Official severe weather warnings near Franklin

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 498 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN NORTH CAROLINA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 9 COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA BERTIE CAMDEN CHOWAN CURRITUCK GATES HERTFORD NORTHAMPTON PASQUOTANK PERQUIMANS IN VIRGINIA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 39 COUNTIES IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA AMELIA CHESTERFIELD CITY OF COLONIAL HEIGHTS CITY OF RICHMOND CUMBERLAND HENRICO POWHATAN PRINCE EDWARD IN EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA CHARLES CITY NEW KENT IN EASTERN VIRGINIA MATHEWS NORTHAMPTON IN SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA BRUNSWICK CITY OF HOPEWELL CITY OF PETERSBURG DINWIDDIE LUNENBURG MECKLENBURG NOTTOWAY PRINCE GEORGE IN SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA CITY OF CHESAPEAKE CITY OF EMPORIA CITY OF FRANKLIN CITY OF HAMPTON CITY OF NEWPORT NEWS CITY OF NORFOLK CITY OF POQUOSON CITY OF PORTSMOUTH CITY OF SUFFOLK CITY OF VIRGINIA BEACH CITY OF WILLIAMSBURG GLOUCESTER GREENSVILLE ISLE OF WIGHT JAMES CITY SOUTHAMPTON SURRY SUSSEX YORK THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF AHOSKIE, AMELIA COURTHOUSE, ANGOLA, ANTE, BACONS CASTLE, BARHAM, BARNETTS, BAVON, BEACH, BON AIR, BOOTH FORK, BOTTOMS BRIDGE, BOWERS HILL, BOYKINS, BROWNS CORNER, BRUNSWICK, BRYANTOWN, BUFFORD CROSSROADS, BUSCH GARDENS, CAPE CHARLES, CAPE COLONY, CENTERVILLE, CHASE CITY, CHESAPEAKE AIRPORT, CHESTER, CHESTERFIELD, CHIPPOKES STATE PARK, CHRISTENSONS CORNER, CHULA, CLARESVILLE, CLARKSVILLE, COLONIAL HEIGHTS, COURTLAND, COWIE CORNER, CREWE, CROAKER, CURRITUCK, DEEP CREEK, DENARO, DURAND, EAGLETOWN, EARLS, EDENHOUSE, EDENTON, EDGERTON, ELIZABETH CITY, EMPORIA, EMPORIA AIRPORT, EMPORIA RESERVOIR, EWELL, EXMORE, FARMVILLE, FENTRESS, FIVE FORKS, FORT LEE, FRANKLIN, GARYSBURG, GASTON, GATESVILLE, GLEN ALLEN, GLOUCESTER POINT, GREAT BRIDGE, GREEN PLAIN, GREENBRIER, GROVE, GUINEA MILLS, GUM FORKS, GWALTNEY CORNER, HAMPTON, HANCOCK, HAWK, HERTFORD, HOG ISLAND GAME RESERVE, HOPEWELL, HORSESHOE, HUNTERDALE, IVOR, JETERSVILLE, KENBRIDGE, LAWRENCEVILLE, LILLY, MACEDONIA, MANNBORO, MAVATON, MEADOWVILLE, MERRY HILL, MIDLOTHIAN, MIDWAY, MOSELEY, MOUNT PLEASANT, MOUNTCASTLE, NEW KENT AIRPORT, NEW POINT, NEW POINT COMFORT, NEWPORT NEWS, NORFOLK, ORAPAX FARMS, PEARY, PETERSBURG, POOLESVILLE, POQUOSON, PORTSMOUTH, POWHATAN, QUINTON, QUITSNA, RAINES TAVERN, REAMS, REEDS, RICH SQUARE, RICHMOND, ROXBURY, SAINT JOHNS, SANDSTON, SCOTTS FORK, SHARON, SMITHFIELD, SOUTH HILL, STODDERT, SUFFOLK, TALLEYSVILLE, TRIPLET, VALENTINES, VALHALLA, VICTORIA, VIRGINIA BEACH, VULTARE, WAKEFIELD, WAVERLY, WAYSIDE, WHITE PLAINS, WILLIAMSBURG, WINDSOR, AND YORKTOWN.