Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1995

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Raleigh, NC

May 11, 1995Randolph County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this tornado warning at May 11, 1995, 8:43 PM EDT for Randolph County, North Carolina. It was in force for 32 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 11, 1995, 8:43 PM EDT (00:43 UTC)
Expired
May 11, 1995, 9:15 PM EDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

County Randolph County, NC

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 42 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 1995-05-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 491 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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 1995-05-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -19 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
491 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1453 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
63 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KRDU 120047
TORRDU
NCC151-120115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
843 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH/DURHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  915 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...RANDOLPH COUNTY
 
AT 843 PM SEVERAL REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN
RANDOLPH COUNTY NEAR THE CITY OF ASHEBORO. THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 35 MPH.
 
TORNADOES AT NIGHT CAN BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. NOISE LIKE A
ROARING TRAIN MAY BE YOUR ONLY CLUE OF AN APPROACHING TORNADO. GO
TO A STURDY SHELTER NOW, IN THE CENTER OF THE LOWEST LEVEL, AWAY
FROM WINDOWS AND OUTSIDE WALLS.  IF DAMAGE OCCURS, AVOID WALKING
AROUND IN THE DARK. DOWNED POWER LINES AND DEBRIS CAN INJURE YOU.
 
 
 
&

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

Special weather statement, May 11, 7:46 PM EDT, 57 minutes before
NCZ073-120045-

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

AT 740 PM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM MOVING FROM CABARRUS COUNTY INTO STANLY COUNTY ABOUT 15
MILES TO THE WEST OF ALBEMARLE. A SPOTTER HAD REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD
WITH THIS STORM IN EASTERN CABARRUS COUNTY AT 735 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER FOR DETAILS ON THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS
THUNDERSFTORM.

JWC

&
Local storm report, May 11, 8:05 PM EDT, 38 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
804 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995

TIME           EVENT
 800 PM        WAYNE COUNTY. PILOT REPORTED TORNADO ON THE GROUND FOUR
               MILES NORTHEA^ST OF SEYMOUR-JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE.

GIH
Special weather statement, May 11, 8:07 PM EDT, 36 minutes before
NCZ078-120100-

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

...A TORNADO HAS BEEN REPORTED 4 MILES NORTH OF SEYNOUR JOHNSON AIR
FORCE BASE NEAR GOLDSBORO AT 800 PM BY AN AIR FORCE PILOT. THE STORM IS
JUST 3 MILES JUST NORTH OF GOLDSBORO. A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES IN
EFFECT FOR WAYNE COUNTY UNTIL 830 PM.

IF IN THE PATH OF THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM SEEK SAFE SHELTER AT THIS
TIME. THIS IS A VEjRY DANGEROUS STORM.

JWC

&
Local storm report, May 11, 8:10 PM EDT, 33 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC
809 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995

TIME           EVENT
 705 PM        GRANVILLE COUNTY. POWER LINES AND TREES DOWN JUST
               SOUTHEAST OF CREEDMpOOR. REPORTED BY CREEDMOOR POLICE
               DEPARTMENT.

GIH
Special weather statement, May 11, 8:19 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
NCCALL-020300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
816 PM EDT THU MAY 11 1995

...PORTION OF TORNADO WATCH 537 CANCELLED..

THE NATIONAL SEVERE STORMS FORECAST CENTER HAS CANCELLED A PORTION OF
TORNADO WATCH 357.  THE COUNTIES NO LONGER IN THE WATCH AREA ARE:

...ALAMANCE...GUILFORD...DAVIDSON...FORSYTH...

THE REST OF THE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM.  THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES ARE STILL INCLUDED IN THE WATCH:

IN THE COASTAL AREA...

...BEAUFORT...CAMDEN...CHOWAN...DARE...HYDE...PASQUOTANK...
PERQUIMANS...TYRRELL...WASHINGTON...CARTERET...ONSLOW...PAMLICO...
CRAVEN...JONES...CURRITUCK...

AND THE ADJOINING COASTAL WATERS OF ...DARE...HYDE...CARTERET...ONSLOW

IN THE COASTAL PLAINS...

...GATES...BERTIE...EDGECOMBE...GREENE...HALIFAX...HERTFORD...JOHNSTON
...LENOIR...MARTIN...HASH...NORTHAMPTON...PITT...WAYNE...WILSON...
CUMBERLAND...DUPLIN...HARNETT...HOKE...LEE...MOORE...SAMPSON...
SCOTLAND...RICHMOND...

IN THE PIEDMONT...

...CHATHAM...DURHAM...FRANKLIN...GRANVILLE...ORANGE...VANCE...WAKE...
WARREN...DAVIE...RANDOLPH...ROWAN...ANSON...MONTGOMERY...STANLY...

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE WATCH AREA AND SEVERAL
HAVE A HISTORY OF HAIL AND TORNADOES.  PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA
SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE SAFETY MEASURES SHOULD
THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS AND POSSIvBLE WARNINGS.

DELGADO
Special weather statement, May 11, 8:21 PM EDT, 22 minutes before
NCZ037-057-120045-

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

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

AT 818 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHEASTERN
DAVIE COUNTY...10 MILES NORTHEAST OF MOCKSVILLE...AND OVER
HIGH ROCK AND HIGH ROCK LAKE IN EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN ROWAN
COUNTY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 30 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE FARMINGTON AREA
NORTHEASTERN DAVIE COUNTY AND THE HIGH ROCK LAKE VICINITY
IN SOUTHEASTERN ROWAN COUNTY UNTIL ABOUT 835 PM. DURING THIS
TIME...EXPECT VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...
STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HAIL IN THESE AREAS. ALSO...A TORNADO
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ROWAN AND DAVIE COUNTIES UNTIL
1100 PM EDT...AND THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR ANY THUNDERSTORM
TO PRODUCE TORNADOS THROUGH THIS EVENING.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

SR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 11, 8:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHRandolph27 min
May 12, 12:12 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe33 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 1995Every tornado warning in 1995Tornadoes 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.