Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 71, NWS Raleigh, NC

July 12, 1990Wilson County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 12, 1990, 8:51 PM EDT for Wilson County, North Carolina. It was in force for 39 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 12, 1990, 8:51 PM EDT (00:51 UTC)
Expired
Jul 12, 1990, 9:30 PM EDT
In force
39 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 0.9 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 1990-07-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 152 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 1990-07-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -84 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
152 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-107 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1259 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-84 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-71 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 130052
SVRRDU
NCC195-130130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
851 PM EDT THU JUL 12 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  930 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...WILSON COUNTY
 
AT 845 PM EDT WILSON POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL
IN THE CITY OF WILSON. AT 849 PM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS FROM TARBORO SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE CITY OF WILSON TO
JUST SOUTH OF SMITHFIELD IN JOHNSTON COUNTY. THE STRONGEST STORMS IN
THIS LINE WERE IN CENTRAL WILSON COUNTY.
 
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS VSTORM SHOULD 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 12, 5:33 PM EDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
NCZ003>005-014-122230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
530 PM EDT THU JUL 12 1990

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS
EVENING FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...FROM THE COASTAL PLAIN...
INCLUDING THE ROCKY MOUNT-WILSON AND FAYETTEVILLE AREAS...WESTWARD
ACROSS THE PIEDMONT.

UP UNTIL 520 PM THIS AFTERNOON NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED
OR DETECTED BY WEATHER RADAR OVER NORTH CAROLINA.  HOWEVER...
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE BEING MONITORED BY RADAR
OVER THE EASTERN PIEDMONT.

AT 525 PM...THE LEADING EDGE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDED SOUTHWEST FROM NEAR KERR LAKE...ACROSS VANCE AND GRANVILLE
COUNTIES TO DURHAM AND CHATHAM COUNTIES.  OTHER WIDELY SCATTERED
STORMS COULD BE DETECTED FURTHER SOUTHWEST OVER THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT.
THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT ABOUT
35 MILES AN HOUR.

WITH TEMPERATURES STILL NEAR OR ABOVE 90 DEGREES IN THE EAST AND A
BRISK WIND OUT OF THE SOUTH SOUTHWEST...THUNDERSTORMS MAY SUDDENLY
INTENSIFY OVER THE EASTERN PIEDMONT AND COASTAL PLAIN DURING THE
NEXT TWO HOURS.

LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO..TV..OR WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER3 STATEMENTS OR
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RFG
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 5:51 PM EDT, 3 hours before
NCZ006-007-122245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO, NC
550 PM EDT THU JUL 12 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR THE NORTHWEST
   PIEDMONT AND SURRY COUNTY OF THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS...

AT 545 PM RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN SURRY COUNTY NEAR PILOT
MOUNTAIN..IN ALAMANCE COUNTY 5 MILES SOUTH OF ELON COLLEGE AND IN
RANDOLPH COUNTY NEAR SEASGROVE.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT
30 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN..FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING..
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL.  NO DAMAGING WINDS OR LARGE
HAIL HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENSBORO
AS OF 550 PM.

PERSONS IN THCE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT AND NORTHERN FOOTHILLS SHOULD REMAIN
ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SHOULD TAKE
SHELTER WHEN STORMS APPROACH.

RBN
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 6:43 PM EDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before
NCZ006-007-122345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO, NC
645 PM EDT THU JUL 12 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST
   PIEDMONT OR SURRY COUNTY OF THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS...

PART OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELED FOR THE
NORTHERN FOOTHILLS AND NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA.  THE
WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT OVER PARTS OF THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT AND
SANDHILLS OF NORTH CAROLINA.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW SMALL THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER THE
MOUNTAINS..FOOTHILLS AND NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA BUT THESE
NO LONGER ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS OR LARGE HAIL.

RBN
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 6:53 PM EDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
NCZ003>005-014-122355-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
650 PM EDT THU JUL 12 1990

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS
EVENING FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...ROUGHLY FROM INTERSTATE 95
WESTWARD THROUGH THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT AND SANDHILLS TO THE
EXTREME EASTERN PORTION OF THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED TO THE WEATHER SERVICE OR DETECTED
BY WEATHER RADAR OVER NORTH CAROLINA UP TO 645 PM.  HOWEVER...
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO MOVE NORTHEAST THROUGH
THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT...SANDHILLS AND SOUTHERN PIEDMONT.

AT 645 PM...THE LEADING EDGE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDED FROM EASTERN GASTON LAKE SOUTHWEST ACROSS RALEIGH TO SANFORD
AND ROCKINGHAM. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE NOT SHOWN ANY INCREASE IN INTENSITY
SINCE 530 THIS AFTERNOON. THE STRONGER STORMS AT 645 PM WERE LOCATED
OVER NORTHEAST OF RALEIGH OVER FRANKLIN AND SOUTHERN WARREN COUNTIES...
OVER NORTHERN DURHAM COUNTY...SOUTHERN CHATHAM AND NORTHERN MOORE
COUNTIES...AND STILL ANOTHER STORM ON THE RICHMOND-SCOTLAND COUNTY
LINE.  THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH WHILE
THE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING EAST.

THIS AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MONITORED CLOSELY
FOR POSSIBLE INTENSIFICATION BETWEEN 7 AND 9 PM THIS EVENING AS
IT MOVES INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN...AN AREA MORE FAVORABLE TO
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS EVENING.

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

HLW
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 8:03 PM EDT, 48 minutes before
NCZ003>005-014-130100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
800 PM EDT THU JUL 12 1990

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS
EVENING FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...ROUGHLY FROM INTERSTATE 95
WESTWARD THROUGH THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT AND SANDHILLS.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED TO THE WEATHER SERVICE OR DETECTED
BY WEATHER RADAR OVER NORTH CAROLINA UP TO 750 PM.  SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO MOVE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE NORTHEAST
PIEDMONT...SANDHILLS AND EXTREME EASTERN PROTION SOUTHERN PIEDMONT.
THE RALEIGH-DURHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RECEIVED ONE HALF INCH /.54/
OF RAIN BETWEEN 630 AND 730 PM AS A THUNDERSTORM PASSED OVER.

AT 750 PM...THE LEADING EDGE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDED FROM WEST OF ROANOKE RAPIDS SOUTHWEST TO EASTERN WAKE COUNTY
AND FORT BRAGG. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN TWO AREAS...THE
FIRST IN WESTERN FRANKLIN AND EASTERN WAKE COUNTIES FROM NEAR LOUISBURG
AND FRANKLINTON SOUTH TO WENDELL. THE SECOND AREA WAS IN SOUTHERN LEE
...WESTERN HARNETT...NORTHERN HOKE AND EASTERN MOORE COUNTIES. THE
INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH WHILE THE AREA OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH.

THIS AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MONITORED CLOSELY
FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING FOR POSSIBLE INTENSIFICATION AS IT
MOVES INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN. THE COASTAL PLAIN OF NORTH CAROLINA IS
AN AREA THAT IS MORE FAVORABLE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT TONIGHT.

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

HLW
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 8:43 PM EDT, 8 minutes before
NCZ003-130130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
842 PM EDT THU JUL 12 1990

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS
EVENING FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...ROUGHLY FROM INTERSTATE 95
WESTWARD INTO THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT AND SANDHILLS.

WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS RAPIDLY INTENSIFYING OVER WILSON
WESTERN EDGECOMBE COUNTIES BETWEEN 820 AND 835 PM THIS EVENING.
THESE STRONG STORMS WERE LINED UP FROM JUST WEST OF TARBORO SOUTHWEST
THROUGH ELM CITY TO JUST WEST OF WILSON. ANOTHER STORM WAS IN EXTREME
NORTHEAST JOHNSTON COUNTY NEAR KENLY. MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS HAS
NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED...BUT SHOULD BE TOWARD THE NORTHEAST.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
STRONG GUSTY WINDS HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. BE PREPARED TO TAKE
SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS JUST
REPORTED AT 840 PM BY THE ELM CITY POLICE DEPARITMENT.

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

HLW

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.