North Carolina, 2000

High Wind in North Carolina, March 19 to 20, 2000

March 19 to 20, 2000 · NWS GSP · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

High gradient winds blowing from the south knocked down numerous trees and power lines across the mountains. Only light structural damage occurred, except in Avery county.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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.

High gradient winds blowing from the south knocked down numerous trees and power lines across the mountains. Only light structural damage occurred, except in Avery county. Roofs were blown off several houses around Banner Elk, Beech Mountain police reported the door of their office was nearly blown off, and there was an unofficial measurement of a 135 mph wind gust on Beech Mountain. The highest winds occurred between 11 pm and 4 am.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Avery

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 20, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Avery forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.077, -81.922 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Buncombe

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 20, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Buncombe forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.611, -82.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Macon

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 20, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Macon forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.150, -83.422 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Madison

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 20, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.858, -82.706 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Mitchell

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 20, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Mitchell forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
36.013, -82.163 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Jackson

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 20, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Northern Jackson forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.287, -83.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Jackson

When
March 19, 8:00 PM EST to March 20, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Southern Jackson forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
35.287, -83.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, March 2000

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: 5137385, 5137386, 5137387, 5137388, 5137389, 5137390, 5137391.