North Carolina is bracing for what is expected to be a severe weather system tonight.
The National Weather Service is expecting two waves of storms to sweep across the state. The first round will likely bring heavy rain to central North Carolina Wednesday afternoon.
The second system has been producing stronger winds and rain as it moves through the Deep South, according to Meteorologist Shawna Cokley.
“We've seen some reports of hail an inch or two inches in diameter, so that can be damaging,” Cokley said. “There's also the chance we could see an isolated tornado or two. We're not expecting a widespread tornado outbreak, but it certainly remains a possibility.”
Cokley said those storms will likely be the strongest in the Sandhills, and could last from late tonight into the early morning hours.
Forecasters expect wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour, with a slight chance of isolated tornadoes. The storm was producing hail the size of tennis balls as it moved through Alabama earlier today.