Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Raleigh, NC

August 17, 1989Harnett County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this flash flood warning at Aug 17, 1989, 10:45 PM EDT for Harnett County, North Carolina. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 17, 1989, 10:45 PM EDT (02:45 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 1989, 2:45 AM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

County Harnett 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

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 2.8 hours before the alert went out and 122 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 1989-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 138 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 1989-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -25 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
138 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-92 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1232 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-8 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 180247 RRA
FFWRDU
NCC085-180645-
 
SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1045 PM EDT THU AUG 17 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A
SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  245 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
          ...NORTHERN HARNETT
 
AT 104O PM FLOODING WAS REPORTED IN ANGIER. STATE ROAD 1441 2 MILES
WEST OF ANGIER FLOODING OUT COMPLETELY AND STATE ROAD 2030 ONE QUARTER
OF A MILE FROM HIGHWAY 401 ALSO WASHED OUT.
 
THE FLOODING WAS DUE TO TORRENTIAL RAINS FROM THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
VERY SLOWLY ACROSS THE COUNTY. THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS
WILL CONTINUE OVER THE COUNTY FOR THE NEXT OR SO BUT THE RAIN IS
DIMINISHING. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO SIX INCHES HAVE BEEN REPORTED
IN NORTHERN HARNETT COUNTY AROUND ANGIER.
 
IN ADDITION TO FLOODING ALONG ROADWAYS THERE MAY BE FLOODING OF SMALL
STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS.
 1
RA
 
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 17, 5:08 PM EDT, 5 hours 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
505 PM EDT THU AUG 17 1989

...THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN SOUTH OF MOORESVILLE NC...

AT 500 PM RADAR SHOWED A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN JUST SOUTH OF
MOORSEVILLE NORTH CAROLINA ALONG THE IREDELL..MECKLENBURG COUNTY LINE.
THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

ALONG WITH THE HEAVY RAIN..THIS STORM HAS PRODUCED PEA TO MARBLE SIZE
HAIL..WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING IN THE PAST
HOUR.  THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE STORM COULD ALSO PRODUCE SOME BRIEF
SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOODING.

PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN IREDELL AND ROWAN COUNTIES SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT
FOR THE THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SHOULD QUICKLY TAKE SHELTER
IF STORMS APPROACH.

RBN
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 6:26 PM EDT, 4 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
630 PM EDT THU AUG 17 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS OVER TRIANGLE AREA...

AT 630 PM...RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN OVER MUCH OF THE TRIANGLE AREA. THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING
TORRENTIAL RAIN WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE PONDING OF WATER ON STREETS..
MOTORIST SHOULD USE CUATION. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS
THERE MAY ALSO BE SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS OR LOW LYING
AREAS. PLEASE REPORT ANY FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY WHICH WILL RELAY THE REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST AND WILL BE AFFECTING THE
TRIANGLE AREA THROUGH 8 PM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP LATER
THIS EVENING.

MEANWHILE OTHER THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPPED IN THE GOLDSBORO AREA.
-
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO OR TV FOR ADDITIONAL
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

KK
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 7:01 PM EDT, 3 hours 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
705 PM EDT THU AUG 17 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS OVER MOORE COUNTY...

AT 705 PM...RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN OVER MUCH OF MOORE COUNTY. THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY RAIN WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE PONDING OF WATER ON STREETS..
MOTORIST SHOULD USE CUATION. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS
THERE MAY ALSO BE SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS OR LOW LYING
AREAS. PLEASE REPORT ANY FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY WHICH WILL RELAY THE REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST AND WILL BE AFFECTING THE
MOORE COUNTY THROUGH 830 PM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP LATER
THIS EVENING. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL MAY
ALSO ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

THE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE TRIANGLE AREA HAVE GENERALLY MOVED EAST AND
NORTH OF THE RALEIGH-DURHAM AIRPORT WHERE 1.06 INCHES OF RAIN
FELL BETWEEN 6 AND 7 PM. HAEVY RAIN WAS STILL FALLING BETWEEN
THE AIRPORT AND RALEIGH AS THIS STORM TRACKES SLOWLY NORTHEAST.

MEANWHILE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER PORTIONS OF
GRANVILLE..VANCE..AND FRNAKLIN COUNTI
ES MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 10 MPH.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO OR TV FOR ADDITIONAL
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

KK
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 8:18 PM EDT, 2 hours 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
820 PM EDT THU AUG 17 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING OVER MOORE COUNTY...

AT 820 PM...RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN CONTINUING OVER MUCH OF MOORE COUNTY. THESE STORMS HAVE ALSO
PRODUCE PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL IN SOUTHERN MOORE COUNTY. THE HEAVY
RAIN HAS CAUSED WIDESPREAD PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...MOTORIST
PLEASE USE CUATION. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS THERE MAY
ALSO BE SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS..LOW LYING AREAS..AND SMALL
STREAMS. PLEASE REPORT ANY FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY WHICH WILL RELAY THE REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST AND WILL BE AFFECTING THE
MOORE COUNTY THROUGH 900 PM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP LATER
THIS EVENING. DANGEROUS AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WAS
ALSO ACCOMPANYING THESE STORMS.
MEANWHILE OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN WERE OVER THE
JUNTURE OF WAKE...JOHNSTON...AND HARNETT COUNTIES MOVING SLOWLY
NORTHEAST. LOCALIZED FLOODING MAY ALSO OCCUR WITH THESE STORMS
AS WELL AS DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE OVER WESTERN CHATHAM
COUNTY MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST AND WILL LIKELY ENTER SOUTHERN
ORANGE COUNTY AROUND 9 PM. SOME SMALL HAIL MAY OCCUR WITH THESE
STORMS AS WELL AS TORRENTIAL RAIN AND FREGUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING.

LISTEN TOY NOAA WEATHER RADIO..LOCAL TV...OR RADIO FOF ADDITIONAL
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNIINGS.

KK
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 8:48 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
850 PM EDT THU AUG 18 1989

....HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT...

AAT 840 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT IN WAKE AND
DURHAM COUNTIES. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WHICH MAY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...
FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AND MAY CAUSE SOME SMALL STREAMS
TO RISE RAPIDLY TO BANKFULL. SOME FLOODING OF ROADS HAVE BEEN
REPORTED AROUND THE RALEIGH DURHAM AIRPORT. PERSONS IN THE TRIANGLE
AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS FOR LOCALLY HEAVY
DOWNPOURS AND POSSIBLE FLOODING ESPECIALLY IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS OVER MOORE COUNTY HAVE SOME FLOODING...THUS
A SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE COUNTY UNTIL
1145PM.
THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE NORTHEAST
AB|OUT 10 MPH.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV...OR RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RA
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 9:26 PM EDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
925 PM EDT THU AUG 18 1989

....HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS HARNETT COUNTY...

AAT 925 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING SLOWLY ACROSS HARNETT COUNTY. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING TORRNETIAL RAIN AND FREQUENT
LIGHTNING. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS THERE WILL
BE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND MOTORIST SHOULD USE CAUTION.
THERE MAY ALSO BE SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS AND
OF SMALL STREAMS. PLEASE REPORT ANY FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW
ENFORECEMENT OFFICALS WHO WILL THEN RELAY THE REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

MEANWHILE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WERE ALSO
OVER PORTIONS OF WAKE..DURHAM..ORANGE AND CHATHAM COUNTY. THESE
STORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST.
^
A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WARNING CONTINUE IN EFFECT UNTIL
1145 PM FOR MOORE COUNTY WHERE THERE HAS BEEN FLOODING ON HIGHWAYS
211 AND 73 NEAR THE TOWN OF WEST END. THE RAINFALL HAS DIMINSHED
IN MOORE COUNTY BUT ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP LATER
TONIGHT.

FINALLY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE OVER
SCOTLAND COUNTY MOVING NORTHEAST 10 MPH.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL TV...OR RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

KK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 17, 8:42 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHMoore3 hr
Aug 17, 11:19 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHHoke4 hr
Aug 17, 11:36 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHMoore4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 1989Every flash flood warning in 1989

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.