NORTH CAROLINA — Scattered showers and thunderstorms began developing along the coast Thursday early afternoon, with a couple of storms also forming across Central North Carolina. The developing storms are producing gusty winds and heavy rainfall, with the most intense activity so far concentrated near the coastline. Forecasters say they will continue monitoring conditions throughout the afternoon and evening as additional storms develop.
Coastal Corridor Sees the Most Active Storm Development
The heaviest storm activity as of 12:54 PM was concentrated along the coastal corridor near Jacksonville, New Bern, and Wilmington, with radar showing intense returns and frequent lightning strikes.
Temperatures across this zone were running into the upper 80s and low 90s, providing ample heat and instability to fuel the ongoing storm development along the coast.
A Few Storms Also Fire Across Central North Carolina
In addition to the coastal activity, a couple of storms developed near Rockingham and Laurinburg in south central North Carolina, with radar showing strong returns embedded within that cell.
Temperatures across the Triangle and Triad, including Durham, Raleigh, and Greensboro, remained in the mid to upper 70s as storms began organizing farther south and east.
Continued Monitoring Expected Through the Evening
Forecasters say they will keep residents posted throughout the afternoon and evening on any additional storm development, particularly if activity becomes more widespread or intense…