Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2012
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Wilmington, NC
NWS Wilmington, NC issued this tornado warning at May 14, 2012, 11:50 PM EDT for Brunswick County, Columbus County, North Carolina; Horry County, South Carolina. It was in force for 26 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- May 14, 2012, 11:50 PM EDT (03:50 UTC)
- Expired
- May 15, 2012, 12:16 AM EDT
- In force
- 26 min
- Issued by
- NWS Wilmington, NC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Brunswick County, NC, Columbus County, NC, Horry County, SC
The radar
The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 29 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:52 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 00:00Z, 3.8 hours before the alert went out and 161 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 633 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -31 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 911 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 55 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 76 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.1
- Supercell composite
- 0.8
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
464
WFUS52 KILM 150350
TORILM
NCC019-047-SCC051-150430-
/O.NEW.KILM.TO.W.0004.120515T0350Z-120515T0430Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1150 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
SOUTHWESTERN BRUNSWICK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
EASTERN HORRY COUNTY IN NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTHERN COLUMBUS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA
* UNTIL 1230 AM EDT
* AT 1147 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR WAMPEE...OR
ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF NORTH MYRTLE BEACH...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
15 MPH.
* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
LONGS...
BROOKSVILLE...
CALABASH...
IREDELL...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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.
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 3390 7888 3408 7866 3388 7845 3382 7864
3382 7866 3378 7874 3377 7876
TIME...MOT...LOC 0351Z 233DEG 11KT 3389 7873
$$
WEISS2 follow-up statements
820 WWUS52 KILM 150403 SVSILM SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 1203 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012 NCC019-047-SCC051-150430- /O.CON.KILM.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120515T0430Z/ COLUMBUS NC-HORRY SC-BRUNSWICK NC- 1203 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1230 AM EDT FOR SOUTHWESTERN BRUNSWICK...EAST CENTRAL HORRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL COLUMBUS COUNTIES... AT 1201 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR BROOKSVILLE...OR 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF LITTLE RIVER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO CALABASH... DULAH...SEASIDE...IREDELL...PIREWAY AND SUNSET BEACH. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW! IF YOU WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE. && PLEASE REPORT HAIL...DOWNED TREES OR DAMAGING WINDS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC...TOLL FREE AT 877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY. LAT...LON 3390 7882 3408 7866 3388 7845 3384 7877 TIME...MOT...LOC 0403Z 233DEG 11KT 3391 7869 $$ WEISS
812 WWUS52 KILM 150416 SVSILM SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 1216 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012 NCC019-047-SCC051-150426- /O.CAN.KILM.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120515T0430Z/ COLUMBUS NC-HORRY SC-BRUNSWICK NC- 1216 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012 ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN BRUNSWICK...EAST CENTRAL HORRY AND SOUTH CENTRAL COLUMBUS COUNTIES IS CANCELED... AT 1215 AM EDT...THE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING THE POSSIBLE TORNADO WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED...THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED. 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 3390 7882 3408 7866 3388 7845 3384 7877 TIME...MOT...LOC 0416Z 233DEG 11KT 3393 7865 $$ WEISS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 8:51 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Brunswick | 54 min |
| May 14, 10:05 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | ILM | Brunswick, New Hanover | 35 min |
| May 14, 10:37 PM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | ILM | Brunswick | 3 hr |
| May 15, 12:32 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Columbus | 58 min |
| May 15, 6:28 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Brunswick | 62 min |
| May 15, 1:18 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Columbus | 27 min |
| May 15, 1:22 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Bladen, Pender | 9 min |
| May 15, 1:24 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Bladen, Columbus | 26 min |
| May 15, 2:56 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Columbus | 64 min |
| May 15, 3:55 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Robeson | 65 min |
| May 15, 4:03 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Bladen, Columbus, Robeson | 34 min |
| May 15, 4:33 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Bladen | 57 min |
| May 15, 7:08 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Robeson | 67 min |
| May 14, 11:36 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Horry | 54 min |
| May 15, 1:36 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Horry | 39 min |
| May 15, 1:54 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Georgetown | 36 min |
| May 15, 1:59 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Georgetown, Horry | 46 min |
| May 15, 2:04 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | ILM | Georgetown, Horry | 26 min |
| May 15, 2:09 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ILM | Horry | 38 min |
| May 15, 2:29 PM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | ILM | Georgetown, Horry, Marion | 37 min |
| May 15, 4:42 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Georgetown | 63 min |
| May 15, 5:05 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Marlboro | 40 min |
| May 15, 5:22 PM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | ILM | Georgetown | 2 hr |
| May 15, 7:39 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | ILM | Dillon | 66 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2012Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.