North Carolina, 2019

High Wind and Strong Wind in North Carolina, April 26, 2019

April 26, 2019 · NWS GSP · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Very gusty to damaging northwest winds developed across the foothills and Piedmont in the wake of an unseasonably strong cold front. Scattered to numerous trees were blown down across the area, with some trees falling on structures and vehicles, especially in McDowell and Gaston Counties.

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
1
Injuries
0
Property damage
$125,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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.

Very gusty to damaging northwest winds developed across the foothills and Piedmont in the wake of an unseasonably strong cold front. Scattered to numerous trees were blown down across the area, with some trees falling on structures and vehicles, especially in McDowell and Gaston Counties. Additionally, an occupied shed collapsed on Zion Church Rd near Concord, killing a 28-year-old man.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 25, 6:40 PM EST, 15 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 25, 6:40 PM EST, 15 hours 20 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 25, 3:14 PM EST, 18 hours 46 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high wind, 3 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Eastern McDowell

When
April 26, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Eastern McDowell forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$40,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
35.681, -82.049 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, McDowell Mountains

When
April 26, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
McDowell Mountains forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
35.681, -82.049 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Gaston

When
April 26, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Gaston forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
35.294, -81.180 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Catawba

When
April 26, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Catawba forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
35.663, -81.214 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Lincoln

When
April 26, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Measured
40 kt (46 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
35.486, -81.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Cabarrus

When
April 26, 10:00 AM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Cabarrus forecast zone
Measured
45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
35.387, -80.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Strong Wind, Cabarrus2019-04-2628MaleOtherDirect

What these are

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

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, April 2019

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 822088, 822089, 822090, 822091, 822092, 822093.