Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 1997

Flash Flood Warning 32, NWS Raleigh, NC

July 24, 19974 counties in North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this flash flood warning at Jul 24, 1997, 9:26 AM EDT for 4 counties in North Carolina. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 24, 1997, 9:26 AM EDT (13:26 UTC)
Expired
Jul 24, 1997, 12:00 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

Counties Edgecombe County, NC, Halifax County, NC, Nash County, NC, Wilson County, NC

The nearest sounding before it

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 12:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 155 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, Newport, NC at 12:00Z on 1997-07-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2835 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Newport, NC at 12:00Z on 1997-07-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 83 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
2835 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
547 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
83 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
69 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 241329
FFWRDU
NCC065-083-127-195-241600-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD AND HIGH WIND WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH/DURHAM NC
926 AM EDT THU JUL 24 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH/DURHAM HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD AND HIGH WIND WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1200 NOON EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN THE NORTHERN COASTAL PLAIN OF NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...EDGECOMBE COUNTY...HALIFAX COUNTY...NASH COUNTY
   ...WILSON COUNTY
 
CIRCULATION REMNANTS OF HURRICANE DANNY HAVE BEEN MOVING EAST NORTHEAST
ACROSS WAKE COUNTY TOWARD SOUTHERN FRANKLIN AND NORTHERN NASH COUNTIES
AT 930 AM. RAINBANDS CONTAINING TORRENTIAL RAIN LOCATED TO THE EAST AND
NORTH OF THE CIRCULATION CENTER ARE APT TO CAUSE FLASH FLOODING AND HIGH
WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. HIGH WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE BEHIND THE
CIRCULATION CENTER.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  STAY ALERT IF YOU ARE IN FLOOD-PRONE AREAS NEAR STREAMS
AND CREEKS.  WATCH FOR RAPIDLY RISING WATER.  BE PREPARED TO ACT
QUICKLY AND MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED.
 
REMEMBER...75 PERCENT OF ALL FLOOD RELATED DEATHS RESULT FROM
PEOPLE DRIVING INTO FLOOD WATERS OR CHILDREN PLAYING NEAR FLOODED
CREEKS OR STORM DRAINS.  AVOID DRIVING THROUGH FLOOD WATERS EVEN IF
THEY APPEAR SHALLOW AND KEEP CHILDREN AWAY FROM FLOOD WATERS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 24, 6:20 AM EDT, 3 hours 6 minutes before
NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088>089-250000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
620 AM EDT THU JUL 24 1997

...SLIGHT RIST OF SEVERE STORMS OVER EAST PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA THROUGH MID MORNING...

(THE SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA APPLIES ONLY TO
THE COUNTIES LISTED AT THE END OF TEXT.)

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER EAST SECTIONS OF
CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS MORNING... MAINLY SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE
FROM ROCKY MOUNT TO RALEIGH... PITTSBORO AND LAURINBURG.  THE MAIN
THREAT THIS MORNING WILL BE FROM VERY HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG DAMAGING
WINDS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO IS POSSIBLE BEFORE MID MORNING.

THE CIRCULATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION
DANNY WILL MOVE FROM THE SANDHILLS ACROSS THE CENTRAL COASTAL PLAIN
AND CENTRAL COASTAL AREA THIS MORNING. EAST OF THIS CIRCULATION
TRACK... VERY HEAVY RAINBANDS WILL PRODUCE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS. AS
MUCH AS ONE TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR IS POSSIBLE... AND THIS
CAN EASILY LEAD TO PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND FLOODING OF LOW-LYING
AREAS. ALSO... STRONG WINDS A FEW THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE GROUND MAY
COME DOWN TO THE SURFACE AND LEAD TO BRIEF BUT GUSTY AND DAMAGING
WINDS.  THE ATMOSPHERE IS ALSO FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN
ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING.  DURING THE
AFTERNOON HOURS... THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF WARM MOIST AIR WILL LEAD
TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS
THE AREA. HOWEVER... THESE ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE.

AS THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL ONLY LAST THROUGH THE FIRST
PART OF THE MORNING... SPOTTER NETWORK ACTIVATION SHOULD NOT BE
NEEDED TODAY.  HOWEVER... ANY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CAN BE
HELPFUL TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

ANOTHER SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AT 11 AM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND ADDITIONAL
WEATHER INFORMATION.

GIH
*********************************************************************

ALAMANCE          ANSON              CHATHAM            CUMBERLAND
DAVIDSON          DURHAM             EDGECOMBE          FORSYTH
FRANKLIN          GRANVILLE          GUILFORD           HALIFAX
HARNETT           HOKE               JOHNSTON           LEE
MONTGOMERY        MOORE              NASH               ORANGE
PERSON            RANDOLPH           RICHMOND           SAMPSON
SCOTLAND          STANLY             VANCE              WAKE
WARREN            WAYNE              WILSON
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 6:23 AM EDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088>089-250000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
620 AM EDT THU JUL 24 1997

...SLIGHT RIST OF SEVERE STORMS OVER EAST PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA THROUGH MID MORNING...

(THE SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA APPLIES ONLY TO
THE COUNTIES LISTED AT THE END OF TEXT.)

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER EAST SECTIONS OF
CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS MORNING... MAINLY SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE
FROM ROCKY MOUNT TO RALEIGH... PITTSBORO AND LAURINBURG.  THE MAIN
THREAT THIS MORNING WILL BE FROM VERY HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG DAMAGING
WINDS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO IS POSSIBLE BEFORE MID MORNING.

THE CIRCULATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION
DANNY WILL MOVE FROM THE SANDHILLS ACROSS THE CENTRAL COASTAL PLAIN
AND CENTRAL COASTAL AREA THIS MORNING. EAST OF THIS CIRCULATION
TRACK... VERY HEAVY RAINBANDS WILL PRODUCE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS. AS
MUCH AS ONE TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR IS POSSIBLE... AND THIS
CAN EASILY LEAD TO PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND FLOODING OF LOW-LYING
AREAS. ALSO... STRONG WINDS A FEW THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE GROUND MAY
COME DOWN TO THE SURFACE AND LEAD TO BRIEF BUT GUSTY AND DAMAGING
WINDS.  THE ATMOSPHERE IS ALSO FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN
ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING.  DURING THE
AFTERNOON HOURS... THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF WARM MOIST AIR WILL LEAD
TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS
THE AREA. HOWEVER... THESE ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE.

AS THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL ONLY LAST THROUGH THE FIRST
PART OF THE MORNING... SPOTTER NETWORK ACTIVATION SHOULD NOT BE
NEEDED TODAY.  HOWEVER... ANY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CAN BE
HELPFUL TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

ANOTHER SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AT 11 AM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND ADDITIONAL
WEATHER INFORMATION.

GIH
*********************************************************************

ALAMANCE          ANSON              CHATHAM            CUMBERLAND
DAVIDSON          DURHAM             EDGECOMBE          FORSYTH
FRANKLIN          GRANVILLE          GUILFORD           HALIFAX
HARNETT           HOKE               JOHNSTON           LEE
MONTGOMERY        MOORE              NASH               ORANGE
PERSON            RANDOLPH         ^  RICHMOND           SAMPSON
SCOTLAND          STANLY             VANCE              WAKE
WARREN            WAYNE              WILSON
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 6:25 AM EDT, 3 hours 1 minute before
NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088>089-241515-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
620 AM EDT THU JUL 24 1997

...SLIGHT RIST OF SEVERE STORMS OVER EAST PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA THROUGH MID MORNING...

(THE SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA APPLIES ONLY TO
THE COUNTIES LISTED AT THE END OF TEXT.)

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER EAST SECTIONS OF
CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS MORNING... MAINLY SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE
FROM ROCKY MOUNT TO RALEIGH... PITTSBORO AND LAURINBURG.  THE MAIN
THREAT THIS MORNING WILL BE FROM VERY HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG DAMAGING
WINDS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO IS POSSIBLE BEFORE MID MORNING.

THE CIRCULATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION
DANNY WILL MOVE FROM THE SANDHILLS ACROSS THE CENTRAL COASTAL PLAIN
AND CENTRAL COASTAL AREA THIS MORNING. EAST OF THIS CIRCULATION
TRACK... VERY HEAVY RAINBANDS WILL PRODUCE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS. AS
MUCH AS ONE TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR IS POSSIBLE... AND THIS
CAN EASILY LEAD TO PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND FLOODING OF LOW-LYING
AREAS. ALSO... STRONG WINDS A FEW THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE GROUND MAY
COME DOWN TO THE SURFACE AND LEAD TO BRIEF BUT GUSTY AND DAMAGING
WINDS.  THE ATMOSPHERE IS ALSO FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN
ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING.  DURING THE
AFTERNOON HOURS... THE CONTINUED PRESENCE OF WARM MOIST AIR WILL LEAD
TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS ACROSS
THE AREA. HOWEVER... THESE ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE.

AS THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL ONLY LAST THROUGH THE FIRST
PART OF THE MORNING... SPOTTER NETWORK ACTIVATION SHOULD NOT BE
NEEDED TODAY.  HOWEVER... ANY REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CAN BE
HELPFUL TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

ANOTHER SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AT 11 AM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND ADDITIONAL
WEATHER INFORMATION.

GIH
*********************************************************************

ALAMANCE          ANSON              CHATHAM            CUMBERLAND
DAVIDSON          DURHAM             EDGECOMBE          FORSYTH
FRANKLIN          GRANVILLE          GUILFORD           HALIFAX
HARNETT           HOKE               JOHNSTON           LEE
MONTGOMERY        MOORE              NASH               ORANGE
PERSON            RANDOLPH         `  RICHMOND           SAMPSON
SCOTLAND          STANLY             VANCE              WAKE
WARREN            WAYNE              WILSON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 24, 2:00 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHAnson, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Stanly6 hr
Jul 24, 2:00 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHHoke, Scotland6 hr
Jul 24, 6:31 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHHarnett2 hr
Jul 24, 6:51 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHLee69 min
Jul 24, 7:33 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHWake87 min
Jul 24, 8:05 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHFranklin, Granville, Vance3 hr
Jul 24, 8:05 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHWarren3 hr
Jul 24, 8:38 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHDurham2 hr
Jul 24, 10:10 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHWake8 hr
Jul 24, 11:39 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHEdgecombe, Nash, Wilson2 hr
Jul 24, 11:39 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHHalifax2 hr
Jul 24, 4:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGuilford36 min
Jul 24, 5:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAlamance14 min
Jul 24, 6:23 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHSampson2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 1997Every flash flood warning in 1997

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.