Tornado watching active in Charlotte Metro amid Helene: What you need to know

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) – A tornado warning was issued for counties in the Charlotte metro Thursday evening as Hurricane Helene barreled toward the Gulf Coast.

Several counties in North and South Carolina were under a tornado watch from Thursday evening, September 26 through Friday, September 27 at 8:00 AM. The National Weather Service placed the following counties under surveillance:

Anson
Cabarrus
Chester (South Carolina)
Chesterfield (South Carolina)
Gaston
Lancaster (South Carolina)
Mecklenburg
Union (North Carolina)
Union (South Carolina)
Richmond
York (South Carolina)

Difference between tornado watches, warnings

A tornado watch is issued when a tornado is possible in and near the area under surveillance. When a watch is in place, the NWS urges affected people to discuss emergency plans, make sure you have adequate supplies and be prepared to act quickly if a tornado approaches.

A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been seen or indicated by weather radar. When a tornado warning is active, there is “imminent danger to life and property,” the NWS says.

A tornado emergency is the most serious tornado alert. A tornado emergency warning is issued when a violent tornado has touched down in an area – where there is a “severe threat to life and property, with confirmed catastrophic damage.”

Here you will find all active alerts for the Charlotte Metro area.

What to do if a tornado is approaching

If a tornado warning is issued, people are urged to move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, avoiding windows. Anyone in a mobile home, vehicle or outdoors should “move to the nearest substantial shelter and protect themselves from flying debris,” the NWS said.

If you see a tornado approaching, you are urged not to attempt to outrun it in a vehicle.

“Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe,” the NWS website states. “The best course of action is to drive to the nearest shelter. If you are unable to reach a safe shelter, get into your car and cover your head, or leave your car and seek shelter in a low area, such as a ditch or ravine.”

The NWS encourages people to listen to local news or a NOAA weather radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.

“During severe weather outbreaks, multiple thunderstorms are possible and may produce tornadoes,” the NWS said.

Hurricane Helene will hit the Carolinas

Hurricane Helene made landfall as a major hurricane along the Big Bend region of Florida after 11 p.m. on Thursday.

The Category 4 hurricane was expected to bring strong winds, rain and storm surge to the Gulf Coast. The storm will then move northward and is expected to impact the Carolinas on Friday, September 27.

According to our First Alert meteorologists, Helene will bring the chance of heavy rain and gusty winds to the Charlotte area Friday morning.

says WBTV meteorologist Rachel Coulter: Catastrophic flash flooding and the potential for landslides in our mountain and foothill communities are of major concern, and there is a rare high risk of excessive rainfall. Numerous cases of flash flooding are likely to occur as far east as Charlotte, with scattered flash flooding in our eastern counties.

Wind gusts could reach 50 to 60 miles per hour, downing trees and causing numerous to widespread power outages. The highest wind speeds locally are expected Friday morning and a tropical storm warning is in effect for much of the area, including metro Charlotte.

Click here for the full forecast.

—> Duke Energy power outages in Carolina follow during Hurricane Helene on September 27, 2024

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