High Wind — Watauga, North Carolina

2025-03-16 · Watauga, North Carolina

$60K

Property damage

65 MG

Magnitude

Event narrative

High winds blew down trees countywide and a roof to a local business in Boone. A wind gust of 75 mph was measured by a mesonet station at Banner Elk, and a wind gust of 70 mph was measured by a mesonet station at Aho.

Wider weather episode

A strong cold front approached the Appalachian Mountains on the morning of March 16 due to a deepening area of low pressure across the Great Lakes. The intense pressure gradient along the approaching frontal boundary triggered strong south winds that blew down numerous trees across Alleghany, Surry, and Watauga counties. A roof was also damaged by the winds in Boone. The highest wind gust reported was 75 mph from a mesonet station at Banner Elk.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1233399. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.