High Wind in Watauga, North Carolina

A 74 mph gust was measured in Aho, and a 59 mph gust was measured at the Watauga Medical Center in Boone. Around 140 customers in Watauga County had lost power by the early morning of January 29th.

A strong surface low pressure system moved through the Great Lakes region, with a tight pressure gradient existing between it and a surface high departing off the eastern United States coast. This pressure gradient led to strong, gusty winds over the area, especially across the higher elevations. During the day of January 29th, a west-northwesterly low level jet also moved eastward into the Piedmont, and contributed to more strengthening of the winds. Wind gusts of 60 mph and greater resulted in a few hundred power outages in the northwest North Carolina mountains.