The National Weather Service has issued a “High Wind Warning” for much of Western North Carolina, including Buncombe County. The strongest winds are expected to occur between 9 p.m. this evening, Dec. 26, through tomorrow at 1 p.m. The National Weather Service predicts that the winds, combined with the moist soil from today’s rain, will likely result in downed trees and power outages.
The Weather Service issued a similar warning last week, when a storm hit that left over three thousand Progress Energy customers in Buncombe County without electricity. On Dec. 21 the Weather Service reported a peak gust of 47 mph at the Asheville Regional Airport. The mountain tops are expected to get the strongest winds, with gusts up to 60 mph possible in town overnight tonight.
Here’s the complete alert issued by the National Weather Service:
High Wind Warning Alert:
…VERY WINDY CONDITIONS EXPECTED ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS
AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING….DEEP LOW PRESSURE MOVING NORTHEAST ALONG THE APPALACHIANS WILL
GENERATE VERY WINDY WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE WESTERN
CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON…AND
THEN ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. DUE TO THE
MOIST SOIL CONDITIONS…THE GUSTY WINDS MAY BLOW DOWN A FEW TREES
AND PRODUCE SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES ACROSS THE AREA.…WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EST THIS EVENING…
…HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST
THURSDAY…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED
A HIGH WIND WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING
TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY.* LOCATIONS…THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA.* HAZARDS…VERY WINDY CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON…POSSIBLY
DAMAGING WINDS OVERNIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING.* TIMING…GUSTY WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL PERSIST AND
STRENGTHEN THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. STRONG TO DAMAGING
WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVERNIGHT.* WINDS…NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH.
* IMPACTS…THE COMBINATION OF VERY WINDY CONDITIONS AND MOIST
SOIL WILL PRODUCE SCATTERED DOWNED TREES AND POWER OUTAGES.Instructions: A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION. A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE. PLEASE REPORT DAMAGING WINDS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE…1…800…2 6 7…8 1 0 1. LEAVE A MESSAGE WITH YOUR OBSERVATION AND THE ADDRESS WHERE IT OCCURRED.
Target Area:
Avery
Buncombe
Haywood
Madison
Mitchell
Northern Jackson
Southern Jackson
Transylvania
Yancey
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