Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Raleigh, NC

April 5, 2011Alamance County, Guilford County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this tornado warning at Apr 5, 2011, 2:56 AM EDT for Alamance County, Guilford County, North Carolina. It was in force for 34 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, 2:56 AM EDT (06:56 UTC)
Expired: Apr 5, 2011, 3:30 AM EDT
In force: 34 min
Issued by: NWS Raleigh, NC
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Alamance County, NC, Guilford County, NC

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 100 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:58 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 5, 3:05 AM EDT	TSTM WND GST 60	Burlington Apt, NC	KBUY ASOS
Apr 5, 3:06 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Ssw Burlington, NC	SEVERAL TREES DOWN AND SNAPPED AT TOPS. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO HOUSE ON DOVER AVENUE. SEVERAL REPORTS OF CARPORTS BLOWN OVER AND 2 HOMES SLIGHTLY MOVED OFF FOUNDATIONS.
Apr 5, 3:06 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 W Union Ridge, NC	ONE MOBILE HOME AND TWO MODULAR HOMES WERE SHIFTED ON THEIR FOUNDATIONS. AN OUTBUILDING WAS ALSO DESTROYED.
Apr 5, 3:07 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Wnw Alamance, NC	LOTS OF TREES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED.

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 5, 12:48 AM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 41 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: 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.

205 
WFUS52 KRAH 050656
TORRAH
NCC001-081-050730-
/O.NEW.KRAH.TO.W.0004.110405T0656Z-110405T0730Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  ALAMANCE COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
  EASTERN GUILFORD COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 330 AM EDT

* AT 253 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO OVER FOREST OAKS...OR 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GREENSBORO...
  MOVING EAST AT 80 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  ELON COLLEGE...GLEN RAVEN...
  PLEASANT GROVE...HAW RIVER...

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 3624 7926 3600 7926 3596 7927 3592 7974
      3609 7982 3624 7955 3625 7942
TIME...MOT...LOC 0656Z 248DEG 69KT 3605 7965

$$

ELLIS

3 follow-up statements

838 
WWUS52 KRAH 050706
SVSRAH

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

NCC001-081-050730-
/O.CON.KRAH.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110405T0730Z/
ALAMANCE NC-GUILFORD NC-
306 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 AM EDT FOR EASTERN
GUILFORD AND ALAMANCE COUNTIES...

AT 302 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ELON COLLEGE...OR
NEAR BURLINGTON...MOVING EAST AT 80 MPH.

HAZARDS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
A TORNADO.
OTHER DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE... HAW RIVER...UNION
RIDGE...PLEASANT GROVE AND MEBANE.

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS
AVAILABLE LIE DOWN IN A LOW LYING AREA. PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING
DEBRIS.

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

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE CALL IN YOUR REPORTS OF PENNY OR
LARGER SIZED HAIL...AS WELL AS WIND DAMAGE...INCLUDING TREES OR LARGE
LIMBS DOWNED BY CALLING THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOLL FREE AT...
1...8 7 7...6 3 3...6 7 7 2.

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

LAT...LON 3624 7926 3600 7926 3596 7927 3593 7959
      3620 7962 3624 7955 3625 7942
TIME...MOT...LOC 0706Z 248DEG 69KT 3612 7943

$$

ELLIS

499 
WWUS52 KRAH 050717
SVSRAH

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

NCC081-050727-
/O.CAN.KRAH.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110405T0730Z/
GUILFORD NC-
317 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EASTERN GUILFORD COUNTY 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 3624 7926 3600 7926 3596 7927 3595 7944
      3613 7945 3624 7942
TIME...MOT...LOC 0717Z 248DEG 69KT 3620 7919

$$

NCC001-050730-
/O.CON.KRAH.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110405T0730Z/
ALAMANCE NC-
317 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 AM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN ALAMANCE COUNTY...

AT 311 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR PLEASANT GROVE...
OR 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF GRAHAM...MOVING EAST AT 80 MPH.

HAZARDS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
A TORNADO.
OTHER DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH.

.

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

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE CALL IN YOUR REPORTS OF PENNY OR
LARGER SIZED HAIL...AS WELL AS WIND DAMAGE...INCLUDING TREES OR LARGE
LIMBS DOWNED BY CALLING THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOLL FREE AT...
1...8 7 7...6 3 3...6 7 7 2.

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

LAT...LON 3624 7926 3600 7926 3596 7927 3595 7944
      3613 7945 3624 7942
TIME...MOT...LOC 0717Z 248DEG 69KT 3620 7919

$$

ELLIS

431 
WWUS52 KRAH 050722
SVSRAH

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

NCC001-050732-
/O.EXP.KRAH.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110405T0730Z/
ALAMANCE NC-
322 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN ALAMANCE COUNTY EXPIRES AT
330 AM EDT...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED AND THE WARNING 
WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

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 3624 7926 3600 7926 3596 7927 3595 7944
      3613 7945 3624 7942
TIME...MOT...LOC 0722Z 248DEG 69KT 3623 7908

$$

ELLIS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 5, 1:32 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth	43 min
Apr 5, 2:11 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph	49 min
Apr 5, 2:16 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Anson, Montgomery, Randolph, Richmond, Stanly	44 min
Apr 5, 2:40 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph	18 min
Apr 5, 2:50 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Alamance, Chatham, Guilford, Randolph	40 min
Apr 5, 2:58 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Anson, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond	47 min
Apr 5, 3:15 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Alamance, Durham, Orange, Person	45 min
Apr 5, 3:25 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Chatham, Wake	50 min
Apr 5, 3:40 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Franklin, Granville, Vance, Wake	37 min
Apr 5, 3:42 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Scotland	63 min
Apr 5, 4:08 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Franklin, Johnston, Nash, Wake	37 min
Apr 5, 4:12 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Warren	63 min
Apr 5, 4:25 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Cumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Sampson, Wayne	65 min
Apr 5, 4:36 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Edgecombe, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Wilson	54 min
Apr 5, 5:36 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Sampson, Wayne	54 min
Apr 5, 6:41 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Sampson, Wayne	64 min
Apr 5, 7:06 AM EDT	Frost Advisory	RAH	Alamance, Anson, Chatham, Cumberland, Davidson, Durham and 25 more	26 hr
Apr 5, 8:18 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Lee and 6 more	87 min
Apr 5, 8:25 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Montgomery and 5 more	95 min
Apr 5, 9:33 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Cumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Sampson, Wake, Wayne and 1 more	87 min
Apr 5, 9:33 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Edgecombe, Franklin, Halifax, Nash, Warren	87 min

Nearby

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