Thursday's Strong Storms

Thursday shaped up to be a very busy afternoon in the Weather on the Ones Forecast Center as strong to severe storms developed just after 1pm and moved across the region through around 7pm. Damaging winds and frequent lightning proved to be the biggest threat from the storms.

Here's a look at Thursday's severe weather reports from around the country provided by the Storm Prediction Center (www.spc.noaa.gov) --

You'll notice the cluster of blue dots over central and eastern North Carolina. Those blue dots represent individual damaging wind reports. Here's a look at some of the local storm reports passed along by the National Weather Service:

• 1:55pm -- Trees down and house fires caused by lightning reported near Rolesville in Wake County.
• 2:30pm -- A trained spotter reported 60mph winds and pea size hail near Whispering Pines in Moore County
• 2:45pm -- Penny size hail reported by a Parks and Recreation Department employee near Louisburg in Franklin County
• 3:00pm -- Trees down reported near Fearrington in Chatham County
• 3:08pm -- Tree down reported near Warrenton in Warren County
• 3:30pm -- Trees down reported near Goldston in Chatham County
• 4:00pm -- Report of a tree down blocking traffic near Lake Boone Shopping Center in Raleigh. Other reports of large limbs down at Western Blvd. and Blue Ridge Rd.
• 4:10pm -- Reports of large tree limbs down near Kipling in Harnett County
• 4:15pm -- Reports of trees down along Hilltop-Needmore Road near Fuquay-Varina in Wake County
• 4:30pm -- Trees down reported near Coats in Harnett County
• 4:35pm -- Reports of trees down near Dunn in Harnett County
• 4:40pm -- Trees down near Vander in Cumberland County
• 5:15pm -- Trees reported down 8 miles east of Goldsboro in Wayne County near the Lenoir County line.
• 6:16pm -- 59mph wind gust recorded at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base near Goldsboro
• 6:25pm -- Tree reported on a house near Fremont in Wayne County

Friday is bringing us another hot and humid afternoon with highs in the mid 90s and heat index values reaching near 105. With the heat and humidity, a few storms may pop-up toward the late afternoon and evening hours. If they do, the storms could again be strong with gusty winds and frequent lightning. We'll keep you posted on News 14 Carolina.