Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2014

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Raleigh, NC

January 11, 20144 counties in North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this tornado warning at Jan 11, 2014, 1:41 PM EST for 4 counties in North Carolina. It was in force for 34 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: Jan 11, 2014, 1:41 PM EST (18:41 UTC)
Expired: Jan 11, 2014, 2:15 PM EST
In force: 34 min
Issued by: NWS Raleigh, NC
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Chatham County, NC, Durham County, NC, Orange County, NC, Wake County, NC

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 44 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:43 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jan 11, 1:52 PM EST	TSTM WND GST 59	N Holly Springs, NC
Jan 11, 1:57 PM EST	TSTM WND GST 86	Rdu International Airpo, NC	PK WND 22075KT 1857Z
Jan 11, 2:00 PM EST	TSTM WND DMG	N Durham, NC	DURHAM COUNTY 911 REPORTS NUMEROUS TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
Jan 11, 2:05 PM EST	TSTM WND GST 85	Rdu International Airpo, NC
Jan 11, 2:05 PM EST	TSTM WND GST 86	Rdu International Airpo, NC

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
Jan 11, 11:50 AM EST	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 93 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: 35 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -173 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 419 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 361 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 406 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

081 
WFUS52 KRAH 111841
TORRAH
NCC037-063-135-183-111915-
/O.NEW.KRAH.TO.W.0002.140111T1841Z-140111T1915Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
141 PM EST SAT JAN 11 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN WAKE COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...
  EASTERN CHATHAM COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...
  DURHAM COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...
  SOUTHERN ORANGE COUNTY IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 215 PM EST
    
* AT 139 PM EST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE SQUALL LINE
  CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO AS WELL AS DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE
  WINDS. THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR PITTSBORO...AND
  MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

AT 120 PM A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS REPORTED AT HWY 15-501 AND THE HAW 
RIVER BRIDGE IN CHATHAM COUNTY. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CHAPEL HILL...PITTSBORO...CARRBORO...APEX...HOLLY SPRINGS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU
CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...EITHER
PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN
IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3589 7870 3555 7882 3558 7891 3555 7895
      3555 7903 3560 7905 3562 7909 3563 7914
      3560 7917 3595 7923 3615 7886
TIME...MOT...LOC 1839Z 248DEG 45KT 3581 7912 
$$

ELLIS

2 follow-up statements

590 
WWUS52 KRAH 111855
SVSRAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
155 PM EST SAT JAN 11 2014

NCC037-135-111904-
/O.CAN.KRAH.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-140111T1915Z/
CHATHAM NC-ORANGE NC-
155 PM EST SAT JAN 11 2014

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EASTERN CHATHAM AND SOUTHERN ORANGE
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
    
THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT 
OF THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 3589 7870 3565 7879 3561 7899 3586 7890
      3587 7891 3586 7901 3607 7898 3609 7898
      3615 7886
TIME...MOT...LOC 1854Z 248DEG 45KT 3586 7896 

$$

NCC063-183-111915-
/O.CON.KRAH.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-140111T1915Z/
WAKE NC-DURHAM NC-
155 PM EST SAT JAN 11 2014

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM EST FOR WESTERN
WAKE AND DURHAM COUNTIES...
 
AT 154 PM EST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE SQUALL LINE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING BOTH TORNADOES AND EXTENSIVE STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE.
THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR CHAPEL HILL...MOVING EAST AT
50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RALEIGH...DURHAM...CARY...CHAPEL HILL...RDU INTERNATIONAL...APEX...
HOLLY SPRINGS...MORRISVILLE...BETHESDA...PARKWOOD...GORMAN...
CARPENTER...NEW HILL AND RESEARCH TRIANGLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. IF YOU
CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...AS A LAST RESORT...EITHER
PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN
IN A LOW LYING AREA AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3589 7870 3565 7879 3561 7899 3586 7890
      3587 7891 3586 7901 3607 7898 3609 7898
      3615 7886
TIME...MOT...LOC 1854Z 248DEG 45KT 3586 7896 

$$

ELLIS

891 
WWUS52 KRAH 111907
SVSRAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
207 PM EST SAT JAN 11 2014

NCC063-183-111916-
/O.EXP.KRAH.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-140111T1915Z/
WAKE NC-DURHAM NC-
207 PM EST SAT JAN 11 2014

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WESTERN WAKE AND DURHAM COUNTIES WILL
EXPIRE AT 215 PM EST...
    
THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT 
OF THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

LAT...LON 3589 7870 3565 7879 3561 7899 3586 7890
      3587 7891 3586 7901 3607 7898 3609 7898
      3615 7886
TIME...MOT...LOC 1902Z 248DEG 45KT 3586 7896 

$$

ELLIS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jan 10, 9:01 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Cumberland	44 min
Jan 10, 9:16 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Cumberland	44 min
Jan 10, 9:26 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Sampson	49 min
Jan 10, 9:29 PM EST	Areal Flood Advisory	RAH	Cumberland	2 hr
Jan 10, 9:32 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Johnston, Sampson, Wayne	28 min
Jan 10, 10:08 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Wayne	52 min
Jan 10, 10:39 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Franklin, Johnston, Nash, Wake, Wilson	66 min
Jan 11, 6:58 AM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford	77 min
Jan 11, 8:26 AM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Alamance, Durham, Orange, Person	49 min
Jan 11, 9:15 AM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Vance, Wake and 1 more	75 min
Jan 11, 9:38 AM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Granville, Orange, Person	52 min
Jan 11, 10:38 AM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Chatham, Durham, Granville, Lee, Vance	52 min
Jan 11, 10:49 AM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Harnett, Johnston, Wake	56 min
Jan 11, 11:58 AM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph	62 min
Jan 11, 12:06 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Anson, Montgomery, Richmond, Stanly	39 min
Jan 11, 12:11 PM EST	Areal Flood Advisory	RAH	Alamance, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph	3 hr
Jan 11, 12:20 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph	40 min
Jan 11, 12:45 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Anson, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond	60 min
Jan 11, 12:50 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Alamance, Chatham, Guilford, Randolph	55 min
Jan 11, 1:21 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Chatham, Durham, Orange	54 min
Jan 11, 1:22 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Moore	38 min
Jan 11, 1:23 PM EST	Tornado Warning	RAH	Alamance, Chatham, Orange	37 min
Jan 11, 1:31 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Cumberland, Johnston, Sampson	59 min
Jan 11, 1:42 PM EST	Areal Flood Advisory	RAH	Durham, Orange, Person	2 hr
Jan 11, 1:45 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, Wake	60 min
Jan 11, 1:45 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Cumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Nash, Sampson, Wayne and 1 more	60 min
Jan 11, 2:01 PM EST	Tornado Warning	RAH	Durham, Johnston, Wake	29 min
Jan 11, 2:13 PM EST	Tornado Warning	RAH	Franklin, Granville, Vance, Wake	32 min
Jan 11, 2:20 PM EST	Tornado Warning	RAH	Johnston	25 min
Jan 11, 2:22 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Halifax, Nash, Warren	53 min
Jan 11, 2:34 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Edgecombe, Halifax, Wayne, Wilson	56 min
Jan 11, 3:08 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Sampson	37 min
Jan 11, 4:55 PM EST	Areal Flood Advisory	RAH	Moore	6 hr
Jan 11, 4:55 PM EST	River Flood Warning	RAH	Alamance	23 hr
Jan 11, 5:48 PM EST	River Flood Warning	RAH	Chatham	32 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2014 Every tornado warning in 2014 Tornadoes in 2014

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.