Name: High Wind and Strong Wind in North Carolina, December 11, 2024
Start: 2024-12-11T06:08
End: 2024-12-11T17:30
Location: North Carolina

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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: $7,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 RNK wrote it up.

A cold front crossed the region during the mid-morning hours of December 11, 2024. Behind this front, winds increased significantly from the west-northwest. At Aho in Watauga County, a home weather station recorded a wind gusts of 62 mph. Additionally, wind gusts of 58 mph or greater were common at this location for approximately 90 minutes between 4:00 PM EST and 5:30 PM EST. Surry County had estimated winds gust of 40 mph. However, with wet soils, trees were brought down over different portions of the county.

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 Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 11, 4:38 AM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 11, 4:38 AM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 11, 4:45 AM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 11, 12:22 AM EST, 5 hours 46 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
1222 AM EST Wed Dec 11 2024

NCZ001>004-018>020-VAZ013>017-022>024-032>035-043-045>047-111000-
Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Stokes-Watauga-Wilkes-Yadkin-Pulaski-
Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge-
Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst-Henry-Campbell-Appomattox-
Buckingham-
Including the cities of West Jefferson, Sparta, Dobson, Danbury,
Boone, Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, Radford, Pulaski, Blacksburg,
Independence, Whitetop, Troutdale, Volney, Galax, Floyd, Roanoke,
Salem, Fincastle, Lexington, Buena Vista, Stuart, Rocky Mount,
Bedford, Amherst, Martinsville, Lynchburg, and Appomattox
1222 AM EST Wed Dec 11 2024

...Moderate to Heavy Rain Overnight...

Rain will continue overnight across southwest Virginia, southeast
West Virginia and northwest North Carolina. The rain intensity
will be moderate to heavy at times reducing the visibility and
possibly resulting in ponding or standing water on roads.

Urban and suburban locations may be more prone to ponding of water
where storm drains get clogged by fallen leaves. Use caution and
take your time when traveling tonight.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Surry

When: December 11, 6:08 AM EST to 5:17 PM EST
Where: Surry forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $7,000
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 36.415, -80.687 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The combination of estimated winds gusts to 40 mph and wet soils allowed for trees to be blown down near Ararat, Woodville, Flat Rock, State Road, Dobson, Low Gap, Mount Airy, Bottom, Pine Ridge, and Pilot Mountain. In total, thirteen trees were reported blown down. Damage values are estimated.

High Wind, Watauga

When: December 11, 4:00 PM EST to 5:30 PM EST
Where: Watauga forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.231, -81.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A cold front crossed the region during the mid-morning hours of December 11, 2024. Behind this front, winds increased significantly from the west-northwest. At Aho in Watauga County, a home weather station recorded a wind gusts of 62 mph. Additionally, wind gusts of 58 mph or greater were common at this location for approximately 90 minutes.

What these are

Strong Wind: Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.
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 2024 Every state in 2024 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, December 2024

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: 1227369, 1227368.