High Wind in North Carolina, January 23 to 24, 2003

Name: High Wind in North Carolina, January 23 to 24, 2003
Start: 2003-01-23T20:00
End: 2003-01-24T04:00
Location: North Carolina

January 23 to 24, 2003 · NWS GSP · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

High winds resulted in numerous trees and power lines being blown down across the mountains and foothills. In Mars Hill, the roof of a store was badly damaged.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $16,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 winds resulted in numerous trees and power lines being blown down across the mountains and foothills. In Mars Hill, the roof of a store was badly damaged. In Columbus, store signs were blown out.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Madison

When: January 23, 8:00 PM EST to January 24, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $7,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.858, -82.706 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Buncombe

When: January 23, 8:00 PM EST to January 24, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Buncombe forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.611, -82.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Jackson

When: January 23, 8:00 PM EST to January 24, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Northern Jackson forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.287, -83.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Jackson

When: January 23, 8:00 PM EST to January 24, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Southern Jackson forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.287, -83.141 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Transylvania

When: January 23, 8:00 PM EST to January 24, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Transylvania forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.202, -82.798 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Henderson

When: January 23, 8:00 PM EST to January 24, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Henderson forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.336, -82.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Caldwell

When: January 23, 8:00 PM EST to January 24, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Caldwell forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind, Polk

When: January 23, 8:00 PM EST to January 24, 4:00 AM EST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

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

Every storm in North Carolina in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, January 2003

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5339447, 5339448, 5339449, 5339450, 5339451, 5339558, 5339559, 5339917.