Strong thunderstorms, with heavy rainfall and high winds, swept through Cherokee County shortly before midnight Tuesday sending a large tree crashing into a home on Highway 411 north near County Road 83; one individual was injured at the location, and was transported to an area hospital for treatment.

The National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Cherokee County and Etowah County and at 11:49pm a line of severe thunderstorms was located – extending from near Ider to Cherokee Rock Village to near Steele, moving at approximately 60 mph.

The fast moving front left a large number of downed trees in its wake across both Cherokee and Etowah counties.  In Etowah County on Warrior Valley Road a mile from Highway 132, multiple trees were reported down; trees and power lines were down on Pope Road in the Tidmore Bend community; a tree was blocking Lay Springs road at mile marker 9 and trees were also reported down on Rainbow Drive in Gadsden at the 759 overpass.  Meanwhile, in DeKalb County a tree was reported down on County Road 97 in the Pine Ridge Community.

Volunteer Fire Departments were dispatched to the areas affected to assist with removal of trees.

Any further reports of property damage will be gathered throughout the day.  According to EMA Director Shawn Rogers all damage was the direct result of straight-line winds. 

Now the area is switching from thunderstorms to a freeze warning.     

The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures Wednesday night will range from 28 to 32 across the area. Scattered frost is expected – which could result in damage to crops and other sensitive vegetation.

[Photos proved by Cherokee County EMA]