8 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
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 Raleigh, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 2, 8:40 AM EST, 1 hour 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 940 AM EDT SUN MAY 2 2004 .UPDATE... BAND OF MAINLY SHOWERS...THUNDER VERY ISOLATED... MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL SECTIONS AT THE MOMENT. RADAR TRENDS INDICATE BANDS WEAKENING. ALREADY SEEING SOME BREAKS TO THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST PER LATEST VISIBLE AND OBSERVATIONS. THUS MAY NEED TO NUDGE TEMPERATURES UP A BIT... ESPECIALLY EASTERN HALF. LOW LEVEL THICKNESS SCHEME INDICATE UPPER 70S NORTHWEST TO LOWER 80S SOUTHEAST. ADDITIONALLY...BREAKS AND WARMER TEMPERATURES WILL ALLOW FOR BETTER CHANCE FOR THUNDER AND POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO EVENING. MODIFIED SOUNDING INDICATE CAPES 3-4K FROM WEST TO EAST WITH LI-S...-7 TO -9. MAIN THREAT CONTINUES TO BE STRONG WINDS. EXPECT THE BEST CHANCE FOR SHOWERS/TSTMS TO COME WITH PREFRONTAL BAND AHEAD OF FRONT LATE AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. WILL WAIT FOR 10 AM OBS BEFORE FINAL ADJUSTMENTS ON TEMPERATURES. && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... MAIN FOCUS FOR SIGNIFICANT RAIN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS EVENT IS NEAR SURFACE DYNAMICS. EXPECT WIDESPREAD RAIN INTO OUR NORTHWEST (TRIAD) BY 20Z IF NOT EARLIER...AND SPREADING SOUTHEAST BEFORE MIDNIGHT. EXPECT AN ADDITIONAL ONE INCH OF RAIN ACROSS OUR AREA. NEAR SATURATED AIR MASS WITH RESPECTABLE 40 KNOTS OR SO AT 850 MB. SPEED AND DIRECTIONAL SHEAR IS MINIMAL AS IS POTENTIAL ENERGY. WOULD NOT AT ALL BE SURPRISED IF THUNDER IS ISOLATED. SEVERE THREAT IS PRESENT BUT LOOKS ISOLATED AS WELL WITH MINIMAL SEVERE WIND GUSTS POSSIBLE WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM BUT PERHAPS MOST LIKELY WITH THE FRONT. VORTICITY CENTER FORECAST TO PASS THROUGH MONDAY TOO STRONG TO IGNORE ALTHOUGH MID AND UPPER LEVELS RELATIVELY DRY AND 500 MB TEMPERATURE A WARM MINUS TWELVE OR SO NEAR 12Z. UPPER LEVELS COOL THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES APPROACH DRY ADIABATIC. THE THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS MAY BE SUPERIOR TO SUNDAY (TODAY) ALTHOUGH LIKELY STILL AN ISOLATED THREAT. MOISTURE APPEARS TO BE FORECAST TO MOVE OUT ALOFT OMITTING THE CHANCE FOR DOWNBURST ENHANCING MID LEVEL DRY POCKETS...BUT THIS WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED. EXPECT AT LEAST A LITTLE SUN TODAY AND THICKNESS COMPARABLE TO SATURDAY. WITH WIDESPREAD RAINS HOLDING OFF...HIGHS SHOULD GENERALLY BE WARMER TODAY THAN SATURDAY. THICKNESS TUESDAY MORNING FORECAST TO RETURN TO VALUES SIMILAR TO LAST WEDNESDAY WHEN MID TO UPPER 30S WERE COMMON. HOWEVER NORMAL COLD BIAS IN THE MODELS SHOULD LIFT THESE NUMBERS UPWARD ON LATER MODEL RUNS. NO THIRTIES FORECAST FOR TUESDAY MORNING FOR NOW...BUT NOT ENTIRELY RULED OUT. MODELS FORECASTING A RIPPLE IN THE UPPER FLOW TO SWEEP ACROSS THE AREA LATE TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT AND ASSOCIATED MIXING AND CLOUDINESS SHOULD LIFT MORNING LOWS WEDNESDAY. A WARMING TREND COMMENCES AFTER THAT AS THE PATTERN BOTH SURFACE AND ALOFT BECOMES RELATIVELY WEAK. HIGHS MOVE ABOVE NORMAL THURSDAY AND SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE NORMAL BY THE WEEKEND.---RLH && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. && RA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 555 AM EDT SUN MAY 2 2004 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-021200-ALAMANCE NC-ANSON NC-CHATHAM NC-CUMBERLAND NC-DAVIDSON NC-DURHAM NC-EDGECOMBE NC-FORSYTH NC-FRANKLIN NC-GRANVILLE NC-GUILFORD NC-HALIFAX NC-HARNETT NC-HOKE NC-JOHNSTON NC-LEE NC-MONTGOMERY NC-MOORE NC-NASH NC-ORANGE NC-PERSON NC-RANDOLPH NC-RICHMOND NC-SAMPSON NC-SCOTLAND NC-STANLY NC-VANCE NC-WAKE NC-WARREN NC-WAYNE NC-WILSON NC- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALBEMARLE...ASHEBORO...BURLINGTON... CARTHAGE...CARY...CHAPEL HILL...CLINTON...CREEDMOOR... DOWNTOWN RALEIGH...DURHAM...FAYETTEVILLE...FORT BRAGG...GOLDSBORO... GRAHAM...GREENSBORO...HALIFAX...HENDERSON...HIGH POINT... HILLSBOROUGH...LAURINBURG...LEXINGTON...LILLINGTON...LOUISBURG... MOUNT OLIVE...NASHVILLE...OXFORD...PITTSBORO...RAEFORD...RANDLEMAN... ROANOKE RAPIDS...ROCKINGHAM...ROCKY MOUNT...ROXBORO...SANFORD... SILER CITY...SMITHFIELD...SOUTHERN PINES...TARBORO...TROY... WADESBORO...WARRENTON...WEST RALEIGH AND WINSTON-SALEM 555 AM EDT SUN MAY 2 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND THIS EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREAT WOULD BE BRIEF GUSTY WINDS TO 55 MPH. IN ADDITION THERE IS A SMALL RISK THAT SHOWERS COULD TRAIN OVER THE SAME LOCATION...PRODUCING ISOLATED BRIEF FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE THROUGH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA MONDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS BEING MONITORED REGARDING THE POTENTIAL FOR GENERATING ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE PRIMARY THREAT WOULD BE DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. RLH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 555 AM EDT SUN MAY 2 2004 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-021200-ALAMANCE NC-ANSON NC-CHATHAM NC-CUMBERLAND NC-DAVIDSON NC-DURHAM NC-EDGECOMBE NC-FORSYTH NC-FRANKLIN NC-GRANVILLE NC-GUILFORD NC-HALIFAX NC-HARNETT NC-HOKE NC-JOHNSTON NC-LEE NC-MONTGOMERY NC-MOORE NC-NASH NC-ORANGE NC-PERSON NC-RANDOLPH NC-RICHMOND NC-SAMPSON NC-SCOTLAND NC-STANLY NC-VANCE NC-WAKE NC-WARREN NC-WAYNE NC-WILSON NC- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALBEMARLE...ASHEBORO...BURLINGTON... CARTHAGE...CARY...CHAPEL HILL...CLINTON...CREEDMOOR... DOWNTOWN RALEIGH...DURHAM...FAYETTEVILLE...FORT BRAGG...GOLDSBORO... GRAHAM...GREENSBORO...HALIFAX...HENDERSON...HIGH POINT... HILLSBOROUGH...LAURINBURG...LEXINGTON...LILLINGTON...LOUISBURG... MOUNT OLIVE...NASHVILLE...OXFORD...PITTSBORO...RAEFORD...RANDLEMAN... ROANOKE RAPIDS...ROCKINGHAM...ROCKY MOUNT...ROXBORO...SANFORD... SILER CITY...SMITHFIELD...SOUTHERN PINES...TARBORO...TROY... WADESBORO...WARRENTON...WEST RALEIGH AND WINSTON-SALEM 555 AM EDT SUN MAY 2 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND THIS EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREAT WOULD BE BRIEF GUSTY WINDS TO 55 MPH. IN ADDITION THERE IS A SMALL RISK THAT SHOWERS COULD TRAIN OVER THE SAME LOCATION...PRODUCING ISOLATED BRIEF FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE THROUGH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA MONDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS BEING MONITORED REGARDING THE POTENTIAL FOR GENERATING ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE PRIMARY THREAT WOULD BE DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. RLH
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 745 AM EDT SUN MAY 2 2004 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-022331- ALAMANCE NC-ANSON NC-CHATHAM NC-CUMBERLAND NC-DAVIDSON NC-DURHAM NC-EDGECOMBE NC-FORSYTH NC-FRANKLIN NC-GRANVILLE NC-GUILFORD NC-HALIFAX NC-HARNETT NC-HOKE NC-JOHNSTON NC-LEE NC-MONTGOMERY NC-MOORE NC-NASH NC-ORANGE NC-PERSON NC-RANDOLPH NC-RICHMOND NC-SAMPSON NC-SCOTLAND NC-STANLY NC-VANCE NC-WAKE NC-WARREN NC-WAYNE NC-WILSON NC- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALBEMARLE...ASHEBORO...BURLINGTON... CARTHAGE...CARY...CHAPEL HILL...CLINTON...CREEDMOOR... DOWNTOWN RALEIGH...DURHAM...FAYETTEVILLE...FORT BRAGG...GOLDSBORO... GRAHAM...GREENSBORO...HALIFAX...HENDERSON...HIGH POINT... HILLSBOROUGH...LAURINBURG...LEXINGTON...LILLINGTON...LOUISBURG... MOUNT OLIVE...NASHVILLE...OXFORD...PITTSBORO...RAEFORD...RANDLEMAN... ROANOKE RAPIDS...ROCKINGHAM...ROCKY MOUNT...ROXBORO...SANFORD... SILER CITY...SMITHFIELD...SOUTHERN PINES...TARBORO...TROY... WADESBORO...WARRENTON...WEST RALEIGH AND WINSTON-SALEM 745 AM EDT SUN MAY 2 2004 ...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING... .SKYWARN SPOTTERS... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT THREATENING WEATHER OF ANY KIND TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. .SYNOPTIC PATTERN... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. .HAZARDOUS WEATHER DETAILS... SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. SOME STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THE STRONG STORMS WOULD BE BRIEF GUSTY WINDS UP TO 55 MPH. IN ADDITION THERE IS A SMALL RISK THAT SHOWERS COULD TRAIN OVER THE SAME LOCATION... PRODUCING ISOLATED BRIEF FLOODING. ANOTHER SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE ISSUED AROUND NOON. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WATCHES AND WARNINGS. RA/RLH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were snapped and homes had shingles blown off. An outbuilding was blown off its foundation, and a tin roof was blown off a building. The damage occurred on Yelverton Grove Road.
Trees were blown down near an elementary school on the northeast side of Goldboro.
Numerous trees were blown down on Matthews Road, Good News Church Road, and Holdens Crossroads.
About 20 trees were blown down.
Minor damage was reported to 13 structures. Shingles and a porch were blown off homes, and a gas station canopy was blown down.
A trailer was blown off its foundation at Highway 421 and Raven Rock Road.
A tornado produced damage from Jackson Road to Christian Light Road to Cokesbury Road. Three homes had roof damage, and a tree fell on a mobile home. Several sheds and vehicles were also damaged. About 3 dozen large trees were blown down or snapped.
Trees were blown down.
5 trees were blown down, blocking several roads.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Carolina, 2004Warnings in North Carolina, May 2004
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: 5394093, 5394085, 5394086, 5394087, 5394088, 5394089, 5394090, 5394091, 5394092.