Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 52, NWS Raleigh, NC

July 1, 1990Harnett County, Lee County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 1, 1990, 4:30 PM EDT for Harnett County, Lee County, North Carolina. It was in force for 60 min. 3 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
Jul 1, 1990, 4:30 PM EDT (20:30 UTC)
Expired
Jul 1, 1990, 5:30 PM EDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

Counties Harnett County, NC, Lee 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
Jul 1, 4:40 PM EDTHail 0.75Harnett, NC
Jul 1, 4:55 PM EDTHail 0.75Lee, NC
Jul 1, 5:20 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Harnett, 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, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 108 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 1990-07-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 373 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 1990-07-01The 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
373 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-170 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1629 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
105 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 012033
SVRRDU
NCC105-085-012130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
430 PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  530 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...LEE COUNTY
 
IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...NORTHERN HARNETT COUNTY
 
AT 430 PM WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHEAST
CHATHAM COUNTY MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
 
THIS THUNDERSTORM DROPPED GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL NEAR PITTSBORO AROUND 423
PM AND WILL BE ENTERING LEE COUNTY.
 
 
 
 
 
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SBHOULD BE ALERT FOR LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CAN OCCUR
WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM.

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, Jul 1, 1:59 PM EDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before
NCZ006-007-009-DDHHMM-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
 200 PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...NORTHERN FOOTHILLS...AND NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF
NORTH CAROLINA...

THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOPE IN SOUTHWEST
VIRIGINA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE SOUTHEAST...ACROSS
THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS AND NORTHWEST PIEDMONT.

AS TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON BEGIN TO REACH INTO THE LOW 90S ACROSS
THE REGION...RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING
...HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS COULD OCCUR.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THeREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND ANY POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RJD
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 2:54 PM EDT, 1 hour 36 minutes before
NCZ006-007-009-DDHHMM-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
 300 PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...NORTHERN FOOTHILLS...AND NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF
NORTH CAROLINA...

THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA ARE MOVING VERY SLOWLY...IN THE LAST
FEW MINUTES A THUNDERSTORM OVER ALLEGHANY COUNTY HAS INTENSIFIED VERY
QUICKLY. MOVEMENT IS SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 20 MPH.

OTHER RAINSHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH LIGHT RAIN ARE SPEARDING INTO
SURRY AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTIES. ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING ACROSS THE
NORTHERN HALF OF STOKES AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTIES...MOVEMENT IS EAST AT 20 MPH.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND ANY POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RJD
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 3:26 PM EDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
NCZ006-007-009-DDHHMM-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
 325 PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...NORTHERN FOOTHILLS...AND NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF
NORTH CAROLINA...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS THE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE
NORTHERN FOOTHILL COUNTIES ARE STARTING TO MOVE AT ABOUT 25 MPH...AND
AT THE SAME TIME ARE GETTING STRONGER. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM IS
LOCATED ON THE STOKES AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTY LINE. HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND
SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLY FROM THIS STORM. MOVEMENT IS SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHEAST WILKES HAS HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE
SMALL HAIL. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN SURRY...YADKIN...FORSYTH AND      MPH.
GUILFORD COUNTIES.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR ANY STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RJD
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 3:31 PM EDT, 59 minutes before
NCZALL-012200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
325 PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

  ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF THE TAR HEEL STATE...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES WERE POSTED FOR VIRTUALLY ALL OF NORTH-
WETERN NORTH CAROLINA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.  THESE WATCHES WERE IN
EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT.  THE AREAS AFFECTED INCLUDED ALL OF THE
MOUNTAINS...MOST OF THE FOOTHILLS...AND THE NORTHERN PIEDMONT AND
COASTAL PLAIN.

NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAD BEEN REPORTED WITHIN THE STATE BY 3 PM...
BUT SEVERAL WARNINGS WERE ISSUED BETWEEN 2 AND 3 PM FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS IN EASTERN TENNESSEE.  ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY
HEAVY RAIN WERE DEVELOPING AT 3:25 PM  NORTH OF THE TRIAD...BTTWEEN
GREENSBORO...WINSTON-SALEM AND THE VIRGINIA STATE LINE.

ANOTHER VERY HEAVY...AND POTENTIALLY SEVERE...THUNDERSTORM WAS
DEVELOPING NEAR THE VIRGINIA STATE LINE NORTH OF AHOSKIE...IN
HERTFORD COUNTY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEING PRODUCED AS VERY HUMID AND UNSTABLE
AIR IS HEATED BY A HOT SUMMER SUN.  AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND
SEVERAL WEAKER AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE WERE ALSO HELPING TO DE-STABILIZE
THE AIRMASS ACROSS THE STATE.

THE COLD FRONT WAS APPROACHING NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND SOUTHERN WEST
VIRGINIA AT 3 PM. IT SHOULD CROSS MOST OF THE STATE DURING THE NIGHT.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA ARE URGED TO LISTEN TO RADIO...TELEVISION
...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WATCHES ...AND
POSSIBLY  WARNINGS.

CDM
Local storm report, Jul 1, 4:25 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
425 PM EDT SUN JUL 01 1990

TIME             EVENT
423 PM EDT       GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL COVERING THE GROUND IN PITTSBORO
                 ...CHATHAM' COUNTY...NORTH CAROLINA. REPORTED BY
                 CHATHAM COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT.

LGL
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 4:26 PM EDT, 4 minutes before
NCZALL-012200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
425 PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

     ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES FOR THE ENTIRE STATE...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES WERE POSTED FOR ALL OF NORTH CAROLINA
THIS AFTERNOON.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE REPORTED OR INDICATED BY
WEATHER RADAR SINCE 330 PM OVER SEVERAL COUNTIES IN PIEDMONT AND
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

WARNINGS WERE POSTED BETWEEN 330 PM AND 425 PM FOR GASTON...NORTHERN
RANDOLPH...SOUTHERN GUILFORD...AND CHATHAM COUNTIES IN THE PIEDMONT
... AFFECTING GASTONIA...HIGH POINT...CHARLOTTE...AND PITTSBORO...
AND FOR CHEROKEE COUNTY IN THE EXTREME WESTERN TIP OF THE STATE.

MANY OF THESE LOCALITIES REPORTED MARBLE-TO-DIME-SIZED HAIL.  GOLFBALL-
SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED NEAR PITTSBORO IN CHATHAM COUNTY AT 420 PM.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES WERE IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT FOR
ROUGHLY THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE STATE...AND UNTUL 11 PM FOR THE
SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE STATE.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS ALSO REPORTED AT 420 PM OVER NORTHAMPTON
COONTY IN THE NORTHERN COASTAL PLAIN...PRODUCING DIME-SIZED HAIL.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THERE IS A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ANYWHERE ACROSS
THE STATE DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...AND FOR THESE STORMS TO
BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

PERSONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE ARE URGED TO LISTEN TO RADIO...TELEVISIO/N
...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR WATCHES ...AND
POSSIBLY  WARNINGS.

CDM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 30, 8:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe, Nash66 min
Jun 30, 9:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHWilson37 min
Jun 30, 9:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHPitt57 min
Jul 1, 3:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHChatham49 min
Jul 1, 4:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHChatham66 min
Jul 1, 4:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHWake46 min
Jul 1, 4:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHOrange46 min
Jul 1, 5:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHWake33 min
Jul 1, 5:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHCumberland33 min
Jul 1, 5:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHCumberland, Hoke, Moore, Scotland64 min
Jul 1, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHNash45 min
Jul 1, 6:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe50 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.