A strong storm that moved through Moore County Saturday afternoon left widespread damage across the county, knocking down trees, blocking roads and leaving thousands without power.
The storm began moving through Moore County shortly after 3 p.m., with downed trees and power outages reported from Highfalls and northern Moore County to Southern Pines, Pinehurst and areas farther south.
Some of the most significant damage was concentrated in northern Moore County near Highfalls and along a corridor stretching from northeast of Carthage through Cameron.
Along Wadsworth Road northeast of Carthage, Moore County News observed numerous large trees down across properties. At one property, several large trees were toppled, including one that fell onto a home.
The damage continued east toward Cameron, with evidence of strong straight-line winds visible along the corridor. The concentration and extent of the damage could also be consistent with a macroburst, although no such determination has been confirmed by the National Weather Service.
That corridor also experienced some of the most significant power outages following the storm. Small pockets remained without electricity more than 24 hours later Sunday, including the Moore County News studio.
Along Old River Road near Red Branch Road, multiple trees fell into the roadway. Off McCrimmon Road, a tree fell onto an unoccupied parked vehicle and power lines.
Several trees also came down along U.S. 15-501 between McCrimmon Road and Cannon Road. One of those trees fell onto a Toyota Prius traveling along the highway near Cannon Road, temporarily closing U.S. 15-501 in both directions.
Southern Pines, Pinehurst and areas of southern Moore County also saw downed trees and power outages as the storm moved through.
Crews worked throughout Saturday afternoon and evening to clear roads and restore electricity, with restoration efforts continuing Sunday in some of the hardest-hit areas.
Moore County News will continue to follow any additional information about the storm, including any assessment of the damage by the National Weather Service.
A Moore County native who has spent more than 20 years telling stories across North Carolina and beyond. He’s worked with CNN, WRAL, and CBS 17, and now serves as a Video Journalist for ABC11. Patrick has a passion for breaking news and has earned multiple awards for his coverage. He’s also a certified NWS SKYWARN Storm Spotter and was among the first news videographers in the state to become an FAA-certified drone pilot.
