North Carolina at Risk of Severe Weather with Level 2 Storms, Hail

North Carolina is at risk from Level 2 storms, destructive winds, and hail due to severe weather.

The potential of severe weather has increased in central North Carolina, according to weather forecasts for Tuesday.

Part of the region is now at level 2 risk for severe storms, according to the National Weather Service.

The afternoon and nighttime hours have the greatest likelihood of heavy storms. Winds that might cause damage and possibly some hail provide the most concern.

Although it is not impossible, the chances of an isolated tornado are slim.

Severe Weather in North Carolina

The northwest portion of the viewing region, which encompasses Orange, Durham, Granville, Vance, and Person counties, is where severe weather is most likely to occur.

Tuesday will begin cloudy with scattered showers and a severe weather danger for the Triangle's western regions.

Temperatures will be near 80 degrees on Wednesday along with a mix of clouds and sunshine.

After that, Thursday and Friday are expected to have partly cloudy skies and 70-degree temps, ABC11 reports.

Through Tuesday evening, the North Carolina and Virginia mountains, including Alleghany County and northwest Wilkes, are under severe storm threat category 3 according to the Storm Prediction Center. Threat level 2 applies to all counties in the Triad and Foothills. Heavy thunderstorms have the potential to cause wind damage, huge hail, and frequent lightning. Through the late evening, a few tornadoes are likely in the South, though the main threat will be straight-line winds.

Tuesday afternoon's storms are predicted to start late and last through much of the evening. The period from 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM will have the highest likelihood of severe storms.

Particularly in the evening, substantial storm coverage is possible.

Late in the evening, as instability decreases, storms will start to dissipate. There's still a chance of a few showers Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning.

Late on Wednesday, a second cold front will emerge from the north, drying the area out for a few days.

On Wednesday, temperatures and humidity levels will start to drop, resulting in pleasant weather on Thursday and Friday. Rain is probable this coming weekend for North Carolina, WXII reports.

Severe Thunderstorms

Far northwest North Carolina, as well as neighboring regions, are all under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 8 PM EDT.

Bristol, Virginia, as well as Johnson City, Kingsport, and Morristown in Tennessee, are among the larger communities at risk from Tuesday's heavy thunderstorms.

Also Read: Kelvin Waves Roll Along Equator Ushering El Niño to South America

Flood risk continues through midweek

Additionally, flash flooding from parts of the Ohio Valley through the central and southern Appalachians is probable on Tuesday.

The Appalachians' mountainous geography may increase rainfall as thunderstorms and showers move eastward across these regions.

From southeast Illinois through Kentucky, through East Tennessee, and southern Virginia, is where there is the greatest risk of flash flooding, FOX Weather reports.

The majority of North Carolina still has precipitation totals below 1 inch, according to radar maps from the National Weather Service, but the state's northern sections might see 1 to 2 inches of precipitation today.