Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Raleigh, NC

April 5, 20114 counties in North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this tornado warning at Apr 5, 2011, 2:40 AM EDT for 4 counties in North Carolina. It was in force for 18 min. 4 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 5, 2011, 2:40 AM EDT (06:40 UTC)
Expired
Apr 5, 2011, 2:58 AM EDT
In force
18 min
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Davidson County, NC, Forsyth County, NC, Guilford County, NC, Randolph County, NC

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 113 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:43 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 5, 2:43 AM EDTTSTM WND GST 59Piedmont Triad Airport, NC
Apr 5, 2:45 AM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 Ese Greensboro, NCROOF DAMAGE TO A BUILDING AND NUMEROUS TREES DOWN THE UNCG CAMPUS. LARGE STATUE TOPPLED. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
Apr 5, 2:45 AM EDTTSTM WND DMGGreensboro, NC20 HOMES DAMAGED... TREES ON HOMES THROUGHOUT GREENSBORO.
Apr 5, 3:00 AM EDTTSTM WND DMG4 Sw Greensboro, NCLARGE TREE DOWN ON GLENOAKS DR. IN GREENSBORO

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 5, 12:48 AM EDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 3 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2011-04-05Temperature 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2011-04-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 144 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
2364 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
144 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
291 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.

830 
WFUS52 KRAH 050640
TORRAH
NCC057-067-081-151-050715-
/O.NEW.KRAH.TO.W.0003.110405T0640Z-110405T0715Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
240 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN RANDOLPH COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
  NORTHEASTERN DAVIDSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
  GUILFORD COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
  SOUTHEASTERN FORSYTH COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 315 AM EDT

* AT 235 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO OVER THOMASVILLE...OR 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HIGH POINT...
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH. DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS IN EXCESS
  OF 58 MPH ARE ALSO LIKELY WITH THIS STORM.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  JAMESTOWN...
  PLEASANT GARDEN...
  GREENSBORO...FOREST OAKS...
  HIGH POINT

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

NIGHTTIME TORNADOES ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO
SEE. TAKE COVER NOW. DO NOT SEEK VISUAL CONFIRMATION.

PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING...1...8 7 7...6 3 3...6 7 7 2 OR NOTIFY YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM EDT TUESDAY MORNING
FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

&&

LAT...LON 3622 7980 3596 7964 3584 8011 3601 8020
TIME...MOT...LOC 0639Z 247DEG 51KT 3596 8003

$$

ELLIS
1 follow-up statement
147 
WWUS52 KRAH 050658
SVSRAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
258 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

NCC057-067-081-151-050707-
/O.CAN.KRAH.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110405T0715Z/
RANDOLPH NC-DAVIDSON NC-GUILFORD NC-FORSYTH NC-
258 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN FORSYTH...GUILFORD...
NORTHEASTERN DAVIDSON AND NORTHWESTERN RANDOLPH COUNTIES IS 
CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA AND 
THE WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

IF YOU OBSERVED SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING DAMAGING WINDS OR LARGE
HAIL...PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL
FREE 1...8 7 7...6 3 3...6 7 7 2...OR NOTIFY YOUR 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 600 AM EDT TUESDAY MORNING
FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3622 7980 3596 7964 3584 8011 3601 8020
TIME...MOT...LOC 0657Z 247DEG 51KT 3606 7974

$$

ELLIS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 5, 1:32 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDavidson, Forsyth43 min
Apr 5, 2:11 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDavidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph49 min
Apr 5, 2:16 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAnson, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond, Stanly44 min
Apr 5, 2:50 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAlamance, Chatham, Guilford, Randolph40 min
Apr 5, 2:56 AM EDTTornado WarningRAHAlamance, Guilford34 min
Apr 5, 2:58 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAnson, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond47 min
Apr 5, 3:15 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAlamance, Durham, Orange, Person45 min
Apr 5, 3:25 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHChatham, Wake50 min
Apr 5, 3:40 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHFranklin, Granville, Vance, Wake37 min
Apr 5, 3:42 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHHarnett, Hoke, Lee, Scotland63 min
Apr 5, 4:08 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHFranklin, Johnston, Nash, Wake37 min
Apr 5, 4:12 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHWarren63 min
Apr 5, 4:25 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHCumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Sampson, Wayne65 min
Apr 5, 4:36 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Wilson54 min
Apr 5, 5:36 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHSampson, Wayne54 min
Apr 5, 6:41 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHSampson, Wayne64 min
Apr 5, 7:06 AM EDTFrost AdvisoryRAHAlamance, Anson, Chatham, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham and 25 more26 hr
Apr 5, 8:18 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHAlamance, Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Lee and 6 more87 min
Apr 5, 8:25 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHCumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Montgomery and 5 more95 min
Apr 5, 9:33 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHCumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Sampson, Wake, Wayne and 1 more87 min
Apr 5, 9:33 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe, Franklin, Halifax, Nash, Warren87 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.