Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1988

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Raleigh, NC

March 26, 1988Wilson County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this tornado warning at Mar 26, 1988, 9:55 PM EST for Wilson County, North Carolina. It was in force for 35 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
Mar 26, 1988, 9:55 PM EST (02:55 UTC)
Expired
Mar 26, 1988, 10:30 PM EST
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

County Wilson 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
Mar 26, 10:15 PM ESTHail 0.75Wilson, 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, 2.9 hours before the alert went out and 183 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 1988-03-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 389 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 1988-03-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 99 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
389 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1317 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
165 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KRDU 270255
TORRDU
NCC195-270345-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
955 PM EST  SAT MAR 26 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1045 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
          ...WILSON
 
AT 950 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN
SOUTHERN WILSON COUNTY NEAR KENLEY. THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT
50 MPH AND WILL SOON PASS NEAR THE CITY OF WILSON.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.

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, Mar 26, 5:14 PM EST, 4 hours 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
 515 PM EST SAT MAR 26 1988

 ...TORNADAO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM FOR MOST OF THE NORTHWEST
PIEDMONT...

AT 515 PM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM SOUTHCENTRAL VIRGINIA
SOUTHWEST THROUGHT THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT TO NEAR ASHVILLE.  RADAR
INDICATES SOME HEAVY STORMS IN THE LINE.  THESE HAVE THE POTENTAL
OF BECOMING SEVERE. THE MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS IS EASTWARD AT 40 MPH.
THE WARNINGS HAVE EXPIRED AT THIS TIME BUT THERE IS STILL A CHANCE OF
SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INTO THE EVENING. KEEP WATCH FOR POSSIBLE
THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE APPROPIATE ACTION.

FURTHER STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.

SAS
Special weather statement, Mar 26, 6:12 PM EST, 3 hours 43 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
612 PM EST SAT MAR 26 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH EXTENDED UNTIL 700 PM FOR LINCOLN...
CLEVELAND...STOKES...IREDELL...AND YADKIN COUNTIES IN NORTH
CAROLINA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXTENDED THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH FOR THE ABOVE COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM EST.  STRONG THUNDERTORMS
CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE EXTENDED WATCH AREA.

THESE STORMS WILL SOON MOVE INTO A TORNADO WATCH WHICH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 1100 PM FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.  THESE STORMS ARE
PART OF AN ACTIVE LINE OF THUNDESTORMS WHICH EXTENDED FROM NORTHERN
VIRGINIA TO SOUTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

LISTEN FOR LATER INFORMATION ON THI,S POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER
SITUATION.
WAJ
Special weather statement, Mar 26, 6:35 PM EST, 3 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
 630 PM EST SAT MAR 26 1988

 AT 630 PM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA TO NORTH
CWENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA.  THE LINE IS MOVING EAST AS THE THUNDERSTORMS
MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG THE LINE. THERE ARE HEAVY STORMS THROUGHOUT THE
LINE WITH POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF
THE LINE.  HAIL AND HIGH WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. THESE CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED TOP CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING.  KEEP WATCH FOR
POSSIBLE THREATENING WEATHER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

FURTHER STATEMENTS AND/OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED AS WARRANTED.

SAS

                                                                             [

                                                                            C
Special weather statement, Mar 26, 7:14 PM EST, 2 hours 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
712 PM EST SAT MAR 26 1988

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EST FOR MUCH
OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA HAS NOW EXPIRED IN ALL AREAS...

AT 700 PM EST WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN ALONG THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER NORTH OF ROXBORO...
EXTENDING SOUTHWEST INTO CASWELL COUNTY.  THESE STORMS ARE PART
OF A LINE OF STORMS WHICH PRODUCED SOME SEVERE WEATHER EARLIER
TODAY NORTHWEST OF THE GREENSBORO/WINSTON-SALEM AREA.  THERE HAVE
BEEN NO RECENT REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER...BUT THE STORMS PROBABLY
CONTAIN SOME HAIL AND WILL AT LEAST PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS.  THEY ARE
MOVING EAST ABOUT 35 MPH.

ANOTHER AREA OF STORMS WAS GAINING STRENGTH FROM SOUTH OF GREENSBORO
TO WEST OF CHARLOTTE.  THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY AFFECT THE SANDHILLS
...NORTHEAST PIEDMONT...AND COASTAL PLAIN LATkER THIS EVENING.
^
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TELEVISION...OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO
STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

WAJ
Special weather statement, Mar 26, 7:59 PM EST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
800 PM EST SAT MAR 26 1988

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EST FOR MUCH
OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 745 PM THE PUBLIC REPORTED WIND GUSTING TO 48 MPH 10 MILES
SOUTH OF HENDERSON IN VANCE COUNTY.  WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A
THUNDERTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN IN THAT AREA.  OTHER STORMS WERE
SHOWN FROM THE KERR LAKE AREA TO JUST NORTH OF RALEIGH-DURHAM.
SPOTTERS ACROSS THIS PART OF THE STATE HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR GUSTY
WINDS AS THESE STORMS MOVED THROUGH.

ANOTHER LINE OF STORMS WAS SHOWN FROM JUST WEST OF CHAPEL HILL
EXTENDING SOUTHWEST TO SILER CITY AND ON TO EAST OF CHARLOTTE.
THESE STORMS ALSO CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS...AND ALL AREAS OF STORMS IN
CENTRAL SECTIONS OF THE STATE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE.
^
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TELEVISION...OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO
STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

WAJ
JN THE
Special weather statement, Mar 26, 9:20 PM EST, 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
 920 PM EST SAT MAR 26 1988

 AT 915 PM THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS MOVED WELL TO THE EAST OF THE
NORTHWEST PIEDMONT.  HAIL..HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS WERE REPORTED
OVER MOST OF THE REGION. SKIES ARE BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY AND IT IS
COOLING OFF A BIT.  SUNNY SKIES WILL RETURN TOMORROW WITH TEMPERATURES
IN THE 60S.

SAS

                                                                             [

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 26, 8:20 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHChatham, Lee55 min
Mar 26, 8:45 PM ESTTornado WarningRAHWake35 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 1988Every tornado warning in 1988Tornadoes in 1988

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.