Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, July 2, 2003

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in North Carolina, July 2, 2003
Start: 2003-07-02T09:55
End: 2003-07-02T23:30
Location: North Carolina

July 2, 2003 · NWS MHX · 11 events in 6 counties and zones

8 tornado, 3 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $67,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Newport/Morehead City, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 2, 9:52 AM EST, 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 2, 9:52 AM EST, 3 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
1052 AM EDT WED JUL 02 2003

WILL UPDATE ZFP TO ADJUST TEMPS DOWN THIS AFTN.

ACTIVE LINE OF CELLS ON WARM FRONT BOUNDARY JUST S OF MHX AT 1440Z
WITH SOME MESOS INDICATED IN AREA OF HIGH HELICITY. THIS BOUNDARY
WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK N DURING AFTN WHILE NE-SW LINE NEAR I-95 WILL
MOVE E AND BE OVER AREA MOST OF AFTN. CURRENT FCST IN GOOD SHAPE
EXCEPT WILL LOW MAX TEMPS INLAND WHERE PCPN WILL KEEP HIGHS IN 70S.
COAST COULD STILL SEE L80S WITH WARM/DRY SLOT.

CWF: WINDS GRADUALLY COMING AROUND TO S-SW AS BOUNDARY WORKS N AND
FCST ON TRACK. WILL POST SCA FOR SOUNDS AND NRN WATERS AS WITH-IN 12
HOUR WINDOW.

.MHX...SCA CSTL WTRS AND SOUNDS.

JBM

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 2, 3:00 AM EST, 6 hours 55 minutes before

NCZ029-044>047-079>081-090>095-098-103-104-021200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
400 AM EDT WED JUL 2 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM BILL WILL APPROACH FROM THE SOUTHWEST
TODAY AND PASS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY.  SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS
COULD BE SEVERE...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOS AND DAMAGING WINDS.
DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE LIKELY WITH THE
STRONGER STORMS. LOCALIZED VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE THAT MAY
PRODUCE SOME MINOR FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE PERIOD. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER TODAY.

RAP

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 2, 4:00 AM EST, 5 hours 55 minutes before

NCZ029-044>047-079>081-090>095-098-103-104-021600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
500 AM EDT WED JUL 2 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE TODAY...

THE REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM BILL WILL APPROACH FROM THE
SOUTHWEST TODAY AND PASS NORTH OF THE AREA TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES AND DAMAGING
WINDS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE LIKELY WITH
THE STRONGER STORMS. RESIDENTS SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER AS SOON AS
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

MARINERS SHOULD ALSO MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS.  SMALL
CRAFT ARE URGED TO REMAIN CLOSE TO SAFE HARBOR TODAY.

SOME OF THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH
A QUICK 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE IN A FEW SPOTS. THIS MAY PRODUCE SOME
MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. RESIDENTS IN AREAS PRONE TO
FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST
UPDATES.

RAP

The radar

The Morehead City radar (KMHX), 5 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:53 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 tornado, 3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Carteret

When: July 2, 9:55 AM EST
Where: Carteret County, 5 mi W of Newport
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 20 yd
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 34.783, -76.933

Public report of brief tornado touch down in open field.

Tornado, Carteret

When: July 2, 10:10 AM EST
Where: Carteret County, Atlantic Beach
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.700, -76.733

Atlantic Beach Police reported power lines down and minor damage to a mobile home.

Tornado, Onslow

When: July 2, 11:55 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Onslow County, 15 mi SW of Jacksonville
Rating: F1
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $60,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 34.600, -77.600

Onslow County Emergency Management reported tornado damage to ten homes in the Angola area near the intersection of Highway 53 and Gurganus Road in southwest Onslow county.

Tornado, Onslow

When: July 2, 12:10 PM EST
Where: Onslow County, Half Moon
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 20 yd
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 34.833, -77.450

Public report of brief tornado touchdown in an open field.

Flash Flood, Onslow

When: July 2, 12:45 PM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Onslow County, Richlands
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 34.763, -77.393 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Onslow county 911 center reported flooding along Highway 24 with water up to the bottom of cars.

Tornado, Craven

When: July 2, 1:40 PM EST
Where: Craven County, 4 mi SE of Vanceboro
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.250, -77.117

Craven county 911 center reported tornado damage to a house, small out building, and tree damage.

Tornado, Onslow

When: July 2, 1:53 PM EST
Where: Onslow County, Richlands
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 20 yd
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.900, -77.533

Media reported a brief tornado touch down on Highway 258.

Tornado, Jones

When: July 2, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Jones County, Trenton
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 20 yd
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.067, -77.367

Media reported brief tornado touch down along Highway 58.

Tornado, Pitt

When: July 2, 8:30 PM EST
Where: Pitt County, Ayden
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.1 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.467, -77.433

Pitt county 911 center reported brief tornado touch down which caused roof and tree damage.

Flash Flood, Pitt

When: July 2, 9:30 PM EST to 11:30 PM EST
Where: Pitt County, Simpson
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.594, -77.375 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Skywarn spotter reported flooding along Blackjack and Simpson Roads.

Flash Flood, Lenoir

When: July 2, 9:33 PM EST to 11:30 PM EST
Where: Lenoir County, North Portion
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.239, -77.641 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lenoir County Emergency Management reported Highway 70 closed east of Lagrange. Major flooding of secondary roads across the northern part of the county was also reported with numerous roads washed out and closed.

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history The tornado archive for North Carolina, 2003 Warnings in North Carolina, July 2003

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5370507, 5370508, 5370509, 5370510, 5370586, 5370587, 5370588, 5370589, 5370590, 5370591, 5370592.