Strong thunderstorms move into the Triangle Tuesday, bringing heavy wind & hail
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- Two bands of thunderstorms were approaching the Triangle on Tuesday, June 23.
- Doppler radar tracked a strong thunderstorm near Raleigh moving northeast at 30 mph.
- The National Weather Service warned of damaging winds, gusts up to 40 mph, and hail.
Two bands of thunderstorms are nearing the Triangle on Tuesday, June 23, bringing a risk of severe thunderstorms and the possibility of damaging winds.
The first band of thunderstorms is near the Triad, and the second is along the US Route 1 moving into the Triangle and the Sandhills as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
“Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Raleigh, moving northeast at 30 mph,” according to a special weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service at 11:34 a.m.
Wind could gust up to 40 miles per hour, and a half-inch of hail is possible.
“Expect an uptick in storms over the next several hours as activity shifts east,” according to an advisory from the National Weather Service’s Raleigh Office. “The primary threat is damaging winds, though an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.”
A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for western Nash County, northeastern Wake County and north central Johnston County and Franklin County starting at 12:11 p.m. until 1:15 p.m. with potential gusts of wind up to 60 miles per hour and penny-size hail.
Impacted areas include Wake Forest, Zebulon, Wendell, Rolesville, Nashville, Louisburg, Bailey, Bunn, Spring Hope and Youngsville.
A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for the eastern part of the state including Wake and Johnston counties, with the threat of damaging winds and an isolated tornado until 8 p.m.
“We continue to watch thunderstorms developing along and east of the Triangle, but also activity moving along and east of the Triad,” said Andrew Kren, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “Scattered gusts up to 70 MPH are likely. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.”
This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 11:46 AM.
