Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 47, NWS Wilmington, NC

May 3, 2003Columbus County, North Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 2003, 9:58 PM EDT for Columbus County, North Carolina. It was in force for 77 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 3, 2003, 9:58 PM EDT (01:58 UTC)
Expired: May 3, 2003, 11:15 PM EDT
In force: 77 min
Issued by: NWS Wilmington, NC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Columbus County, NC

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 41 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:00 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 00:00Z, 2.0 hours before the alert went out and 166 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 628 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 33 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 62 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.

494 
WUUS52 KILM 040158
SVRILM
NCC047-040315-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
957 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  COLUMBUS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 1115 PM EDT

* AT 955 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL STRETCHING ACROSS   
  ALL OF NORTHERN COLUMBUS COUNTY. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST     
  SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 25 MPH. LARGE HAIL IS THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH 
  THESE STORMS.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
   CHADBOURN AT 1010 PM
   WHITEVILLE AT 1020 PM
   LAKE WACCAMAW AT 1040 PM
   BOLTON AT 1050 PM
   RIEGLEWOOD AT 1110 PM

MORE DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AND AFFECT OTHER COMMUNITIES
IN THE WARNED AREA.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND ASK 
THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST 
OFFICE IN WILMINGTON NC.

LAT...LON 3446 7887 3431 7903 3417 7841 3423 7828
          3434 7820

TRA

$$

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 Wilmington, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 3, 9:58 PM EDT, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 9:58 PM EDT, 0 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
958 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

UPDATE TO PUBLIC PACKAGE WILL COME AFTER WATCH EXPIRES AT 11 PM.
FINAL NUMBERS TO BE DETERMINED THEN.

MARINE: GOING CWF LOOKS GOOD WITH TWEAKS TO REFLECT CURRENT
CONDITIONS.

.ILM...
.NC...NONE.
.SC...NONE.

RAN
----------------------PREVIOUS DISCUSSION 300 PM---------------------
SHORT WAVES PASSING N AND JUST S OF AREA OVERNIGHT. AT THE
SURFACE...WEDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING DOWN THE COAST. WENT WITH
HIGH CHANCE N FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDER TO LIKELY SC PORTION OF CWA.

WENT WITH GFS MODEL FOR SUN...GIVEN STRENGTH OF WEDGE...EXPECT A DRY
DAY. ETA TOO QUICK IN BREAKING DOWN THIS FEATURE.

HIGH PRES ALOFT BUILDING ACROSS THE AREA SUN NIGHT INTO MON WHILE
SFC HIGH REMAINS IN PLACE. HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OUT TO SEA ON MON AND
BY AFTN AND ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT ONSHORE FLOW AND APPROACH OF STRONG
SHORT WAVE/WARM FRONT WILL BE ENOUGH FOR AT LEAST SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS.

AREA WILL BE IN THE WARM SECTOR TUE AND WED SO ANY SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE SCATTERED. A FOCUSING MECHANISM COMING IN
THE FORM OF A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT FROM NW GETTING CLOSE ENOUGH
LATE WED AND SO INCREASED POPS SLIGHTLY BEGINNING WED NIGHT. FRONT
WILL ORIENT ITSELF W TO E AS IT STRUGGLES TO MOVE THROUGH AND S OF
THE AREA ON FRI...BEFORE DISSIPATING. KEPT SAT DRY WITH HIGH PRES
SITUATED ACROSS NORTHEAST AND RIDGING DOWN THE EAST COAST.

PRELIMINARY NUMBERS...
ILM 059/072 051/075 5112
LBT 056/073 050/076 5112
FLO 058/074 052/076 6113
MYR 060/073 054/074 6112

MARINE: COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO BE SOUTH OF THE WATERS TONIGHT...
SIMILAR TO THE ETA/S POSITION. THINK THE NORTHERN WATERS WILL SEE
SOME OF THE SURGE BEHIND THE FRONT CURRENTLY SPREADING OVER EASTERN
NC. WEDGE BEGINS TO SET UP LATE SUN AND CONTINUES INTO EARLY MON
RESULTING IN NE WINDS ACROSS THE WATERS. AS THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRES
SHIFTS OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST MON AND A WARM FRONT LIFTS NE
ACROSS THE AREA...WINDS WILL VEER AROUND TO THE SE. RATHER STRONG
SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THU WITH SOME STRONG LOW LEVELS
WINDS IN PLACE AND A TIGHTENING SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT AHEAD OF
NEXT COLD FRONT (EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH EARLY FRI). HOWEVER...PLAN
ON KEEPING WINDS BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS THROUGH THE
FORECAST PERIOD.

.ILM...
.NC...NONE.
.SC...NONE.

PUBLIC: DIGIORGI
MARINE: JAQ

Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 4:30 AM EDT, 17 hours 28 minutes before

NCZ087-096-099-100-SCZ017-023-024-032>034-039-046-031200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
430 AM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND
NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA.

.TODAY AND TONIGHT...

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK THAT SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
BECOME SEVERE...WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.

.SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

KREITNER

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 3, 7:40 PM EDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0740 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0738 PM    MAXTON                    NC   1.00 IN HAIL
05/03/03   ROBESON                        REPORT FROM SKYWARN.

0730 PM    ORRUM                     NC   0.75 IN HAIL
05/03/03   ROBESON                        SPOTTER REPORT ON BROAD
                                          RIDGE ROAD BETWEEN ORRUM
                                          AND PROCTORVILLE.

0722 PM    PEMBROKE                  NC   0.88 IN HAIL
05/03/03   ROBESON                        PUBLIC REPORT VIA 911
                                          CENTER.

RAN

Local storm report, May 3, 7:44 PM EDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0744 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0741 PM    LUMBERTON                 NC   1.75 IN HAIL
05/03/03   ROBESON                        HAIL FALLING AT 911
                                          CENTER.

RAN

Local storm report, May 3, 9:04 PM EDT, 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0904 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0901 PM    2 NW FAIRMONT             NC   0.75 IN HAIL
05/03/03   ROBESON                        SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORT.

0854 PM    4 SW BLADENBORO           NC   1.00 IN HAIL
05/03/03   BLADEN                         QUARTER TO DIME SIZED HAIL
                                          COVERING THE GROUND ON
                                          HIGHWAY 242 NEAR LENNONS
                                          CROSSROADS.

0822 PM    BLADENBORO                NC   1.00 IN HAIL
05/03/03   BLADEN                         DEPUTY REPORTED QUARTER
                                          SIZED HAIL ON CABBAGE ROAD
                                          IN BLADENBORO.

RAN

Local storm report, May 3, 9:31 PM EDT, 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0931 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0914 PM    PROCTORVILLE              NC   1.25 IN HAIL
05/03/03   ROBESON                        AT THE INTERSECTION OF NC
                                          HIGHWAYS 2214 AND 2220...4
                                          INCHES OF QUARTER TO HALF
                                          DOLLAR SIZED HAIL WAS
                                          COVERING THE ROAD.

RAN

Local storm report, May 3, 9:40 PM EDT, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0940 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0934 PM    WHITEVILLE                NC   1.00 IN HAIL
05/03/03   COLUMBUS                       PUBLIC REPORT OF QUARTER
                                          TO DIME SIZED HAIL.

0930 PM    FAIRMONT                  NC   0.88 IN HAIL
05/03/03   ROBESON                        SPOTTER REPORT OF DIME TO
                                          NICKEL SIZED HAIL.

0915 PM    EVERGREEN                 NC   1.75 IN HAIL
05/03/03   COLUMBUS                       PUBLIC REPORT OF GOLFBALL
                                          SIZED HAIL. HAIL BEGAN AT
                                          915 PM AND LASTED FOR 30
                                          MINUTES.

RAN

Local storm report, May 3, 9:52 PM EDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0952 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0940 PM    5 NNE BENNETTSVILLE       SC   1.00 IN HAIL
05/03/03   MARLBORO                       SPOTTER REPORTED QUARTER
                                          SIZED HAIL IN LESTER.

RAN

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 3, 8:03 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Bladen	72 min
May 3, 8:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Robeson	37 min
May 3, 8:20 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Robeson	25 min
May 3, 8:40 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Columbus	80 min
May 3, 8:56 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Robeson	49 min
May 3, 9:46 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Robeson	74 min
May 3, 10:16 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Brunswick	74 min
May 3, 11:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Columbus	92 min
May 3, 11:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	New Hanover	42 min
May 4, 12:47 AM EDT	Special Marine Warning	ILM		58 min
May 4, 12:47 AM EDT	Special Marine Warning	ILM		58 min
May 4, 1:44 AM EDT	Special Marine Warning	ILM		61 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 2003 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.