Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Raleigh, NC

February 18, 2008Sampson County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this tornado warning at Feb 18, 2008, 2:28 AM EST for Sampson County, North Carolina. It was in force for 32 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Feb 18, 2008, 2:28 AM EST (07:28 UTC)
Expired
Feb 18, 2008, 3:00 AM EST
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Sampson County, NC

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 64 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:31 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Feb 18, 2:50 AM ESTHAIL 0.752 W Newton Grove, NCPENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT ON HARNETT DUNN HWY BETWEEN OLD CROW RD. AND DENNING RD.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 00:00Z, 7.5 hours before the alert went out and 151 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, Newport, NC at 00:00Z on 2008-02-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Newport, NC at 00:00Z on 2008-02-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 159 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
3 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
992 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
159 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
164 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 
WFUS52 KRAH 180729
TORRAH
NCC163-180800-
/O.NEW.KRAH.TO.W.0001.080218T0728Z-080218T0800Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
228 AM EST MON FEB 18 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN SAMPSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 300 AM EST

* AT 227 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO OVER ROSEBORO...OR ABOUT 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CLINTON...
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  HOBBTON...
  CLINTON...
  SALEMBURG AND ROSEBORO...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE
BUILDING IN A SMALL ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET OR BATHROOM OR IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO PROTECT YOUR BODY FROM
FLYING DEBRIS. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND EXTERIOR WALLS.

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

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM EST MONDAY MORNING
FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3499 7864 3504 7865 3505 7866 3509 7866
      3525 7844 3526 7828 3525 7828 3515 7816
      3487 7851
TIME...MOT...LOC 0728Z 223DEG 65KT 3494 7853

$$

WSS/PWB
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KRAH 180740
SVSRAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
240 AM EST MON FEB 18 2008

NCC163-180800-
/O.CON.KRAH.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-080218T0800Z/
SAMPSON NC-
240 AM EST MON FEB 18 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM EST FOR NORTHERN
SAMPSON COUNTY...

AT 240 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ROSEBORO...OR
ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CLINTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE... HOBBTON AND NEWTON
GROVE.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM EST MONDAY MORNING
FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3499 7864 3504 7865 3505 7866 3509 7866
      3525 7844 3526 7828 3525 7828 3515 7816
      3487 7851
TIME...MOT...LOC 0740Z 223DEG 65KT 3501 7839

$$

WSS
000 
WWUS52 KRAH 180750
SVSRAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
250 AM EST MON FEB 18 2008

NCC163-180800-
/O.CON.KRAH.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-080218T0800Z/
SAMPSON NC-
250 AM EST MON FEB 18 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM EST FOR NORTHERN
SAMPSON COUNTY...

AT 248 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR HOBBTON...OR ABOUT
8 MILES NORTH OF CLINTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM EST MONDAY MORNING
FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3499 7864 3504 7865 3505 7866 3509 7866
      3525 7844 3526 7828 3525 7828 3515 7816
      3487 7851
TIME...MOT...LOC 0750Z 223DEG 65KT 3518 7820

$$

WSS
000 
WWUS52 KRAH 180804
SVSRAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
302 AM EST MON FEB 18 2008

NCC163-180812-
/O.EXP.KRAH.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-080218T0800Z/
SAMPSON NC-
302 AM EST MON FEB 18 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHERN SAMPSON COUNTY EXPIRED AT 300 AM
EST...

AT 3 AM EST...THE SEVERE STORM WAS NEAR THE SAMPSON WAYNE COUNTY 
LINE ABOUT 5 MILES WEST OF MOUNT OLIVE. PEOPLE IN SOUTHERN WAYNE 
COUNTY NEED TO SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THEIR HOME 
IMMEDIATELY.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM EST MONDAY MORNING
FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3499 7864 3504 7865 3505 7866 3509 7866
      3525 7844 3526 7828 3525 7828 3515 7816
      3487 7851
TIME...MOT...LOC 0750Z 223DEG 65KT 3518 7819

$$

WSS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 18, 2:13 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHCumberland, Sampson32 min
Feb 18, 2:58 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHWayne47 min
Feb 18, 3:11 AM ESTTornado WarningRAHWayne34 min
Feb 18, 3:38 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHSampson37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2008Every tornado warning in 2008Tornadoes in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.