BUY THE BATTERIES
MAYBE AT COSTCO YOU BUY THE BIG
PACK, YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THEY
MAY NOT BE GOOD ANYMORE.
SO IT'S JUST A GOOD IDEA TO
REFRESH YOUR KIT EVERY NOW AND
THEN, YOU KNOW, ACCESS ALL THE
WARNINGS AND ALERTS, CERTAINLY
DOWNLOAD THE WCNC WEATHER APP,
A WEATHER RADIO, A GREAT IDEA.
BE LISTENING FOR THOSE SIRENS
IN YOUR AREA SHOULD A TORNADO
BE SIGHTED AND WARNINGS ARE
ISSUED BEFORE MAKE AN EMERGENCY
KIT.
YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN
YOU'RE GOING TO NEED ONE AND
ONCE YOU MAKE IT THE SUPPLIES
IN IT RARELY GO BAD.
REMEMBER TO PUT FRESH BATTERIES
IN THE FLASHLIGHT.
NOT A BAD IDEA TO HAVE
FLASHLIGHTS IN EVERY ROOM.
A GOOD SUPPLY OF BOTTLED WATER
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE,
REPLENISH YOUR BATTERIES AND
IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT IDEA NO
MATTER WHAT TIME OF YEAR TO
HAVE SOME CANNED FOOD IN THE
PANTRY.
THEY'RE ALL RIGHT DURING THE
STORM.
IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO KNOW WHERE
YOU'RE SAFE SPACE IN YOUR HOUSE
IS AND THIS TAKES A LITTLE BIT
OF PREPLANNING WITH YOUR
FAMILY.
IF YOU HAVE A BASEMENT, GO TO
THE BASEMENT NATURALLY THAT'S
THE SAFEST PLACE.
INTERIOR ROOMS LIKE A BATHROOM,
A HALLWAY UNDER THE STAIRS
THAT'S GOING TO PROTECT
YOU FROM THE FLYING DEBRIS,
CLOSE CURTAINS IF YOU HAVE LOTS
OF CURTAINS ON THE WINDOWS
THAT'LL KEEP THE GLASS FROM
FLYING INWARD.
AND IF YOU LIVE IN A HIGH RISE
SO MANY PEOPLE DO IN THE UPTOWN
AREA GO DOWN TO THE FIRST FLOOR
AND STAY ON THE INTERIOR SIDE.
THAT'S THAT'S THE BEST ADVICE
DURING THE STORM.
CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVE A BIKE
HELMET, IF YOU'RE ACTIVELY IN A
TORNADO, A BIKE HELMET FROM THE
GARAGE, ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA.
MAKE SURE THE KIDS HAVE THEM ON
AFTER THE STORM.
BE CAREFUL IF YOU'RE GOING TO
GO OUTSIDE, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE
GOOD SHOES ON, LOTS OF SCREWS,
LOTS OF NAILS, LOTS OF DEBRIS
OUT THERE THAT COULD CAUSE
PROBLEMS AND CERTAINLY STAY
AWAY FROM DOWNED POWER LINES.
I SPOKE WITH SOMEBODY FROM DUKE
ENERGY THAT SAID EVEN WHEN A
POWER LINE IS DOWN AND LOOKS
DEAD, IT STILL HAS POWER AND IT
CERTAINLY TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS
OF YOUR HOME IF YOU SUSTAIN ANY
TYPE OF DAMAGE BECAUSE THE
INSURANCE COMPANY IS GOING TO
WANT THAT.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA.
AGAIN, DOWNLOAD THE CNE
CHARLOTTE APP.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET ACCESS TO
ALL THE RADARS AND ALL THE
LATEST FORECAST FROM OUR FIRST
ONE STORM