Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Wakefield, VA

June 28, 1986Pasquotank County, North Carolina

NWS Wakefield, VA issued this tornado warning at Jun 28, 1986, 4:56 PM EDT for Pasquotank County, North Carolina. It was in force for 64 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 28, 1986, 4:56 PM EDT (20:56 UTC)
Expired
Jun 28, 1986, 6:00 PM EDT
In force
64 min
Issued by
NWS Wakefield, VA
Area
Whole counties

County Pasquotank County, NC

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Cape Hatteras, NC (KHAT), launched 12:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 130 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Cape Hatteras, NC at 12:00Z on 1986-06-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Cape Hatteras, NC at 12:00Z on 1986-06-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
NaN m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
249 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KHAT 282056
TORHAT
NCC139-282200-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HATTERAS NC
456 PM EDT SAT JUN 28 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 600 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF

NORTH CAROLINA...PASQUOTANK

AT TIME A TORNADO WAS REPORTED ON THE GROUND 2 MILES SOUTHWEST
  OF ELIZABETH CITY...ALONG HIGHWAY 17... MOVING EAST AT 20
  MILES AN HOUR.

THE PROJECTED PATH OF THIS STORM IS OVER OR NEAR ELIZABETY CITY.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM...IF YOU ARE NEAR ITS PATH GET OUT OF
YOUR CAR OR MOBILE HOME AND FIND SHELTER IN A SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE
CLOSE TO YOU.  GO TO A SMALL NINTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.
A BASEMENT IS BEST.  COVER YOUR HEAD.  REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER
TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.

 FT

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 28, 1:35 PM EDT, 3 hours 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RICHMOND VA
 135 PM EDT SAT JUN 28 1986

 THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO NELSON COUNTY IN VIRGINIA

AT 132 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM
OVER THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF AUGUSTA COUNTY MOVING TO THE SOUTH
SOUTHEAST AROUND 15 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE MOVING INTO NELSON
COUNTY WITHIN THE NEXT 15 TO 20 MINUTES.

THE STORM CONTAINS VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...STRONG GUSTY WINDS
AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. SMALL HAIL IS ALSO LIKELY TO
ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.

ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED

WILLS
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 2:15 PM EDT, 2 hours 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
210    PM EDT SAT  JUN  28 1986

...HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS BEGIN TO DEVELOP OVER EASTERN VIRGINIA...
AT 2 PM A LINE OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED OVER SOUTHEASTERN
VIRGINIA. THE LINE EXTENDS FROM WESTERN PORTSMOUTH NEAR THE JAMES
RIVER WEST SOUTHWEST TO EASTERN GREENSVILLE COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE LIKELY ACCOMPANIED BY LOCALLY STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND VERY HEAVY
RAIN. THEY ARE MOVING EAST AT 25 TO 30 MPH AND SHOULD BE MOVING THROUGH
THE SOUTHAMPTON ROADS CITIES DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS HAVE FORMED IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA NEAR
WASHINGTON AND MAY MOVE INTO THE NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA DURING THE
NEXT HOUR.

RESIDENTS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA AND IN PARTICULAR MARINE INTERESTS SHOULD
BE ALERT TO APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AS THEY COULD
BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS..HEAVY RAINS..AND SHARP LIGHTNING.

ANOTHER STATEMENT WILL BE 9ISSUED BY 3 PM.
TAR
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 2:59 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
300    PM EDT SAT  JUN  28 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER EASTERN VIRGINIA...
AT 2.50 PM THERE WERE TWO LINES OF THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING EASTERN
VIRGINIA. ONE LINE EXTENDS FROM SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF PORTSMOUTH
WEST SOUTHWEST ACROSS SUFFOLK AND INTO NORTH CAROLINA JUST SOUTH
OF FRANKLIN. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM IN THIS LINE WAS LOCATED
JUST SOUTH OF FRANKLIN AND INTO HERTFORD COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA.

ANOTHER LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM MARYLAND SOUTHWEST INTO
THE NORTHERN NECK COUNTIES OF VIRGINIA NEAR COLONIAL BEACH.

BOTH AREAS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 25 TO 30 MPH AND
LOCALLY STRONG WINDS..HAIL..AND HEAVY RAIN MAY OCCUR NEAR THE
HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS. MARINE INTERESTS ON THE WATERS ADJACENT TO
THE NORTHEN NECK SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR STRONG GUSTY AS THESE STORMS
MOVE EAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN NECK. MARINE INTERESTS IN THE EXTREME
LOWE6R BAY AND COASTAL WATERS ADJACENT TO THE HAMPTON ROADS
CITIES SHOULD ALSO BE ALERT TO THE MOVEMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS INTO
THOSE WATERS DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

ANOTHER  STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 4 PM.
RITTER
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 3:58 PM EDT, 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORFOLK VA
400    PM EDT SAT  JUN  28 1986

...HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER EXTREME SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA AND THE
NORTHERN CHESAPEAKE BAY OF VIRGINIA...
AT 350 PM A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM SOUTH CENTRAL
VIRGINIA BEACH SOUTHWEST ACROSS CHESAPEAKE AND INTO NORTH CAROLINA.
THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER SOUTHERN CHESAPEAKE AND WILL MOVE
ACROSS SOUTHERN VIRGINIA BEACH AND INTO THE COASTAL WATERS DURING THE
NEXT HOUR. THIS STORM WILL LIKELY PRODUCE STRONG WINDS..HAIL..VERY
HEAVY RAIN AND SHARP LIGHTNING.

ANOTHER LINE OF THUNDERTORMS EXTENDED FROM EASTERN MARYLAND ACROSS
THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND INTO MATHEWS COUNTY ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF
THE BAY. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS LINE WERE OVER MATHEWS
COUNTY AND OVER THE BAY EAST OF ACCOMACK COUNTY.

ALL THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 25 TO 30 MPH.
SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 4.30 PM FOR THE
COASTAL WATERS OF VIRGINIA BEACH SOUTH OF RUDEE INLET AND FOR
BACK BAY AND FOR THE VIRGINIA WATERS OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY NORTH
OF NEW POINT COMFORT AND COASTAL WATERS FROM CHINCOTEAGUE TO COBB
ISLAND UNTIL 4.30 PM.

ANOTHER STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 5 PM.
RITTER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wakefield, VA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 28, 4:22 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQChowan68 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 1986Every tornado warning in 1986Tornadoes in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.