1000 x 90

Tornado Watch, Flash Flood Watch and Wind Advisory for Watauga, Avery and Ashe Counties in Effect for Tuesday

Bz7j-EpCUAAi9eB

By Jesse Wood

Oct. 14, 2014. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory, flash flood watch and a tornado watch for the High Country – Watauga, Avery and Ashe counties on Tuesday, Oct. 14.

Wind Advisory

The wind advisory went into effect at 2:16 p.m. and expires at midnight. Hazards include wind gusts up to 50 mph, while southeast winds are in the 15 to 25 mph range. Potential impacts include trees being blown over due to the gusty winds and saturated soil and power outages. NWS noted that higher ridgelines will be particularly affected.

Flash Flood Watch

A flash flood watch went into effect at about 2 p.m. today and expires at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

“Several periods of showers and thunderstorms will prime the ground for excessive runoff during late afternoon and early evening. Thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall rates will cross over this saturated ground tonight,” the alert reads. “Small streams and creeks may rise quickly out of their banks. Flooding in urban areas is possible during periods of heavy rain, especially if fallen leaves block storm drains.”

Tornado Watch

NWS issued little details regarding the tornado watch, which went into effect at 2 p.m. on Tuesday and expires at 10 p.m. Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties are among 35 counties in the western part of the state that is under a tornado watch.

The tornado watch was issued by NWS Storm Prediction Center.

The Bright Side

With a bevy of hazardous weather expected on Tuesday, RaysWeather.com notes in its forecast discussion: “Look at it this way…we are one day closer to some seriously nice weather. To keep your spirits up, the weekend looks about as good as it gets for mid-October. First we must get through the next couple of days with today being the bulls-eye on wet and windy weather.”

At least by Thursday afternoon, we should be “all [in the] clear,” according to RaysWeather.com.

Friday and Saturday will see temperatures in the 60s and plenty of sunshine.