North Carolina, 2003

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

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

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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

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings 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.