Damaging Winds in North Carolina, January 7, 2009

Name: Damaging Winds in North Carolina, January 7, 2009
Start: 2009-01-07T10:21
End: 2009-01-07T19:56
Location: North Carolina

January 7, 2009 · NWS MHX · 21 events in 9 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $80,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 21

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 happened

The episode as NWS MHX wrote it up.

A very strong low level jet developed over eastern North Carolina ahead of a cold front. Bands of low topped convective showers helped mix these strong winds down to the ground producing numerous reports of damaging winds. One band of showers crossed during the late morning hours producing damage over mainly the northern parts of eastern North Carolina. Another band of showers crossed in the evening with damaging gusts over the entire region.

The radar

The Morehead City radar (KMHX), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:21 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Martin

When: January 7, 10:21 AM EST
Where: Martin County, 0.56 mi E of Williamston
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $70,000
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.850, -77.060

Roof partially blown off a warehouse. Large tree blown down onto home damaging roof. Numerous trees and powerlines blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Beaufort

When: January 7, 10:40 AM EST
Where: Beaufort County, 0.69 mi S of Washington Arpt
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.560, -77.050

Trees blown down on power lines with five thousand homes without electricity.

Thunderstorm Wind, Beaufort

When: January 7, 10:40 AM EST
Where: Beaufort County, 0.69 mi S of Washington Arpt
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.560, -77.050

Trees blown down on power lines with five thousand homes without electricity.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: January 7, 11:10 AM EST
Where: Washington County, 0.56 mi E of Creswell
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.870, -76.390

Power lines blown down on West Millpond Road near Creswell.

Thunderstorm Wind, Greene

When: January 7, 5:50 PM EST
Where: Greene County, 0.56 mi E of Snow Hill
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.450, -77.670

Several roads have trees blown down across them throughout the county. Street signs blown down in Snow Hill.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lenoir

When: January 7, 5:55 PM EST
Where: Lenoir County, 0.89 mi NW of Pink Hill Arpt
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.060, -77.740

Wind gust of 60 mph reported by the public.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lenoir

When: January 7, 6:00 PM EST
Where: Lenoir County, 2.36 mi NNE of Falling Creek
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.280, -77.680

Public reported estimated wind gust of 65 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pitt

When: January 7, 6:05 PM EST to 6:20 PM EST
Where: Pitt County, 1.49 mi SSE of Greenville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.600, -77.370

Several trees blow down throughout the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pitt

When: January 7, 6:15 PM EST
Where: Pitt County, 1.12 mi E of Winterville
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.530, -77.400

Trained spotter reported wind gust of 60 mph in Winterville.

Thunderstorm Wind, Martin

When: January 7, 6:32 PM EST
Where: Martin County, Robersonville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.820, -77.250

Power lines blown down in Robersonville.

Thunderstorm Wind, Beaufort

When: January 7, 6:38 PM EST
Where: Beaufort County, 0.69 mi S of Washington Arpt
Measured: 68 kt (78 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.560, -77.050

Trained spotter measured fifteen second wind gust to 78 mph near Washington.

Thunderstorm Wind, Craven

When: January 7, 6:42 PM EST
Where: Craven County, 1.38 mi N of Trent Woods
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.120, -77.080

Metal roof blown off a restaurant near New Bern. Numerous trees blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Craven

When: January 7, 6:45 PM EST
Where: Craven County, 0.89 mi NE of Thurman
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.040, -76.990

Estimated wind gust of 60 mph reported by public near Neuse River.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: January 7, 6:50 PM EST
Where: Washington County, 0.69 mi S of Plymouth
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.860, -76.750

Numerous trees blown down in and around Plymouth with some power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, Carteret

When: January 7, 6:55 PM EST
Where: Carteret County, 1.33 mi ENE of Cedar Pt Beach
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.680, -77.080

Trained spotter reported wind gust of 60 mph along Highway 24 in Cedar Point.

Thunderstorm Wind, Carteret

When: January 7, 6:58 PM EST
Where: Carteret County, 0.89 mi SW of South Masontown
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.810, -76.890

Estimated 65 mph wind gust near Tom Mann Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Craven

When: January 7, 7:00 PM EST to 7:05 PM EST
Where: Craven County, 0.56 mi E of Vanceboro
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.300, -77.160

Numerous trees blown down around Vanceboro.

Thunderstorm Wind, Beaufort

When: January 7, 7:15 PM EST
Where: Beaufort County, 6.32 mi N of Terra Ceia
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.690, -76.790

Tree blown down well south of Plymouth.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dare

When: January 7, 7:28 PM EST
Where: Dare County, 1.82 mi WSW of East Lake
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.870, -75.980

Wind gust of 60 mph measured by National Weather Service instrument at the Alligator River Bridge.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dare

When: January 7, 7:45 PM EST
Where: Dare County, 0.56 mi W of Stumpy Pt
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.700, -75.740

Measured gust of 52 knots at National Weather Service instrument at Stumpy Point.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dare

When: January 7, 7:56 PM EST
Where: Dare County, 1.12 mi E of Rodanthe
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 35.600, -75.460

Measured wind gust of 56 knots in Waves.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, January 2009

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: 139915, 139916, 139917, 139918, 139919, 139921, 139928, 139920, 139929, 139922, 139927, 139924, 139923, 139925, 139930, 139933, 139931, 139926, 139932, 139934, 139935.