Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Raleigh, NC

January 12, 2020Cumberland County, Sampson County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this tornado warning at Jan 12, 2020, 12:52 AM EST for Cumberland County, Sampson County, North Carolina. It was in force for 26 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Jan 12, 2020, 12:52 AM EST (05:52 UTC)
Expired: Jan 12, 2020, 1:18 AM EST
In force: 26 min
Issued by: NWS Raleigh, NC
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Cumberland County, NC, Sampson County, NC

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 76 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:52 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 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, 9:35 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	4 hr
Jan 11, 11:25 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Newport, NC (KMHX), launched 00:00Z, 5.9 hours before the alert went out and 154 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: 19 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 634 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 206 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 236 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

912 
WFUS52 KRAH 120552
TORRAH
NCC051-163-120630-
/O.NEW.KRAH.TO.W.0002.200112T0552Z-200112T0630Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
1252 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2020

The National Weather Service in Raleigh has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Sampson County in central North Carolina...
  Southeastern Cumberland County in central North Carolina...

* Until 130 AM EST.
    
* At 1252 AM EST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located 12 miles northeast of Jerome, or 15 miles west
  of Clinton, moving northeast at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Clinton around 115 AM EST.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Salemburg, Autryville and Roseboro.

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 you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3491 7866 3499 7871 3516 7839 3495 7831
TIME...MOT...LOC 0552Z 245DEG 32KT 3499 7860 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

77

3 follow-up statements

845 
WWUS52 KRAH 120559
SVSRAH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
1259 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2020

NCC051-120609-
/O.CAN.KRAH.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-200112T0630Z/
Cumberland NC-
1259 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN CUMBERLAND COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 200 AM EST for
central North Carolina. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch also remains in
effect until 500 AM EST for central North Carolina.

LAT...LON 3496 7858 3496 7860 3499 7863 3502 7863
      3516 7839 3498 7832
TIME...MOT...LOC 0559Z 245DEG 32KT 3502 7853 

$$

NCC163-120630-
/O.CON.KRAH.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-200112T0630Z/
Sampson NC-
1259 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 130 AM EST FOR
NORTHWESTERN SAMPSON COUNTY...
    
At 1259 AM EST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 11 miles west of Clinton, moving northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This dangerous storm will be near...
  Clinton around 115 AM EST.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Salemburg.

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 you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3496 7858 3496 7860 3499 7863 3502 7863
      3516 7839 3498 7832
TIME...MOT...LOC 0559Z 245DEG 32KT 3502 7853 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

77

895 
WWUS52 KRAH 120606
SVSRAH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
106 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2020

NCC163-120630-
/O.CON.KRAH.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-200112T0630Z/
Sampson NC-
106 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 130 AM EST FOR NORTH
CENTRAL SAMPSON COUNTY...
    
At 106 AM EST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 7 miles northwest of Clinton, moving northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This dangerous storm will be near...
  Clinton around 115 AM EST.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Salemburg.

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 you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3500 7850 3502 7852 3506 7853 3516 7839
      3502 7833
TIME...MOT...LOC 0606Z 245DEG 32KT 3505 7846 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

77

296 
WWUS52 KRAH 120618
SVSRAH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
118 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2020

NCC163-120627-
/O.CAN.KRAH.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-200112T0630Z/
Sampson NC-
118 AM EST Sun Jan 12 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL SAMPSON COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the warned 
area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 200 AM EST for
central North Carolina. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch also remains in
effect until 500 AM EST for central North Carolina.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Raleigh.

Remember, a Tornado Warning still remains in effect for northeastern 
portions of Sampson County until 145 AM

LAT...LON 3500 7850 3502 7852 3506 7853 3516 7839
      3502 7833
TIME...MOT...LOC 0616Z 245DEG 32KT 3509 7835 

$$

77

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jan 11, 10:00 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Montgomery, Randolph, Stanly	45 min
Jan 11, 10:38 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Anson, Montgomery, Richmond, Stanly	52 min
Jan 11, 10:41 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph	64 min
Jan 11, 11:09 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Hoke, Lee, Moore, Scotland	51 min
Jan 11, 11:11 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Orange, Person	79 min
Jan 11, 11:52 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Lee, Moore and 2 more	68 min
Jan 11, 11:56 PM EST	Tornado Warning	RAH	Cumberland, Hoke	16 min
Jan 12, 12:00 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Nash, Vance, Warren	75 min
Jan 12, 12:18 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Hoke, Scotland	30 min
Jan 12, 12:57 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Cumberland, Edgecombe, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Sampson and 2 more	78 min
Jan 12, 1:15 AM EST	Tornado Warning	RAH	Sampson, Wayne	30 min
Jan 12, 2:09 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Sampson, Wayne	28 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2020 Every tornado warning in 2020 Tornadoes in 2020

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.