Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Buncombe, Madison, and Yancey Counties in North Carolina

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Madison, Buncombe, and Yancey counties in western North Carolina. The alert was issued at 6:40 AM EDT after radar indicated a severe thunderstorm moving northeast at 45 mph.

Affected Areas

This warning affects the following geographic regions in western North Carolina:

• Madison County
• Buncombe County
• Yancey County

Specific locations impacted include Downtown Asheville, Burnsville, Marshall, East Asheville, West Asheville, North Asheville, Black Mountain, Woodfin, Swannanoa, and Weaverville.

What You Should Do

For your protection, move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building immediately. Residents are encouraged to report damaging winds, hail, or flooding to the National Weather Service by calling toll-free at 1-800-267-8101, or by posting details and specific locations to the NWS Facebook page or X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #nwsgsp.

Expected Conditions

• Wind: Gusts up to 60 mph are expected, which may cause damage to trees and power lines.
• Hail: Radar indicates the potential for hail up to .75 inches.
• Tornado Threat: The National Weather Service indicates that a tornado is possible with this system.
• Storm Movement: As of 6:40 AM EDT, the storm was located 10 miles west of Marshall (7 miles south of Hot Springs), moving northeast at 45 mph.

Timeline

The warning is effective immediately as of 6:40 AM EDT on March 16, 2026. The alert is currently scheduled to expire at 7:45 AM EDT.