Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 6, NWS Wilmington, NC
NWS Wilmington, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 22, 2003, 2:47 PM EST for Bladen County, Columbus County, North Carolina. It was in force for 58 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
- Feb 22, 2003, 2:47 PM EST (19:47 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 22, 2003, 3:45 PM EST
- In force
- 58 min
- Issued by
- NWS Wilmington, NC
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
Counties Bladen County, NC, Columbus County, NC
The radar
The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:49 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 22, 9:45 AM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
| Feb 22, 2:40 PM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 4 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 12:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 172 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
- 707 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -28 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 545 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 45 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 190 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 257 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 4.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
298
WUUS52 KILM 221947
SVRILM
NCC017-047-222045-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
246 PM EST SAT FEB 22 2003
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
COLUMBUS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
BLADEN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
* UNTIL 345 PM EST
* AT 239 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS FROM 9 MILES
WEST OF DUART TO 5 MILES WEST OF CHERRY GROVE...OR FROM 12 MILES
NORTH OF LUMBERTON TO 12 MILES EAST OF MULLINS...THE INDIVIDUAL
STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
WHITE OAK AT 250 PM
WHITEVILLE AT 255 PM
WHITE LAKE AT 300 PM
LAKE WACCAMAW AT 315 PM
COUNCIL AT 320 PM
KELLY AT 325 PM
MORE DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AND AFFECT OTHER COMMUNITIES
IN THE WARNED AREA.
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH ARE EXPECTED FROM THIS STORM. SEEK
SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN WILMINGTON NC.
A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EST SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA.
LAT...LON 3481 7888 3467 7880 3452 7885 3427 7906
3401 7872 3445 7823 3486 7849
HAWKINS
$$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 Feb 22, 10:00 AM EST, 4 hours 47 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 22, 10:00 AM EST, 4 hours 47 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 10 AM EST SAT FEB 22 2003 ...RAISING TORNADO WATCH FOR CAROLINA INLAND COUNTIES THROUGH AFTERNOON EXCEPT COLUMBUS FOR NOW... INTENSE SQUALL LINE WELL BACK OVER THE WESTERN CAROLINAS THIS MORNING...BUT CONVECTION IS POPPING OVER THE WESTERN PART OF CWA. THIS CORRESPONDS WELL WITH MORNING ETA RUN OMEGA FIELD...WHICH WILL PROGRESS ACROSS THE CWA INTO THE AFTERNOON. WINDS A FEW THOUSAND FEET WILL APPROACH 50 KTS BY LATE MORNING...60 KT THIS AFTERNOON. DESTABILIZATION WITH COASTAL TEMPERATURES IN UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S...AND SQUALL LINE SHIFTING EAST MAY WELL CAUSE ENOUGH DIRECTIONAL SHEAR FOR TORNADOES. EXPECT MAIN SQUALL LINE TO PASS THROUGH THE AREA BY 6 PM OR SO. MARINE: WINDS ARE BEGINNING TO INCREASE AT FPSN7 TO NEAR 30 KTS AND NEARSHORE TO 20 KTS. MINIMAL GALES INSIDE 20 NM FROM SHORE ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTN AS THE LOW LEVEL JET REALLY CRANKS AHEAD OF THE SQUALL LINE. (ETA SHOWS 55-65 KTS OFF THE SURFACE BY THIS AFTN) NEAR SHORE WATER TEMPS ARE NEAR THEIR COLDEST OF THE YEAR AND THE AIR OVER THE WATER IS VERY STABLE. VIS SATELLITE SHOWS SEA FOG CONTINUES NEAR SHORE AROUND MYR AND ALSO FROM WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH N TO SURF CITY. FEW CHANGES FROM CURRENT FORECAST. .ILM... .NC...TORNADO WATCH NCZ087-096- GALE WARNING SURF CITY TO LITTLE RIVER INLET. .SC...TORNADO WATCH SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039- GALE WARNING LITTLE RIVER INLET TO S SANTEE RIVER. TM/TRA
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 22, 4:30 AM EST, 10 hours 17 minutes before
NCZ087-096-097-099>101-SCZ017-023-024-032>034-039-046-221145- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 430 AM EST SAT FEB 22 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO PASS THROUGH THE EASTERN CAROLINAS TODAY. THE POTENTIAL WILL EXIST FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. IN ADDITION...STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF UP TO 25 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS WILL DEVELOP DURING THE DAY AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY. KREITNER
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Feb 22, 10:02 AM EST, 4 hours 45 minutes before
NCZ087-096-099-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-221901- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 1002 AM EST SAT FEB 22 2003 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM... A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA WILL QUICKLY MOVE TO THE EAST THIS MORNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL APPROACH DARLINGTON AND MARLBORO COUNTIES AROUND NOON...AND WILL CONTINUE EAST ACROSS LUMBERTON...DILLON...MARION...FLORENCE AND LAKE CITY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS WILL AFFECT WHITEVILLE AND ELIZABETHTOWN MAINLY AFTER 2 PM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OUT IN ADVANCE OF THE MAIN SQUALL LINE AND BRING THEATENING WEATHER SOONER. THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND EVEN TORNADOES. KEEP A CLOSE EYE TO THE SKY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE AREA. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...MOVE INSIDE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...INCLUDING SEVERE WEATHER STATMENTS AND WARNINGS. && ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ILM TRA
Special weather statement, Feb 22, 10:02 AM EST, 4 hours 45 minutes before
NCZ087-096-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-221900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED UGC CODING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 1002 AM EST SAT FEB 22 2003 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM... A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA WILL QUICKLY MOVE TO THE EAST THIS MORNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL APPROACH DARLINGTON AND MARLBORO COUNTIES AROUND NOON...AND WILL CONTINUE EAST ACROSS LUMBERTON...DILLON...MARION...FLORENCE AND LAKE CITY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS WILL AFFECT WHITEVILLE AND ELIZABETHTOWN MAINLY AFTER 2 PM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OUT IN ADVANCE OF THE MAIN SQUALL LINE AND BRING THEATENING WEATHER SOONER. THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND EVEN TORNADOES. KEEP A CLOSE EYE TO THE SKY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE AREA. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...MOVE INSIDE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...INCLUDING SEVERE WEATHER STATMENTS AND WARNINGS. && ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ILM TRA
Local storm report, Feb 22, 2:27 PM EST, 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0227 PM EST SAT FEB 22 2003
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0222 PM DILLON SC 60 MPH TSTORM WIND
02/22/03 DILLON POWER LINES DOWN.
43Local storm report, Feb 22, 2:40 PM EST, 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0240 PM EST SAT FEB 22 2003
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0233 PM FAIRMONT NC 55 MPH TSTORM WIND
02/22/03 ROBESON
43The office that day
Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 22, 2:12 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Robeson | 48 min |
| Feb 22, 3:45 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Bladen, Columbus | 60 min |
| Feb 22, 4:07 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Brunswick | 68 min |
| Feb 22, 4:20 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Pender | 55 min |
| Feb 22, 4:30 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | New Hanover | 60 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 2003Every 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.