Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 65, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 11, 1996Alleghany County, North Carolina

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 11, 1996, 2:46 PM EDT for Alleghany County, North Carolina. It was in force for 44 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
May 11, 1996, 2:46 PM EDT (18:46 UTC)
Expired
May 11, 1996, 3:30 PM EDT
In force
44 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Whole counties

County Alleghany County, NC

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:59 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 11, 3:00 PM EDTHail 0.75Laurel Spgs, NC
May 11, 3:10 PM EDTHail 0.75Sparta, NC
May 11, 3:10 PM EDTThunderstorm WindSparta, 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 119 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 1996-05-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 232 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 1996-05-11The 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
232 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-95 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1182 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
74 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.

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.

NWS Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 11, 9:35 AM EDT, 5 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 11, 9:35 AM EDT, 5 hours 11 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
930 AM EDT SAT MAY 11 1995

POPS MAY BE TOO HIGH IN THE WEST.

BAND OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS (MAINLY SHOWERS) TO OUR WEST LKS TO BE
DECREASING IN COVERAGE THIS MORNING. OVERALL MOISTR AHEAD OF THE FNT
DECREASES DURING THE DAY SO WUD EXPECT ACTIVITY TO BE A LTL MORE BKN
IN NATURE AS IT MOVES THRU HERE. SOMETHNG THAT DOES SUPPORT GOOD
COVERAGE HOWEVER (ESP IN THE PDMT THIS AFTN) IS THE INCREAnSE IN
MOISTR CONV AHEAD OF THE FNT AS WE GO THRU THE DAY. THIS MAY JUSTIFY
THE HIGH POPS IN THE CRNT ZONES IN THE EAST.

WON'T ARGUE ABOUT TEMPS.

JDS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 11, 9:07 AM EDT, 5 hours 39 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 11, 12:14 PM EDT, 2 hours 32 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 11, 12:44 PM EDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 11, 1:18 PM EDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-
059-WVZ042>045-111830-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
118 PM EDT SAT MAY 11 1996

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA AND PARTS OF EXTREME SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA UNTIL 700
PM...

AT 115 PM DOPPLER RADAR IN BLACKSBURG SHOWED A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH EXTREME SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA EXTENDING
UP INTO SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA. INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT AROUND 40 MPH AND SLOWLY STRENGTHENING. AT 115 PM THE
STRONGEST ACTIVITY WAS MOVING INTO SUMMERS AND MONROE COUNTIES IN
WEST VIRGINIA AND WILL LIKELY AFFECT GREENBRIER COUNTY WEST
VIRGINIA AND ALLEGHANY COUNTY VIRGINIA SHORTLY AFTER 130 PM.

ANOTHER LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS FORMING ALONG THE VIRGINIA BLUE
RIDGE. THIS LINE STANDS A GOOD CHANCE OF INTENSIFYING AND MOVING
OUT INTO THE PIEDMONT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.  FOR YOUR
PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR
HOME OR BUSINESS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS SEVERE WEATHER
SITUATION.

JDS
Special weather statement, May 11, 2:11 PM EDT, 35 minutes before
NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-
059-WVZ042>045-111915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
210 PM EDT SAT MAY 11 1996

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM FOR MUCH OF
   SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND PARTS OF SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 210 PM...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM BATH
COUNTY VIRGINIA SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE GREENBRIER VALLEY OF WEST
VIRGINIA AND CRAIG...PULASKI...WYTHE...AND GRAYSON...COUNTIES IN
VIRGINIA AND INTO ASHE AND WATAUGA COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE
SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 40 MPH.

THE STRONGEST STORMS AT 210 PM WERE IN GREENBRIER COUNTY WEST
VIRGINIA MOVING INTO ALLEGHANY VIRGINIA. THIS STORM WILL LIKELY
MOVE INTO BATH COUNTY VIRGINIA BETWEEN 230 PM AND 300 PM THIS
AFTERNOON.

YOU CAN EXPECT BRIEF GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF A HALF
INCH PER HOUR AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

THIS LINE OFv STORMS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO STRENGTHEN...SO
KEPT ALERT THIS AFTERNOON AND STAY TUNED FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

KANE
Special weather statement, May 11, 2:13 PM EDT, 33 minutes before
NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-
059-WVZ042>045-111915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED FOR WATCH EXPIRATION TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
210 PM EDT SAT MAY 11 1996

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM FOR MUCH OF
   SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND PARTS OF SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 210 PM...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM BATH
COUNTY VIRGINIA SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE GREENBRIER VALLEY OF WEST
VIRGINIA AND CRAIG...PULASKI...WYTHE...AND GRAYSON...COUNTIES IN
VIRGINIA AND INTO ASHE AND WATAUGA COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE
SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 40 MPH.

THE STRONGEST STORMS AT 210 PM WERE IN GREENBRIER COUNTY WEST
VIRGINIA MOVING INTO ALLEGHANY VIRGINIA. THIS STORM WILL LIKELY
MOVE INTO BATH COUNTY VIRGINIA BETWEEN 230 PM AND 300 PM THIS
AFTERNOON.

YOU CAN EXPECT BRIEF GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF A HALF
INCH PER HOUR AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

THIS LINE OF STORMS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO STRENGTHEN...SO
KEPT ALERT THIS AFTERNOON AND STAY TUNED FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

KANE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Blacksburg, VA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 11, 2:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAlleghany, City of Covington50 min
May 11, 2:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKGrayson, City of Galax44 min
May 11, 3:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCarroll60 min
May 11, 3:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKFloyd69 min
May 11, 3:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKBedford, Franklin, Roanoke59 min
May 11, 4:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHalifax, Pittsylvania52 min
May 11, 5:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCharlotte60 min
May 11, 4:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCaswell27 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 1996Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1996

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.