The remnants of Hurricane Fay which made landfall along the Louisiana coast moved northeast across central North Carolina producing several weak tornadoes along with significant flash flooding.
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.
The remnants of Hurricane Fay which made landfall along the Louisiana coast moved northeast across central North Carolina producing several weak tornadoes along with significant flash flooding.
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 27, 4:08 AM EST, 22 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 508 AM EDT WED AUG 27 2008 .SYNOPSIS... ABUNDANT MOISTURE FROM THE REMNANTS OF FAY WILL SURGE NORTHWARD FROM THE GULF.... BRINGING CLOUDY...RAINY CONDITIONS TO CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA TODAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 450 AM... FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS DETERMINING THE FATE OF THE CONVERGENCE BOUNDARY NEAR SOUTH CAROLINA. THE NAM KEEPS THIS FEATURE NEARLY STATIONARY TODAY. THE 00Z GFS HAS CONFIRMED THE PREVIOUS RUN AND THE 00Z ECMWF IN MAKING THIS FEATURE MORE DIFFUSE AND LIFTING IT NORTHWARD... ALTHOUGH THE GFS KEEPS THIS FEATURE MORE INTACT THAN THE ECMWF. THE GFS HAS THIS CONVERGENCE ZONE ROUGHLY FROM GOLDSBORO NORTHWEST TO EDEN. WITH THE NAM POOR PERFORMANCE...AND REASONABLE CONTINUITY IN OTHER MODELS...SOMETHING CLOSE TO THE GFS FOLLOWED. WEAK FRONT IN SOUTH VIRGINIA STAYS OUT OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. AS THE REMNANTS OF FAY CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTHWARD WINDS ALOFT WILL WEAKEN WITH TIME TODAY. CURRENT WEAK INSTABILITY AND THIN LOW CAPE VALUES WILL IMPROVE WITH THE HEAT OF THE DAY...WITH BEST THOUGH MUCH WEAKER HELICITY IN OUR NORTHEAST PARTS. AT THIS TIME PARTS OF THE WESTERN PIEDMONT ARE UNDER A TORNADO WATCH. ASSUMING THE WINDS WEAKEN AS EXPECTED... A WATCH DURING THE AFTERNOON IN CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA IS UNLIKELY. AS WINDS WEAKEN TODAY...HEAVIER RAINS CURRENTLY IN THE WESTERN PIEDMONT AND FOOTHILLS SHOULD SUBSIDE AND THE MAIN FOCUS SWITCH TO THE NORTHWARD ADVANCING BOUNDARY. EXPECTING AT LEAST AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF RAIN IN THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT... PERHAPS TAPERING TO TWO THIRDS INCH NORTHEAST...AND LEAST AMOUNTS IN OUR SOUTHEAST. CURRENT FORECAST HIGH TEMPERATURES OF 75 TO 83 SHOULD BE REACHED UNLESS RAIN PERIODS ARE MORE EXTENSIVE IN TIME THAN EXPECTED. MODELS ARE ALL OVER THE BOARD WITH THE BOUNDARY TONIGHT. NAM CONTINUES BOUNDARY STATIONARY NEAR SOUTH CAROLINA...GFS LOCATES IT STATIONARY NEAR HIGHWAY 64...AND ECMWF LIFTS THE BOUNDARY INTO VIRGINIA WHICH SEEMS MOST LOGICAL. WILL CAUTIOUSLY FOLLOW THE ECMWF WITH LOW CONFIDENCE. THUS WILL CONTINUE THE TREND OF THE CURRENT FORECAST IN HAVING HIGHEST RAIN CHANCES NORTH EARLY AND TRENDING CHANCES DOWNWARD AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW TEMPERATURES THURSDAY MORNING NOT FAR FROM THOSE OF THIS MORNING. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 330 AM... A MID AND UPPER LEVEL TROUGH LINGERS TO OUR WEST THURSDAY. TROPICAL AIR MASS BEGINS TO ABATE... BUT THE AMOUNT OF DRYING IS STILL IN QUESTION. WILL LEAVE THE CURRENT FIFTY PERCENT RAIN CHANCE ALONE...AND TIP VALUES ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AFTER THE MORNING MODEL RUNS. THE ABOVE MENTIONED TROUGH PROGRESSES EAST FRIDAY AND COULD LEAVE AREAS WEST OF HIGHWAY ONE DRY. AFTERNOON HIGHS MID 80S THURSDAY AND UPPER 80S FRIDAY. FRIDAY MORNING LOWS SIMILAR TO THE PRIOR NIGHTS WITH LOWS 67 TO 72. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 455 AM WEDNESDAY... FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY: WE SHOULD BE IN THE SUBSIDENT REGION BEHIND A PRIMARY MID LEVEL WAVE -- COMPRISED OF THE REMNANT CIRCULATION FROM FAY AND AN ELONGATED TROUGH ALOFT UPSTREAM OVER IOWA AND MISSOURI THIS MORNING -- THAT IS FORECAST TO EXIT THE MID ATLANTIC COAST FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS SHOULD PUT AN END TO ANY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. HOWEVER... A WEAKNESS IN THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE/WEAK SHEAR AXIS ALOFT WILL LINGER OVER THE CAROLINAS... WHICH IN CONJUNCTION WITH DIURNAL HEATING AND A LEESIDE SURFACE TROUGH... SHOULD PROVIDE FOR A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THIS SHOULD BE THE WARMEST DAY OF THE PERIOD WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO AROUND 90. A SURFACE FRONT IS THEN FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS OUR REGION LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. DEPENDING ON THE EXACT TIMING AND RESULTANT POSITIONING OF THE SURFACE FRONT BY PEAK HEATING SUNDAY AFTERNOON... ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE APT TO DEVELOP INVOF THE FRONT... WHICH AT THIS TIME IS EXPECTED TO LIE ACROSS OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES BY THAT TIME. SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY: A 1025 MB SURFACE HIGH IS THEN FORECAST TO BUILD DOWN THE EAST COAST BENEATH AND AHEAD OF AN AMPLIFYING MID LEVEL RIDGE FROM THE TN VALLEY TO SOUTHERN CANADA. THIS WILL PROVIDE FOR DRY AND SOMEWHAT COOLER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA... WITH PERIODS OF MAINLY DIURNAL STRATOCUMULUS BENEATH A MID LEVEL SUBSIDENCE INVERSION... COURTESY OF MOIST NORTHEASTERLY FLOW FROM THE ATLANTIC. -MWS && .AVIATION /07Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 230 AM WEDNESDAY... SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER SOUTHERN QUEBEC WILL CONTINUE TO EXTEND SOUTHWARD INTO THE MID ATLANTIC STATES... AND RESULT IN CONTINUED COLD AIR DAMMING AND RESULTANT LIFR TO MVFR CEILINGS AND MOSTLY MVFR VISIBILITIES ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL NC THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. IN ADDITION... STRONG AND VERY MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW ABOVE 2000 FEET WILL CONTINUE TO OVERRUN EASTERLY SURFACE WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SURFACE HIGH... AND RESULT IN WIDESPREAD RAIN THROUGH MID-MORNING... MOST CONCENTRATED AT KGSO/KINT AND POINTS SOUTHWEST WHERE THE MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW IS EXPECTED TO BE STRONGEST AND WHERE THE SLOPING TERRAIN WILL AUGMENT LIFT. THE CHARACTER OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY BECOME MORE CONVECTIVE/SHOWERY IN NATURE THIS AFTERNOON... ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A WARM FRONT THAT IS FORECAST TO RETREAT SLOWLY NORTHWARD FROM SOUTH CAROLINA THIS MORNING. CEILINGS WILL ALSO LIKELY RISE TO MVFR OR PERHAPS EVEN VFR TO THE SOUTH OF THIS BOUNDARY... WHILE LIFR/IFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST TO THE NORTH WHERE THE SATURATED COLD AIR DAMMING AIRMASS IS APT TO PERSIST. THUS... EXPECT THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDER AND MVFR OR BETTER CEILINGS AT KFAY THIS AFTERNOON... FOR EXAMPLE. LIFR/IFR CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP AT ALL TERMINALS TONIGHT (OR CONTINUE WHERE THEY NEVER IMPROVE THIS AFTERNOON)... AS NOCTURNAL COOLING STRENGTHENS THE SATURATED COLD AIR DAMMING AIRMASS. LOOKING BEYOND TONIGHT... THURSDAY WILL BE A DAY OF TRANSITION FROM THE VERY POOR AVIATION CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD AIR DAMMING TO VFR CONDITIONS BY FRIDAY. GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS... ASIDE FROM BRIEFLY REDUCED CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES IN DIURNAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS (MAINLY IN THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE)... ARE THEN EXPECTED THROUGH SUNDAY. -MWS && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM... SHORT TERM... LONG TERM...MWS AVIATION...MWS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 514 AM EDT WED AUG 27 2008 NCZ038-039-073-074-083-084-280915- DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-ANSON-RICHMOND- 514 AM EDT WED AUG 27 2008 ...TORNADO WATCH 869 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING. LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD PRODUCE A HALF INCH OR MORE OF RAIN IN LESS THAN A HALF HOUR. LOW LYING AREAS... URBAN AREAS... AND LOCATIONS WITH POOR DRAINAGE SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION ZONES WILL BE PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS. NCZ021>023-280915- FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE- 514 AM EDT WED AUG 27 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING. LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD PRODUCE A HALF INCH OF RAIN OR MORE IN LESS THAN A HALF HOUR. LOW LYING AREAS... URBAN AREAS... AND LOCATIONS WITH POOR DRAINAGE SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION ZONES WILL BE PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS. NCZ007>011-024>028-040>043-075>078-085-086-088-089-280915- PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH- EDGECOMBE-CHATHAM-WAKE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE- SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON- 514 AM EDT WED AUG 27 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING. LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD PRODUCE A QUARTER TO HALF INCH OF RAIN IN LESS THAN A HALF HOUR. LOW LYING AREAS... URBAN AREAS... AND LOCATIONS WITH POOR DRAINAGE SUCH AS CONSTRUCTION ZONES WILL BE PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS.
The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:31 UTC.
16 flash flood, 6 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous roads were flooded and closed in central Davidson County in and around Lexington. Arthur Drive and Washington Avenue in Lexington were both flooded with three feet of water. Winston Road, Highway 70 and Highway 29 were also flooded and closed for a time.
Several roads around Asheboro were flooded and closed including Highway 1 at Salisbury Street.
Major flooding occurred in portions of Greensboro. Wendover Avenue was closed near Lathan Park and near Bridford Road. The Ashley Creek Apartments along Buffalo Creek experinced floodng and evacuations were necessary. Numerous other roads in the city limits were also closed due to flooding.
Law enforcement reported several roads flooded including Beroth Road in the Lewisville area.
A weak tornado briefly touched down along Applewood Road. Most of the damage was confined to two outbuildings and numerous trees in the area. Moderately sized cement yard statures were also tossed along with the under the skirting of a manufactured home. A light metal carport was thrown well across Applewood Road.
A few large trees were blown down across Old Warsaw Road.
Law enforcement reported numerous roads closed due to flooding in western Alamance county including several road closures in Gibsonville.
A large tree was blown down across White Memorial Drive blocking traffic.
Local fire deparments and law enforcement reported a brief tornado touchdown near the intersection of Covered Bridge Road and Thanksgiving Road. Multiple trees were snapped and uprooted in the highly wooded area.
Highway patrol and trained spotters reported a weak tornado bouncing along the ground from hear Highway 42 and Lloyd Road to near Interstate 95 and Bloomery Road. The tornado reportedly moved through fields of soy beans and tobacco.
Law enforcement reported major flooding over eastern Guilford county. Blakeshire Road was washed out. Numerous other roads were closed due to flooding including Highway 61 near Cone Club Road, Ingled Road, Bethel Church Road and Brightwood Church Road.
Flooding of numerous roads was reported around Randelman. Highway 220 was closed due to flooding along with many roads near Climax.
Major flooding was reported over portions of Alamance county. Highway 62 was closed due to flooding from Burlington southeast. Numerous roads in Burlington were also closed due to flooding. A portion of Phibbs Road near Highway 87 was flooded by two feet of water. Highway 119 between Jim Minor Road and Turner Road was flooded by one foot of water.
A weak tornado initially touched down along Jesse Bridges Road between Smith Hudson Road and Rufus Brewer Road. Most of the damage occurred along Jesse Bridges Road with very large trees blown down in different directions. There was considerable damage to an outbuilding and in one case a window screen was torn from a porch and placed on a weathervane on the roof of a home. Some homes had experinced peeled aluminum|siding. Several downed trees were noted near the intersection of Rufus|Brewer and Silk Hope Liberty Roads and on Will Brown Road.
Numerous roads were closed due to flooding in Siler City. Highway 87 was flooded by two feet of water. Snow Camp Road and Silk Hope Liberty Road were also closed due to flooding.
Numerous roads were closed to to flooding including Creekridge Road and Delta Road.
Numerous roads were closed due to flooding in the Sanford area including portions of Highway 1 and Highway 15/501.
Numerous roads were closed due to flooding in the Durham area. Cabin Creek just north of Durham flooded several areas including Highway 501 between Smith Drive and Northern High School. The Ponds Dam overflowed near Tracey Trail Road and Highway 501. This caused extensive flooding of the Eden Lake subdivision. Several homes experienced up to two feet of water in them.
Numerous roads around Raeford were closed including highway 401.
Several roads in Bunter were closed due to flooding including West C street.
A weak EF-1 tornado touched down to the northeast of Freemont in|northern Wayne County. The tornado tracked north after touching down in the middle of a corn field just southeast of the intersection of Aycock Church Road and Old Black Creek Road. At 188 Aycock Church Road the tornado with winds estimated around 75 mph destroyed a barn and damaged a pick up truck. Minor roof and siding damage was also noticeable to the house at this same location. Debris from the barn and house were scattered about 100 yards. The tornado crossed the Aycock Church|Road moving across a field of soy beans and damaging several trees. After striking the tree line the tornado then caused a roof to collapse on a second barn and damaged two fields of tobacco. The tornado then lifted off the ground before touching down again briefly near|Beaver Dam road causing minor damage. Several mobile homes along Beaver Dam Road had shingles removed and several trees were blown down. A few small out buildings were also damaged.
Several roads in Fuquay Varina were flooded including Sunset lake Road.
A weak EF-1 tornado touched down to the northeast of Freemont in|northern Wayne County. The tornado tracked north after touching down in the middle of a corn field just southeast of the intersection of Aycock Church Road and Old Black Creek Road. At 188 Aycock Church Road the tornado with winds estimated around 75 mph destroyed a barn and damaged a pick up truck. Minor roof and siding damage was also noticeable to the house at this same location. Debris from the barn and house were scattered about 100 yards. The tornado crossed the Aycock Church|Road moving across a field of soy beans and damaging several trees. After striking the tree line the tornado then caused a roof to collapse on a second barn and damaged two fields of tobacco. The tornado then lifted off the ground before touching down again briefly near|Beaver Dam road causing minor damage. Several mobile homes along Beaver Dam Road had shingles removed and several trees were blown down. A few small out buildings were also damaged.
Denny Store Road was flooded by over a foot of water and was closed by NCDOT.
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 historyThe tornado archive for North Carolina, 2008Warnings 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: 124188, 124189, 124192, 124193, 124183, 124369, 124194, 124370, 124184, 124185, 124196, 124200, 124202, 124187, 124205, 124206, 124207, 124209, 124210, 124211, 124186, 124212, 142062, 124213.