Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 69, NWS Wilmington, NC
NWS Wilmington, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 23, 1998, 4:42 PM EDT for Bladen County, Pender County, North Carolina. It was in force for 48 min. 1 report 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 23, 1998, 4:42 PM EDT (20:42 UTC)
- Expired
- May 23, 1998, 5:30 PM EDT
- In force
- 48 min
- Issued by
- NWS Wilmington, NC
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Bladen County, NC, Pender County, NC
The radar
The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 67 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:43 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 4:57 PM EDT | Hail 0.75 | Rocky Pt, 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 11:00 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 125 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 52 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -108 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 761 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 45 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 56 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 136 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
949
WUUS1 KILM 232044 RRA
SVRILM
NCC017-141-232130-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
442 PM EDT SAT MAY 23 1998
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A...
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
SOUTHEASTERN BLADEN COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
SOUTHERN PENDER COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
* UNTIL 530 PM EDT
* AT 440 PM EDT... DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WITH LARGE HAIL 19 MILES NORTHWEST OF WILMINGTON OR NEAR KELLY
MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
* THIS STORM WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF...
ATKINSON BY 445 PM EDT
CURRIE BY 445 PM EDT
WARDS CORNER BY 450 PM EDT
LARGE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN...AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED. SEEK
SHELTER IN A STRONG BUILDING AWAY FROM WINDOWS. DO NOT USE
TELEPHONES OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED...EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY. MOTORISTS SHOULD AVOID FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
LGEWhat 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 Wilmington, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 23, 3:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 22 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 23, 3:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC 3 00 PM EDT SAT MAY 23 1998 DISC: HAVENT HAD MUCH OF A CHANCE TO LOOK AT GUIDANCE BUT WITH BNDRY STALLED ACRS RGN SEE NO CHGS THRU8 SUN NGT. CWF: LIGHT WINDS THRU THE PERIOD...FORCSTNG DRCTN IS A PRBLM. .MHX...NONE. DB
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 23, 4:26 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
AMZ250-232125- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 426 PM EDT SAT MAY 23 1998 ...THE SPECIAL MARINE WARNING FROM RICH INLET TO SNOWS CUT HAS EXPIRED... THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE AREA. OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH 530 PM. THUNDERSTORMS COULD STILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE HARBOR IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. HEWITT
Special weather statement, May 23, 4:26 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
AMZ250-232125- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 426 PM EDT SAT MAY 23 1998 ...THE SPECIAL MARINE WARNING FROM RICH INLET TO SNOWS CUT HAS EXPIRED... THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED EAST OF THE AREA. OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH 530 PM. THUNDERSTORMS COULD STILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE HARBOR IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. HEWITT
Local storm report, May 23, 4:28 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA
428 PM EDT SAT MAY 23 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0300 PM 1 SE WILMINGTON NC 1 INCH HAIL
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER REPORTED AT INTERSECTION
OF BRADLEY CREEK AND
INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY BY
HAM RADIO OPERATOR.
0300 PM 4 WNW WILMINGTON NC .75 INCH HAIL
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER MARBLE HAIL NEAR G.E.
PLANT REPORTED BY HAM
RADIO OPERATOR.
0310 PM 2 W WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH NC .75 INCH HAIL
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER REPORTED BY OFF DUTY NWS
EMPLOYEE.
0315 PM WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH NC TORNADO
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER REPORTED BY PUBLIC IN THE
VICINITY OF CRYSTAL PIER.
FENCES DESTROYED.
ACCOMPANIED BY ONE INCH
HAIL.
0315 PM MYRTLE GROVE NC TORNADO
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER TORNADO TOUCHDOWN REPORTED
AT MONKEY JUNCTION -
INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAYS
421 AND 132 - BY COUNTY
EMS. 2 MOBILE HOMES
DESTROYED ON HORN RD. ROOF
DAMAGE REPORTED AT AUSTIN
COMMONS. TREE DOWN ON
TRAILER ON CAROLINA BEACH
RD.
LGELocal storm report, May 23, 4:28 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NORTH CAROLINA
428 PM EDT SAT MAY 23 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0300 PM 1 SE WILMINGTON NC 1 INCH HAIL
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER REPORTED AT INTERSECTION
OF BRADLEY CREEK AND
INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY BY
HAM RADIO OPERATOR.
0300 PM 4 WNW WILMINGTON NC .75 INCH HAIL
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER MARBLE HAIL NEAR G.E.
PLANT REPORTED BY HAM
RADIO OPERATOR.
0310 PM 2 W WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH NC .75 INCH HAIL
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER REPORTED BY OFF DUTY NWS
EMPLOYEE.
0315 PM WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH NC TORNADO
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER REPORTED BY PUBLIC IN THE
VICINITY OF CRYSTAL PIER.
FENCES DESTROYED.
ACCOMPANIED BY ONE INCH
HAIL.
0315 PM MYRTLE GROVE NC TORNADO
05/23/98 NEW HANOVER TORNADO TOUCHDOWN REPORTED
AT MONKEY JUNCTION -
INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAYS
421 AND 132 - BY COUNTY
EMS. 2 MOBILE HOMES
DESTROYED ON HORN RD. ROOF
DAMAGE REPORTED AT AUSTIN
COMMONS. TREE DOWN ON
TRAILER ON CAROLINA BEACH
RD.
LGESpecial weather statement, May 23, 4:33 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
NCZ087-096-097-232135- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 433 PM EDT SAT MAY 23 1998 ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED WELL EAST OF THE AREA. THEREFORE... THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED. SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH SEVERE LIMITS. HEWITT
Special weather statement, May 23, 4:33 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
NCZ087-096-097-232135- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 433 PM EDT SAT MAY 23 1998 ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED WELL EAST OF THE AREA. THEREFORE... THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED. SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH SEVERE LIMITS. HEWITT
The office that day
Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 1:14 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Pender | 41 min |
| May 23, 2:00 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Pender | 35 min |
| May 23, 2:38 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Bladen, Pender | 47 min |
| May 23, 2:46 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Brunswick, New Hanover | 49 min |
| May 23, 3:07 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ILM | New Hanover | 33 min |
| May 23, 5:17 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | New Hanover | 33 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998
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.