North Carolina, 2009

Hail in North Carolina, July 24, 2009

July 24, 2009 · NWS MHX · 12 events in 5 counties and zones

A cold front and upper level disturbance combined to produce widespread severe thunderstorms across the area mainly during the afternoon hours.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
12

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 cold front and upper level disturbance combined to produce widespread severe thunderstorms across the area mainly during the afternoon hours.

What forecasters said that day

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 Newport/Morehead City, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 24, 9:40 AM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 9:40 AM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 24, 6:22 AM EST, 5 hours 23 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
722 AM EDT FRI JUL 24 2009

NCZ029-044>047-079>081-090>094-251130-
MARTIN-PITT-WASHINGTON-TYRRELL-MAINLAND DARE-GREENE-BEAUFORT-
MAINLAND HYDE-DUPLIN-LENOIR-JONES-CRAVEN-PAMLICO-
722 AM EDT FRI JUL 24 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY. THE THREAT FOR
THE STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE IS LOW...HOWEVER ANY THUNDERSTORM HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND SMALL
HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NCZ095-098-103-104-251130-
CARTERET-ONSLOW-OUTER BANKS DARE-OUTER BANKS HYDE-
722 AM EDT FRI JUL 24 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG ALL AREA BEACHES TODAY.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY. THE THREAT FOR
THE STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE IS LOW...HOWEVER ANY THUNDERSTORM HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND SMALL
HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 24, 6:34 AM EST, 5 hours 11 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 11:12 AM EST, 33 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 11:38 AM EST, 7 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 11:44 AM EST, 1 minute before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

The radar

The Morehead City radar (KMHX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:45 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Onslow

When
July 24, 11:45 AM EST
Where
Onslow County, 0.79 mi WSW of Catherine Lake
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Park/Forest Service
Coordinates
34.817, -77.564

Onslow County 911 Center relayed report of hail and strong winds along Fire Tower Road and Highway 111 near Catherine Lake.

Hail, Onslow

When
July 24, 11:53 AM EST
Where
Onslow County, 0.36 mi SSW of Gum Branch
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.865, -77.503

Penny size hail reported along Northwest Bridge Road 4 miles southeast of Richlands.

Hail, Onslow

When
July 24, 11:59 AM EST
Where
Onslow County, 0.57 mi WSW of Half Moon
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.826, -77.459

Hail reported at the intersection of Gum Branch Road and Ramsey Road.

Hail, Onslow

When
July 24, 12:09 PM EST
Where
Onslow County, 1.6 mi NNW of Verona
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.692, -77.479

Hail reported at the intersection of Dawsons Cabin Road and Highway 17.

Hail, Onslow

When
July 24, 12:16 PM EST
Where
Onslow County, 1.84 mi WNW of Half Moon
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.840, -77.480

Hail, Duplin

When
July 24, 12:20 PM EST
Where
Duplin County, 0.69 mi N of Wallace
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.740, -78.000

Golfball size hail reported along Highway 41 in Wallace.

Hail, Carteret

When
July 24, 12:44 PM EST
Where
Carteret County, 1.35 mi NE of Cedar Pt Beach
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.684, -77.083

Penny size hail and strong winds reported in Cedar Point.

Hail, Onslow

When
July 24, 12:49 PM EST
Where
Onslow County, 2.36 mi SSW of Midway Park
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.700, -77.370

Hail reported near Camp Lejeune main gate.

Hail, Beaufort

When
July 24, 1:23 PM EST
Where
Beaufort County, Campbells Creek
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.300, -76.700

Hail reported near South Creek.

Hail, Hyde

When
July 24, 1:56 PM EST
Where
Hyde County, 5.28 mi WNW of Ponzer
Measured
2.75 in hail
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.640, -76.580

Baseball size hail and tree limbs down on Highway 45 five miles southwest of Pungo Lake.

Hail, Beaufort

When
July 24, 2:01 PM EST
Where
Beaufort County, 0.89 mi NE of Pantego
Measured
2.75 in hail
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
35.590, -76.660

Golfball to Baseball size hail reported in Pantego.

Hail, Duplin

When
July 24, 3:33 PM EST
Where
Duplin County, 0.69 mi S of Chinquapin
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
34.820, -77.800

Hail reported along Highway 50.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, July 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 180801, 180797, 180806, 180815, 180817, 180818, 180824, 180819, 180820, 180822, 180821, 180823.