An upper level shortwave trough moved through the deep upper level trough over the Eastern United States and through central North Carolina on July 23, 2009, which helped to sharpen up a surface trough over central North Carolina and produce scattered showers and thunderstorms across the area. Some of these storms became severe and produced damaging winds and large hail to the size of quarters.
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.
An upper level shortwave trough moved through the deep upper level trough over the Eastern United States and through central North Carolina on July 23, 2009, which helped to sharpen up a surface trough over central North Carolina and produce scattered showers and thunderstorms across the area. Some of these storms became severe and produced damaging winds and large hail to the size of quarters.
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 Jul 23, 2:15 PM EST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 315 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST TONIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AHEAD OF THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 300 PM THURSDAY... TONIGHT: STILL DIFFICULT TO ANTICIPATE HOW MUCH UPPER SUPPORT WE WILL HAVE TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH IT APPEARS THE SHEAR AXIS CURRENTLY WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS SHOULD BE MOVING THIS DIRECTION AFTER SUNSET. IN THE LOWER LEVELS...WE SHOULD HAVE DECENT LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE IN ASSOC/W THE 925MB TROUGH SWEEPING EAST ACROSS THE AREA BETWEEN 00-09Z TONIGHT... IN ADDITION TO THE WEAK DENSITY GRADIENT ASSOC/W THE SFC FRONT MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL NC FROM THE WEST. THE SFC FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE LOCATED SOMEWHERE IN THE SANDHILLS OR COASTAL PLAIN BY 12Z FRI. WITH A MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER...THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH ELEVATED INSTABILITY TO SUPPORT CONVECTION OVERNIGHT. WILL KEEP CHANCE POPS (30%) ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH MIDNIGHT...TAPERING DOWN FROM WEST TO EAST AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE 925 MB TROUGH AND SFC FRONT BEGIN TO MOVE EAST OF THE WESTERN PIEDMONT. LOWS WILL BE IN THE MID/UPPER 60S (WEST/NW) TO LOWER 70S (SE). -VINCENT FRIDAY: THE WEAK COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT IS EXPECTED TO STALL OUT SOMEWHERE IN THE EASTERN SANDHILLS AND COASTAL PLAIN FRIDAY MORNING...PERHAPS LIFTING SLIGHTLY BACK TO THE NORTH TOWARD THE TRIANGLE DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. A POTENT SHORTWAVE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST ACROSS OR JUST NORTH OF THE MASON-DIXON LINE FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON...HOWEVER...ANY FORCING ASSOC/W THIS FEATURE SHOULD REMAIN NORTH OF CENTRAL NC. GIVEN GENERAL UPPER LEVEL TROUGHING OVER THE EASTERN CONUS...CANNOT RULE OUT A WEAK SHORTWAVE MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST/SW FRI AFTERNOON...OTHERWISE...IT APPEARS THAT UPPER SUPPORT OVER THE AREA MAY BE CONFINED TO A WEAK SHEAR AXIS EXTENDING NORTHEAST FROM THE DEEP SOUTH THROUGH THE CAROLINAS INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC. FCST SOUNDINGS ARE RELATIVELY DRY/STABLE BEHIND THE FRONT FROM THE TRIANGLE WEST...AND AS SUCH...WILL KEEP THE FCST DRY WEST OF I-95. ALONG/EAST OF I-95 ON THE MOIST SIDE OF THE FRONT...CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW ISOLD SHOWERS/STORMS DURING PEAK HEATING...AND HAVE DECIDED TO KEEP A SLIGHT CHANCE (20%) IN THAT AREA. GIVEN A FAIR AMOUNT OF DRY AIR ALOFT...AND THE PRESENCE OF THE SHEAR AXIS IN THE UPPER LEVELS...CANNOT ENTIRELY RULE OUT AN ISOLD STRONG OR SEVERE STORM IN THE COASTAL PLAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON. AGAIN...WITH LITTLE IN THE WAY OF EFFECTIVE SHEAR...THE THREAT WOULD BE BRIEF IN NATURE AND OF THE PULSE VARIETY. WITH THICKNESSES EXPECTED TO REACH 1420M IN THE AFTERNOON...HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S (89-93F) LOOK REASONABLE. -VINCENT && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM THURSDAY... ANOTHER CLOSED UPPER VORTEX WILL DROP SE OUT OF CANADA AND GYRATE OVER THE NORTHERN GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE PERIOD. THIS WILL REINFORCE THE UPPER LONG WAVE TROUGH IN PLACE OVER THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN US WHILE PUSHING ANOTHER COLD FRONT SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE OHIO AND TN VALLEY BY SUNDAY...BEFORE DISSIPATING OVER OF THE CAROLINAS SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTO MONDAY. SATURDAY... WHILE A SURFACE BOUNDARY IS NOT EVIDENT IN THE MODEL WIND FIELD...BOTH THE GFS AND NAM DEPICT A DEWPOINT DENSITY GRADIENT LINGERING ALONG THE DISSIPATED SFC BOUNDARY ON SATURDAY...WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER TO MID 60S IN THE PIEDMONT TO LOWER 70S ALONG THE COASTAL PLAIN. WEAK FORCING ATTENDANT TO THE LINGERING SURFACE BOUNDARY COMBINED WITH A WELL DEFINED UPPER SHEAR AXIS WITH A UPPER S/W TROUGH OVER THE GULF COAST STATES WILL SUPPLY AMPLE VERTICAL MOTION AS STRONG INSOLATION ALONG THE LOW-LEVEL THETA-E RIDGE AXIS WILL RESULT IN 1000 TO 1500 J/KG OF MLCAPE SATURDAY AFTERNOON... EASILY OVERCOMING THE WEAKENING MID LEVEL CAP. DRY AIR IN THE MID AND UPPER LEVELS WILL ACT TO LIMIT CONVECTIVE COVERAGE HOWEVER... ESPECIALLY EAST OF I-95 WITH GFS BUFR SOUNDINGS SHOWING PWATS DOWN TO AN 1 TO 1.1 ACROSS THE PIEDMONT. HAVE EXTENDED THE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS SLIGHTLY WEST INTO THE CENTRAL PIEDMONT. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S. SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...MOISTURE THROUGH THE COLUMN BEGINS TO INCREASE LATE IN THE DAY ON SUNDAY AS SWLY 850 FLOW STRENGTHENS IN RESPONSE TO LOWERING HEIGHT ACROSS THE OHIO AND TN VALLEY AND WITH THE APPROACH OF THE SURFACE FRONT. BY 00Z MONDAY PWATS ACROSS WESTERN NC INCREASE TO 1.5 TO 1.6. LIKE SATURDAY...FORCING WILL BE ANEMIC PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE SURFACE FRONT SUNDAY EVENING/NIGHT...WITH THE UPPER LEVEL SHEAR VORT AXIS THE ONLY DISCERNIBLE TRIGGER RESIDING OVER THEA AREA ON SUNDAY. WHILE 20 TO 25 KTS OF BULK SHEAR IS NOT OVERLY IMPRESSIVE IT WILL BE BETTER THAN SATURDAY...WITH INSTABILITY HIGHER AS WELL WITH NAM SHOWING 2000 TO 2500 J/KG OF MLCAPE. CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW SEVERE STORMS...ESPECIALLY IF THE FASTER CANADIAN IS CORRECT...WHICH BRINGS THE FRONT INTO THE WESTERN PIEDMONT BY 00Z SUNDAY. WILL KEEP SMALL CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE WESTERN PIEDMONT AND COASTAL PLAIN DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS WITH SLIGHT CHANCE ACROSS INTERIOR SECTIONS. UNFAVORABLE DIURNAL TIMING AS BETTER LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE ARRIVES SUNDAY NIGHT ATTENDANT TO THE SURFACE FRONT. MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES REMAIN WEAK WITH MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOWING MARGINAL INSTABILITY WANING INTO THE PREDAWN HOURS. SMALL CHANCE POPS EVERYWHERE SUNDAY NIGHT. HIGHS AGAIN IN THE UPPER 80S NW TO LOWER 90S SE. LOWS 69 TO 75. && .LONG TERM/MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 300 PM THURSDAY... THE NEGATIVE PHASE OF THE NAO WHICH HAS DOMINATED MUCH OF JULY LOOKS LIKE IT WILL CONTINUE ON THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE MONTH AS THERE IS MODEL AGREEMENT THAT A BROAD UPPER LONGWAVE TROUGH WILL ENCOMPASS THE EASTERN TWO-THIRDS OF CONUS DURING THE PERIOD. WITH THE MEAN UPPER TROUGH AXIS REMAINING UPSTREAM OVER THE CENTRAL US AND BERMUDA HIGH SITTING OVER ITS TYPICAL SUMMERTIME LOCATION OVER ATLANTIC... THE CAROLINAS WILL LIE WITHIN IN A PERSISTENT MOIST SWLY CONFLUENCE ZONE. THIS WILL SUPPORT VERY TYPICAL NC SUMMERTIME CONDITIONS WITH GOOD RAIN CHANCES EACH AFTERNOON WITH SLIGHT TO SMALL CHANCE PERSISTING OVERNIGHT. THE WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER AND RAIN CHANCES COMBINED WILL ALSO SUPPORT SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES WITH AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 80S NW TO AROUND 90 SE. MILD LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. BY WEEKS END...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE SHOWING THE BERMUDA HIGH RETROGRADING WESTWARD TOWARDS THE SE COAST...WHICH COULD SHIFT THE RING OF FIRE CONVECTION SLIGHTLY WESTWARD AS WELL...AND POSSIBLY SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MID 90S. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 100 PM THURSDAY... A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE WESTERN NC MOUNTAINS AFTER SUNSET...MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL NC DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE LOCATED IN THE SANDHILLS OR COASTAL PLAIN BY 12Z FRI MORNING. OUTSIDE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS/STORMS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AHEAD OF THE FRONT...VFR CONDITIONS ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED THROUGH 12Z FRI MORNING. MOS GUIDANCE DOES NOT INDICATE AS MUCH OF A POTENTIAL FOR FOG AND LOW CEILINGS TONIGHT AS IN PREVIOUS NIGHTS...AND WITH A FRONT MOVING INTO/THROUGH THE AREA...THAT SEEMS PRETTY REASONABLE. HOWEVER...ANY LOCATIONS THAT SEE RAINFALL AND A PERIOD OF MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND CALM WINDS PRIOR TO SUNRISE COULD STILL SEE PATCHY MVFR/IFR FOG DEVELOP. AT THIS TIME WILL NOT MENTION FOG AT ANY OF THE TAF SITES TONIGHT DUE TO THE WEAK FRONT MOVING INTO THE AREA AND EXPECTED LIGHT/SHIFTING WINDS AND CLOUD COVER. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL OUT OR HANG UP IN EASTERN NC ON FRIDAY...AND OUTSIDE OF A CHANCE FOR A FEW ISOLD SHOWERS/STORMS IN THE COASTAL PLAIN (FAY/RWI) FRI AFTERNOON...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. PATCHY MVFR/IFR RADIATION FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE 08-12Z SAT MORNING. LOOKING AHEAD...ISOLD TO SCT AFTERNOON SHOWERS/STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...IN ADDITION TO THE POSSIBILITY OF MORNING RADIATION FOG. -VINCENT && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...VINCENT NEAR TERM...VINCENT SHORT TERM...CBL LONG TERM...CBL AVIATION...VINCENT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 418 AM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-240830- PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE- ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-WAKE- JOHNSTON-WILSON-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE-ANSON- RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON- 418 AM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AND LAST INTO THE EVENING HOURS. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG... PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OVER 40 MPH AND HAIL UP TO A HALF INCH IN DIAMETER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 445 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 NCZ089-232130- SAMPSON- 445 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 ...ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS PARTS OF SAMPSON COUNTY THROUGH 530 PM EDT... AT 444 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF GARLAND...OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF CLINTON...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE AREAS OF EASTERN SAMPSON COUNTY BETWEEN CLINTON AND HARRELLS. GUSTY WINDS OF UP TO 40 MPH...HAIL TO A HALF INCH IN DIAMETER... AND DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE THUNDERSTORM. BE SURE TO REMAIN INDOORS WHEN STORMS MOVE NEARBY OR OVERHEAD. REMEMBER THAT TREES OFFER NO PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. DJF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 448 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 NCZ011-027-028-232145- EDGECOMBE-HALIFAX-NASH- 448 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS HALIFAX...NASH AND EDGECOMBE COUNTIES THROUGH 545 PM EDT... AT 446 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER DORTCHES...OR ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF ROCKY MOUNT...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THROUGH 545 PM...THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR WHITAKERS...LEGGETT...SPEED...HOBGOOOD AND SCOTLAND NECK. GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. ELLIS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 521 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 NCZ075-077-232215- HARNETT-MOORE- 521 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF HARNETT COUNTY THROUGH 600 PM... AT 517 PM EDT... DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PINEVIEW... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE... PINEVIEW... LILLINGTON... SEMINOLE. GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH... FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING... AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN FOR 20 TO 30 MINUTES CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. FOR THE BEST PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING... SEEK SHELTER INDOORS... IN AN INTERIOR ROOM... AWAY FROM WINDOWS. REMAIN IN SAFETY UNTIL THUNDER IS NOT HEARD FOR 20 TO 30 MINUTES. BADGETT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 558 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 NCZ021-022-038-039-232300- DAVIDSON-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-RANDOLPH- 558 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS FORSYTH...GUILFORD... DAVIDSON AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM EDT... AT 556 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES WEST OF HIGH POINT...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THROUGH 700 PM SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...THOMASVILLE...HIGHPOINT...TRINITY...ARCHDALE...AND... JAMESTOWN. GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. MOTORISTS ALONG THE I-85 CORRIDOR SHOULD TAKE CAUTION AS VERY HEAVY RAINS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STORM. ELLIS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 600 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 NCZ075>077-086-088-232300- CUMBERLAND-HARNETT-HOKE-LEE-MOORE- 600 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 ...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SANDHILLS THROUGH 700 PM... AT 600 PM EDT... DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM TAYLORTOWN AND WHISPERING PINES TO PINEVIEW... MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN AND EASTERN MOORE... NORTHERN HOKE... AND WESTERN HARNETT COUNTY THROUGH 700 PM. THIS INCLUDES THE SOUTHERN PINES... ANDERSON CREEK... TIMBERLAKE... AND VASS AREAS. GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH... FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING... AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN FOR 20 TO 30 MINUTES CAN BE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. FOR THE BEST PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING... SEEK SHELTER INDOORS. WAIT 20 TO 30 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST THUNDER IS HEARD BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. BADGETT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 626 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 NCZ073-232345- STANLY- 626 PM EDT THU JUL 23 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE INTO AND ACROSS PARTS OF STANLY COUNTY THROUGH 745 PM EDT... AT 625 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES WEST OF LOCUST...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. IF THE THUNDERSTORM HOLDS TOGETHER AS IT MOVES EAST...SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM WOULD INCLUDE FINGER...PLYLER...AND ALBEMARLE. PERSONS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING. SUCH WINDS COULD BLOW AROUND LIGHT OUTDOOR OBJECTS. IF OUTDOORS...MOVE INDOORS AS ANY STORM MOVES NEARBY OR OVERHEAD TO HELP AVOID THE DANGERS OF LIGHTNING. DJF
The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 58 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:48 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
One tree was reported down on North Carolina Highway 1117.
One tree was reported down at the intersection of Ridgecrest Road and Joy Road.
One tree was reported blown down across Wrye Branch Road.
Nickel sized hail was reported Indian Camp Road and Polenta Road.
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, July 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: 187745, 187744, 187741, 187743, 187742.