Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 9, NWS Raleigh, NC

April 24, 1987Halifax County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 24, 1987, 5:41 PM EDT for Halifax County, North Carolina. It was in force for 59 min. 2 reports 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
Apr 24, 1987, 5:41 PM EDT (21:41 UTC)
Expired
Apr 24, 1987, 6:40 PM EDT
In force
59 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

County Halifax 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
Apr 24, 5:57 PM EDTHail 1Halifax, NC
Apr 24, 6:00 PM EDTHail 0.75Halifax, 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 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 203 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 12:00Z on 1987-04-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 11 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 12:00Z on 1987-04-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 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
11 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-52 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
567 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
128 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 242141
SVRRDU
NCC083-242240-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
541 PM EDT FRI APR 24 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 640 PM EDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF
 
NORTH CAROLINA... EASTERN HALIFAX
 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR
SCOTLAND NECK MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
 
PEOPLE IN THE PxATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR LARGE HAIL...
DAMAGING WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.
 
 
 
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

Local storm report, Apr 24, 1:46 PM EDT, 3 hours 55 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  GREENSBORO NC
141 PM EDT FRI APR 24 1987

ATTN SELS...

1712Z  1112 CST 3/4 INCH HAIL AT SALISBURY IN ROWAN CNTY..FROM ROWAN
     SHERIFF.

RBN

CORRECTED kFOR TIME MESSAGE SENT
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 2:18 PM EDT, 3 hours 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
218 PM EDT FRI APR 24 1987

...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NC...

AT 215 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM
NORTH OF THE TRIAD ALONG THE VIRGINIA BORDER THROUGH THE TRIAD TO
LEXINGTON AND JUST WEST OF HIGH ROCK LAKE. THE STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS..HAIL
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHNING. URBAN AND SMALL STREAM
FLOODING IS ALSO A POSSBILITY.

PERSONS IN ROCKINGHAM..GUILFORD..DAVIDSON..ROWAN AND WESTERN RANDOLPH
COUNTIES IN THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IF
NECESSARY. THESE STORMS WILL PASS THROUGH THESE COUNTIES BETWEEN 215PM
AND 330 PM THIS AFTERNOON.

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED.

RBN
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 3:16 PM EDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
315 PM EDT FRI APR 24 1987

...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NC...

AT 310 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS OVER RANDOLPH
COUNTY. HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER GUILFORD AND DAVIDSON COUNTIES.
THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS..HAIL
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHNING. URBAN AND SMALL STREAM
FLOODING IS ALSO A POSSBILITY.

PERSONS IN GUILFORD..DAVIDSON..RANDOLPH..ALAMANCE AND CASWELL COUNTIES
IN THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT
FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IF NECESSARY.
THE STORMS WILL PASS THROUGH THESE COUNTIES BETWEEN 315 PM AND 500 PM
THIS AFTERNOON.

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NEEDED.

RBN
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 4:03 PM EDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
400 PM EST FRI APR 24 1987
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM FOR MUCH OF
CENTRAL AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR
MOST OF THE STATE BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE COASTAL PLAINS.

AT 340 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT RALEIGH-DURHAM SHOWED TWO
LINES OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. THE FIRST LINE EXTENDED FROM JUST
NORTHEAST OF GREENSBORO...SOUTH TO ASHEBORO TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA LINE.
THE LARGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS LINE WERE WEST OF SOUTHERN PINES AND
WEST OF BURLINGTON. THIS LINE WAS MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST AT 10 MPH.

A SECOND BROAD LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM JSLOW MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS.
AT THIS TIME THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL IS GREATEST IN THE AREA
BETWEEN ZEBULON AND ROCKY MOUNT.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION OR NOAA WEATHER
FOR THE MORE INFORMATION OR POSSIBLE WARNIUST WEST OF ROCKY
MOUNT...SOUTH TO MOUNT OLIVE TO CLINTON. THIS LINE WAS ALSO MOVING
SLOWLY TO THE EAST AT 10 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND STRONG DOWNBURST
WINDS...AND THE THREAT OF FLOODING DUE TO RECIENT HEAVY RAINS AND
NG.

DMD
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 4:11 PM EDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ....CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
400  PM EST FRI APR 24 1987
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM FOR MUCH OF
CENTRAL AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR
MOST OF THE STATE BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE COASTAL PLAINS THROUGH
TONIGHT.

AT 340 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT RALEIGH-DURHAM SHOWED TWO
LINES OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. THE FIRST LINE EXTENDED FROM JUST
NORTHEAST OF GREENSBORO...SOUTH TO ASHEBORO TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA LINE.
THE LARGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS LINE WERE WEST OF SOUTHERN PINES AND
WEST OF BURLINGTON. THIS LINE WAS MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST AT 10 MPH.

A SECOND BROAD LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM JUST WEST OF ROCKY
MOUNT...SOUTH TO MOUNT OLIVE TO CLINTON. THIS LINE WAS ALSO MOVING
SLOWLY TO THE EAST AT 10 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND STRONG DOWNBURST
WINDS...AND THE THREAT OF FLOODING DUE TO RECIENT HEAVY RAINS AND
SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS.

AT THIS TIME THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL IS GREATEST IN THE AREA
BETWEEN ZEBULON AND ROCKY MOUNT.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION OR NOAA WEATHER
FOR THE MORE INF#ORMATION OR POSSIBLE WARNING.

DMD
Local storm report, Apr 24, 4:59 PM EDT, 42 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
456 PM EDT FRI APR 24 1987

TIME           EVENT
 415 PM EDT    SEVERAL TREES BLOWN DOWN...TIN BLOWN OFF HOUSE IN
               MOUNT OLIVE AREA.  TREPORTED BY MOUNT OLIVE PD.

430 PM EDT     MORE TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN 3 MILES NORTH MOUNT OLIVE.
               THIS WAS LATEST REPORT FROM HIS AREA. MOUNT OLIVE IS
               IN SOUTHERN WAYNE COUNTY.

WAJ

The office that day

Everything else NWS Raleigh, NC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 24, 2:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHCumberland65 min
Apr 24, 4:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHWayne60 min
Apr 24, 4:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGreene, Lenoir63 min
Apr 24, 5:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHLenoir57 min
Apr 24, 5:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHNorthampton58 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1987

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.