Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1992

Tornado Warning 15, NWS Raleigh, NC

November 23, 1992Nash County, Wilson County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this tornado warning at Nov 23, 1992, 4:46 AM EST for Nash County, Wilson County, North Carolina. It was in force for 59 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Nov 23, 1992, 4:46 AM EST (09:46 UTC)
Expired: Nov 23, 1992, 5:45 AM EST
In force: 59 min
Issued by: NWS Raleigh, NC
Area: Whole counties

Counties Nash County, NC, Wilson County, NC

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 177 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 576 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -37 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 557 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 274 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 354 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.0
Supercell composite: 4.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KRDU 230948
TORRDU
NCC127-195-231045-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
446 AM EST MON NOV 23 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH/DURHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  545 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...SOUTHERN NASH COUNTY...WILSON COUNTY
 
AT 433 AM A TORNADO WAS REPORTED ON THE GROUND NEAR BENSON IN JOHNSTON
COUNTY. AT 442 AM ANOTHER TORNADO WAS REPORTED ON THE GROUND IN THE
MCGEES CROSSROADS AREA OF WESTERN JOHNSTON COUNTY. THE STORMS PRODUCING
THE TORNADOES WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. DAMAGE TO VEHICLES
AND NUMEROUS TREES BLOWN DOWN HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN JOHNSTON COUNTY.
JOHNSTON COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED INJURIES IN THE WILSONS MILLS
AREA AT 444 AM.
 
THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. PEOPLE NEAR THE PATH OF THIS
STORM SHOULD ACT NOW TO PROTECT THEIR LIVES.
GO TO THE LOWEST FLOOR.V..A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM OR CLOSET.
COVER YOUR HEAD. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. GET OUT OF MOBILE HOMES AND
VEHICLES AND INTO A STURDY BUILDING OR A DITCH. REPORT DAMAGE TO
LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
 
GAF

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

Local storm report, Nov 23, 12:30 AM EST, 4 hours 16 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  GREENSBORO NC
1230 AM EST MON NOV 23 1992

ATTN SELS...

2350 EST...80 MPH WIND MEASURED AT HANES MALL IN WINSTON SALEM
2350 EST...NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN KING AREA& OF SOUTHWEST STOKES COUNTY
           RALEIGH SAYS THEY MAY HAVE SEEN A HOOK IN THIS AREA.

RBN

Local storm report, Nov 23, 1:38 AM EST, 3 hours 8 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  GREENSBORO NC
140 AM EST MON NOV 23 1992

ATTN SELS...

2350 EST...2 INJURIES REPORTED IN THE KING STORM IN SOUTHWEST STOKES
           COUNTY.  ONE HOUSE DESTROYED..ROOF OF ANOTHER.
11/23/92
0055 EST...TREES DOWN RANDELMAN ROAD AND SPUR ROAD GUILFORD COUNTY
           SOUTH OF GREENSBORO.
0115 AM...TREE ACROSS ROAD NORTHERN RANDOLPH COUNTY BETWEEN CLIMAX
          AND LEVEL CROSS.

RBN

Special weather statement, Nov 23, 2:00 AM EST, 2 hours 46 minutes before

NCZ003>005-230800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
200 AM EST MON NOV 23 1992

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT AND
PARTS OF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL COASTAL PLAIN UNTIL 6 AM...

AT 2 AM RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM
NORTHERN PERSON COUNTY SOUTHWESTWARD TO EXTREME WESTERN ORANGE...
EXTREME WESTERN CHATHAM...AND WESTERN MOORE COUNTIES.

THE STRONGEST STORMS IN THE LINE WERE IN EASTERN ALAMANCE COUNTY
ABOUT TO MOVE INTO WESTERN ORANGE COUNTY.

THE LINE WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH WHILE INDIVIDUAL
STORMS WITHIN THE LINE WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH.

HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN ORANGE
COUNTY BETWEEN 2 AM AND 3 AM.
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTH
CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA UNTIL 6 AM. ALL PERSONS SHOULD STAY TUNED
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

GAF

Special weather statement, Nov 23, 2:46 AM EST, 2 hours before

NCZ006-230815-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
245 AM EST MON NOV 23 1992

...TORNADO WATCH NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT
   OF NORTH CAROLINA BUT DOES CONTINUE FURTHER EAST UNTIL 6 AM...

AT 245 AM RADAR SHOWED THAT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED
EAST OF THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA.  ALL WARNINGS
FOR THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT HAVE EXPIRED AND THE SEVERE WEATHER
APPEARS TO BE OVER zFOR US.

RBN

Local storm report, Nov 23, 2:56 AM EST, 1 hour 50 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
255 AM EST MON NOV 23 1992

TIME           EVENT
220 AM EST     ORANGE COUNTY...SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED A TORNADO
               TOUCHDOWN WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF HILLSBOROUGH.
               PRELIMINARY INFORMATION FROM THE SHERIFFS OFFICE IS
               THAT SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES HAVE BEEN OVERTURNED WITH
               SOME PEOPLE STILL PINNED INSIDE. THE DAMAGE IS OFF
               OF ROUTE 70 ON FAUCETTE ROAD.

220 AM EST     ORANGE COUNTY...HAM RADIO OPERATORS REPORTED TREES DOWN
               AND NUMEROUS TREE LIMBS DOWN SOUTH OF HILLSBOROUGH NEAR
               THE INTERSECTION OF I-85 AND I-40.

GAF

Special weather statement, Nov 23, 4:00 AM EST, 46 minutes before

NCZ003>005-231000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
400 AM EST MON NOV 23 1992

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHEAST PIEDMONT AND
PARTS OF THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL COASTAL PLAIN UNTIL 6 AM...

AT 4 AM RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM
WARREN COUNTY SOUTHWEST THROUGH FRANKLIN...WAKE...HARNETT...AND HOKE
COUNTIES.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN SOUTHERN WAKE COUNTY NEAR FUQUAY-VARINA
THROUGH NORTHERN HARNETT COUNTY TO JUST NORTH OF LILLINGTON.

THE LINE WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND SHOWING SIGNS OF
WEAKENING.

HOWEVER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES ARE STILL POSSIBLE IN THE
WATCH AREA. LISTEN FOR F2URTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
^
MDV

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Nov 23, 12:13 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Chatham	32 min
Nov 23, 12:33 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Durham	57 min
Nov 23, 2:03 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Orange	57 min
Nov 23, 2:34 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Durham	41 min
Nov 23, 2:50 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Granville	40 min
Nov 23, 3:03 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Vance	27 min
Nov 23, 4:34 AM EST	Tornado Warning	RAH	Johnston	56 min
Nov 23, 5:20 AM EST	Tornado Warning	RAH	Edgecombe	55 min
Nov 23, 5:47 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Pitt, Wilson	58 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 1992 Every tornado warning in 1992 Tornadoes in 1992

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.