Storms roll through Charlotte area Wednesday, causing widespread damage

Multiple severe thunderstorm watches and warnings were issued for parts of the Charlotte area as a line of strong storms moved across the Carolinas Wednesday afternoon.

A tornado warning was issued around 3 p.m. for Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties and expired at 3:45 p.m. The National Weather Service reported widespread wind damage including downed trees and power lines in Gaston County around western Gastonia, Kings Mountain and Bessemer City after that storm cell passed. There are reports of quarter-sized hail in Bessemer City, too.

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A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina, and in Chester and York counties in South Carolina, that expired in 5:15 p.m.

A second line of storms is expected overnight into Thursday.

"These are going to be moving in, but this won't be the only wave of storms," Panovich said. "There's another cluster developing back in Missouri that's going to be here overnight into early Thursday morning."

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