Last Updated on October 2, 2022 5:53 pm
Heavy rain, thunder and lighting made for an unexpected alarm clock for many High Country residents just after midnight on Thursday.
As the storm rolled through a wind gust of 47 mph was recorded at Watauga Medical Center at 1:55am, however the top gust of 54 mph was reached at 6:55am.
The storm was responsible for some power outages across the High Country as Blue Ridge Electric members in Watauga, Ashe and Alleghany counties experienced outages.
In Alleghany County only one location on Hwy 18 South was affected which caused an outage to 76 members due to lightning.
In Ashe County, eight different locations were damaged, causing outages for 175 members. The outages were scattered throughout the county and all were weather-related due to high winds and falling trees and branches.
In Watauga County, eleven different locations were damaged, affecting 125 members scattered across the county.
Blue Ridge Electric crews worked throughout the entire night to restore the outages, which began right before midnight and ended around 7am.
Tree down on Brownwood Road in the 8am hour. Photo: Bridget Tufo-Smith
Radar view of the storm over Watauga from 10:30pm Wednesday to 1:30am Thursday. The white dot marks the intersection of 105/321/105 Ext.
Radar view of the storm over the region from 10:30pm Wednesday to 1:30am Thursday. The white dot marks the intersection of 105/321/105 Ext.
