Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 57, NWS Blacksburg, VA

May 24, 2011Surry County, Wilkes County, Yadkin County, North Carolina

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this tornado warning at May 24, 2011, 3:51 PM EDT for Surry County, Wilkes County, Yadkin County, North Carolina. It was in force for 39 min. 5 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
May 24, 2011, 3:51 PM EDT (19:51 UTC)
Expired
May 24, 2011, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Surry County, NC, Wilkes County, NC, Yadkin County, NC

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 91 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:53 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
May 24, 4:03 PM EDTHAIL 1.255 Wsw Mountain Park, NC
May 24, 4:10 PM EDTHAIL 1.54 N Elkin, NC
May 24, 4:21 PM EDTFUNNEL CLOUDBoonville, NC
May 24, 4:23 PM EDTHAIL 1.51 S Fairview, NC
May 24, 4:25 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 N Traphill, NCTREES DOWN.

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
May 24, 10:00 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 84 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 12:00Z on 2011-05-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 451 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2011-05-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 4 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
451 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-124 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1350 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
4 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

228 
WFUS51 KRNK 241951
TORRNK
NCC171-193-197-242030-
/O.NEW.KRNK.TO.W.0057.110524T1951Z-110524T2030Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
351 PM EDT TUE MAY 24 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN YADKIN COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA
  SOUTHWESTERN SURRY COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
  NORTHEASTERN WILKES COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 430 PM EDT.

* AT 349 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR BENHAM...OR
  NEAR TRAPHILL...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BENHAM...
  PLEASANT HILL...
  STATE ROAD...
  BURCH...
  CRUTCHFIELD...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...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.

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.

WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO...PLEASE RELAY YOUR SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS
TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE AT...1...8 6
6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4.

&&

LAT...LON 3641 8058 3618 8057 3622 8111 3635 8112
TIME...MOT...LOC 1950Z 267DEG 27KT 3629 8099

$$

16
1 follow-up statement
223 
WWUS51 KRNK 242011
SVSRNK

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
411 PM EDT TUE MAY 24 2011

NCC171-193-197-242030-
/O.CON.KRNK.TO.W.0057.000000T0000Z-110524T2030Z/
YADKIN NC-SURRY NC-WILKES NC-
411 PM EDT TUE MAY 24 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN WILKES...SOUTHWESTERN SURRY AND NORTHWESTERN YADKIN
COUNTIES...

AT 407 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED
NEAR ELKIN...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  ELKIN...
  BURCH...
  CRUTCHFIELD...
  ROCKFORD...
  LEVEL CROSS...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...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.

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.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG AT...1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4...WHEN YOU CAN
DO SO SAFELY.

&&

LAT...LON 3624 8091 3637 8095 3641 8058 3620 8057
TIME...MOT...LOC 2011Z 273DEG 27KT 3629 8079

$$

16

The office that day

Everything else NWS Blacksburg, VA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 24, 11:27 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAlleghany48 min
May 24, 12:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKStokes58 min
May 24, 12:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCaswell, Rockingham, Stokes58 min
May 24, 3:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin56 min
May 24, 3:21 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKAlleghany, Surry, Wilkes39 min
May 24, 3:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAlleghany, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin64 min
May 24, 4:27 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKStokes, Surry, Yadkin40 min
May 24, 4:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin53 min
May 24, 5:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes57 min
May 24, 5:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAshe, Watauga, Wilkes58 min
May 24, 5:51 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Wilkes39 min
May 24, 6:08 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes5 hr
May 24, 6:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAlleghany, Ashe, Watauga, Wilkes65 min
May 24, 6:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKStokes, Surry55 min
May 24, 6:47 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKWilkes28 min
May 24, 6:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAlleghany, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin65 min
May 24, 7:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRNKAlleghany, Ashe50 min
May 24, 7:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCaswell61 min
May 24, 7:14 PM EDTTornado WarningRNKWilkes, Yadkin46 min
May 24, 7:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKSurry, Wilkes, Yadkin67 min
May 24, 7:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKRockingham, Stokes65 min
May 24, 7:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKYadkin49 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.