Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 85, NWS Raleigh, NC

August 11, 1986Johnston County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 11, 1986, 8:04 PM EDT for Johnston County, North Carolina. It was in force for 56 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 11, 1986, 8:04 PM EDT (00:04 UTC)
Expired
Aug 11, 1986, 9:00 PM EDT
In force
56 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

County Johnston County, NC

The radar

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

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 11, 8:10 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Johnston, NC

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 152 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 1986-08-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 68 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 1986-08-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -16 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
68 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-106 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
866 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
56 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KRDU 120004
SVRRDU
NCC101-120100-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
804 PM EDT MON AUG 11 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTY OF

NORTH CAROLINA...EASTERN JOHNSTON

AT 800 PM  A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS SHOWN ON RADAR OVER SELMA IN
JOHNSTON COUNTY. THIS STORM IS MOVING TO THE NORTH EAST AND SHOULD
PASS SOUTH OF CLAYTON NEAR KENLEY.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR LARGE HAIL...
DAMAGING WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.
REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

 DMD

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, Aug 11, 3:12 PM EDT, 4 hours 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
310 PM EDT SUN AUG 10 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE NORTHWEST
   PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL 900 PM...

AT 305 PM RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS FROM PILOT
MOUNTAIN IN SURRY COUNTY THROUGH TAYLORSVILLE IN ALEXANDER COUNTY.
THE HEAVIEST STORM IN THIS LINE WAS OVER SOUTHERN ALEXANDER COUNTY..
SOUTH OF TAYLORSVILLE. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

AS THESE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING HAIL..DAMAGING WINDS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND
VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP.

PEOPLE IN THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SHOULD TAKE SHELTER BEFORE
THEY APPROACH.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR ALAMANCE COUNTY
UNTIL 400 PM.

RBN
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 4:16 PM EDT, 3 hours 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
415 PM EDT SUN AUG 10 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE NORTHWEST
   PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL 900 PM...

AT 410 PM RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS..NORTHERN FOOTHILLS AND NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH
CAROLINA. THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE SOUTHEAST OF STATESVILLE..JUST
WEST OF MOCKSVILLE AND BETWEEN BETWEEN HIGH POINT AND ASHEBORO.
THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 35 MPH.

AS THESE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING HAIL..DAMAGING WINDS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND
VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE.

PEOPLE IN THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SHOULD TAKE SHELTER BEFORE
THEY APPROACH.

VERY HEAVY RAINS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE IN THE NORTHERN MOU+NTAINS AND NORTHERN FOOTHILLS. PEOPLE
THERE SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS
AND SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IF NECESSARY.

RBN
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 5:27 PM EDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
528 PM EDT SUN AUG 10 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE NORTHWEST
   PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL 900 PM...

AT 525 PM RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHWEST
PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA EXTENDING FROM CASWELL COUNTY..THROUGH
GUILFORD AND NORTHERN RANDOLPH COUNTIES INTO SOUTHERN DAVIDSON
COUNTY. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE OVER CASWELL AND NORTHWEST RANDOLPH
COUNTIES. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 35 MPH.

AS THESE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT
THIS EVENING.. HAIL..DAMAGING WINDS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND
VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE.

OVER AN INCH AND A HALF OF RAIN HAS FALLEN AT THE TRIAD REGIONAL
AIRPORT BETWEEN 445 AND 525 PM.

PERSONS IN THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SHOULD TAKE SHELTER AS
STORMS APPROACH..

RBN
Local storm report, Aug 11, 6:21 PM EDT, 1 hour 43 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
555 PM EDT MON AUG 11 1986

TIME           EVENT
 240PM EDT     DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN WILTON BY WILTON FIRE
               DEPARTMENT...GRANVILLE COUNTY.
315 PM EDT     TREES DOWN BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH AND CHAPEL HILL.
330 PM EDT     VAN BLOWN OFF ROAD NORTH OF CHAPEL HILL.
330 PM EDT     NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ACROSS SOUTHEAST ORANGE COUNTY.
338 PM EDT     MANY TREES DOWN, WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES, WINDOWS
               BLOWN OUT OF 20 CARS, ONE LIGHTNING DEATH, ONE
               PERSON ELECTROCUTED BY DOWN POWER LINES...ALL IN
               OR NEAR CITY OF DURHAM.
440 PM EDT     3/4 INCH HAIL IN INGLESIDE...FRANKLIN COUNTY.

DMD$
Local storm report, Aug 11, 6:41 PM EDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  GREENSBORO NC
640 PM EDT MON AUG 11 1986

ATTN SELS...

423 PM EDT 1423 CST COUPLE OF TREES DOWN IN CLEVELAND..NW ROWAN CNTY.
445 PM EDT TO 545 PM EDT 1.75 INCHES :OF RAIN AT GSO AIRPORT.
440 PM EDT TO 600 PM EDT 4.3 INCHES OF RAIN 6.2 MILES EAST OF GSO
     AIRPORT IN GREEN VALLEY SECTION OF CITY OF GREENSBORO..BY
     RAINFALL OBSERVER.

RBN

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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.