Afternoon drivers across the Piedmont got hammered Monday as strong, fast-moving thunderstorms muscled through the region, packing wind gusts up to 50 mph and firing off frequent lightning, according to the National Weather Service. Doppler radar showed a solid line of storms racing northeast toward the Triangle and bearing down on Granville, Durham, Franklin and Wake counties into the early afternoon. Commuters on major corridors ran into sudden sheets of rain, sharp crosswinds and the threat of falling tree limbs, while officials urged anyone outside to duck into sturdy shelter until the line moved through.
The NWS Raleigh office issued a Special Weather Statement at 1:39 p.m., noting the line was moving northeast at about 30 mph, according to The Charlotte Observer. The alert warned that “gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects,” language pulled directly from the product. Communities specifically called out included Raleigh, Durham, Creedmoor, Louisburg, Wake Forest, Butner, Franklinton, Rolesville, Youngsville and Stem, and the statement stayed in effect into the early afternoon hours.
Routes and neighborhoods to watch
The alert singled out Interstate 85 from mile markers 177 to 202, I-440 between markers 8 and 11, and I-540 between markers 2 and 19, all stretches vulnerable to quick drops in visibility and strong crosswinds, per WeatherBug. Radar showed the strongest returns setting up between Durham and Raleigh, and with the line hustling northeast, conditions on those routes could sour with little warning. Drivers were urged to slow down, flip on headlights and steer clear of any flooded lanes while the storms passed…