Showers soak Charlotte on Tuesday, and there’s a small chance of storms, NWS says

Charlotte can expect showers to continue into early afternoon Tuesday, with a “small but possible” chance of severe storms late in the day and at night, a National Weather Service meteorologist said.

Any storms that develop are predicted to be far weaker than powerful thunderstorms Wednesday and Thursday that spawned two tornadoes in Gaston County and two in the N.C. mountains, NWS meteorologist Justin Lane said. Two deaths were reported during the storms, one in Gaston County and the other in Caldwell County.

Lane said severe storms would appear south of Charlotte on Tuesday, if any emerge at all.

“There’s a potential, most likely at 5 or 6 p.m. and then at 9 or 10 p.m., but more so in South Carolina,” Lane said. And the storm threat south of the city “is just a marginal chance at that,” he said.

The NWS included Mecklenburg and surrounding counties in a hazardous weather outlook bulletin at 4:10 a.m. Tuesday that warned of potentially damaging winds and hail later Tuesday.

“Numerous showers and scattered thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening,” according to the bulletin. “A few of the storms could become severe with damaging winds and large hail the main threats.

“Isolated heavy rainfall is also possible,” NWS forecasters said in the alert.

The NWS also included the Carolinas’ mountains and Upstate South Carolina in the bulletin.

Heavy rains falling in Charlotte Tuesday morning may not subside until 1 p.m., according to the NWS Charlotte forecast. The chance of showers was 60%, to be followed by afternoon fog.

Charlotte has an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms returning again on Wednesday, the forecast showed.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.