Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 3, NWS Raleigh, NC

March 19, 1986Lenoir County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 19, 1986, 3:40 PM EST for Lenoir County, North Carolina. It was in force for 35 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 19, 1986, 3:40 PM EST (20:40 UTC)
Expired
Mar 19, 1986, 4:15 PM EST
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

County Lenoir 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, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 194 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 1986-03-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 21 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 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 1986-03-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 185 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 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
21 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
902 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
185 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
260 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 KRDU 192040
SVRRDU
NCC107-192115-

BULLETIN-IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
340 PM EST WED MAR 19 1986

A..THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 415 PM FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF

EAST CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...LENOIR COUNTY.

B..AT 330 PM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS SHOWN BY RADAR EAST OF FAISON AND
WAS MOVING TOWARD LENOIR COUNTY. DAMAGING WINDS WERE REPORTED IN NORTHERN
DUPLIN COUNTY WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
<
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY
OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY
RAIN. REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
337PM/LBC

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Mar 19, 9:49 AM EST, 5 hours 51 minutes before
^RDUSPSGSO

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
946 AM EST WED MAR 19 1986

...MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE
PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA THIS MORNING...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMANINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 PM EST FOR
DAVIDSON.. ROWAN.. IREDELL.. RANDOLPH.. FORSYTH.. AND GUILFORD
COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA.

AT 935 AM A LINE OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDED FROM STOKES AND SURRY COUNTIES SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH YADKIN..
WILKES.. IREDELL.. AND ALEXANDER COUNTIES AND THEN CONTINUED
SOUTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE CHARLOTTE AREA. THE HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY WAS LOCATED SOUTH OF THE HICKORY AREA. MOVEMENT OF THIS
PRECIPITATION WAS TOWARD THE EAST AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH.
HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED ESPECIALLY IN
THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THIS LINE OF ACTIVITY.

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

RJK
Special weather statement, Mar 19, 10:42 AM EST, 4 hours 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
1040 AM EST WED MAR 19 1986

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN
FOOTHILLS AND SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH DOES HOWEVER REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PORTION OF THE
NORTHWEST PIEDMONT.. ALL OF THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT AND FOR CATAWBA COUNTY
IN THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS AND FOR RICHMOND COUNTY IN THE SANDHILLS.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THIS OFFICE.

LISTEN TO COMMERCIAL RADIO, TV, OR WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS
OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

LBC
Special weather statement, Mar 19, 11:51 AM EST, 3 hours 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
1148 AM EST WED MAR 19 1986

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR CATAWBA
COUNTY IN THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS AND THE COUNTIES IN THE NORTHWEST
PIEDMONT. ALSO THE WATCH HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED FOR CLEVELAND.. LINCOLN..
GASTON.. AND MECKLENBURG COUNTIES IF THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH DOES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING
SOUTHERN PIEDMONT COUNTIES... CABARRUS.. STANLY.. MONTGOMERY.. UNION
AND ANSON. ALSO THE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR RICHMOND COUNTY IN THE
SANDHILLS OF NORTH CAROLINA.

LISTEN TO COMMERCIAL RADIO, TV, OR WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS
OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

LBC
Special weather statement, Mar 19, 12:17 PM EST, 3 hours 23 minutes before
^RDUSPSGSO

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
1215 PM EST WED MAR 19 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED FOR DAVIDSON.. ROWAN.. IREDELL..
RANDOLPH.. FORSYTH.. AND GUILFORD COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTROM WATCH PREVIOUSLY ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE
NORTHWEST PIEDMONT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. AT 1210 PM THE LINE OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT CAME THROUGH THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT EARLIER
THIS MORNING WAS LOCATED TO THE EAST OF THE GREENSBORO AREA. SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS DID EXTEND FROM PARTS SOUTHEASTERN CASWELL COUNTY
SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH ALAMANCE.. SOUTHEASTERN GUILFORD AND INTO
RANDOLPH COUNTIES. MOVEMENT WAS TOWARD THE EAST AT APPROXIMATELY
45 TO 50 MPH. THESE AREAS CONSISTED OF MOSTLY LIGHT TO MODERATE
RAINSHOWER ACTIVITY.

NO FURHTER STATEMENTS ARE ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
RJK
Special weather statement, Mar 19, 2:29 PM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
225 PM EST WED MAR 19 1986

..SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 50 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM
FOR MOST OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...

THIS WATCH REPLACES SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 49 THAT WAS IN
EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

AT 215 PM THERE WAS A LARGE AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT COVERED
MOST OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE MOST INTENSE
THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS AREA EXTENDED IN A LINE FROM NEAR LAURINBURG TO
FAYETTEVILLE TO NEAR ROCKY MOUNT. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO
THE NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO SWEEP ACROSS MOST OF
THE COASTAL PLAINS AND COASTAL AREA THIS AFTERNOON.

LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS OR TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 19, 3:24 PM EST, 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
325 PM EST WED MAR 19 1986

..SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 50 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM
FOR MOST OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS...

AT 310 PM THERE WAS A LARGE AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT COVERED
MOST OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN
A LINE FROM JUST EAST OF FAYETTEVILLE IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY TO NEAR
KINSTON IN LENOIR COUNTY.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO PUSH TO THE COASTAL AREAS
THIS AFTERNOON.

AS OF 315 PM THIS AFTERNOON NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED IN NORTH
CAROLINA WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. BUT RAPID STRENGTHENING OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE.

REMEMBER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..
AND LARGE HAIL IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.

DMD

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 1986Every severe thunderstorm warning 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.