Flash Flooding and Hail in North Carolina, July 27, 2009

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in North Carolina, July 27, 2009
Start: 2009-07-27T12:54
End: 2009-07-27T23:15
Location: North Carolina

July 27, 2009 · NWS RAH · 27 events in 14 counties and zones

Several bands of strong to severe thunderstorms developed across central North Carolina as a a shortwave trough moved across the region. The severe threat quickly |transformed from a hail threat early in the event to a damaging wind episode as shortwave mid-level kinematics increased over the area.

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: 1
Property damage: $60,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 27

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 RAH wrote it up.

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 Raleigh, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 27, 9:50 AM EST, 3 hours 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 27, 9:50 AM EST, 3 hours 4 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 27, 11:57 AM EST, 57 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1257 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009

NCZ007>011-024>028-040>043-075>078-084>086-088-089-281700-
PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-
EDGECOMBE-CHATHAM-WAKE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE-
RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON-
1257 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 627 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH 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.

   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. AN UPPER DISTURBANCE WILL BE
SLOWLY PASSING OVER THE AREA TODAY...WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. A
FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE DAMAGING
DOWNBURST WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF
NICKELS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

THE PRESENCE OF BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESULT IN WARM AND
HUMID CONDITIONS... WITH AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THIS WEEK. WHILE THIS WEATHER PATTERN MAY
FUEL ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS... NO ORGANIZED SEVERE AND
HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED BETWEEN 200 PM
AND 800 PM TODAY. SPOTTERS SHOULD REPORT SEVERE WEATHER AS SOON AS
IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LATER WATCHES AND
WARNINGS.

NCZ021>023-038-039-073-074-083-281700-
FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-ANSON-
1257 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. AN UPPER DISTURBANCE WILL BE
SLOWLY PASSING OVER THE AREA TODAY...WHICH WILL RESULT IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
ISOLATED STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE DAMAGING
DOWNBURST WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF
NICKELS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

THE PRESENCE OF BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESULT IN WARM AND
HUMID CONDITIONS... WITH AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THIS WEEK. WHILE THIS WEATHER PATTERN MAY
FUEL ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS... NO ORGANIZED SEVERE AND
HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED...HOWEVER...SPOTTERS
ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 27, 9:29 AM EST, 3 hours 25 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 27, 12:08 PM EST, 46 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>

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 149 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:53 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 3 flash flood, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Anson

When: July 27, 12:54 PM EST
Where: Anson County, 1.49 mi NNE of South Wadesboro
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.970, -80.070

Penny size hail was reported along US Highway 74 at the KFC.

Hail, Moore

When: July 27, 1:03 PM EST
Where: Moore County, 2.18 mi SW of Leaman
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.480, -79.600

Hail, Moore

When: July 27, 1:24 PM EST
Where: Moore County, 1.49 mi N of High Falls
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.502, -79.529

Golf ball size hail was reported along Highway 22 near High Falls.

Hail, Anson

When: July 27, 1:30 PM EST
Where: Anson County, 1.14 mi NNE of South Wadesboro
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.966, -80.076

Nickel size hail was reported at the Wadesboro Police Department.

Hail, Richmond

When: July 27, 2:00 PM EST
Where: Richmond County, 0.69 mi S of Lewarae
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.920, -79.830

Hail, Vance

When: July 27, 2:07 PM EST
Where: Vance County, 0.56 mi W of Middleburg
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.400, -78.330

Penny size hail was reported at Exit 22 on Interstate 85.

Hail, Lee

When: July 27, 2:10 PM EST
Where: Lee County, 1.86 mi S of Tramway
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.403, -79.232

Nickel size hail was reported near the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 15-501.

Hail, Wake

When: July 27, 3:15 PM EST
Where: Wake County, 0.77 mi ESE of Willow Spgs
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.594, -78.718

Thunderstorm Wind, Wake

When: July 27, 3:15 PM EST
Where: Wake County, 0.78 mi ESE of Willow Spgs
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 35.594, -78.718

Several trees were blown down along NC Highway 42 and Hill Top Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harnett

When: July 27, 3:25 PM EST
Where: Harnett County, 2.09 mi ESE of Lillington
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.390, -78.795

Downed trees were blocking Ross Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wake

When: July 27, 3:25 PM EST
Where: Wake County, 1.27 mi S of Willow Spgs to 3.09 mi SE of Willow Spgs
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 35.582, -78.727

Numerous trees were blown down along Old Stage Road, Panther Lake Road and Eddie Howard Road. One tree fell onto a car along Old Stage Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cumberland

When: July 27, 3:30 PM EST
Where: Cumberland County, 2.41 mi WSW of Cumberland
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 34.982, -79.016

One tree was blown down at the intersection of Stony Point Road and Lakewood Drive.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harnett

When: July 27, 3:40 PM EST
Where: Harnett County, 3.76 mi E of Dunn
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 35.327, -78.554

Roof blown off of a mobile home.

Lightning, Johnston

When: July 27, 3:45 PM EST
Where: Johnston County, 0.19 mi ESE of Bentonville
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.349, -78.297

Child struck by lightning in Bentonville. Injuries unknown but not considered to be serious.

Thunderstorm Wind, Johnston

When: July 27, 3:50 PM EST
Where: Johnston County, 3.61 mi E of Blackman Xrds
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.367, -78.366

Several trees were blown down along Highway 701 near Strickland Crossroads.

Thunderstorm Wind, Johnston

When: July 27, 4:05 PM EST
Where: Johnston County, 5.23 mi E of Flowers
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.655, -78.257

Several trees were blown down along Highway 39 and Napoleon Road.

Hail, Warren

When: July 27, 4:23 PM EST
Where: Warren County, 1.1 mi NE of Warrenton
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.410, -78.155

Nickel size hail was reported at the 911 center in Warrenton.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sampson

When: July 27, 4:35 PM EST to 4:40 PM EST
Where: Sampson County, 2.91 mi WNW of Clinton Arpt
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 35.040, -78.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Stanly

When: July 27, 7:20 PM EST
Where: Stanly County, 1.62 mi WSW of Palestine to 0.82 mi ENE of Halls Ferry Jct
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.391, -80.197

Numerous trees were blown down along Highway 52 from just north of Albemarle to near New London. One tree fell onto a house jus north of Albemarle. Damage unknown.

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When: July 27, 7:50 PM EST
Where: Montgomery County, 4.03 mi WSW of Eldorado
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.457, -80.100

Numerous trees were blown down and blocking roads around Badin Lake.

Thunderstorm Wind, Randolph

When: July 27, 8:03 PM EST
Where: Randolph County, 0.47 mi E of Pisgah
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 35.550, -79.872

Numerous trees were blown down near Pisgah.

Flash Flood, Stanly

When: July 27, 9:15 PM EST to 11:15 PM EST
Where: Stanly County, 1.68 mi NE of Red Cross to 1.84 mi NE of Red Cross
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.288, -80.350

Flooding reported along Ridgecrest Road.

Flash Flood, Stanly

When: July 27, 9:15 PM EST to 11:15 PM EST
Where: Stanly County, 1.83 mi WNW of Palestine to 1.78 mi WNW of Palestine
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.410, -80.200

Flash flooding was reported on Carter Road near Highway 52.

Lightning, Stanly

When: July 27, 9:30 PM EST
Where: Stanly County, 1.83 mi ESE of Albemarle
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.360, -80.190

Lightning resulted in several house fires from Albemarle to New London. The entire town of Albermarle was without power.

Flash Flood, Stanly

When: July 27, 9:45 PM EST to 11:15 PM EST
Where: Stanly County, 1.83 mi ESE of Albemarle to 1.43 mi NNW of Albemarle Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.360, -80.190

Flash flooding resulted in several road closures within the Albemarle city limits.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stanly

When: July 27, 10:04 PM EST
Where: Stanly County, 0.46 mi NNE of Stanfield
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 35.236, -80.427

Several trees were blown down on Loves Chapel Road in Stanfield.

Thunderstorm Wind, Anson

When: July 27, 11:10 PM EST
Where: Anson County, 1.27 mi W of Lilesville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 34.972, -79.992

Several trees were blown down near the intersection of Haileys Ferry Road and Wall Road in Lilesville.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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, 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 187863, 187864, 187865, 187866, 187867, 187868, 187869, 187872, 187873, 187875, 187878, 187884, 187886, 187887, 187888, 187889, 187891, 187892, 187893, 187894, 187896, 187899, 187901, 187902, 187903, 187904, 187905.