Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 1999

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Raleigh, NC

July 7, 1999Forsyth County, Guilford County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this flash flood warning at Jul 7, 1999, 4:35 PM EDT for Forsyth County, Guilford County, North Carolina. It was in force for 2 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 7, 1999, 4:35 PM EDT (20:35 UTC)
Expired
Jul 7, 1999, 6:35 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Whole counties

Counties Forsyth County, NC, Guilford County, NC

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 11 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 1999-07-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 683 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 1999-07-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 8 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
683 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-124 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1339 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
3 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
53 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 072036
FFWRDU
NCC067-081-072235-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
435 PM EDT WED JUL 7 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  FORSYTH COUNTY IN NORTH CAROLINA
  GUILFORD COUNTY IN NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 635 PM EDT

* AT 432 PM EDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN ... MOVING SLOWLY
  SOUTHEAST.

* TORRENTIAL RAIN FROM SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS HAVE CAUSED RAPID
  RISES ALONG CREEKS AND STREAMS IN NORTHERN FORSYTH COUNTY. AS
  MUCH AS 3.5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN NEAR RURAL HALL SINCE 330
  PM. CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL ALSO LIKELY RISE RAPIDLY IN GUILFORD
  COUNTY AS THE STORMS SLOWLY MOVE ACROSS THROUGH 515 PM.

DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD!

WSS/JLB

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 7, 11:10 AM EDT, 5 hours 25 minutes before
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1110 AM EDT WED JUL 7 1999

NCZ007>011-021>028-038>041-043-073>076-083-084-072105-
ALAMANCE-ANSON-CHATHAM-DAVIDSON-DURHAM-EDGECOMBE-FORSYTH-FRANKLIN-
GRANVILLE-GUILFORD-HALIFAX-LEE-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-NASH-ORANGE-PERSON-
RANDOLPH-RICHMOND-STANLY-VANCE-WAKE-WARREN-WILSON-
INCLUDING DURHAM...WINSTON-SALEM...GREENSBORO...HIGH POINT...
ROCKY MOUNT...CHAPEL HILL...RALEIGH

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE PIEDMONT
AND NORTHERN COASTAL PLAIN OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS
AFTERNOON...

.SKYWARN SPOTTERS...
STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED SINCE THE SEVERE STORMS
SHOULD BE FEW IN NUMBER. HOWEVER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT
THREATENING WEATHER OF ANY KIND TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OR
THEIR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

.SYNOPTIC PATTERN...
A MODERATELY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS OVER THE PIEDMONT OF
NORTH CAROLINA WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. WHILE THE WIND FIELD ALOFT IS
WEAK...STORMS THAT DEVELOP A STRONG SUSTAINED UPDRAFT WILL
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH.
SUCH WAS THE CASE TUESDAY AFTERNOON WHICH SAW DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM
WINDS IN SOUTHERN RANDOLPH COUNTY.

.HAZARDOUS WEATHER DETAILS...
THE GREATEST THREAT FROM THE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS.
THE HIGHEST RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPEAR BE IN THE
NORTHWEST PIEDMONT IN THE VICINITY OF THE TRIAD...AND OVER THE
FAR NORTHEAST PIEDMONT INCLUDING SUCH PLACES AS ROXBORO...
OXFORD...HENDERSON...AND KERR RESERVOIR. WHILE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
ERUPT AT ANYTIME...THE GREATEST POTENTIAL WILL BE
THIS AFTERNOON AFTER 1 PM THEN CONTINUING INTO THE EARLY EVENING
HOURS.

IN ADDITION...THE STORMS WILL PRODUCE FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LIGHTNING STRIKES. DUE TO THE LIGHT WINDS ALOFT...THE STORMS WILL
ALSO BE SLOW TO MOVE. THIS WIL RESULT IN TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...DUMPING
A HALF INCH OF RAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AT THE FIRST SIGN OF IMPENDING THREATENING WEATHER...HEAD INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR
POSSIBLE WATCHES AND WARNINGS.

WSS/MLM
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 11:10 AM EDT, 5 hours 25 minutes before
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1110 AM EDT WED JUL 7 1999

NCZ007>011-021>028-038>041-043-073>076-083-084-072105-
ALAMANCE-ANSON-CHATHAM-DAVIDSON-DURHAM-EDGECOMBE-FORSYTH-FRANKLIN-
GRANVILLE-GUILFORD-HALIFAX-LEE-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-NASH-ORANGE-PERSON-
RANDOLPH-RICHMOND-STANLY-VANCE-WAKE-WARREN-WILSON-
INCLUDING DURHAM...WINSTON-SALEM...GREENSBORO...HIGH POINT...
ROCKY MOUNT...CHAPEL HILL...RALEIGH

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE PIEDMONT
AND NORTHERN COASTAL PLAIN OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS
AFTERNOON...

.SKYWARN SPOTTERS...
STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED SINCE THE SEVERE STORMS
SHOULD BE FEW IN NUMBER. HOWEVER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT
THREATENING WEATHER OF ANY KIND TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OR
THEIR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

.SYNOPTIC PATTERN...
A MODERATELY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS OVER THE PIEDMONT OF
NORTH CAROLINA WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. WHILE THE WIND FIELD ALOFT IS
WEAK...STORMS THAT DEVELOP A STRONG SUSTAINED UPDRAFT WILL
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE WIND GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH.
SUCH WAS THE CASE TUESDAY AFTERNOON WHICH SAW DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM
WINDS IN SOUTHERN RANDOLPH COUNTY.

.HAZARDOUS WEATHER DETAILS...
THE GREATEST THREAT FROM THE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS.
THE HIGHEST RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPEAR BE IN THE
NORTHWEST PIEDMONT IN THE VICINITY OF THE TRIAD...AND OVER THE
FAR NORTHEAST PIEDMONT INCLUDING SUCH PLACES AS ROXBORO...
OXFORD...HENDERSON...AND KERR RESERVOIR. WHILE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
ERUPT AT ANYTIME...THE GREATEST POTENTIAL WILL BE
THIS AFTERNOON AFTER 1 PM THEN CONTINUING INTO THE EARLY EVENING
HOURS.

IN ADDITION...THE STORMS WILL PRODUCE FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LIGHTNING STRIKES. DUE TO THE LIGHT WINDS ALOFT...THE STORMS WILL
ALSO BE SLOW TO MOVE. THIS WIL RESULT IN TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...DUMPING
A HALF INCH OF RAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

AT THE FIRST SIGN OF IMPENDING THREATENING WEATHER...HEAD INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR
POSSIBLE WATCHES AND WARNINGS.

WSS/MLM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 7, 4:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGuilford45 min
Jul 7, 4:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGranville46 min
Jul 7, 5:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHOrange35 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 1999Every flash flood warning in 1999

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.