High Wind — Ashe, North Carolina

2025-12-19 · Ashe, North Carolina

Event narrative

A 69 mph wind gust was reported by mesonet equipment located one mile north-northeast of West Jefferson at 11:30 AM EST. However, the wind gusted to 58 mph or greater five additional times that day, the first at 9:00 AM EST, with the last at 7:30 PM EST. The AWOS at the Ashe County Airport at reported a 67 mph wind gusts at 11:35 AM EST, but had been at or above 58 mph for around an 80 minute period starting at 10:35 AM. Later that same day, gusts at the airport again surpassed 58 mph at 4:55 PM EST with periodic gusts around 60 mph until 7:35 PM EST. The high winds also caused a tree to be blown over onto a vehicle along Whenlin Ridge Road, one mile east of Flatwood.

Wider weather episode

A cold front crossed the region during the early morning hours of the 19th. Behind this front, strong to damaging west to northwest winds were reported, some of which blew down trees. The strongest reported wind gusts occurred in Watauga County, where a mesonet instrument measured 73 mph near Meat Camp. In Ashe County, a 67 mph gust was recorded by the AWOS at the Ashe County Airport (KGEV), and a 69 mph gust was measured near West Jefferson by a mesonet station.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1304709. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.