GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) -
Another round of pop-up, afternoon thunderstorms toppled trees and power lines across the western Carolinas on Wednesday.
About 3 p.m., storms began dotting FOX Radar 3D. Those storms quickly reached severe levels, producing powerful winds, heavy rain and lots of lightning.
Emergency crews in several counties were busy clearing trees from roadways.
In Spartanburg, a tree fell on a car near Briarwood Road. Rescue workers at the scene told FOX Carolina that two people were taken to the hospital. The storm also pushed a tree onto the roof of a home on Fernwood Street.
In Oconee County, a tree fell across Highway 28 near Mountain Rest, blocking the road for several hours while crews cleaned up the mess.
SLIDESHOW: Best of iWitness: Summer storms
According to Duke Energy's website, more than 5,000 customers were without power across the Carolinas. Most of the outages were reported in Henderson County, NC, where 2,300 people were without electricity. The second-highest number was in Spartanburg County, where more than 1,200 customers were without power.
Just before 8 p.m., the website reported more than 3,100 customers were without power in Rutherford County, NC, and most outages in Henderson and Spartanburg counties were repaired.
FOX Carolina Chief Meteorologist Kendra Kent said the trend of stormy afternoons will continue for the rest of the week. She said that the chances for storms will increase by Friday and Saturday, while a front moves through the area.
Copyright 2012 FOX Carolina (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
Tree limbs blanket the front yard of a Spartanburg home after a storm moved through the area. (July 18, 2012/FOX Carolina)
