Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 52, NWS Wilmington, NC

May 3, 2003New Hanover County, North Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 2003, 11:33 PM EDT for New Hanover County, North Carolina. It was in force for 42 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, 11:33 PM EDT (03:33 UTC)
Expired: May 4, 2003, 12:15 AM EDT
In force: 42 min
Issued by: NWS Wilmington, NC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County New Hanover County, NC

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:33 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, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 118 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.

378 
WUUS52 KILM 040333
SVRILM
NCC129-040415-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1133 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  NEW HANOVER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 1215 AM EDT

* AT 1128 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS 8 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF SILVER LAKE...OR ABOUT 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  WILMINGTON...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
   WILMINGTON AT 1140 PM
   MYRTLE GROVE AT 1145 PM
   MASONBORO AT 1150 PM
   WINDEMERE AT 1155 PM
   WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH AT MIDNIGHT

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 3423 7796 3410 7793 3400 7793 3398 7789
          3425 7776

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, 1 hour 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 9:58 PM EDT, 1 hour 35 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, 19 hours 3 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, 9:52 PM EDT, 1 hour 41 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

Local storm report, May 3, 10:33 PM EDT, 1 hour before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1033 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

1028 PM    7 W LELAND                NC   1.00 IN HAIL
05/03/03   BRUNSWICK                      REPORTED BY SKYWARN
                                          SPOTTER JUST INSIDE THE
                                          BRUNSWICK COUNTY LINE ON US
                                          HIGHWAY 74/76

1020 PM    LITTLE ROCK               SC   1.50 IN HAIL
05/03/03   DILLON                         REPORTED BY DILLON COUNTY
                                          911

0945 PM    MCCOLL                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
05/03/03   MARLBORO                       TREES DOWNED BY HIGH
                                          THUNDERSTORM WINDS. PEA
                                          SIZE HAIL AND URBAN HIGHWAY
                                          FLOODING ALSO REPORTED.

TRA

Local storm report, May 3, 10:43 PM EDT, 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1043 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

1027 PM    LITTLE ROCK               SC   1.00 IN HAIL
05/03/03   DILLON                         SPOTTER REPORT OF QUARTER
                                          SIZED HAIL.

1000 PM    CLIO                      SC   WIND DAMAGE
05/03/03   MARLBORO                       SPOTTER REPORT OF TREES
                                          DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF
                                          ROUTE 9 AND S.C. ROUTE 381.

RAN

Local storm report, May 3, 11:04 PM EDT, 29 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1104 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

1057 PM    OLD DOCK                  NC   0.75 IN HAIL
05/03/03   COLUMBUS                       SPOTTER REPORT OF DIME
                                          SIZED HAIL COVERING THE
                                          GROUND.

RAN

Local storm report, May 3, 11:16 PM EDT, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1116 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

1055 PM    LAKE VIEW                 SC   WIND DAMAGE
05/03/03   DILLON                         911 CENTER REPORTED TREES
                                          DOWN.

1055 PM    LAKE VIEW                 SC   0.75 IN HAIL
05/03/03   DILLON                         PUBLIC REPORT OF DIME
                                          SIZED HAIL.

RAN

Local storm report, May 3, 11:18 PM EDT, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1118 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

1115 PM    NICHOLS                   SC   0.88 IN HAIL
05/03/03   MARION                         SPOTTER REPORT OF DIME TO
                                          NICKEL SIZED HAIL.

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, 9:58 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Columbus	77 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 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.