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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 6:30 p.m. ET: Damaging winds and at least one tornado struck the South on Friday as part of a large storm system moving across the eastern half of the country that dumped snow on the Midwest, the National Weather Service said.
Thunderstorms raked parts of Alabama and Georgia, then moved east toward the coast through the evening.
In South Carolina, a tornado touched down near the Lexington-Aiken county line and moved into Lexington County, The State newspaper reported on its website, citing the weather service. The State said the Lexington County Fire Service reported that trees were knocked down in the rural area and at least one house was damaged, but there were no injuries.
The Augusta Chronicle reported on its website that high winds downed trees and power lines in the region. Strong winds and large hail were reported in the Charlotte, N.C., area.
Two girls, ages 9 and 12, in North Carolina's Craven County reportedly suffered minor injuries when they were knocked to the ground by lightning after getting off their school bus, WCTI12.com reported. The ABC station's website said the girls were running from the bus to their front door when lightning struck nearby. The girls were up and walking around within minutes after an emergency services crew arrived, the website said.
Winds up to 60 to 70 miles an hour had been forecast, with the strongest gusts expected in parts of the Carolinas and southeast Virginia.
"Although we think there can be some isolated tornadoes, we don’t think that’s the primary threat for today," Steven Weiss, chief of the science support branch at the National Weather Service’s storm prediction center said earlier. "We think the primary threat is going to develop and become more of a wind damage threat as this strong cold front continues to progress eastward of the Appalachians and have new storm development along it."
By evening, Doppler radar at NBC station WCNC of Raleigh, N.C., showed heavy thunderstorm bands slipping toward the Atlantic Ocean.
Dozens of homes were damaged Wednesday night in a tornado near Rome, Ga., knocking out power and forcing schools to close, local media reported, citing authorities. When asked earlier if Friday's storms would be a repeat of earlier this week, Weiss said: "We hope not."
"For the time being, there may be some locally heavy rain just because there’s a continuation of storms one after the other moving across -- particularly parts of east-central Georgia into central South Carolina and moving into southeast North Carolina at this time," he said.
Part of larger system
The wet weather in the South was part of the "same large storm system that is moving across the eastern half of the country. The northern end of the storm system is associated with colder air and that’s where we’re getting the heavier snows up in that area, particularly across some of the Great Lakes region at this time," Weiss said.
Meteorologist Tim Ballisty had predicted that Chicago could receive "a half foot or more" of snow.
"On Thursday into Friday, look for a stripe of snow to lay down from the Dakotas into Iowa, northern Illinois, far northern Indiana and lower Michigan," he added. "The bulk of the heaviest snow will fall south of Milwaukee -- closer to the Wisconsin/Illinois border."
The storm that blanketed Chicago is now heading Northeast, and the South is also experiencing severe weather. Weather Channel meteorologist Mike Seidel reports.
But NBCChicago.com reported that Chicago largely avoided snowfall, although some of the city's northern suburbs got up to 6 inches, and the most snow -- 8.5 inches -- fell in city of Cary, near to the Wisconsin state line.
The storm also dropped several inches of snow over parts of North and South Dakota on Thursday with some places getting more than a foot of snow.
“This is not unusual to see a storm like this toward the end of February,” said Weiss, noting “we’re certainly not out of winter yet” though there hasn't been a lot of storms this year.
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Its going to be a long scary night here in the south...yipee!!!!!
I'm actually kinda excited for a good thunderstorm!
not me, got a dog that'll be scared out of her mind.
not me, got a me thatll be scared out of his mind
Once saw a "Hornet" tornado hit just south of Atlanta. Back in the 90's. True story. Hornet tornado's are a local slang in North Georgia for small, but very powerful toranados, usually with a swath from 400 to 1000 feet. This storm came east along I-20 then veered to the right. Tore up a couple of sub divisions pretty well, then lifted over a hill covered with tall trees. Didn't bother them. Was headed in a Southeastern direction then. Off to the Southwest was a "mobile home manufacturer" with many finished mobile homes setting there on about 20 acres. That little wicked bastard made an almost 90 degree turn to the right, went straight to that facility, proceeded to first demolish every one of those waiting mobile homes, just blowing around and around the building, then, with that demolition completed went to work on the building. Tore that building into pieces, then turned, lifted and headed off to the southeast, not to be heard from any more that night. A local TV weatherman, while describing all this, was unable to contain his laughter. He said it was as though, the Toranado had been programed to act as it did. My wife and I, even now, break out in laughter when we talk about it. This one, at least, seemed to get real steamed at the sight of mobile homes. Honest. True story.
I know. I know. Misspelled "tornado" a couple of times. Saw it after I posted but the damn edit button wouldn't allow me to fix 'em. Excuse me.
@Mac Forrester, I swear that's one of the funniest things I have read in a while. Kudos
Q. Why is a tornado like an Alabama divorce?
A. Someone's gonna lose a trailer.
At least their trailer is probably paid for, unlike the rest of the "I think I'm better than them" so called "upper middle class" who send their kids to the mall to babysit, and "own" (haha) a cheaply built home in a cul-de-sac overlooking a high mortgage that you'll never own.
Actually, in a Meteorology class during the early 90's, we hypothesized that large communities of trailer parks were magnetized and storms were drawn too them. I wonder if anyone ever proved or disproved that theory?
...and to add to Gunny's post, if you don't have health insurance and own a home, kiss it good-bye if you get sick and need hospital care, for they will put a lien on it before you get home. That is a fact, so, why even own a home? In Australia or Canada, you are not at risk for losing your own home....just sayin'
Oh, wait, those of you who say "but you can still live there"...yeah, but when you sell it they get all the money first. So, again, it's not REALLY yours anymore.
I doubt very seriously, that 10% of middle class American actually own their homes. The only reason I do is because I paid double payments. I retired from the military, and 2 other companies. Luckily, the only thing I HAVE to pay is land and school taxes, as we have a deep well and keep adding to our solar and wind generators.
What, Gunny!?! You don't owe some bank hundreds of thousands of dollars, or pay some power/water company CEO's mortgage for them in the form of extortionist fees!?! Why, that's so..so...unAmerican! LOL!!
Funny thing about the "South" is they will pull together and fix it with only the help from neighbors. Strangest thing I have ever seen.
When I lived in Cali people would dial 911 and call for rescue if their toilet was clogged.
In the south, when a tragedy happens we think of each other as family and see to it that everyone is taken care of. Now when all that is over we do go back to being the good rednecks we are and look out for our holler.
Batten down the hatches, everyone--stay safe!
Woo hooo! And we are off to the races...chasin down our patio furniture here in Alabama!
Turns out it wasn't storms, it was Republicans stumping before Super Tuesday, here in Tennessee.
Actually, it was Obama farting after a huge meal on the taxpayers dime.
No, it was Gingrich belching after gorging himself on the tax-payers dime. That, and his normal wind-bag manners.
turns out that wind in tenn...was just us in ark. poot'n...
Well let the wind take my old wood fence tonight and hello insurance company tommorrow
It's 80 degs, nice and windy here in Chesapeake Bay-area Virginia. Gonna be fun, though I highly doubt we'll see any tornadoes.
Be safe everyone and keep alerted. These things are dangerous.
Don't forget the sh*tstorm blowing out of Rick ( Texas Taliban) Perry's hiney in Austin, all over the Tx taxpayers.
BunnyCoop raises a good point. Sometimes it's better to be "poor". You have lot less headaches that way, and far less to lose in case of catastrophe. Those who lose more, whine more.
That's "BunnyPoop" there DonkeyKong...lol
Hey, Gunny, it IS true that the less ya got -- the less ya miss (and whine about it) when it's gone.
I love it! As soon as I hear we're under a "Tornado Watch," we pop the popcorn and fire up "TWISTER!"
lol
Very Romantic ! ROFL
Notice how some single wides have windows around one end? Pilots seating station!
I have a friend that owns 3 trailer parks here in the South, plus a 75 Acre farm with a gorgeous old home on it. Guess where he lives? In one of his single wides, and I would dare to say, his net worth is at least 2.5m. All earned from his diversifed small businesses. Yep, he's just a dumb ol' redneck..lol.
When I lived in Oklahoma the tornado watches were pretty common.
My wife would sit in the safe area I would sleep on the bed.
The Lightning is what got our house.
God works slowly bun it it eerms He's finally gettting around to punishing the Amreican SAouth for their part in the Slave Trade and the Trail of Tears. Way to go SUpreme Being!!!!!!
Quit whining ....
bigbenalaska -
Uh, that's celebrating (with typos evidently), not whining.
Purnell -
And here I thought God was punishing the South for passing anti abortion laws.
Yes, it seems that God is always punishing the areas that are so very "Christian" and "dedicated" to God -- meaning it seems to always be the "Bible belt" regions of the planet that get hit hard with the "End of The World" storms.
I apologize for my senseless and riciculous post.
Hatr-Hurter We have a dog that's also afraid of storms, our vet said give him Benadryl calms him right down.
My ex room mate's aunt made $83/hr. doing a lap dance.
Im sure the world is happy to know that? what does that have to do with the subject? Im sure I'm just not seeing the relationship. LOL.
I am happy no one got hurt. Tornadoes are scary. I have been close to a couple of them and it was not a joyride.
Again, How do we know that it's punishment from God. These are events of this imperfect world that is out of balance. It's not punishment from God believe me you would know! If you do a careful research of the Bible you'll find out where these disasters come from. Fortunately, God allows time to go on so we can find HIM. These disasters and all this suffering in the world is temporary. Anyways, its good that the people got through it. The real thought is are we really for the coming day?
Bail YOURSLEVES out or call on god and those wonderful gop Governors you love so much that you guys keep voting for in those great states of yours. I'm BROKE!!! Of course that won't happen as screaming for Uncle Sam to come to the rescue will be the FIRST "yall do" but wait for Cantor and company to figure what programs to "cut first before anything can be paid for".
As always good people get thru disasters? The people, including children, lost in our Oklahoma City May 3rd tornado were not good people? Our Federal building where so many were lost, they weren't good people either? You george 3883793, are a prime example of how Christianity can become twisted, distorted, and sick. If anything, it's the good people that suffer the most--figure that out--