A boy drowned after getting caught in a rip current at Fort Fisher.
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 ILM wrote it up.
A boy drowned after getting caught in a rip current at Fort Fisher.
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 Wilmington, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 8, 12:21 PM EST, 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 121 PM EDT SAT AUG 8 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A BUILDING SUBTROPICAL RIDGE WILL BRING HOT AND DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEKEND. CONTINUED HOT BUT MORE HUMID CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE WEEK WITH A GREATER CHANCE OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS BY MID WEEK AS A FRONT APPROACHES COASTAL NORTH CAROLINA FROM THE NORTH. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON/... AS OF 10 AM SATURDAY...MINIMAL CHANGES TO GRIDS/TEXT FOR MORNING UPDATE. 5H RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE SOUTHEAST TODAY HELPING PUSH TEMPERATURES INLAND INTO THE LOW 90S. CLOSER TO THE COAST ONSHORE FLOW...A RESULT OF SURFACE HIGH OVER THE MID ATLANTIC STATES SHIFTING OFFSHORE...WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES ALONG THE COAST A FEW DEGREES BELOW CLIMO. DEEP MIXING ONCE AGAIN WILL RESULT IN LOWER RH VALUES AND A MORE COMFORTABLE DAY THAN WOULD BE TYPICAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SUGGEST LITTLE IN THE OF PRECIP CHANCES FOR TODAY. MID LEVEL SUBSIDENCE ALREADY SEEN IN 12Z SOUNDINGS FROM CHS/MHX WILL ONLY BECOME STRONGER AS THE RIDGE BUILDS TODAY. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES HAVE COME UP A LITTLE BUT STILL REMAIN ON THE DRY SIDE. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...HOT WEATHER ON TAP FOR THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. RIDGE BUILDING IN ALOFT WITH H5 HEIGHTS REMAINING UP AROUND 595 DM THROUGH THE PERIOD. LOW LEVEL THICKNESSES WILL BE ON THE RISE FROM AROUND 1405M TO START REACHING UP ABOVE 1430M BY LATE MON. WITH CENTER OF H5 RIDGE MEANDERING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE PERIOD EXPECT PLENTY OF SUBSIDENCE KEEPING SHWR ACTIVITY SUPPRESSED. CENTER OF SURFACE HIGH WILL SHIFT OFF SHORE THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH WINDS SHIFTING AROUND BECOMING ON SHORE THROUGH SUNDAY AND EVENTUALLY SOUTHERLY THROUGH MONDAY. THIS SHOULD HELP TO CRANK UP THE DEWPOINTS AND MAY INDEED LEAD TO HEAT INDEX VALUES UP IN HEAT ADVISORY CRITERIA...OVER 105 DEGREES. HIGHER DEWPOINT AIR WILL MOVE IN ALONG THE COAST WITH AFTN SEA BREEZE...BUT THIS WILL BE OFFSET BY RELATIVELY COOLER AIR MOVING ON SHORE. THEREFORE BY MONDAY DEWPOINT TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 70 INLAND TO MID 70S ALONG THE COAST BY AFTN...WHILE TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM LOWER 90S ALONG THE COAST TO NEAR 100 INLAND. PIEDMONT TROUGH BECOMES MORE PRONOUNCED TOWARD THE END OF THE PERIOD...BUT ANY CONVECTION SHOULD BE SUPPRESSED BY RIDGE ALOFT AND SHOULD REMAIN WEST OF LOCAL CWA. SHOULD JUST SEE CU FORM IN THE AFTN..BUT OVERALL SKY SHOULD REMAIN MOSTLY SUNNY DURING THE AFTN SUN AND MON. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...RIDGE WILL BE BREAKING DOWN ALOFT BY TUES WITH HEIGHTS DROPPING A BIT TO NEAR 591 DM. THIS SHOULD HELP TO LOWER OVERALL TEMPS BY A COUPLE OF DEGREES..BUT WITH DEW POINTS BETWEEN 70 AND 75 MOST PLACES WILL STILL SEE HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS PERSIST. WITH RIDGE WEAKENING AND MOISTURE IN PLACE SHOULD SEE CHC OF SHWR ACTIVITY ON THE RISE. GFS ACTUALLY SHOWS BEST MOISTURE HOLDING OFF TO THE NORTH OF LOCAL AREA AS FRONT MAKES A RUN INTO NORTH CAROLINA ON WED...BUT AT THIS POINT IT IS TOO FAR OUT TO SAY WITH MUCH CERTAINTY. THEREFORE MAY NOT SEE MUCH IN THE WAY OF PCP THROUGH MOST OF EXTENDED...BUT WITH DEW POINTS IN THE 70S AND PCP WATER UP ABOVE 1.5 IN...SHOULD SEE CLOUDS DEVELOP AND COULD NOT RULE OUT CONVECTION FLARING UP ALONG SEA BREEZE AND TROUGH INLAND EACH AFTN. TEMPS SHOULD START OUT QUITE A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL IN THE MID 90S BUT WITH RIDGE BREAKING DOWN AND HEIGHTS FALLING ALONG WITH GREATER CHC OF CLOUDS AND PCP THROUGH THE MID TO LATE WEEK...WOULD EXPECT TEMPS TO HEADING BACK DOWN CLOSER TOWARD CLIMO. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THRU 06Z ON THE 9TH. MAINLY CLEAR SKIES THRU THE PERIOD...WITH CONVECTIVE DEBRIS CLOUDS STAYING WELL NORTH OF THE AREA TERMINALS. THIS DUE TO THE EFFECTS FROM THE UPPER RIDGE HAVING A DECENT CONTROL OF THE REGIONS WEATHER WHEREBY ANY TYPE OF CLOUDINESS THAT TRIES TO SNEAK THIS FAR SOUTH WILL USUALLY SCOUR OUT DUE TO THE DRY ATMOSPHERE UNDERNEATH THIS UPPER RIDGE. LATEST SAT IMAGERY LOOPS INDICATE THIS VERY OCCURRENCE AS CLOUDINESS APPROACHES FROM THE FAR NORTH AND NORTHWEST. WEAK SEA BREEZE TO REACH 10-13 KTS ALONG COASTAL TERMINALS...HOWEVER INLAND PENETRATION NOT VERY CONDUCIVE WITH SUBSIDENCE THIS STRONG UNDERNEATH THIS UPPER RIDGE. OVERNIGHT...MODELS INDICATE A DECENT SFC BASED INVERSION ESPECIALLY INLAND AND AS A RESULT HAVE HIGHLIGHTED FLO AND LBT WITH IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS FROM CEILINGS AND REDUCED VSBY FROM BR/FG IN A TIME RANGE AROUND AND JUST AFTER SUNRISE ON SUNDAY. COULD BE A REPEAT OF THIS MORNING. EXTENDED OUTLOOK THROUGH THURSDAY...MOSTLY CLEAR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED STORMS POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON/... AS OF 10 AM SATURDAY...HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED THE MID ATLANTIC STATES WILL MOVE OFFSHORE TODAY...RESULTING IN EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS OVER THE WATERS. WINDS AROUND 10 KT TODAY...EXCEPT NEAR TO THE COAST WHERE THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT ENHANCEMENT OF WINDS. SEAS CONTINUE TO RUN 2 TO 3 FT. SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...CENTER OF SURFACE HIGH WILL SHIFT OFF SHORE THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH WINDS SHIFTING AROUND BECOMING ON SHORE THROUGH SUNDAY AND EVENTUALLY S-SW THROUGH MONDAY. WINDS WILL BASICALLY BE LESS THAN 15 KTS BUT WILL BE HIGHER NEAR SHORE DURING THE AFTN AS SEA BREEZE DEVELOPS. EXPECT SEAS TO GENERALLY REMAIN BETWEEN 3 FT OR LESS MOST WATERS. LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OFF SHORE MAINTAINING A SW FLOW LESS THAN 15 KTS THROUGH THE PERIOD. SEAS WILL BASICALLY STAY 3 FT OR LESS. YOU CAN EXPECT SLIGHTLY HIGHER WINDS AND SEAS EACH AFTERNOON AS SEA BREEZE DEVELOPS. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...III SHORT TERM...RGZ LONG TERM...RGZ AVIATION...DCH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 1205 PM EDT SAT AUG 8 2009 NCZ087-096-099-100-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-046-091615- ROBESON-BLADEN-COLUMBUS-BRUNSWICK-MARLBORO-DARLINGTON-DILLON- FLORENCE-MARION-WILLIAMSBURG-GEORGETOWN- 1205 PM EDT SAT AUG 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE MAY PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES NEAR 105 DEGREES EARLY NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ097-101-SCZ034-091615- PENDER-NEW HANOVER-HORRY- 1205 PM EDT SAT AUG 8 2009 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH 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. MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE MAY PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES NEAR 105 DEGREES EARLY NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. AMZ250-252-254-256-091615- SURF CITY TO CAPE FEAR NC OUT 20 NM- CAPE FEAR NC TO LITTLE RIVER INLET SC OUT 20 NM- LITTLE RIVER INLET TO MURRELLS INLET SC OUT 20 NM- MURRELLS INLET TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SC OUT 20 NM- 1205 PM EDT SAT AUG 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. RJD
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
A boy went under the water at Fort Fisher State Park. Two adults and lifeguards attempted to rescue him, but the boy was found dead a couple of hours later in shallow water.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rip Current, New Hanover | 2009-08-08 | 10 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 2009
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: 194919.