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Wind, rain
cause problems in western N.C.
ASHEVILLE (AP) — Strong winds knocked down trees and hundreds of
people were without power in western North
Carolina on Friday as a cold front moved through
the state.
Strong winds and some rain moved through central North
Carolina on Friday afternoon and the system was expected to
reach the coast before sunset, said Brandon Vincent, a meteorologist with
the National Weather Service in Raleigh.
Winds weren’t expected to do as much damage at lower elevations,
Vincent said.
“The winds are stronger the higher up you go,” he said, adding that
the winds will probably die down later Friday night. Wind advisories and
warnings for parts of western North
Carolina were to expire at midnight.
Power outages were reported in more than a dozen western counties
Friday morning, and officials in Haywood
County said a resident
was injured by a falling tree.
“Wekeep holding out that this thing is going
to diedown pretty soon. In the mountains and up in
these coves we will get these wind shears,” said Greg Shuping,
emergency coordinator for Haywood
County.
At Great Smoky Mountain
National Park, spokeswoman Nancy Gray
said a 90 mph wind gust was reported at Cove
Mountain, a 4,400-foot peak on the Tennessee side. Most
wind gusts in the park have been in the 70-80 mph, and trees blocked U.S.
441, the only highway that crosses the park, she said.
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