Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 20, NWS Wilmington, NC

April 28, 2011Bladen County, Columbus County, North Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this tornado warning at Apr 28, 2011, 2:52 PM EDT for Bladen County, Columbus County, North Carolina. It was in force for 38 min. 7 reports 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
Apr 28, 2011, 2:52 PM EDT (18:52 UTC)
Expired
Apr 28, 2011, 3:30 PM EDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Wilmington, NC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Bladen County, NC, Columbus County, NC

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 55 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:53 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
Apr 28, 2:52 PM EDTHAIL 1.757 E Fair Bluff, NC
Apr 28, 2:56 PM EDTHAIL 1Chadbourn, NC
Apr 28, 3:04 PM EDTHAIL 2.751 N Chadbourn, NCGOLFBALL TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL ON ALFRED HAYS DRIVE NEAR ANDREW JACKSON HWY.
Apr 28, 3:09 PM EDTHAIL 1.756 Nnw Whiteville, NC
Apr 28, 3:15 PM EDTHAIL 2Chadbourn, NCLARGE HAIL SMASHED THE WINDOWS OUT OF TWO POLICE VEHICLES.
Apr 28, 3:29 PM EDTFUNNEL CLOUDWhiteville, NCFUNNEL CLOUD SITED NEAR WHITEVILLE.
Apr 28, 3:33 PM EDTTORNADO1 S Evergreen, NCPOSSIBLE TORNADO RIPPED THE BEDROOM OFF A HOUSE IN EVERGREEN.

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

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 28, 8:48 AM EDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 12:00Z, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 179 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 12:00Z on 2011-04-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1638 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Newport, NC at 12:00Z on 2011-04-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 227 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1638 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
502 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
227 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
220 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.0
Supercell composite
6.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

424 
WFUS52 KILM 281852
TORILM
NCC017-047-281930-
/O.NEW.KILM.TO.W.0020.110428T1852Z-110428T1930Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
252 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN BLADEN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA   
  WESTERN AND NORTHWESTERN COLUMBUS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH        
  CAROLINA

* UNTIL 330 PM EDT

* AT 250 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR CERRO    
  GORDO AND FAIR BLUFF...OR ABOUT 14 MILES WEST OF WHITEVILLE...     
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
   EVERGREEN...
   WHITEVILLE...
   ABBOTTSBURG...
   ELKTON...
   LISBON...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF 
BALL SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW
SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

GET UNDER A TABLE OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. SEEK SHELTER ON
THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH
AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

&&

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...DOWNED TREES OR DAMAGING WINDS TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC...TOLL FREE AT 877-633-6772...WHEN
YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3446 7821 3424 7899 3431 7905 3433 7903
      3434 7903 3435 7903 3463 7864
TIME...MOT...LOC 1850Z 236DEG 34KT 3433 7895

$$

SRP
2 follow-up statements
246 
WWUS52 KILM 281907
SVSILM

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
307 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

NCC017-047-281930-
/O.CON.KILM.TO.W.0020.000000T0000Z-110428T1930Z/
COLUMBUS NC-BLADEN NC-
307 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM EDT FOR SOUTHERN 
BLADEN AND WESTERN AND NORTHWESTERN COLUMBUS COUNTIES...

AT 305 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A POSSIBLE TORNADO NORTH OF CHADBOURN. THIS IS A DANGEROUS 
STORM...LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS REPORTED HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF 
BASEBALLS NEAR CHADBOURN...AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL NEAR FAIR BLUFF. 
THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
ABBOTTSBURG...CLARKTON...ELKTON...COUNCIL...CARVERS...LISBON AND
KELLY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF 
BALL OR LARGER SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

&&

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...DOWNED TREES OR DAMAGING WINDS TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC...TOLL FREE AT 877-633-6772...WHEN
YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3427 7891 3434 7896 3463 7864 3446 7821
TIME...MOT...LOC 1905Z 236DEG 34KT 3438 7879

$$

SRP
795 
WWUS52 KILM 281932
SVSILM

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
332 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

NCC017-047-281940-
/O.EXP.KILM.TO.W.0020.000000T0000Z-110428T1930Z/
COLUMBUS NC-BLADEN NC-
332 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHERN BLADEN AND NORTHWESTERN COLUMBUS
COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...

AT 330 PM EDT...THE TORNADO WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS 
DISSIPATED...THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING WAS ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. 
HOWEVER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO SOUTHERN 
BLADEN COUNTY AND THERE IS A POTENTIAL LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING 
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...AND FUNNEL CLOUDS. RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED 
TO REMAIN ALERT FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND FOR POSSIBLE TORNADO 
WARNINGS. 

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

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...DOWNED TREES OR DAMAGING WINDS TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC...TOLL FREE AT 877-633-6772...WHEN
YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3427 7891 3434 7896 3463 7864 3446 7821
TIME...MOT...LOC 1930Z 236DEG 34KT 3451 7855

$$

SRP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 28, 9:06 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMBladen54 min
Apr 28, 9:32 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMBladen28 min
Apr 28, 9:40 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMBrunswick, Columbus50 min
Apr 28, 9:43 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMBladen62 min
Apr 28, 10:18 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMPender57 min
Apr 28, 11:33 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILMRobeson57 min
Apr 28, 12:15 PM EDTTornado WarningILMRobeson34 min
Apr 28, 12:42 PM EDTTornado WarningILMBladen, Columbus, Robeson48 min
Apr 28, 1:02 PM EDTTornado WarningILMBladen, Robeson43 min
Apr 28, 1:51 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMBladen, Robeson54 min
Apr 28, 2:01 PM EDTTornado WarningILMBladen44 min
Apr 28, 2:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILMColumbus, Robeson51 min
Apr 28, 3:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningILMBladen, Columbus, Pender51 min
Apr 28, 3:37 PM EDTTornado WarningILMBladen, Columbus, Pender38 min
Apr 28, 4:10 PM EDTTornado WarningILMPender40 min
Apr 28, 4:22 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMBladen23 min
Apr 28, 4:49 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMPender41 min
Apr 28, 5:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMPender32 min
Apr 28, 5:36 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementILMPender24 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes in 2011

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.