Storms with 70-mph gusts, quarter-size hail threaten Charlotte on Saturday, NWS says

Severe storms with 70-mph gusts, quarter-size hail and “frequent” lightning threaten the Charlotte area Saturday afternoon and night, National Weather Service meteorologists said.

“Torrential rainfall” could trigger flash flooding across the region through 9 pm, according to an NWS severe thunderstorm watch Saturday afternoon.

The watch area includes Mecklenburg and surrounding counties in North Carolina as well as Upstate South Carolina, according to an NWS alert on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Charlotte has a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms into late Saturday, according to the NWS Charlotte forecast at 3 pm

The NWS office in Greer, South Carolina, issued a special weather statement until 2:15 pm for Union County, saying 50-mph gusts and pea-sized hail were possible.

Lenoir and other areas of Caldwell County were under a severe thunderstorm warning until 3:15 pm, with 60-mph gusts possible, NWS forecasters said..

This is a developing story that will be updated.