UPDATED Severe thunderstorm downs trees, power lines

Severe weather moved through the area around 8 p.m. Monday evening, with high winds knocking down trees and power lines. 

A large tree limb fell onto a car in the 400 block of South High Street, blocking traffic and crushing the car underneath.

According to the Hillsboro Police Department, the car was being driven by Hannah Inman when the tree fell on the car.
 

According to the victim's statement, she was, "driving down South High Street when a tree limb fell on top of my car. People living nearby came and helped me out of the car."
 

Inman told police that she sustained some cuts on her arm, but was otherwise uninjured. 

Chief Jerry Powell of Hillsboro Fire and Rescue said that crews were called away from the scene after a house fire was reported. 

"The report came in that there was a house fire in the 400 block of South East Street," Powell said. 

When crews arrived on scene they determined, according to Powell, that there was no fire, but that a fallen tree had caused power lines to fall onto the house, and the lines were arcing. Powell said that crews were back at the station by approximately 8:45 p.m.

The tree on South High Street was cleared around 9 p.m., and traffic was moving through the area. 

According to Powell, stations across Highland County were out in response to down tree limbs from the storm. In Lynchburg, he said, part of state Route 138 was closed due to power lines across the roadways, and the Marshall Township Fire Department was out responding to fallen trees and lines. 

No injuries were reported, he said. 

The American Electric Power website did not have any power outages listed for Highland County, although several areas of Hillsboro were without power. AEP trucks were also seen in the area. 

"To my knowledge, we were never under a tornado watch or warning," Powell said. "We were under a severe thunderstorm watch, but not a warning. Had there been a tornado warning, we would have set off the sirens. But a tornado can really develop at any time. From the storm that I saw, I would say we had a severe thunderstorm with high winds."

According to the National Weather Service, Highland County is under a severe thunderstorm watch, a flood advisory and a hazardous weather outlook. 

Overnight, showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 4 a.m. are expected. Some of the storms could be severe. Low around 63 degrees. Southwest wind between 8 and 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. For Tuesday, showers and thunderstorms are expected, mainly after 9 a.m. High near 78 degrees. Southwest wind between 7 and 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.