GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Strong storms knocked down power lines across the Charlotte area Wednesday night, including along U.S. 321 in Gaston County, where the road remained closed until Thursday morning.
Wednesday night's storms have forced the North Carolina Department of Transportation to close several roads in Gaston and Lincoln counties.
In Gaston County, 60 trees fell across roadways or on power lines, closing the following roads:
- Cherry Street
- Georgia Trail
- Tennessee Trail
- Lincoln Academy Road
- Rash Road
- Long Shoals Road
- Old Hardin Road
About 100 trees fell in Lincoln County. Several roads remain closed as crews work to remove downed trees on power lines. They include:
- Ramseur Street
- Poston Drive
- Pressley Drive
- Devine Road
- Gates Road
- Hestertown Road
U.S. 321 was shut down in both directions around 6 p.m. at Hardin Road because of the power lines on the ground.
[STORM DAMAGE: Heavy winds, rain pummel area counties]
Drivers were backed up between mile markers 16 and 18 for hours Wednesday night. At one point, trucks lifted the power lines so drivers could go under them.
[DUKE ENERGY POWER OUTAGE MAP]
Channel 9 spoke with a woman who was stuck for three hours.
“We were just blown away because we've never been stuck on 321,” driver Jill McKenzie said. “That's usually the road that we can depend on to make up lost time.”
North Carolina Department of Transportation officials expected the road to remain closed until 10 a.m. Thursday, but crews opened all lanes just after 9 a.m.
Channel 9 spoke with a man who was helping clean up his brother’s yard, which sits right next to where crews were working to repair lines over the highway.
He said the storm knocked down about five trees and branches damaged a fence and pulled tiles from the home’s roof.
“It even shook the ground from where the trees came down,” resident Ronnie Thompson said. “And I look around and things were just swirling from outside the window. It was scary."
The homeowner said it will likely be a few days before the wires are repaired and the power is turned back on.
Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:
- Motorcyclist killed after hitting tractor-trailer, run over by dump truck
- Father, 4-month-old daughter killed in violent Burke County crash
- FORECAST: Brief break from severe weather but more storms on the way
- Deputies make arrest days after 9-year-old robbed at lemonade stand
- 'Low-level acid leak' reported at company investigated by Channel 9
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/432CRZ2JENE2JIPWE7WCZS522Q.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/KFS7QBY7OBH4DBX4XPXIAVSSHM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/67NJ4M5YIFHSLLELCEHE4RRQRM.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/KKJOHXOGWVCA3B5MXGA2IWWIZA.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/QTXC6PC2AFE6JBFORAOYZM5MSY)