Strong Thunderstorms Produce 77 mph Winds Gusts on Friday By JOY CRIST
A strong cold front on Friday night produced some intense thunderstorms across the eastern North Carolina area, especially over the Outer Banks where winds gusted to 77 mph at the Avon Fishing Pier, according to the National Weather Service Newport / Morehead City Office.
Peak wind gusts in other areas of the Outer Banks included 66 mph gusts recorded in Frisco Woods, 62 mph gusts in Hatteras village, 60 mph guests on Ocracoke Island and in Buxton, and 53 mph gusts at Oregon Inlet.
The fast-moving line of showers and scattered thunderstorms extended from Raleigh down to Wilmington, and locally, the thunderstorms that formed in this line produced heavy the downpours and gusty winds until around midnight or so.
All was relatively calm as of Saturday morning, although it will be cooler for the rest of the weekend, with temps in the mid-50s on Saturday, and dropping down to the 30s by Sunday.
For more information on area wind guests, visit www.weather.gov/mhx for weather forecast information, or the National Weather Service office in Newport / Morehead City’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.
