Severe Weather Coming: Lake Norman's Easter Weekend Forecast

CORNELIUS, NC — Easter weekend will have a soggy start, as storms moving into our region Friday could produce gusty winds and tornadoes, according to forecasters.

“A band of heavy rain showers and embedded thunderstorms is expected to move across the foothills and Piedmont from early Friday morning through the afternoon,” the National Weather Service said Thursday in a hazardous weather outlook bulletin. “Isolated severe thunderstorms capable of producing locally damaging wind gusts and isolated brief tornadoes
will be possible, especially across the Piedmont from mid morning into the afternoon. In addition, localized excessive rainfall may cause flash flooding of small streams and urban areas.”

In the Charlotte metro area, the severe weather could be experienced between Friday morning and 4 p.m., according to North Carolina Emergency Management.

Skies will clear Saturday and will be mostly sunny by Easter Sunday, when the high is expected to be around 71.

Here is the National Weather Service’s forecast for the weekend:
This Afternoon (April 18)
Partly sunny, with a high near 78. South wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
Tonight
A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Friday (April 19)
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 4pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. High near 73. Breezy, with a south wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Friday Night
Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 9pm, then a chance of showers between 9pm and 3am, then a chance of rain after 3am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 49. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Saturday (April 20)
A slight chance of rain before 10am, then a chance of showers, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. South southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday Night
A 20 percent chance of showers before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.
Sunday (April 21)
Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
Monday (April 22)
Sunny, with a high near 80.
Monday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.
Tuesday (April 23)
Sunny, with a high near 82.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 59.
Wednesday (April 24)
Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.