Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1995

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 30, NWS Raleigh, NC

May 11, 1995Johnston County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 11, 1995, 7:04 PM EDT for Johnston County, North Carolina. It was in force for 26 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 11, 1995, 7:04 PM EDT (23:04 UTC)
Expired
May 11, 1995, 7:30 PM EDT
In force
26 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

County Johnston County, NC

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 152 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 1995-05-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 105 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 1995-05-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 54 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
105 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-159 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
841 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
79 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KRDU 112308
SVRRDU
NCC101-112330-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
704 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH/DURHAM HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  730 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...JOHNSTON COUNTY
 
THA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DETECTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN
JOHNSTON COUNTY IN THE VICINITY OF CLAYTON. THIS STORM IS MOVING TO THE
EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
 
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE PIEDMONT THIS AFTERNOON HAVE PRODUCED TORNADOES AND
AND HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. IF YOU ARE IN THE VICINITY OF THIS
STORM SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
 
 
ALTHOUGH NO TORNADOES HAVE BEEN DETECTED WITH THIS STORM, A TORNADO
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP WITHOUT WARNING FROM
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.  NOISE LIKE A ROARING TRAIN MAY BE YOUR ONLY
CLUE OF AN APPROACHING TORNADO. TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

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, May 11, 4:36 PM EDT, 2 hours 28 minutes before
NCZ036-037-057-112120-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
435 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL IREDELL COUNTY AND
NORTHWESTERN ROWAN COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 430 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM WESTERN IREDELL COUNTY ALONG THE CATAWBA COUNTY
LINE...EAST TO NEAR CLEVELAND IN NORTHWESTERN ROWAN COUNTY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 25 MPH
AND SHOULD MOVE THROUGH CENTRAL IREDELL COUNTY BY 445 PM...
EAST CENTRAL IREDELL COUNTY BY 500 PM...AND THROUGH NORTHERN
ROWAN AND SOUTHERN DAVIE COUNTIES BY 515 PM.

IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN ANY OF THESE AREAS...INCLUDING THE
COMMUNITIES OF ELMWOOD...CLEVELAND OR COOLEEMEE...REMAIN
ALERT FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...CAPABLE
OF FLOODING LOW LYING ROADS AND OTHER AREAS OF POOR
DRAINAGE...AS WELL AS DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...
WIND GUSTS EXCEEDING 40 MPH AND HAIL THROUGH AT LEAST
515 PM. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR LOCATION...
SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY AND REMAIN THERE UNTIL THUNDERSTORMS
PASS.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

...ADDED DAVIE COUNTY TO H4EADER...

SR
Special weather statement, May 11, 5:21 PM EDT, 1 hour 43 minutes before
NCZ039-038-112215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
517 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995

AT 512 PM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 25 MPH INTO DAVIDSON COUNTY FROM
ROWAN COUTY. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
LEXINGTON WITH ANOTHER STORM NEAR THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF DAVIDSON
COUNTY.

THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF SMALL HAIL AND WIvLL LIKELY PRODUCE HEAVY
RAINS AND BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AS WELL AS LIGHTNING. STAY TUNED TO THE
LOCAL NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

JWC
Special weather statement, May 11, 6:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
NCZ037-057-112230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
600 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN AND NORTHERN ROWAN COUNTY...
AND OVER SOUTHERN DAVIE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 555 PM RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM
WESTERN ROWAN COUNTY NORTHEAST THROUGH NORTHERN ROWAN COUNTY
EXTREME SOUTHERN DAVIE COUNTY.

THESE THUNDEESTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 30 MPH
AND WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...DANGEROUS
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HAIL
ACROSS ROWAN COUNTY AND SOUTHERN DAVIE COUNTY UNTIL
AT LEAST 630 PM.

IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN ANY OF THESE AREAS...REMAIN ALERT FOR
THUNDERSTORMS...AND TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR LOCATION.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

SR
Special weather statement, May 11, 6:02 PM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
NCZ037-057-112230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
600 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN AND NORTHERN ROWAN COUNTY...
AND OVER SOUTHERN DAVIE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 555 PM RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM
WESTERN ROWAN COUNTY NORTHEAST THROUGH NORTHERN ROWAN COUNTY
EXTREME SOUTHERN DAVIE COUNTY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 30 MPH
AND WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...DANGEROUS
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HAIL
ACROSS ROWAN COUNTY AND SOUTHERN DAVIE COUNTY UNTIL
AT LEAST 630 PM.

IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN ANY OF THESE AREAS...REMAIN ALERT FOR
THUNDERSTORMS...AND TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR LOCATION.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

...CORRECTED TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS...

SR
Local storm report, May 11, 6:30 PM EDT, 34 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
627 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995

TIME           EVENT

618 PM EDT     TORNADO CONFIRMED BY DURHAM COUNTY 911 IN WILLARDSVILLE

622 PM EDT     SOUTHERN GRANVILLE COUNTY...PING PONG BALL SIZE HAIL IN
               BUTNER.

KRC
Special weather statement, May 11, 6:48 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
NCZ037-057-112345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENSBORO NC
650 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ROWAN AND DAVIE COUNTIES
UNTIL 1100 PM EDT ...

AT 645 PM RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS OVER ROWAN
COUNTY. AT THE SAME TIME...THERE WERE NO SHOWERS OR
THUNDERSTORMS IN DAVIE COUNTY.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE COUNTIES OF ROWAN
AND DAVIE UNTIL 1100 PM EDT. CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR
ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS TO RAPIDLY DEVELOP WITHIN OR MOVE INTO
THESE COUNTIES THROUGH THIS EVENING...AND ANY THUNDERSTORM MAY
PRODUCE TORNADOS...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL.

IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES OF
DAVIE OR ROWAN...YOU ARE URGED TO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO...LOCAL TELEVISION OR COMMERCIAL RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION...AND YOU SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER
CONDITIONS.

PREPARE NOW TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE IF
THRErATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...OR IF A WARNING IS ISSUED
FOR YOUR LOCATION.

SR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 10, 8:09 PM EDTTornado WarningRAHForsyth20 min
May 10, 8:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGuilford29 min
May 10, 10:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDurham, Granville36 min
May 10, 10:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHFranklin25 min
May 11, 5:23 PM EDTTornado WarningRAHDavidson37 min
May 11, 5:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHChatham33 min
May 11, 6:11 PM EDTTornado WarningRAHDurham, Granville34 min
May 11, 6:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHFranklin, Granville, Vance35 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 1995Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1995

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.