A moist and unstable air mass was in place across central North Carolina as several bands of convection developed ahead of an upper trough and associated surface cold front. Across the coastal plain region, the sea breeze spread inland merging with |with existing convection, and further enhancing the severe wind threat.
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.
A moist and unstable air mass was in place across central North Carolina as several bands of convection developed ahead of an upper trough and associated surface cold front. Across the coastal plain region, the sea breeze spread inland merging with |with existing convection, and further enhancing the severe wind threat.
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 31, 12:30 PM EST, 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 130 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON...THEN PUSH INTO CENTRAL NC TONIGHT. THE COLD FRONT WILL BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY OVER OUR REGION SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1030 AM FRIDAY... SURFACE ANALYSIS THIS MORNING SHOWS THE COLD FRONT STILL WELL TO OUR NORTHWEST...WITH A FAIRLY UNIFORM SURFACE FLOW AND NO REAL TROUGH EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS. SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE ALONG THE THE SPINE OF THE APPALACHIANS..EXTENDING BACK INTO THE DEEP SOUTH THROUGH MISSISSIPPI. THIS ACTIVITY IS OCCURRING ALONG AN AXIS OF H85 TO H7 CONVERGENCE...AND BEING SUPPORTED BY AN H25 JET THAT EXTENDS DOWN THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE APPALACHIANS. A COUPLE VORT MAXES WERE NOTED ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH IN WATER VAPOR IMAGERY EARLIER THIS MORNING...BUT THESE APPEAR THE BE SHEARING OUT A BIT....AND WE MAY BE LEFT WITH JUST AN ELONGATED SHEAR AXIS. FORECAST PROBLEM TODAY CONTINUES TO BE CONVECTIVE INITIATION AND TIMING OF UPPER FORCING...AND WHETHER THESE WILL COINCIDE ENOUGH FOR AN ENHANCED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. THE NORTHERN 2/3 OF THE CWA REMAINS IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR TODAY. UPPER SUPPORT STILL LOOKS TO ARRIVE LATER THIS EVENING...AS THE UPPER JET (WHICH WAS ANALYZED A BIT STRONGER THAN FORECAST IN THIS MORNINGS RAOB ANALYSIS) SHIFTS EASTWARD. UPPER DIVERGENCE WILL BE INCREASING THROUGH OUT THE DAY...BUT THE COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS...AND EVEN A WELL DEFINED SURFACE TROUGH IS NOT EXPECTED TO DEVELOP EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS UNTIL MIDNIGHT OR LATER. THUS...IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL BE DEPENDING ON LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE IN THE FORM OF A 35 KT LOW LEVEL JET AND A WEAK H85 TROUGH. ANOTHER FACTOR THAT MAY HELP INITIATION IS A POTENTIAL DIFFERENTIAL HEATING BOUNDARY...AS CLOUD COVER IS RATHER EXTENSIVE FROM CHARLOTTE TO THE TRIAD AND POINTS WEST. MLCAPES UNDER STRONG INSOLATION TO THE EAST COULD REACH 2000 J/KG...BUT LAPSE RATES LOOK WEAK WITH PROFILES NEAR MOIST ADIABATIC AND THE CLOSEST MID LEVEL DRY AIR BACK TO THE WEST OF NASHVILLE. FROM ALL OF THIS...NOT STRAYING TOO FAR FROM THE CURRENT FORECAST. EXPECT THERE COULD BE SOME ISOLATED STORMS ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE CWA DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS....BUT EXPECT A SCATTERED CONVECTION TO DEVELOP OVER THE WESTERN AND SOUTHWESTERN CWA...IN THE 20-22Z TIME FRAME...AS UPPER DIVERGENCE INCREASES...AND THEN SPREAD EASTWARD FEEDING OFF REMAINING INSTABILITY THROUGH THE REST OF THE EVENING. UNIDIRECTIONAL WIND PROFILES WITH BULK SHEAR VALUES OF 25-30 KT STILL SUPPORTS SOMEWHAT ORGANIZED MULTICELL CLUSTERS WITH A THREAT OF DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. THE FREEZING LEVEL IN THE KGSO RAOB THIS MORNING AT WELL ABOVE 14K FT...AND THE WETBULB ZERO LEVEL WAS ABOVE 13KT FT...SO HAIL POTENTIAL IS LIMITED. HIGHS IN THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON WILL LIKELY BE A BIT LOWER THAN FORECAST DUE TO CLOUD COVER. WILL LOWER COUPLE DEGREES....STILL 85-91 FROM NW TO SE. -SMITH PREVIOUS DISCUSSION.... SFC ANALYSIS THIS MORNING SHOWED BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC CENTERED EAST OF BERMUDA...WITH A SFC RIDGE AXIS EXTENDING SOUTHWEST INTO FL. 1010 MB LOW PRESSURE WAS CENTERED OVER WESTERN TN/KY. A STATIONARY FRONT WAS DRAPED SW-NE ACROSS THE OH VALLEY. ALOFT...00Z RAOB ANALYSIS SHOWED TROUGHING/CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT OVER THE MID-SECTION OF THE CONUS...WITH THE MEAN TROUGH AXIS CENTERED ALONG THE MS RIVER VALLEY. A 100-125 KT H25 JET WAS LOCATED OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES...WITH THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OVER THE OH VALLEY. 06Z WV IMAGERY AND RUC DATA SHOWED A SHEAR AXIS EXTENDING SOUTHWEST FROM THE UPPER GREAT LAKES INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. A SHORTWAVE WAS NOTED OVER CENTRAL TN/KY...AND A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WAS NOTED IN VICINITY OF THE LOWER MS RIVER VALLEY. OVERVIEW/TEMPS: AS THE SHEAR AXIS OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES AND MIDWEST PROGRESSES EAST INTO THE OH VALLEY...THE SFC LOW CURRENTLY OVER WESTERN TN/KY IS EXPECTED TO MOVE NORTHEAST INTO THE OH/WV/KY BORDER AREA BY 12Z THIS MORNING. THE SFC LOW IS THEN EXPECTED TO MOVE ALMOST DUE EAST ALONG THE MASON-DIXON LINE THIS AFTERNOON...BEFORE MOVING OFFSHORE OF THE NORTHERN DELMARVA AND SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND BY 06Z TONIGHT. WITH RELATIVELY STRONG HIGH PRESSURE IN THE ATLANTIC AND A SFC LOW TRACKING JUST NW AND N OF CENTRAL NC...AN ATYPICALLY STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL BE PRESENT ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. BOTH THE GFS/NAM SHOW A 30-35 KT SOUTHWESTERLY 850 MB JET ACROSS CENTRAL NC THIS AFTERNOON...WITH 25-30 KT FLOW AS LOW AS 925 MB. AS A RESULT...ONCE MIXING BEGINS IN EARNEST...WE SHOULD SEE A SUSTAINED SOUTHWEST WIND OF 15-20 MPH WITH GUSTS FREQUENTLY IN THE 25-30 MPH RANGE. EXPECT HIGH TEMPS TO RANGE FROM THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S...CLOSE TO MOS GUIDANCE AND SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS DAYS. LOW TEMPS TONIGHT MUGGY IN THE 70-75F RANGE DUE TO CLOUD COVER AND A SOUTHERLY BREEZE. PRECIPITATION CHANCES: THE SHORTWAVE CURRENTLY IN CENTRAL TN/KY IS PROGGED TO LIFT RAPIDLY NORTHEAST INTO PA LATER THIS MORNING AND INTO NEW ENGLAND THIS EVE...AND THAT FEATURE WILL NOT AFFECT CENTRAL NC. THE SHEAR AXIS CURRENTLY APPROACHING THE OH VALLEY ALSO APPEARS TO HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON CENTRAL NC THIS AFT INTO TONIGHT...WITH THE BULK OF THE ASSOC ENERGY PROGGED TO BE OVER THE OH VALLEY...NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC AND NEW ENGLAND. BOTH THE GFS/NAM SHOW OUR BEST CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD CONVECTION IN THE 21Z-06Z TIME FRAME...OR ROUGHLY FROM MID/LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THE GFS/NAM SEEM TO BE KEYING PRIMARILY ON THE APPROACH OF THE 925-850 MB TROUGH AXIS INTO THE AREA...WHEN WE WILL HAVE THE DEEPEST LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE. THE 21-06Z TIME FRAME IS ALSO WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE THE BEST UPPER FORCING...PRIMARILY IN ASSOC/W AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG JET ENTRANCE REGION THAT WILL BE SHIFTING FROM THE OH VALLEY INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. CANNOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING INTO THE CAROLINAS FROM THE DEEP SOUTH THIS AFT/EVE...WITH THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE CURRENTLY APPROACHING THE LOWER MS RIVER VALLEY A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE. FCST SOUNDINGS SHOW PWAT VALUES ONCE AGAIN IN THE 2 RANGE...WITH RELATIVELY WEAK MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES. EXPECT INSTABILITY THIS AFTERNOON TO BE SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY...WITH MLCAPE VALUES PRIMARILY IN THE 1000-1500 J/KG RANGE...POTENTIALLY AS HIGH AS 2000 J/KG. EXPECT THE BEST CHANCE/COVERAGE OF CONVECTION FROM 21Z THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MIDNIGHT WHEN THE BETTER LOWER AND UPPER LEVEL FORCING ARRIVE...AND WILL SHOW LIKELY POPS IN THAT PERIOD...WITH LOW CHANCE POPS FOR DIURNAL CONVECTION BEFORE-HAND DURING THE EARLY/MID AFTERNOON HOURS. SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT WILL BEGIN TO TAPER POPS DOWN FROM NW-SE...WITH CHANCE POPS CONTINUING THROUGH SUNRISE IN THE COASTAL PLAIN. SEVERE THREAT: THE SEVERE THREAT IS NOT SO CLEAR CUT TODAY CONSIDERING THAT THE BEST LOWER/UPPER LEVEL FORCING WILL BE ENTERING THE AREA LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING...PRIMARILY AFTER PEAK HEATING. FCST SOUNDINGS SHOW NO MORE THAN 35-40 KT FLOW THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COLUMN ACROSS CENTRAL NC THIS AFT/EVE...INDICATING THAT DESPITE THE UNUSUALLY STRONG LOW LEVEL WIND FIELD...EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR VALUES SHOULD BE ON THE MARGINAL SIDE AT 20-30 KT DUE TO GOOD LOW LEVEL MIXING AND RELATIVELY BREEZY SFC WINDS SUSTAINED AT AROUND 15 KT. 20-30 KT EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR WOULD STILL SUGGEST A POTENTIAL FOR SOME MULTICELL ORGANIZATION. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP DURING PEAK HEATING THIS AFTERNOON WILL CERTAINLY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS DUE TO THE 30-35 KT LOW LEVEL FLOW AND HIGH WATER LOADING POTENTIAL. DESPITE A SLIGHT DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE BEST INSTABILITY AND THE BEST FORCING...A THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS MAY WELL CONTINUE PAST SUNSET...PARTICULARLY IF A LINE OR BROKEN LINE OF CONVECTION DEVELOPS BEFORE SUNSET IN THE WESTERN PIEDMONT/FOOTHILLS IN ASSOC/W THE 925-850 MB TROUGH ENTERING THE AREA. GIVEN EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR VALUES MARGINALLY SUPPORTIVE OF MULTICELL ORGANIZATION... AND THAT THERE IS UNIDIRECTIONAL FLOW THROUGHOUT THE COLUMN...DO NOT EXPECT MUCH OF A TORNADO THREAT. BEST CHANCE FOR ISOLD TORNADOES WILL LIKELY BE MUCH FURTHER NORTH/NE IN VICINITY OF THE SFC LOW MOVING EAST THROUGH THE NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC INTO SOUTHEAST NEW ENGLAND WHERE LOW LEVEL HELICITY WILL BE ENHANCED AND EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR VALUES ARE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF SUPERCELLS. -VINCENT && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 200 AM FRIDAY... SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... THE LOW LEVEL BOUNDARY WILL BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY FROM SW TO NE ACROSS CENTRAL NC SATURDAY. ALOFT... THE SW FLOW WILL CONTINUE AS THE UPPER TROUGH REMAINS IN PLACE... AND THE BASE STILL WEST OF THE APPALACHIANS. THIS MOIST FLOW AND POTENTIAL FOR DISTURBANCES ALOFT... COMBINED WITH THE LOW LEVEL BOUNDARY... WILL PROVIDE THE LIFT AND FOCUS FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DURING MAXIMUM HEATING. IT APPEARS THAT THE BEST CHANCE WILL BE OVER THE SANDHILLS AND COASTAL PLAIN...WHERE THE MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT IN THE POSITION OF WHERE THE FRONT WILL BECOME STATIONARY. HOWEVER... DIFFERENCES EXIST IN THE MODEL DEPICTION OF LOCATION ENOUGH THAT WE WILL MAINTAIN CHANCE POP ALL AREAS. THE HIGHEST POP (50) FROM NEAR CHARLOTTE NORTHEAST TO RALEIGH TO ROANOKE RAPIDS... AND POINTS SOUTH AND EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THE LOWEST POP (30) WILL BE PLACED IN THE NW PIEDMONT. LOWS 68-74. HIGHS 86-92. FOR SUNDAY...MODELS SHOW A STRONGER SHORT WAVE TROUGH MAY APPROACH THE REGION AGAIN DURING THE MAXIMUM HEATING SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THIS WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL LIFT FOR CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT AS THE LOW LEVEL BOUNDARY REMAINS STALLED OVER THE REGION. MODELS SUGGEST THE CHANCE WILL INCREASE THROUGHOUT CENTRAL NC AS THE LOW LEVEL BOUNDARY BACKS INTO THE PIEDMONT DURING THE AFTERNOON. WE WILL CONTINUE THE 50 POP AND MAY HAVE TO GO HIGHER IN LATER FORECASTS. LOWS 68-74. HIGHS 86-92. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 230 AM FRIDAY... THERE IS GENERAL MODEL AGREEMENT IN THAT THE LONG WAVE TROUGH THAT HAS BEEN ANCHORED OVER THE EAST CENTRAL UNITED STATES OVER THE PAST WEEK (WITH TROUGH AXIS TO OUR WEST PROVIDING A DEEP SW FLOW OF MOISTURE)... WILL BEGIN TO PUSH SLOWLY EAST NEXT WEEK. BY MID WEEK... THE BASE OF THE TROUGH POSSIBLY BECOMES NEARLY OVERHEAD. THIS FAVORS THE EASTERN HALF OF NC FOR THE BEST CONVECTIVE COVERAGE. HOWEVER... DISTURBANCES IN THE W-NW FLOW ALOFT WILL BECOME MORE OF AN ISSUE IF THE MEAN TROUGH DOES ADVANCE EAST AS ADVERTISED. EVEN THOUGH THE DAILY DIURNAL CONVECTION MAY BECOME MORE SCATTERED THIS WEEK... IT MAY BE JUST AS... OR MORE INTENSE DUE TO SLIGHTLY DRIER MID LEVELS... POTENTIALLY LARGER LOW AND MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES... AND STRONG SURFACE HEATING. THEREFORE...WE WILL MAINTAIN THE CURRENT FORECAST WHICH SHOWS A GRADUAL DIP IN THE POP FROM 50 TO 30 BETWEEN DAYS 3 THROUGH 7...BUT EMPHASIS SHOULD BE PLACED ON THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH BASED ON IMPORTANCE. SCATTERED DAILY DIURNAL CONVECTION IS EXPECTED...MAXIMIZED DURING PEAK HEATING THROUGH EARLY EVENING. A PERSISTENT PIEDMONT TROUGH... THE SANDHILLS/MOUNTAINS DIFFERENTIAL HEATING BOUNDARIES... AND SEA BREEZE...WILL PROVIDE A DAILY LOW LEVEL FOCUS AS WELL. LOWS THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD SHOULD BE NEAR NORMAL (67 NW-N TO 73 SE). HIGHS 86 NW TO 91 OR 92 SANDHILLS. && .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 130 PM FRIDAY... SCATTERED CONVECTION AND STRONG WIND GUSTS THE MAIN AVIATION CONCERN THIS AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE AND DEVELOP TO THE NORTH AND EAST...AFFECTING ANY TERMINAL ACROSS CENTRAL NC BY 20-21Z. KRDU WILL BE LIKELY BE THE FIRST OF THE TAF SITES TO EXPERIENCE TSRA...WITH STORMS ALREADY NEARING THE AIRPORT. IN ADDITION TO THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING CONVECTION...WIND GUSTS OF 20-25KT....SOMETIMES NEAR 30KT...WILL CONTINUE UNTIL RIGHT AROUND 00Z. EXPECT THE GUSTS AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO DIMINISH OR WEAK AFTER SUNSET...BUT AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL JET COMBINED WITH A COLD FRONT CROSS THE APPALACHIANS WILL CONTINUE THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SHOWERS WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST TOWARD DAYBREAK SATURDAY MORNING....WITH CEILINGS LOWERING TO IFR TO MVFR. -SMITH LOOKING AHEAD THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...EXPECT LITTLE CHANGE IN THE WEATHER PATTERN OVER CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA... WITH A CONTINUATION OF HUMID CONDITIONS THAT WILL SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL FOR PRE-DAWN STRATUS AND FOG...PARTICULARLY AT EASTERN TERMINALS AND/OR WHERE RAIN OCCURS...AND PRIMARILY AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...BADGETT NEAR TERM...VINCENT/SMITH SHORT TERM...BADGETT LONG TERM...BADGETT AVIATION...SMITH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 445 AM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-010845- 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- 445 AM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A WEAK FRONT WILL APPROACH THE MOUNTAINS FROM THE WEST LATE TODAY AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS EAST THROUGH NORTHERN VIRGINIA. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY MID AFTERNOON. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE...WITH A PRIMARY THREAT OF DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 11 PM THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SPOTTERS SHOULD STAY TUNED AND REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER. VINCENT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 1243 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009 NCZ023-039-040-073>077-083>086-088-311745- ALAMANCE-ANSON-CHATHAM-CUMBERLAND-HARNETT-HOKE-LEE-MONTGOMERY-MOORE- RANDOLPH-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-STANLY- 1243 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS RICHMOND...ALAMANCE... RANDOLPH...CHATHAM...LEE...HARNETT...MOORE...MONTGOMERY...STANLY... CUMBERLAND...ANSON...HOKE AND SCOTLAND COUNTIES THROUGH 145 PM EDT... AT 1241 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER NORMAN...OR ABOUT 14 MILES NORTH OF ROCKINGHAM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. AREAS MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THESE STRONG STORMS WILL BE...SEVEN LAKES...ELLERBE...TAYLORTOWN...CARTHAGE...CAMERON... TRAMWAY...SANFORD. GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. 23
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 1257 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009 NCZ073>077-083>086-088-311900- ANSON-CUMBERLAND-HARNETT-HOKE-LEE-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND- STANLY- 1257 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009 ...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND INTENSIFY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT AND SANDHILLS THROUGH 300 PM... AT 1250 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED DEVELOPING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT AND SANDHILLS. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOST WIDESPREAD ACROSS MOORE...LEE...MONTGOMERY AND RICHMOND COUNTIES THROUGH 200 PM. GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. BLAES
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 140 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009 NCZ025-041-042-311915- DURHAM-JOHNSTON-WAKE- 140 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS WAKE COUNTY THROUGH 315 PM EDT... AT 138 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER NEW HILL...OR ABOUT 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CARY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AND MOVE INTO SOUTHEASTERN DURHAM AND NORTHWESTERN JOHNSTON COUNTIES. SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THE STRONGEST STORM INCLUDE...HOLLY SPRINGS...APEX...LAKE WHEELER...GARNER...RALEIGH...NEW HOPE. GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THESE WINDS ARE CAPABLE OF BRINGING DOWN LARGE TREE LIMBS. LIGHT OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH CANS...POTTED PLANTS...LAWN FURNITURE AND AWNINGS COULD BE TOSSED AROUND. BLAES
The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 31 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:46 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
One tree was blown down onto power-lines along Highway 55 and Springstone Drive.
Several trees were blown down on homes along Skymont Drive.
Several trees were blown down in the Clayton area.
Several trees were blown down on Camp Charles Road west of Bailey and east of Baily along the 264 Bypass.
Several trees were blown down on High Rock Crusher Road near Polkton.
A large limb from an oak tree fell on a church and caused damage to the sanctuary.
Downed trees were hanging on power-lines near Tarboro.
One tree was blown down on Lewis Strett inside the Tarboro city limits.
Numerous trees were blown down in the Gibson area.
Numerous trees were blown down in the Laurel Hill area.
One tree was blown down along Old Stage Road in downtown Erwin.
Numerous trees were blown down along a 2 to 3 mile path around Pitt Grove Church Road, Higgins Lane and TC Jones Road.
Numerous trees down in Raeford and across southern Hoke County.
Trees and power-lines were blown down in Goldsboro.
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: 188239, 188241, 188240, 188242, 188243, 188252, 188244, 188248, 188245, 188246, 188247, 188250, 188249, 188251.