WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — An EF1 tornado with 86-90 mph winds touched down in Watauga County on Wednesday, the National Weather Service confirmed.
The NWS activated a tornado warning for Watauga County around 6:30 p.m. Watauga County officials said the tornado touched down near the intersection of Birch Drive and Hill Street before traveling a little over a half-mile until lifting northeast of Chetola Lake Drive.
Several trees were uprooted and snapped along the tornado's path. Officials also confirmed that some free-standing tents were blown down by the storm. The tornado was approximately 75 yards wide.
WCNC Weather Impact Chief Meteorologist Brad Panovich had "very high confidence" a tornado touched down in Burke County. The same storm that had a confirmed tornado in Rutherford County moved into Burke County just before 6 p.m. which meant the conditions were conducive for severe weather there.
Multiple tornado warnings popped up across the Charlotte area Thursday as storms swept across the Carolinas. Warnings were issued in Alexander, Catawba, Gaston, Iredell and Mecklenburg counties around 10 a.m. So far, zero tornadoes have been confirmed, but a WCNC Charlotte viewer shared a video of a possible funnel cloud in Steele Creek during the Mecklenburg County warning.
Meteorologist Chris Mulcahy said these warnings were likely issued as a band of storms ahead of Hurricane Helene moves into the Charlotte region. Because Charlotte is on the "dirty" side of the hurricane, the northeast quadrant, the region is at risk for more spin-up tornadoes.
Heavy rain is likely across western North Carolina and South Carolina from late Thursday morning until Friday afternoon. Some areas in western North Carolina are expected to see well over a foot of rain as Helene brings torrential downpours to the Carolinas.