Alert archive / North Carolina / Mesoscale Discussions in 2017

Mesoscale Discussion 929

May 31, 201723 counties in North Carolina

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at May 31, 2017, 2:33 PM EDT for 23 counties in North Carolina. It was in force for 117 min.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 31, 2017, 2:33 PM EDT (18:33 UTC)
Expired
May 31, 2017, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
117 min
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Chance of a watch
20%
All 23 counties

Bertie County, NC, Cumberland County, NC, Duplin County, NC, Edgecombe County, NC, Franklin County, NC, Greene County, NC, Halifax County, NC, Harnett County, NC, Hertford County, NC, Hoke County, NC, Johnston County, NC, Lee County, NC, Lenoir County, NC, Martin County, NC, Moore County, NC, Nash County, NC, Pitt County, NC, Robeson County, NC, Sampson County, NC, Scotland County, NC, Wake County, NC, Wayne County, NC, Wilson County, NC

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 40 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:34 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

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 12:00Z, 6.6 hours before the alert went out and 137 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, Newport, NC at 12:00Z on 2017-05-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 629 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, Newport, NC at 12:00Z on 2017-05-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 30 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
629 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-77 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1151 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
17 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

922 
ACUS11 KWNS 311833
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 311833 
NCZ000-SCZ000-312030-

Mesoscale Discussion 0929
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0133 PM CDT Wed May 31 2017

Areas affected...Central and Eastern NC

Concerning...Severe potential...Watch unlikely 

Valid 311833Z - 312030Z

Probability of Watch Issuance...20 percent

SUMMARY...Isolated damaging wind gusts and/or hail are possible over
the next several hours across portions of central and eastern NC.

DISCUSSION...Recent radar imagery showed quick storm development
across central NC over the past hour. Impetus for this development
is likely a fast-moving, low-amplitude shortwave trough embedded
within the enhanced cyclonic flow extending from the TN valley into
the mid-Atlantic. Daytime heating amidst ample low-level moisture
has contributed to modest instability over the region, with recent
mesoanalysis estimating MLCAPE near 1000 J/kg. The stronger
mid-level flow is displaced north of region across the Northeast but
enough mid-level flow (i.e. around 40 kt at 500) and shear (i.e.
effective shear around 40-45 kt) still exists to support rotating
updrafts and modest storm organization. As a result, some hail
and/or damaging wind gusts are possible with the stronger storms.
Limited severe coverage is currently expected to preclude watch
issuance but convective trends across the region will be monitored
closely.

..Mosier/Hart.. 05/31/2017

...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product...

ATTN...WFO...AKQ...MHX...RAH...ILM...

LAT...LON   36057662 35297713 34877776 34577914 34767964 35177983
            35767918 36357795 36437691 36057662

Nearby

Mesoscale Discussions in North Carolina, 2017Every mesoscale discussion in 2017

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.