Alert archive / North Carolina / Heat Advisories in 2016

Heat Advisory 6, NWS Raleigh, NC

July 26, 201631 counties in North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this heat advisory at Jul 26, 2016, 3:55 PM EDT for 31 counties in North Carolina. It took effect at Jul 27, 2016, 12:00 PM EDT. It was in force for 8 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 26, 2016, 3:55 PM EDT (19:55 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 27, 2016, 12:00 PM EDT
Expired
Jul 27, 2016, 8:00 PM EDT
In force
8 hr
Issued by
NWS Raleigh, NC
All 31 counties

Alamance County, NC, Anson County, NC, Chatham County, NC, Cumberland County, NC, Davidson County, NC, Durham County, NC, Edgecombe County, NC, Forsyth County, NC, Franklin County, NC, Granville County, NC, Guilford County, NC, Halifax County, NC, Harnett County, NC, Hoke County, NC, Johnston County, NC, Lee County, NC, Montgomery County, NC, Moore County, NC, Nash County, NC, Orange County, NC, Person County, NC, Randolph County, NC, Richmond County, NC, Sampson County, NC, Scotland County, NC, Stanly County, NC, Vance County, NC, Wake County, NC, Warren County, NC, Wayne County, NC, Wilson County, NC

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 45 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:55 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

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2016-07-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 358 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2016-07-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 21 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
358 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-150 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1169 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
21 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
19 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this heat advisory went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Raleigh, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this heat advisory went out at Jul 26, 3:45 PM EDT, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 26, 3:45 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
345 PM EDT TUE JUL 26 2016

.Synopsis...
Strong high pressure aloft will extend over the Southeast U.S.
through the work week, as weak disturbances pass by just north of
the region. A cold front will approach from the northwest on Friday,
then stall out just to our north and west next weekend.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
As of 330 PM Tuesday...

Scattered showers and storms have already begun to fire over the
mountains, foothills, and into the northern and western Piedmont,
where CINH has vanished and MLCAPE has already risen well over 2000
J/kg. Deep layer bulk shear still isn't great but is better than in
the last several days, as shortwave energy tracks eastward across
the OH valley and mid-Atlantic, nudging the westerlies slightly to
the south and inducing sufficient acceleration aloft to boost values
to around 20 kts across northern NC this evening. Have retained
isolated to scattered showers and storms through the evening,
starting first over the Piedmont (better coverage north and fewer
storms south), then shifting eastward into the NE Piedmont and
northern/central Coastal Plain through the evening before weakening
and dissipating with loss of heating overnight. This scenario is
supported by the latest CAM runs. A few storms could become strong,
given the degree of instability, improving wind field aloft, and
high downdraft CAPE over 1000 J/kg, but the mid level lapse rates
remain meager with no good low level mass convergence, so widespread
strong storms aren't expected. Persistence will be followed for lows
tonight, in the lower to mid 70s. Temps over much of the CWA won't
drop below 80 until well after midnight, exacerbating the adverse
health effects of this ongoing hot spell. -GIH

&&

.SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
As of 345 PM TUESDAY...

The two main concerns for Wed are the storm threat and the heat. The
mid-upper level ridge will remain centered just to our SE while
extending across the Southeast states, while the weak mid level wave
continues to pass by to our north, crossing the mid-Atlantic coast.
Deep layer bulk shear will remain marginal, and the warm mid levels
will continue to curb instability over the southern sections of NC.
But both factors will be sufficient for convection initiation and
maintenance Wed afternoon across the northern CWA. With a
thermodynamic environment tomorrow similar to that of today, we
should again see scattered storms mainly across the north Wed
afternoon, lasting into the evening before weakening and exiting.
Once again, a few strong storms are possible, but weak lapse rates
and marginal winds aloft will limit this potential. A few debris mid
clouds from this evening's convection may linger early in the day to
temper heating slightly, however thicknesses and forecast soundings
still support persistence, with highs again in the mid to upper 90s,
and dewpoints starting out in the mid-upper 70s before dropping to
70-75 in the afternoon with mixing. Heat index values are expected
to top out near or above 105 over all but the NW Piedmont tomorrow,
so will go forward with another heat advisory, along and east of a
line from Albemarle to Burlington to Kerr Lake. Lows Wed night in
the mid 70s. -GIH

&&

.LONG TERM /Thursday through Tuesday/...
As of 230 PM Tuesday...

Beginning Thursday, the high pressure system gets suppressed ever so
slightly to the southeast and allows the remnants of the frontal
boundary over VA to creep southward, increasing pops a bit for the
northern tier of the CWA but otherwise points south should remain
fairly dry but afternoon showers and thunderstorms will be favorable
east of the Piedmont trough. Thursday night a wave is expected to
develop just north of the area and move northeastward leaving Friday
fairly dry. Afternoon convection will be possible again Friday and
Saturday afternoons as the upper level flow turns more
southwesterly. By Sunday, central NC becomes increasingly squeezed
between a surface high to our southeast and another to our
northwest. This will set up a more active pattern over the area
which will funnel moisture into the area. This should help keep
skies cloudier and bring temps down a few degrees for the beginning
of next week. Early next week an upper trough develops to help push
the frontal boundary through the area and hopefully provide some
relief to temperatures. Until then expect continued highs in the mid
90s with heat index values approaching 105 degrees.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
As of 100 PM Tuesday...

VFR conditions are likely to dominate through Wed afternoon,
although scattered storms may produce localized enhanced wind gusts
and brief sub-VFR conditions late today through this evening, mainly
at INT/GSO/RDU/RWI. Strong, dry, and deep ridge of high pressure in
the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere will hold overhead for
the 24 hours and beyond. Any cloudiness will be VFR, mostly
scattered except for a period of broken clouds late today into
tonight at INT/GSO/RDU/RWI, as well as in/near any storms. Light fog
(MVFR) is possible late tonight into Wed morning, mainly at RWI/FAY,
and isolated banks of shallow, more dense fog may occur, mainly near
RWI. The overall threat of sub-VFR fog is low, but places that see a
shower or storm later today will have a better chance of seeing fog
late tonight into Wed morning. Surface winds will be light from the
southwest at 6-10 kts through Wed.

Looking beyond 18z Wed: Mostly VFR conditions are anticipated,
although late night and early morning MVFR fog is possible each day
through Fri, with a better chance of sub-VFR fog/stratus Sat/Sun.
Scattered showers/storms are again expected Wed afternoon, mainly at
the northern TAF sites. Storm chances will drop once again for Thu
and Fri, before rising again over the weekend. -GIH

&&

.RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ007>011-
024>028-040>043-074>078-083>086-088-089.
Heat Advisory from noon to 8 PM EDT Wednesday for NCZ008>011-
023>028-039>043-073>078-083>086-088-089.

&&

SYNOPSIS...Hartfield
NEAR TERM...Hartfield
SHORT TERM...Hartfield
LONG TERM...Ellis
AVIATION...Hartfield
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 26, 3:52 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
352 PM EDT TUE JUL 26 2016

NCZ008>011-024>028-040>043-074>078-083>086-088-089-271000-
GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-
CHATHAM-WAKE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE-
ANSON-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON-
352 PM EDT TUE JUL 26 2016

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...
...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   HEAT ADVISORY.

HEAT INDEX VALUES THIS AFTERNOON WILL TOP OUT AROUND 105 TO 109
DEGREES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   HEAT ADVISORY.

HOT AND HUMID WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
WORK WEEK. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL PEAK EACH AFTERNOON BETWEEN 105
AND 109 DEGREES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NCZ023-039-073-271000-
ALAMANCE-RANDOLPH-STANLY-
352 PM EDT TUE JUL 26 2016

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

HEAT INDEX VALUES THIS AFTERNOON WILL TOP OUT AROUND 100 DEGREES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   HEAT ADVISORY.

HOT AND HUMID WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
WORK WEEK. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL PEAK EACH AFTERNOON BETWEEN 103
AND 106 DEGREES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NCZ021-022-038-271000-
FORSYTH-GUILFORD-DAVIDSON-
352 PM EDT TUE JUL 26 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

HEAT INDEX VALUES THIS AFTERNOON WILL TOP OUT AROUND 100 DEGREES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

HOT AND HUMID WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
WORK WEEK. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL PEAK EACH AFTERNOON BETWEEN 100
AND 103 DEGREES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NCZ007-271000-
PERSON-
352 PM EDT TUE JUL 26 2016

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   HEAT ADVISORY.

HEAT INDEX VALUES THIS AFTERNOON WILL TOP OUT AROUND 105 DEGREES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

HOT AND HUMID WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
WORK WEEK. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL PEAK EACH AFTERNOON BETWEEN 100
AND 103 DEGREES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 26, 5:05 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHWarren25 min
Jul 26, 5:41 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHMontgomery34 min
Jul 26, 5:59 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHGuilford31 min
Jul 26, 6:21 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHHalifax39 min
Jul 26, 7:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRAHEdgecombe, Halifax, Nash33 min
Jul 26, 7:50 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementRAHChatham, Wake40 min

Nearby

Heat Advisories in North Carolina, 2016Every heat advisory in 2016

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.