CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. – A confirmed tornado has touched ground in western North Carolina about 10 miles southeast of Morganton, according to the National Weather Service.
The tornado was confirmed at about 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
A tornado warning had been issued for parts of Wilkes, Watauga, Ashe, Catawba, Rutherford, Lincoln, Cleveland and Burke counties, but the warnings have since expired. There are currently no active tornado warnings in North Carolina.
Picture credit from Jeanie Elliott Elmore of the Cleveland county tornado #ncwx pic.twitter.com/grjDdPNB1z
— Tim Cha (@wxtim91) October 8, 2017
Burke and Caldwell counties are reporting possible tornado damage. There are reports of power lines and trees down in Wilkes County.
There are numerous reports of tornadoes or tornado warnings in Upstate South Carolina.
There has been damage reported in South Carolina near Liberty and Pickens, according to the National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg.
There are no tornado warnings in the Piedmont, but parts of the Triad could see showers and thunderstorms with a marginal risk of severe weather that could be capable of spinning up brief, weak tornadoes.
The main tornado threat will be across the western part of the FOX8 viewing area. People in the mountains and foothills should be aware of rapidly changing weather. A weak tornado could form with little to no notice.
CONFIRMED TORNADO NEAR CASAR, NC Projected arrival of tornado warned storm pic.twitter.com/TGeHFBDkgc
— Charles Ewing (@charles_ewing19) October 8, 2017
All of western NC has a 2% for an isolated brief tornado Southern mountains and Piedmont looking at 5% chance pic.twitter.com/v8kRIoko13
— FOX8 WGHP (@myfox8) October 8, 2017
Most of the area looking at a Marginal risk for severe weather Slight risk for severe weather southern mtns/piedmont pic.twitter.com/JTZWPxl9ei
— Charles Ewing (@charles_ewing19) October 8, 2017
IF YOU LIVE IN WESTERN WILKES COUNTY PLEASE BE AWARE IF STORM HOLDS IT WILL MOVE IN YOUR DIRECTION https://t.co/F7ogqx5pGQ
— Charles Ewing (@charles_ewing19) October 8, 2017
TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN WILKES COUNTY UNTIL 6:30 PM pic.twitter.com/k7otb5eN65
— Charles Ewing (@charles_ewing19) October 8, 2017