Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Watches in 2014

Tornado Watch 91

April 25, 201457 counties in North Carolina; 43 counties in Virginia

The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at Apr 25, 2014, 1:19 PM EDT for 57 counties in North Carolina; 43 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 10 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Apr 25, 2014, 1:19 PM EDT (17:19 UTC)
Expired
Apr 25, 2014, 11:00 PM EDT
In force
10 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Largest hail expected
1.5 in
Strongest gust expected
60 kt
All 100 counties

Alamance County, NC, Anson County, NC, Beaufort County, NC, Bertie County, NC, Camden County, NC, Carteret County, NC, Caswell County, NC, Chatham County, NC, Chowan County, NC, Craven County, NC, Cumberland County, NC, Currituck County, NC, Dare County, NC, Davidson County, NC, Duplin County, NC, Durham County, NC, Edgecombe County, NC, Forsyth County, NC, Franklin County, NC, Gates County, NC, Granville County, NC, Greene County, NC, Guilford County, NC, Halifax County, NC, Harnett County, NC, Hertford County, NC, Hoke County, NC, Hyde County, NC, Johnston County, NC, Jones County, NC, Lee County, NC, Lenoir County, NC, Martin County, NC, Montgomery County, NC, Moore County, NC, Nash County, NC, Northampton County, NC, Onslow County, NC, Orange County, NC, Pamlico County, NC, Pasquotank County, NC, Perquimans County, NC, Person County, NC, Pitt County, NC, Randolph County, NC, Richmond County, NC, Rockingham County, NC, Sampson County, NC, Scotland County, NC, Stanly County, NC, Tyrrell County, NC, Vance County, NC, Wake County, NC, Warren County, NC, Washington County, NC, Wayne County, NC, Wilson County, NC, Amelia County, VA, Brunswick County, VA, Charles City County, VA, Charlotte County, VA, Chesterfield County, VA, City of Chesapeake, VA, City of Colonial Heights, VA, City of Danville, VA, City of Emporia, VA, City of Franklin, VA, City of Hampton, VA, City of Hopewell, VA, City of Newport News, VA, City of Norfolk, VA, City of Petersburg, VA, City of Poquoson, VA, City of Portsmouth, VA, City of Richmond, VA, City of Suffolk, VA, City of Virginia Beach, VA, City of Williamsburg, VA, Cumberland County, VA, Dinwiddie County, VA, Greensville County, VA, Halifax County, VA, Hanover County, VA, Henrico County, VA, Isle of Wight County, VA, James City County, VA, King and Queen County, VA, King William County, VA, Lunenburg County, VA, Mecklenburg County, VA, New Kent County, VA, Nottoway County, VA, Pittsylvania County, VA, Powhatan County, VA, Prince Edward County, VA, Prince George County, VA, Southampton County, VA, Surry County, VA, Sussex County, VA, York County, VA

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 74 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:22 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 SPC expected

The probabilities SPC published with the watch, for the watch area over its life.

Two or more tornadoes
70%
One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes
40%
Ten or more severe wind reports
50%
One or more gusts of 65 knots or more
20%
Ten or more severe hail reports
30%
One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more
10%
Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports
60%

Warnings issued inside it

59 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 25, 1:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAlamance, Guilford, Orange39 min
Apr 25, 1:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHCumberland, Harnett, Hoke43 min
Apr 25, 1:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAlamance, Orange, Person52 min
Apr 25, 2:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDurham, Granville, Orange67 min
Apr 25, 2:09 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe, Nash36 min
Apr 25, 2:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHCumberland, Harnett, Sampson50 min
Apr 25, 2:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCharlotte, Halifax40 min
Apr 25, 2:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDurham, Franklin, Granville, Vance, Wake67 min
Apr 25, 2:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQBrunswick, Greensville, Mecklenburg46 min
Apr 25, 3:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHFranklin, Granville, Vance, Warren57 min
Apr 25, 3:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKAppomattox, Buckingham, Charlotte, Halifax29 min
Apr 25, 3:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHJohnston, Wayne41 min
Apr 25, 3:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe, Halifax, Nash62 min
Apr 25, 3:47 PM EDTTornado WarningRAHFranklin, Halifax, Nash, Warren43 min
Apr 25, 3:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGranville, Person, Vance40 min
Apr 25, 3:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGuilford, Randolph38 min
Apr 25, 3:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQAmelia, Chesterfield, Nottoway, Powhatan50 min
Apr 25, 3:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKCharlotte, Halifax63 min
Apr 25, 3:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDavidson, Forsyth61 min
Apr 25, 4:01 PM EDTTornado WarningRAHWayne44 min
Apr 25, 4:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMHXGreene41 min
Apr 25, 4:09 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQAmelia, Chesterfield, Powhatan36 min
Apr 25, 4:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHFranklin, Vance, Warren64 min
Apr 25, 4:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHAlamance, Chatham, Orange57 min
Apr 25, 4:19 PM EDTTornado WarningRAHHalifax41 min
Apr 25, 4:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQNorthampton40 min
Apr 25, 4:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGuilford, Randolph63 min
Apr 25, 4:29 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQNorthampton46 min
Apr 25, 4:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQAmelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Henrico, City of Colonial Heights43 min
Apr 25, 4:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQChesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Powhatan, City of Richmond25 min
Apr 25, 4:36 PM EDTTornado WarningMHXBeaufort, Greene, Martin, Pitt39 min
Apr 25, 4:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHGranville, Person, Vance, Warren38 min
Apr 25, 4:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe, Halifax, Nash59 min
Apr 25, 5:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRNKHalifax57 min
Apr 25, 5:08 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRNKHalifax112 min
Apr 25, 5:13 PM EDTTornado WarningMHXBeaufort, Martin, Pitt47 min
Apr 25, 5:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHDurham, Franklin, Granville, Vance, Wake42 min
Apr 25, 5:20 PM EDTTornado WarningRAHEdgecombe, Halifax40 min
Apr 25, 5:22 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningAKQNorthampton3 hr
Apr 25, 5:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQGates, Hertford, Northampton42 min
Apr 25, 5:42 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningRAHFranklin, Halifax, Vance, Warren3 hr
Apr 25, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHFranklin, Halifax, Nash, Warren45 min
Apr 25, 5:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMHXMartin, Pitt25 min
Apr 25, 5:54 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQHertford, Northampton36 min
Apr 25, 5:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQBertie, Chowan48 min
Apr 25, 6:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHWayne33 min
Apr 25, 6:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMHXGreene, Lenoir, Pitt47 min
Apr 25, 6:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMHXMartin30 min
Apr 25, 6:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Wayne, Wilson56 min
Apr 25, 6:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCamden, Chowan, Gates, Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank and 1 more38 min
Apr 25, 6:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQBertie, Chowan, Hertford, Perquimans45 min
Apr 25, 6:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMHXBeaufort, Greene, Martin, Pitt38 min
Apr 25, 7:10 PM EDTTornado WarningMHXBeaufort, Pitt35 min
Apr 25, 7:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHWayne37 min
Apr 25, 7:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCamden, Chowan, Currituck, Pasquotank, Perquimans50 min
Apr 25, 7:43 PM EDTTornado WarningMHXBeaufort47 min
Apr 25, 8:01 PM EDTTornado WarningAKQCamden, Currituck, Pasquotank, Perquimans29 min
Apr 25, 8:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningAKQCamden, Currituck49 min
Apr 25, 8:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMHXDare47 min

Discussions around it

SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 5.3 hours before the alert went out and 143 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 2014-04-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 12:00Z on 2014-04-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 141 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
664 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
141 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
164 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.

129 
WWUS20 KWNS 251720
SEL1  
SPC WW 251720
NCZ000-VAZ000-CWZ000-260100-

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 91
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
120 PM EDT FRI APR 25 2014

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF 
  CENTRAL AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
  SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA
  COASTAL WATERS

* EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 120 PM UNTIL
  900 PM EDT.

* PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE...
  A FEW TORNADOES LIKELY WITH A COUPLE INTENSE TORNADOES POSSIBLE
  SCATTERED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE
  ISOLATED LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE

THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 120 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 55 MILES NORTHEAST OF SOUTH
HILL VIRGINIA TO 10 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF FAYETTEVILLE NORTH
CAROLINA.  FOR A COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE
ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU1).

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

&&

DISCUSSION...STORMS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE WITHIN THE ERN NC/SE VA
WARM SECTOR THIS AFTERNOON...AS WELL AS ALONG THE COLD FRONT LATER
THIS AFTERNOON INTO CENTRAL NC/S CENTRAL VA.  THE ENVIRONMENT WILL
FAVOR SUPERCELLS WITH A RISK FOR TORNADOES GIVEN THE INCREASE IN
INSTABILITY AND VERTICAL WIND SHEAR THIS AFTERNOON...AND AN ISOLATED
STRONG TORNADO OR TWO WILL BE POSSIBLE.  OTHERWISE...DAMAGING WINDS
AND HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE STRONGER STORMS THROUGH THIS
EVENING.

AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
450. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 25030.


...THOMPSON

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 25, 12:46 PM EDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAlamance, Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Camden, Carteret and 48 more2 hr
Apr 25, 3:22 PM EDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAlamance, Anson, Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Caswell and 46 more83 min
Apr 25, 4:45 PM EDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAlamance, Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Carteret, Caswell and 47 more90 min
Apr 25, 7:29 PM EDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBeaufort, Bertie, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven and 24 more61 min
Apr 25, 2:50 PM EDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAccomack, Albemarle, Buckingham, Caroline, Culpeper, Cumberland and 25 more2 hr

Nearby

Tornado Watches in North Carolina, 2014Tornado Watches in Virginia, 2014Every tornado watch 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.