RARE NOVEMBER THUNDERSTORM
TEMPORARILY HALTS PLAYOFF GAMES
Also creates dangerous driving conditions along Highway 16

The parking lot of Tate Realty on Highway 16 looked more like a lake. Photo by Jon Mayhew/TCS

By Jon Mayhew

EAST LINCOLN -- It was a rare moment Friday night. Mother Nature decided to pay an unscheduled visit to the Denver area, bringing driving rains, high winds, loud thunder and dangerous lightning.

Fortunately, there weren't too many people on the roads because everyone may have been at the East Lincoln/East Rutherford playoff game at David Clark Stadium.

With East Lincoln's victory -- and Lincolnton defeating North Lincoln for a second time in two weeks -- the stage is set for East Lincoln's home field advantage matchup against the Lincolnton Wolves in round two of the playoff.

It was briefly doubtful if either game would finish to completion. When game officials saw lightning strikes, they put teams into the locker room as the storm passed.

Meantime, for authorities patrolling East Lincoln, the heavy rains turned many parking lots into lakes and put sections of major thoroughfares like Highway 16, Unity Church Road and Highway 73 under inches of water.

Reports indicated two to three inches of water along parts of Highway 16 around the Westport area and on South Pilot Knob Road, while some residents along Unity Church Road reported about eight inches of water on the roadway.

Denver Fire Deprtment, assisted by East Lincoln and Pumpkin Center Fire Departments, were called out to a possible structure fire at a residence on Blades Trail.

According to Sgt. Steve Dombrowski of the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, firefighters said there was light smoke in the residence.

"The firefighters said it was either caused by a lightning strike or a power surge," said Dombrowski.

And while the storms made driving treacherous for a short amount of time, there weren't any accidents reported in East Lincoln.

Rain is predicted throughout the weekend. Click on the weather top at the top of The Carolina Scoop home page for more information.

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