During the afternoon of August 15th a few isolated severe thunderstorms developed along the piedmont trough resulting in wind damage and several home fires from lightning.
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 episode as NWS RAH wrote it up.
During the afternoon of August 15th a few isolated severe thunderstorms developed along the piedmont trough resulting in wind damage and several home fires from lightning.
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 Aug 15, 1:45 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 245 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL PERSIST ACROSS CENTRAL VIRGINIA THROUGH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH TONIGHT... AS A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES PASSES OVER THE AREA. SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR WILL WORK INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST SATURDAY... ALTHOUGH A PERSISTENT TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL KEEP THE WEATHER UNSETTLED... ESPECIALLY ALONG AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 95... THROUGH THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 220 PM FRIDAY... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING ACROSS NORTHERN AND WESTERN SECTIONS OF CENTRAL NC... INCLUDING THE TRIANGLE AND TRIAD AREAS. THE COLUMN CONTINUES TO DESTABILIZE THIS AFTERNOON WITH MUCAPES EXCEEDING 2000 J/KG WITH MLCAPES OF 1000-1500 J/KG. EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR IS UP TO 30-35 KTS... SUFFICIENT FOR ORGANIZED STORMS... AND LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES HAVE STEEPENED TO 8.5 C/KM WITH GOOD HEATING SO FAR TODAY ACROSS THE AREA. THESE FAVORABLE THERMODYNAMICS WITH ADDITIONAL LIFT FROM MID LEVEL PERTURBATIONS AND FORCING IN THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF THE UPPER JET SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AT LEAST SCATTERED STORMS THROUGH MID EVENING... WITH DISCRETE CELLS OR BOWING SEGMENTS TRAVERSING WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA. THE 30+ C THETA-E DIFFERENCE IN THE LOWEST 300 MB OF THE 12Z GSO SOUNDING AND THE INCREASING DOWNDRAFT CAPE TO MORE THAN 800 J/KG AT LAST OBSERVATION WOULD FAVOR DAMAGING WIND AS THE PRIMARY THREAT... BUT THE MARGINAL MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES OF LESS THAN 5.5 C/KM SHOULD LIMIT INTENSE ACCELERATIONS IN THE HAIL GROWTH ZONE AND HENCE MAY KEEP LARGE HAIL OCCURRENCES TO A MINIMUM. THE SEVERE WEATHER RISK SHOULD SPREAD INTO EASTERN PORTIONS OVER THE AREA EAST OF I-95 LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO MID EVENING. THE LATEST NAM... WHICH HANDLED THE ISOLATED NORTHERN SC STORMS QUITE WELL EARLY THIS MORNING... DROPS CONVECTION SOUTHEAST OF OUR CWA SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT... AND THIS LOOKS REASONABLE AS THE COLUMN STARTS TO STABILIZE WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING. HOWEVER IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST CWA... WITH THE LIKELIHOOD OF POOLING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE... CONTINUED HIGH SURFACE DEW POINTS AND PRECIPITABLE WATER... AND THE LINGERING PRESENCE OF THE UPPER JET RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION... WE MAY SEE A RISK OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS THERE WELL INTO THE NIGHT. WILL CONTINUE LOW TEMPS ABOVE GUIDANCE... 63-68. -GIH && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 230 PM FRIDAY... SATURDAY...SHORT-TERM MODELS SUGGEST THAT THE DIFFUSE SURFACE TROUGH AND LOW-LEVEL THETA-E AXIS WILL EXTEND ACROSS THE COASTAL PLAINS SATURDAY MORNING. THE GFS THEN HINTS THAT THE SURFACE TROUGH RETROGRADING SLIGHTLY WESTWARD INTO THE SANDHILLS...CENTRAL PIEDMONT BY THE AFTERNOON AS THE SHORTWAVE ENERGY PIVOTS ACROSS THE REGION...THROUGH THE BASE OF THE POSITIVELY TILTED MID-LEVEL TROUGH. MUCH LIKE TODAY...STEEP LOW-LEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL SUPPORT MLCAPE VALUES OF 1500 TO 2000 JOULES ACROSS THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST...WITH DEEP LAYER CYCLONIC FLOW AROUND 25KTS. AGAIN LIKE TODAY...MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES ARE NOT OVERLY IMPRESSIVE...LESS THAN 6 C/KG...ALTHOUGH THEY INCREASE IN THE WEST LATE IN THE AFTERNOON WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SHORTWAVE DYNAMICS. COULD SEE AN ISOLATED STORM OR TWO REACH SEVERE LIMITS...SO WILL MENTION THE THREAT OF SEVERE IN THE HWO MAINLY FROM US 1 EAST. HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S. SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE ENERGY SWINGS EAST OF THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT...BUT LEAVES BEHIND MID AND UPPER LEVEL TROUGHINESS OVER THE AREA THROUGH MONDAY. THE GFS IS MORE AMPLIFIED WITH THE TROUGH THAN THE NAM...AND THUS HANGS UP THE SURFACE TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED MOISTURE FARTHER NORTH FARTHER ALONG THE COASTAL PLAIN REGION...AND CONSEQUENTLY DEVELOPS CONVECTION ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST ZONES SUNDAY AFTERNOON WITH MLCAPES AROUND 500 TO 700 J/KG. A WEAK 1016 MB SURFACE RIDGE ATTEMPTS TO BUILD INTO WESTERN NC...RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANTLY DRIER AND STABLE CONDITIONS IN THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT. WILL ADD AN ISOLATED/SLIGHT CHANCE POP ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIER FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON. HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S ACROSS THE PIEDMONT WITH UPPER 80S IN THE COASTAL PLAIN. LOW-LEVEL THETA-E AXIS SHIFTS EAST ON MONDAY...IN CONJUNCTION WITH DAMPENING MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS. RAIN CHANCES LOOK TO BE EAST OF THE AREA...ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST. WILL REMOVE SLIGHT CHANCE ACROSS THE EAST. NEARLY IDENTICAL THICKNESSES TO SUNDAY...BUT LESS IN THE WAY OF CLOUDS/PRECIP...HIGHS IN THE 85 TO 90. LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MID 60S. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 230 PM FRIDAY... AT THE START OF THE PERIOD...ALL ATTENTION WILL TURN SOUTH TOWARDS THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN/EASTERN COAST OF FLORIDA AS THERE IS STRONG CONSENSUS AMONG BOTH DYNAMICAL AND HURRICANE MODELS THAT THE TROPICAL WAVE CURRENTLY OVER PUERTO RICO/DOMINICAN REPUBLIC...WILL STRENGTHEN INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE AS IT MAKES A TURN TOWARDS THE NORTH. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE TWO CRITICAL FEATURES THAT WILL GREATLY INFLUENCE THE EVENTUAL TRACK OF THIS TROPICAL ENTITY WILL BE THE WESTERN EXTENT OF THE BERMUDA HIGH AND THE MID-LEVEL WEAKNESS LEFT BEHIND THE DEPARTING NE CONUS/SOUTHERN CANADA S/W TROUGH. THE ECMWF AND GFS ARE UNIQUE WITH ONE ANOTHER WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THESE FEATURES...AS BOTH FALL WITHIN THE ENVELOPE OF THE VARIOUS HURRICANE MODEL TRACKS. AS IT ALWAYS THE CASE...STORM INTENSITY REMAINS QUITE UNCERTAINTY....AS THE SYSTEM WILL GREATLY IMPACTED BY SEVERAL LANDMASSES AS IT TRACKS THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN...WITH THE POTENTIAL TO THEN MOVE NORTH...PARALLELING THE WARM WATERS OF THE GULF STREAM. SO INTENSIFICATION WILL BE A CONCERN. ALL INTERESTS ANYWHERE ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN US WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. WILL CONTINUE TREND OF PREVIOUS FORECAST OVER CENTRAL NC...WITH A DIURNAL TREND IN POPS...WITH SLIGHT CHANCE POPS EARLY TO MID WEEK INCREASING TO SMALL CHANCE POPS THU AND FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES NEAR CLIMATOLOGY. && .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 230 PM FRIDAY... WITH SCATTERED STORMS LIKELY TO AFFECT ALL CENTRAL NC TAF SITES THROUGH 02Z THIS EVENING... WE ARE LIKELY TO SEE A 1-2 HOUR PERIOD OF MVFR-IFR CIGS AND VSBYS WITH TYPICAL THUNDERSTORM WINDS... 15 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS... ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED STORM OR TWO MAY PRODUCE SEVERE WINDS OVER 50 KTS. AVIATION INTERESTS SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY ALERT IN AND WELL AROUND STORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE... NOTHING MORE THAN SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS AOA 5000 FT WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE EVENING... FOLLOWED BY MVFR VSBYS IN FOG AFTER 08Z TONIGHT. ANY FOG SHOULD DISSIPATE BY 13Z... AND VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL INTO EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. LOOKING BEYOND 18Z SATURDAY... EXPECT ANOTHER CHANCE OF STORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING... ONLY AN ISOLATED RISK AT INT/GSO/RDU WITH A BETTER CHANCE AT RWI AND ESPECIALLY FAY. MVFR FOG IS POSSIBLE SUNDAY MORNING... AND MORE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE AT FAY SUNDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. OTHERWISE... VFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED. -GIH && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...HARTFIELD NEAR TERM...HARTFIELD SHORT TERM...CBL LONG TERM...CBL AVIATION...HARTFIELD
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 349 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2008 NCZ007>009-021>025-038>040-073-074-083-162000- PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE-ORANGE-DURHAM- DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-ANSON- 349 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2008 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 833 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE COMBINED WITH A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN PIEDMONT WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND STRONG DAYTIME HEATING WILL BRING A THREAT OR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS. NCZ028-042-043-077-078-085-086-088-089-162000- EDGECOMBE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-HARNETT-WAYNE-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND- SAMPSON- 349 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE COMBINED WITH A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN PIEDMONT WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND STRONG DAYTIME HEATING WILL BRING A THREAT OR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAINLY FROM HWY US 1 EAST...AS THE SURFACE TROUGH SHIFTS OVER THE COASTAL PLAINS. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS COULD REACH SEVERE LIMITS...AS STRONG AFTERNOON HEATING IS EXPECTED. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT IN ANY STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS. NCZ010-011-026-027-041-075-076-084-162000- WARREN-HALIFAX-FRANKLIN-NASH-WAKE-MOORE-LEE-RICHMOND- 349 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 2008 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 833 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE COMBINED WITH A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN PIEDMONT WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND STRONG DAYTIME HEATING WILL BRING A THREAT OR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAINLY FROM HWY US 1 EAST...AS THE SURFACE TROUGH SHIFTS OVER THE COASTAL PLAINS. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS COULD REACH SEVERE LIMITS...AS STRONG AFTERNOON HEATING IS EXPECTED. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT IN ANY STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS.
The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 42 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:56 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were blown down at the intersection of Highway 64 and New Hill Road.
Two homes struck by lightning in the Raleigh caught fire resulting in extensive damage to each home.
Fire crews responded to a tree which fell onto a parked vehicle near Durant Road and Mount Vernon Church Road. The car was unoccupied at the time.
Law enforcement reported several trees which were blown down on White Store Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 2008
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: 114323, 114326, 114324, 114325.