Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 32, NWS Wilmington, NC

December 27, 2011Brunswick County, New Hanover County, North Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this tornado warning at Dec 27, 2011, 12:21 PM EST for Brunswick County, New Hanover County, North Carolina. It was in force for 24 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
Dec 27, 2011, 12:21 PM EST (17:21 UTC)
Expired
Dec 27, 2011, 12:45 PM EST
In force
24 min
Issued by
NWS Wilmington, NC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Brunswick County, NC, New Hanover County, NC

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 40 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:24 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
Dec 27, 12:41 PM ESTTSTM WND GST 681 Sse Southport, NCMESONET

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 12:00Z, 5.4 hours before the alert went out and 136 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 2011-12-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 12:00Z on 2011-12-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 353 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
844 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
61 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
353 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
405 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.

935 
WFUS52 KILM 271721
TORILM
NCC019-129-271745-
/O.NEW.KILM.TO.W.0032.111227T1721Z-111227T1745Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1221 PM EST TUE DEC 27 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN BRUNSWICK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
  SOUTHERN NEW HANOVER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 1245 PM EST

* AT 1219 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 12 MILES SOUTH
  OF OAK ISLAND...OR ABOUT 19 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SHALLOTTE...MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
   LONG BEACH...
   SOUTHPORT...
   BOILING SPRING LAKES...
   CAROLINA BEACH...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

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

&&

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 3407 7787 3391 7793 3390 7794 3383 7796
      3385 7801 3388 7803 3391 7813 3391 7827
      3423 7812 3414 7784
TIME...MOT...LOC 1721Z 214DEG 47KT 3378 7819

$$

WEISS
2 follow-up statements
650 
WWUS52 KILM 271732
SVSILM

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1232 PM EST TUE DEC 27 2011

NCC019-129-271745-
/O.CON.KILM.TO.W.0032.000000T0000Z-111227T1745Z/
NEW HANOVER NC-BRUNSWICK NC-
1232 PM EST TUE DEC 27 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1245 PM EST FOR EASTERN
BRUNSWICK AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEW HANOVER COUNTIES...

AT 1228 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR LONG BEACH...OR 17
MILES SOUTHEAST OF SHALLOTTE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO YAUPON
BEACH...BALD HEAD ISLAND...CASWELL BEACH...SOUTHPORT...BOLIVIA...
BOILING SPRING LAKES...KURE BEACH...MILL CREEK...TOWN CREEK...
BISHOP...WINNABOW...SILVER LAKE...MYRTLE GROVE AND CAROLINA BEACH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

GET UNDER A WORKBENCH 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 3407 7787 3391 7793 3390 7794 3383 7796
      3385 7801 3388 7803 3391 7813 3391 7827
      3423 7812 3414 7784
TIME...MOT...LOC 1732Z 214DEG 47KT 3390 7809

$$

WEISS
226 
WWUS52 KILM 271736
SVSILM

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1236 PM EST TUE DEC 27 2011

NCC019-129-271747-
/O.EXP.KILM.TO.W.0032.000000T0000Z-111227T1745Z/
NEW HANOVER NC-BRUNSWICK NC-
1236 PM EST TUE DEC 27 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EASTERN BRUNSWICK AND SOUTH CENTRAL NEW
HANOVER COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 1245 PM EST...

AT 1233 PM EST...THE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING THE POSSIBLE TORNADO
WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED...THUS THE TORNADO WARNING
WAS ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

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 3407 7787 3391 7793 3390 7794 3383 7796
      3385 7801 3388 7803 3391 7813 3391 7827
      3423 7812 3414 7784
TIME...MOT...LOC 1737Z 214DEG 47KT 3395 7804

$$

WEISS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 27, 4:05 AM ESTWind AdvisoryILMBladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, Pender14 hr
Dec 27, 12:09 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementILMRobeson66 min
Dec 27, 12:45 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementILMBladen, Columbus60 min
Dec 27, 1:14 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementILMColumbus46 min
Dec 27, 1:45 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementILMBladen, Columbus, Pender60 min
Dec 27, 2:03 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementILMBrunswick, New Hanover57 min
Dec 27, 2:44 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementILMBrunswick, New Hanover, Pender61 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.