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Wednesday afternoon's (May 8th) weather turned violent in a hurry.  A tornado warning, downed power lines, trees and limbs blocking roads were all a part of the 3 PM-5 PM onslaught. 

While there was some storm damage in Lincoln & Catawba counties, it was much, much worse in Gaston & Cleveland.  One person was killed when a tree fell on a car in Gaston County.  Thousands of homes and businesses were without electricity due to downed electric lines; and the damage in Gaston was significant enough to cause the declaration of a State of Emergency.  

Gaston County Board of Commissioners Chairman Chad Brown signed the State of Emergency for Gaston County Wednesday evening, as first responders were working to clear roads of downed power lines, broken trees and provide aid to residents in need.

Gaston County activated its Emergency Operations Center. The New Hope Fire Department responded to an extrication with a tree down on a car. One person was rescued and transported to the hospital, while a second person was killed in the incident. 

Damage in Cleveland County was widespread; in Gaston County major storm damage occurred on the western end of the county, as well as the city of Gastonia and several other municipalities.

At 6 PM, although the storm had ended and the sun was shining, nearly 45 percent of Gaston County electric customers were without power. 

This reporter was traveling from Belmont to Gastonia and then Dallas just after the worst of the storm occurred around 4-4:30 PM.  All of the traffic signals on US29-74 (Wilkinson/Franklin Blvd.) were out.  At the Cramerton intersection, police were directing traffic, but there were no police directing traffic at any of the other intersections between Belmont & Gastonia.  Cox Road was closed between Ranlo and Court Drive (the road by CaroMont Hospital) due to downed trees and power lines.  The signals were also not working in the town of Dallas where several large trees were downed.  

One person killed by falling tree

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol says that at about 4:30 Wednesday afternoon, a large tree fell on S. New Hope Road near Belmont and landed on a car that was driving south on Dixon Road. Jacqueline Morrison-Donald of York, SC, died at the scene. The passenger was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Due to impacts from Wednesday afternoon’s storm, Gaston County Schools will be closed for students on Thursday, May 9.  It will be an optional teacher workday. Parents will receive a revised testing schedule from their child’s school.

A similar notice was issued by Cleveland County Schools:

Due to power outages, impassible roads, and impending storms, Cleveland County Schools will be closed for students on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Staff will have an optional workday with a two-hour delay. Please stay safe on the roads.

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