Strong Wind, Caldwell
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Caldwell forecast zone
Strong Wind in North Carolina, March 31, 1997
Winds gusted to between 40 and 50 mph frequently, and to near 60 mph in a few places. Although below "high wind" criteria for the most part, significant damage was caused in some places because of wet ground conditions.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 15
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.
Winds gusted to between 40 and 50 mph frequently, and to near 60 mph in a few places. Although below "high wind" criteria for the most part, significant damage was caused in some places because of wet ground conditions. A tree fell on a mobile home near Lenoir. A tree fell on a truck in Shelby injuring two of the four occupants - one critically. Scattered trees and power lines were blown down elsewhere. A large balloon became entangled in power lines in Gastonia.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
15 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong Wind, Alexander
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Alexander forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 35.921, -81.177 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Iredell
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Iredell forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 35.807, -80.873 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, McDowell
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- McDowell forecast zone
Strong Wind, Burke
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Burke forecast zone
Strong Wind, Catawba
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Catawba forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 35.663, -81.214 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Rowan
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Rowan forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 35.640, -80.525 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Polk
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Polk forecast zone
Strong Wind, Rutherford
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Rutherford forecast zone
Strong Wind, Cleveland
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Cleveland forecast zone
- Injuries
- 2 direct, 0 indirect
- Coordinates
- 35.334, -81.556 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Lincoln
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Lincoln forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 35.486, -81.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Gaston
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Gaston forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 35.294, -81.180 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Mecklenburg
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Mecklenburg forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 35.247, -80.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Cabarrus
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Cabarrus forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 35.387, -80.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Strong Wind, Union
- When
- March 31, 9:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Union forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 34.988, -80.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Strong Wind
- Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Winter Storm in Utah, March 31, 1997
- Coastal Flood in New York, March 31, 1997
- Coastal Flood in Connecticut, March 31, 1997
- Winter Storm in New York, March 31, 1997
- Strong Wind in Virginia, March 31, 1997
- Winter Storm in Vermont, March 31, 1997
- Winter Storm in Massachusetts, March 31, 1997
- Winter Storm in Connecticut, March 31, 1997
- Strong Wind in Maryland, March 31, 1997
- Winter Storm in Vermont, March 31, 1997
- Heavy Snow and High Wind in Massachusetts, March 31, 1997
- Strong Wind in West Virginia, March 31, 1997
More
Every storm in North Carolina in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, March 1997
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5594154, 5594155, 5594156, 5594157, 5594158, 5594159, 5594160, 5594312, 5594313, 5594314, 5594315, 5594316, 5594317, 5594318, 5594319.