Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Raleigh, NC

May 14, 2012Davidson County, Forsyth County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this flash flood warning at May 14, 2012, 8:45 PM EDT for Davidson County, Forsyth County, North Carolina. It was in force for 3 hr. 6 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 14, 2012, 8:45 PM EDT (00:45 UTC)
Expired
May 14, 2012, 11:33 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Davidson County, NC, Forsyth County, NC

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 118 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:47 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 14, 8:46 PM EDTFLASH FLOODWinston-Salem, NCA SPOTTER REPORTS 6 INCHES OF WATER ON BUSINESS I-40 NEAR SILAS CREEK PARKWAY.
May 14, 8:50 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD2 W Pfafftown, NCTWO FEET OF WATER REPORTED OVER CLAREDON AVE IN PFAFFTOWN.
May 14, 9:15 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD2 Wnw Pfafftown, NCUP TO 2 FEET OF WATER INSIDE OF BUSINESSES ALONG REYNOLDA RD.
May 14, 9:15 PM EDTFLASH FLOODWinston-Salem, NC2-3 FEET OF WATER REPORTED OVER SOME ROADS AND PARKING LOTS IN DOWNTOWN WINSTON-SALEM NEAR BUISNESS HIGHWAY 40... INCLUDING SOME CARS PARTLY SUBMERGED.
May 14, 9:30 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD3 Wsw Pfafftown, NCHILLTOP DR CLOSED. CULVERT FAILURE WITH 30 FEET OF ASPHALT WASHED AWAY
May 14, 9:45 PM EDTFLASH FLOODWinston-Salem, NCFORSYTH COUNTY 911 CENTER HAS RECEIVED A FEW REPORTS OF HIGH WATER AND STRANDED VEHICLES. NO KNOWN ROAD CLOSURES AT THIS TIME

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 46 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 2012-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 713 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°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 2012-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 65 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
713 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
545 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
65 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
91 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
2.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

960 
WGUS52 KRAH 150045
FFWRAH
NCC057-067-150345-
/O.NEW.KRAH.FF.W.0005.120515T0045Z-120515T0345Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
845 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  DAVIDSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
  FORSYTH COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 1145 PM EDT

* AT 839 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING FLOODING OVER 
FORSYTH  AND DAVIDSON COUNTIES. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED THAT AS MUCH 
AS TWO INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SINCE 800 PM.  DUE TO HEAVY 
RAINFALL OVER THE WARNED AREA EARLIER TODAY... FLASH FLOODING IS 
LIKELY TO OCCUR MORE RAPIDLY THIS EVENING.

* LOCATIONS THREATENED WITH FLOODING INCLUDE WINSTON-SALEM...
  KERNERSVILLE...CLEMMONS...BELEWS CREEK...THOMASVILLE...LEXINGTON
  AND LINWOOD.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT
QUICKLY. MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY
IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

PLEASE REPORT FLOODING 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.

&&

LAT...LON 3611 8051 3614 8044 3626 8045 3626 8003
      3570 8006 3569 8034 3572 8034 3574 8046
      3584 8049 3585 8039 3589 8042 3589 8037
      3596 8038 3599 8043 3602 8042 3606 8047
      3604 8048 3605 8051

$$

22
2 follow-up statements
499 
WGUS72 KRAH 150141
FFSRAH

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
941 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

NCC057-067-150345-
/O.CON.KRAH.FF.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120515T0345Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
DAVIDSON NC-FORSYTH NC-
941 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1145 PM EDT FOR
FORSYTH AND DAVIDSON COUNTIES...

AT 930 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING FLOODING OVER FORSYTH 
AND DAVIDSON COUNTIES. WHILE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS MOVING EAST 
INTO GUILFORD AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES... DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED THAT 
TWO TO TWO AND A HALF INCHES HAS FALLEN OVER FORSYTH COUNTY.  

THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF WATER OVER ROADWAYS AND CARS STRANDED IN 
HIGH WATER IN WINSTON-SALEM. LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN WILL CONTINUE 
FOR THE NEXT HOUR AND WATER LEVELS WILL BE SLOW TO RECEDE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
AS LITTLE AS 6 INCHES OF WATER CAN CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR
VEHICLE. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES
INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND PICKUP TRUCKS. TURN AROUND...
DONT DROWN.

PLEASE REPORT FLOODING 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.

&&

LAT...LON 3611 8051 3614 8044 3626 8045 3626 8003
      3570 8006 3569 8034 3572 8034 3574 8046
      3584 8049 3585 8039 3589 8042 3589 8037
      3596 8038 3599 8043 3602 8042 3606 8047
      3604 8048 3605 8051

$$

22
244 
WGUS72 KRAH 150333
FFSRAH

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1133 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

NCC057-067-150338-
/O.CAN.KRAH.FF.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120515T0345Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
DAVIDSON NC-FORSYTH NC-
1133 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR FORSYTH AND
DAVIDSON COUNTIES...

THE THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCED HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING HAVE 
MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED AREA.  LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A FEW ROAD 
CLOSURES IN WINSTON-SALEM...BUT WATER IS RECEDING AND THE FLASH 
FLOODING THREAT IS ENDING.  HOWEVER...AS MUCH AS THREE TO FIVE 
INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SINCE EARLY THIS MORNING...AND MANY CREEKS 
AND STREAMS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE HIGH WATER LEVELS TONIGHT.  

THE YADKIN RIVER IS RUNNING HIGH AND IS OUT OF ITS BANKS IN SOME 
LOCATIONS IN FORSYTH COUNTY.  A FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 500 AM 
FOR AREAS ALONG THE YADKIN RIVER.


LAT...LON 3611 8051 3614 8044 3626 8045 3626 8003
      3570 8006 3569 8034 3572 8034 3574 8046
      3584 8049 3585 8039 3589 8042 3589 8037
      3596 8038 3599 8043 3602 8042 3606 8047
      3604 8048 3605 8051

$$

22

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 14, 8:00 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningRAHForsyth14 hr
May 14, 8:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDavidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph76 min
May 14, 10:48 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHAnson, Montgomery, Moore, Stanly57 min
May 14, 11:41 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryRAHChatham, Randolph72 min
May 15, 2:35 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningRAHDavidson, Davie30 hr
May 15, 2:44 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHWayne46 min
May 15, 2:57 PM EDTFlash Flood WatchRAHDavidson, Forsyth, Guilford7 hr
May 15, 2:59 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHWayne61 min
May 15, 3:45 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHWayne60 min
May 15, 4:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHSampson67 min
May 15, 4:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHJohnston, Wayne46 min
May 15, 5:25 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHJohnston, Wayne65 min
May 15, 5:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHNash, Wilson52 min
May 15, 6:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHEdgecombe46 min
May 15, 6:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHJohnston40 min
May 15, 7:25 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHFranklin65 min
May 15, 7:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHFranklin48 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 2012Every flash flood warning 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.