The Charlotte area was under a severe thunderstorm watch until noon Saturday, as a line of fierce overnight storms knocked out power to 5,000 residents in the North Carolina foothills and mountains.
Tornadoes and damaging gusts “are the main hazards,” National Weather Service meteorologists said in a hazardous weather bulletin Saturday morning.
The NWS warned of quarter-size hail and gusts up to 60 mph for Monroe and Wingate until 9:30 a.m…