Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Raleigh, NC

March 18, 2021Alamance County, Guilford County, North Carolina

NWS Raleigh, NC issued this tornado warning at Mar 18, 2021, 5:34 PM EDT for Alamance County, Guilford County, North Carolina. It was in force for 26 min. 4 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: Mar 18, 2021, 5:34 PM EDT (21:34 UTC)
Expired: Mar 18, 2021, 6:00 PM EDT
In force: 26 min
Issued by: NWS Raleigh, NC
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Alamance County, NC, Guilford County, NC

The radar

The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 104 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:39 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
Mar 18, 5:38 PM EDT	TORNADO	3 S Gibsonville, NC	NWS STORM SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED A DISCONTINUOUS PATH OF DAMAGE TO MULTIPLE STRUCTURES AND TREES CONSISTENT WITH THAT OF AN EF-1 TORNADO. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND INTERMITTENTLY FOR 6 MINUTES BEFORE LIFTING. PATH LENGTH ESTIMATED AT 2.5 MILES. PATH WIDTH A
Mar 18, 5:40 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 S Gibsonville, NC	ROOFS OFF HOUSES, MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ALONG ETHANS WAY.
Mar 18, 5:50 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 S Elon College, NC	OVERTURNED AND DAMAGED BUS FROM THUNDERSTORM WINDS REPORTED.
Mar 18, 5:50 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 S Elon College, NC	TREE REPORTED DOWN NEAR ELON 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
Mar 18, 4:45 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 38 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 486 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 67 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 470 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 562 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

996 
WFUS52 KRAH 182134
TORRAH
NCC001-081-182200-
/O.NEW.KRAH.TO.W.0003.210318T2134Z-210318T2200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
534 PM EDT Thu Mar 18 2021

The National Weather Service in Raleigh has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northern Alamance County in central North Carolina...
  Southeastern Guilford County in central North Carolina...

* Until 600 PM EDT.
    
* At 534 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near McLeansville, or 8 miles west of Burlington,
  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...
  Elon around 545 PM EDT.
  Burlington around 550 PM EDT.
  Graham around 555 PM EDT.
  Mebane around 600 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Lake
Guilford Mackintosh Marina, Forest Oaks, Alamance, Lake Burlington
and Haw River.

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 3624 7926 3607 7926 3595 7961 3597 7975
      3608 7969 3624 7953 3625 7953
TIME...MOT...LOC 2134Z 244DEG 32KT 3606 7961 

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

$$

26

2 follow-up statements

182 
WWUS52 KRAH 182143
SVSRAH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
543 PM EDT Thu Mar 18 2021

NCC001-081-182200-
/O.CON.KRAH.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210318T2200Z/
Alamance NC-Guilford NC-
543 PM EDT Thu Mar 18 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM EDT FOR NORTHERN
ALAMANCE AND EAST CENTRAL GUILFORD COUNTIES...
    
At 543 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Elon, or over Burlington, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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...
  Graham around 555 PM EDT.
  Mebane around 600 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Lake
Cammack Park & Marina, Altamahaw-Ossipee, Glen Raven, Lake Mackintosh
Marina and Lake Guilford Mackintosh Marina.

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 3624 7926 3607 7926 3598 7952 3600 7956
      3612 7958 3624 7953 3625 7953
TIME...MOT...LOC 2143Z 248DEG 34KT 3609 7950 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

26

319 
WWUS52 KRAH 182151 RRA
SVSRAH

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
551 PM EDT Thu Mar 18 2021

NCC081-182201-
/O.CAN.KRAH.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210318T2200Z/
Guilford NC-
551 PM EDT Thu Mar 18 2021

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

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for central North
Carolina.

LAT...LON 3624 7926 3607 7926 3602 7940 3606 7948
      3616 7949 3625 7947
TIME...MOT...LOC 2151Z 248DEG 34KT 3612 7942 

$$

NCC001-182200-
/O.CON.KRAH.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210318T2200Z/
Alamance NC-
551 PM EDT Thu Mar 18 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM EDT FOR NORTHERN
ALAMANCE COUNTY...
    
At 551 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Burlington, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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...
  Mebane around 600 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Lake
Cammack Park & Marina, Lake Burlington, Glen Raven, Haw River and
Union Ridge.

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 3624 7926 3607 7926 3602 7940 3606 7948
      3616 7949 3625 7947
TIME...MOT...LOC 2151Z 248DEG 34KT 3612 7942 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

26

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 18, 3:55 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth	65 min
Mar 18, 4:41 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RAH	Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford	31 min
Mar 18, 4:54 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RAH	Guilford, Randolph	66 min
Mar 18, 5:07 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Halifax	23 min
Mar 18, 5:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Alamance, Chatham, Davidson, Guilford, Randolph	62 min
Mar 18, 5:37 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Montgomery, Randolph, Stanly	38 min
Mar 18, 5:58 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RAH	Alamance, Durham, Orange, Person	62 min
Mar 18, 6:07 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Anson, Richmond	38 min
Mar 18, 6:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Alamance, Orange	66 min
Mar 18, 6:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Stanly	47 min
Mar 18, 6:39 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RAH	Durham, Orange	34 min
Mar 18, 6:41 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RAH	Granville	34 min
Mar 18, 6:45 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Anson, Hoke, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond	45 min
Mar 18, 6:57 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RAH	Granville	48 min
Mar 18, 6:59 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Alamance, Chatham, Orange, Randolph	21 min
Mar 18, 7:11 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RAH	Halifax, Vance, Warren	54 min
Mar 18, 7:12 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Durham, Orange	63 min
Mar 18, 7:25 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	RAH	Franklin, Vance, Warren	47 min
Mar 18, 7:30 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RAH	Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Lee, Moore	45 min
Mar 18, 7:41 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	RAH	Hoke, Scotland	64 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2021 Every tornado warning in 2021 Tornadoes in 2021

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.