Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 78, NWS Wilmington, NC

May 31, 2003New Hanover County, North Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 31, 2003, 5:17 PM EDT for New Hanover County, North Carolina. It was in force for 73 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 31, 2003, 5:17 PM EDT (21:17 UTC)
Expired: May 31, 2003, 6:30 PM EDT
In force: 73 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), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:18 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
May 31, 2:55 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 109 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: 31 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1356 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 83 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 127 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

640 
WUUS52 KILM 312117
SVRILM
NCC129-312230-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
517 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  NEW HANOVER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 630 PM EDT

* AT 513 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS 19 MILES    
  WEST OF WILMINGTON...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
   WILMINGTON AROUND 535 PM
   WINDEMERE AROUND 540 PM
   WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH AROUND 545 PM

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3437 7792 3435 7780 3429 7774 3416 7782
          3416 7784 3417 7785 3415 7787 3416 7794
          3424 7796 3429 7801 3437 7799

$$

DIGIROGI

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 31, 3:55 PM EDT, 1 hour 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 3:55 PM EDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
355 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2003

...TORNADO WATCH TIL 8 PM...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AT TIME.

STRONG SHORTWAVE MOVING BY N OF AREA THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.
PASSAGE OF THIS FEATURE TO NE WILL SURGE STRONG COLD FRONT THROUGH
HERE 03Z-06Z AND END THE THREAT FOR CONVECTION.

HIGH PRESSURE AND DRY WEATHER SUN AND MON AND THEN HIGH MOVES OFF
THE COAST AND MOISTURE RETURN PER MODEL CONSENSUS CONTINUES TO BE
QUICK WITH ONSHORE FLOW DEVELOPING AND RIPPLES OF LOW PRESSURE MOVE
ALONG THE WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY.

DISAGREEMENT COMES IN PLACEMENT OF THIS BOUNDARY. 40 POPS FOR TUE
INTO THU AND THEN MORE AFTN AND EVE CONVECTION THREAT FOR LATER IN
WEEK.

CWF:  PRES GRADIENT GRADUALLY TIGHTENING OVER THE COASTAL WATERS AND
WINDS AND SEAS HAVE STARTED TO RESPOND.  FPSN7 AND 41004 BOTH
SHOWING 20 KT AND 4 FT SEAS.

SCA FLYING ALREADY AS QUITE A SURGE IS EXPECTED WITH UPPER COLD POOL
AND SFC COLD FRONT THIS EVENING.  STRONGEST WINDS WILL REMAIN N OF
MY WATERS...BUT STILL EXPECT A SOLID 25 KT TONIGHT...AND EVEN A
LITTLE STRONGER WITH SOME 35 KT GUSTS IN MY NORTHERN WATERS.
TRAJECTORY QUICKLY GOES OFFSHORE SO THAT WILL KEEP SEAS FROM GETTING
OUT OF HAND.

WINDS TO DIMINISH SUN MORNING...AND GIVEN NW DIRECTION SEAS WILL LAY
DOWN QUICKLY.  SHOULD SEE QUIET WX LATE SUN INTO TUE AS HIGH PRES
SETTLES OVERHEAD MON...THEN SLIPS OFFSHORE BY TUE.

GFS NOW APPEARS TO BE CHANGING DIRECTION DAYS 3-5.  12Z RUN NOW
FASTER IN VEERING WINDS AROUND TO S...WHICH MAY BE FAVORED OVER
WEDGE SCENARIO THIS TIME OF YEAR...BUT WILL HOLD OFF ON MAKING ANY
DRASTIC CHANGES.

.ILM...
.NC...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AMZ250-252.
.SC...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AMZ254-256.

PUBLIC: DIGIORGI
MARINE: RAS

Hazardous weather outlook, May 31, 4:44 AM EDT, 12 hours 33 minutes before

NCZ087-096-097-099>101-SCZ017-023-024-032>034-039-046-311045-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
444 AM EDT SAT MAY 31 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
AND NORTHEASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY...MAINLY DURING THE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS.  SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE
WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.  ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES....EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS...STORM
SPOTTERS GROUPS...AND OTHER INTERESTED CONCERNS SHOULD MONITOR THIS
SITUATION AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN
YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE OR SATELLITE TELEVISION PROVIDER
FOR LATER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE
WEATHER THREAT.

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

RAN

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 31, 4:28 PM EDT, 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0428 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2003

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

0413 PM    ELIZABETHTOWN             NC   1.00 IN HAIL
05/31/03   BLADEN                         REPORTED BY 911
                                          DISPATCHERS.

0412 PM    2 N DARLINGTON            SC   0.75 IN HAIL
05/31/03   DARLINGTON

0405 PM    HARTSVILLE                SC   1.75 IN HAIL
05/31/03   DARLINGTON                     REPORTED BY OFF DUTY
                                          DEPUTY.

0357 PM    PEMBROKE                  NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/31/03   ROBESON                        TREE DOWN ON HOUSE.
                                          REPORTED BY 911
                                          DISPATCHERS.

0352 PM    PEMBROKE                  NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/31/03   ROBESON                        NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWNED.  REPORTS
                                          RECEIVED BETWEEN 352 PM AND
                                          402 PM.

0352 PM    LUMBERTON                 NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/31/03   ROBESON                        NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN. REPORTS
                                          RECEIVED BETWEEN 352 PM AND
                                          402 PM.

RAS

Local storm report, May 31, 4:38 PM EDT, 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0438 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2003

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

0430 PM    ELIZABETHTOWN             NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/31/03   BLADEN                         TREES DOWN AND POWER OUT.
                                          REPORTED BY HAM RADIO.

RAS

Local storm report, May 31, 4:46 PM EDT, 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON, NC
446 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2003

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

0400 PM    9 NE LUMBERTON            NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/31/03   ROBESON                        POWER LINES DOWN
                                          REPORTED BY TRAINED
                                          SPOTTER

0442 PM    CLARKTON                  NC   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/31/03   BLADEN                         REPORTED BY TRAINED
                                          SPOTTER

Local storm report, May 31, 4:54 PM EDT, 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON, NC
454 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2003

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

0450 PM    MARION                    SC   .75 INCH HAIL
05/31/03   MARION

Local storm report, May 31, 5:07 PM EDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0507 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2003

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

0500 PM    MULLINS                   SC   0.75 IN HAIL
05/31/03   MARION                         REPORTED BY NWS COOP
                                          OBSERVER.

RAS

Local storm report, May 31, 5:16 PM EDT, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
0516 PM EDT SAT MAY 31 2003

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

0500 PM    3 S MULLINS               SC   WIND DAMAGE
05/31/03   MARION                         TREES DOWN ON HIGHWAY 41.

0500 PM    MULLINS                   SC   WIND DAMAGE
05/31/03   MARION                         METAL ROOF OF WAREHOUSE
                                          DAMAGED.

0500 PM    MULLINS                   SC   WIND DAMAGE
05/31/03   MARION                         BUILDINGS DAMAGED AND
                                          DEBRIS BLOCKING ROADWAY AT
                                          HWY 76 AND PARK STREET.

RAS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 31, 3:31 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Robeson	59 min
May 31, 3:44 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Bladen	61 min
May 31, 4:12 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Bladen	33 min
May 31, 4:39 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Bladen	66 min
May 31, 4:48 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Columbus, Pender	57 min
May 31, 5:07 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Brunswick, Columbus	53 min
May 31, 5:43 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	ILM		92 min
May 31, 6:03 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Robeson	57 min
May 31, 6:52 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Bladen	38 min
May 31, 7:04 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Bladen	26 min
May 31, 7:41 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Pender	49 min
May 31, 7:51 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	ILM		84 min
May 31, 7:53 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Bladen, Robeson	52 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.