Strong instability and steep low-level lapse rates allowed scattered convection to initially develop along the lee side surface trough during the early afternoon. An outflow driven convective band then developed downstream of the initial convection and moved east across the area.
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.
Strong instability and steep low-level lapse rates allowed scattered convection to initially develop along the lee side surface trough during the early afternoon. An outflow driven convective band then developed downstream of the initial convection and moved east across the area. The severe storms produced widespread thunderstorm wind damage and excessive cloud to ground lightning.
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 Aug 5, 1:33 PM EST, 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 233 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 .SYNOPSIS... A STRONG RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION THROUGH TODAY...RESULTING IN ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. A COLD FRONT WILL DROP INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST ON FRIDAY...BRINGING A BETTER CHANCE OF STORMS AND NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES FOR FRIDAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 215 PM THURSDAY... TONIGHT...CONVECTION DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE NEXT UPPER WAVE COMING ACROSS KY AND TENN WILL PROGRESS EAST ACROSS CENTRAL NC LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND MAINLY THIS EVENING. MLCAPES ARE RUNNING NEAR 3500 J/KG AND -10 TO -30 DEGREE CAPE IS 900 J/KG. THE UNSTABLE AIRMASS ALONG WITH INCREASING LOW LEVEL CONFLUENCE ALONG THE PIEDMONT TROUGH WILL ALLOW FOR AN INCREASE IN DEVELOPING CONVECTION AS THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING PROGRESSES. THIS AMOUNT OF MID LEVEL INSTABILITY WILL RESULT IN STORMS...SOME LIKELY SEVERE...GENERATING INTENSE LIGHTNING ALONG WITH STRONG TO DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS. STORM COULD EVEN BECOME RATHER WIDESPREAD OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS IMPACTING MUCH OF THE AREA. ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY LINGER AFTER SUNSET AND INTO THE NIGHTTIME HOURS AS THE MID LEVEL TROUGH MOVES ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH MOST OF THE NIGHT. RAINFALL MAY BE LOCALLY EXCESSIVE IN A FEW SPOTS AS POTENTIAL FOR INDIVIDUAL STORMS TO TRAIN ACROSS THE SAME LOCALES DUE TO DEEP WESTERLY FLOW. MIN TEMPS IN THE LOW-MID 70S. FRIDAY...A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO APPROACH LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON/FRIDAY EVENING. IN ADDITION THE 850 MB TROUGH WILL DIG SOUTHEAST AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UPPER TROUGH SHEAR WILL BE ON A SLIGHT INCREASE. THE BEST DYNAMICS LOOK TO REMAIN NORTH OF FORECAST AREA...HOWEVER WITH MODERATE TO STRONG INSTABILITY AND A MOIST ATMOSPHERE COMPARABLE TO THURSDAY WITH PWAT OVER 140 PERCENT OF NORMAL THIS SHOULD RESULT IN HIGH CHANCE TO EVEN LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE REGION. DEEP LAYER SHEAR INCREASES TO 25 TO 30 KTS SUPPORTING MULTICELL DEVELOPMENT WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS AND INTENSE LIGHTNING. WILL MAINTAIN A MENTION OF SEVERE STORMS FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK AS THE REGION CONTINUES TO BE IN A SLIGHT RISK. WITH MORE CLOUD COVER FRIDAY AND LOWER THICKNESSES HIGH FRIDAY WILL RUN QUITE A BIT COOLER. GUIDANCE IS SPREAD AROUND 10 DEGREES WITH THE GFS RUNNING THE WARMEST. WILL SPLIT THE GUIDANCE AND TREND TOWARDS THE COOLER NAM/MET NUMBERS. HIGHS SHOULD RUN FROM THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S AND TEMPS COULD GO EITHER DIRECTION DEPENDING ON BREAKS VERSUS THICK OVERCAST. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 245 AM THURSDAY... FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT: A COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO MOVE INTO THE AREA LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON/FRIDAY EVENING. EVEN THOUGH THE BEST UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS WILL REMAIN NORTH OF FORECAST AREA...MODERATE TO STRONG INSTABILITY AND A VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERE (PWAT VALUES EXCEEDING 2 INCHES) SHOULD RESULT IN HIGH CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE REGION. CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO INITIALLY DEVELOP ALONG THE PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH DURING THE MID MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS...WITH ADDITIONAL STORMS DEVELOPING DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THE COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. DEEP LAYER SHEAR OF 25 TO 30 KTS WITH STEEP LOW-LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND PRECIP LOADING SHOULD SUPPORT MULTICELL DEVELOPMENT WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS. WILL MAINTAIN A MENTION OF SEVERE STORMS FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK AS THE REGION CONTINUES TO BE IN A SLIGHT RISK. LOW/SLIGHT CHANCE POPS WILL CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS SINCE CURRENT MODEL TIMING BRINGS THE FRONT NEAR THE EASTERN CWA BY AROUND 12Z SATURDAY. WITH INCREASED CLOUD COVER EXPECTED DUE TO THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT...TEMPS SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY COOLER THEN THURSDAYS HIGHS...WITH MAX TEMPS EXPECTED TO GENERALLY BE IN THE LOW TO MID 90S. OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD BE IN THE LOW TO MID 70S. SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT: THE NAM CONTINUES TO BE QUICKER WITH PUSHING THE COLD FRONT JUST SOUTH OF OUR FORECAST BY 12Z SATURDAY. (HOWEVER...THE OTHER MODELS WERE ONLY SLIGHTLY SLOWER.) THEREFORE... THE BEST CHANCE OF PRECIP WILL BE IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA DURING THIS TIME FRAME. WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR EXPECTED TO MOVE IN BEHIND THE FRONT...AFTERNOON HIGHS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM THE UPPER 80S ACROSS THE NORTHWEST TO THE LOW 90S FURTHER SOUTHEAST. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 245 AM THURSDAY... THERE COULD BE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN ACROSS THE EXTREME SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY ON SUNDAY (ASSOCIATED WITH THE REMNANT COLD FRONT/SURFACE BOUNDARY)...BUT THE REMAINDER OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD IS EXPECTED TO GENERALLY BE DRY AS THE MID/UPPER RIDGE MOVES FURTHER EAST ONCE AGAIN. WHILE AN ISOLATED STORM CANNOT BE COMPLETELY RULED OUT FOR NEXT WEEK...SUBSIDENT FLOW ALOFT WILL KEEP RAIN CHANCES BELOW 15 PERCENT. WITH THE MID/UPPER LEVEL RIDGE EXPECTED TO EXPAND BACK OVER THE REGION...A WARMING TREND WILL OCCUR THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH MAX TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO RISE BACK INTO THE MID TO UPPER 90S BY TUESDAY. && .AVIATION /19Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 230 PM THURSDAY... SCATTERED CONVECTION IS DEVELOPING ACROSS CENTRAL NC WITH MORE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION MOVING TOWARD INT AND GSO FROM THE WEST. THIS CONVECTION WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND SPREAD EAST THOUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. GIVEN THERMODYNAMIC PROFILES WINDS GUSTS TO 35 TO 45 KT ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS ALONG WITH FREQUENT AND INTENSE LIGHTNING. THE APPROACH OF THE MID LEVEL TROUGH THIS AFTERNOON INTERACTING WITH THE MOIST AND MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS WILL INCREASE THE STORM COVERAGE AND ALSO ALLOW IT TO LONGER INTO THE NIGHT TIME HOURS. EXPECT PERIODS OF MVFR/IFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING DUE TO TSRA ACROSS A GOOD PORTION OF THE AREA. AFTER A PERIOD OF SOME PATCHY MVFR FOG AND LOW CLOUDS IN THE MORNING FRIDAY...THE APPROACH OF THE FRONT FROM THE NORTH TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THE THREAT OF SHOWERS AND STORMS FRIDAY. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN LATE SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY AS DRIER MORE STABLE AIR WILL FILTER THROUGH THE REGION BEHIND THE FRONT THAT SHOULD SLIDE SOUTH OF OUR AREA ON SATURDAY. && .CLIMATE... RECORD HIGH TEMPS. RDU GSO AUGUST 5TH: 100 1953 AUGUST 5TH: 101 1930 && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NCZ007>011- 021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089. && SYNOPSIS...JO NEAR TERM...JO SHORT TERM...KRR LONG TERM...KRR AVIATION...JO
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 1226 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 NCZ007-021-038-061630- PERSON-FORSYTH-DAVIDSON- 1226 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 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. HEAT ADVISORY. ALSO...THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH A PRIMARY THREAT OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING. SEVERE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS CAN CAUSE AS MUCH DAMAGE AS TORNADOES. WHEN SEVERE WINDS STRIKE... TAKE COVER IN AN INTERIOR BATHROOM... CLOSET... OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. EVERY THUNDERSTORM PRODUCES DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND NO PLACE OUTSIDE IS SAFE. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 20 MILES AWAY FROM A STORM. IF SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING... SEEK MEDICAL CARE IMMEDIATELY. LIGHTNING STRIKES CAN RESULT IN CARDIAC ARREST... AND QUICK RESPONSE IS VITAL. WHEN THUNDER ROARS... GO INDOORS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. NCZ008>011-022>028-039>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-061630- GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE-ORANGE-DURHAM- FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-WAKE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-STANLY- MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE-ANSON-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE- CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON- 1226 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 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. HEAT ADVISORY. ALSO...THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH A PRIMARY THREAT OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND FREQUENT TO EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING.. SEVERE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS CAN CAUSE AS MUCH DAMAGE AS TORNADOES. WHEN SEVERE WINDS STRIKE... TAKE COVER IN AN INTERIOR BATHROOM... CLOSET... OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. EVERY THUNDERSTORM PRODUCES DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND NO PLACE OUTSIDE IS SAFE. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 20 MILES AWAY FROM A STORM. IF SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING... SEEK MEDICAL CARE IMMEDIATELY. LIGHTNING STRIKES CAN RESULT IN CARDIAC ARREST... AND QUICK RESPONSE IS VITAL. WHEN THUNDER ROARS... GO INDOORS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
222 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010
NCZ021-022-038-051955-
DAVIDSON-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-
222 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO FORSYTH...GUILFORD AND
DAVIDSON COUNTIES FROM THE NORTHWEST BETWEEN 300 PM AND 400 PM...
AT 217 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
MOUNT AIRY TO 35 MILES WEST OF MOCKSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS AND EXTREMELY FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING... AND WILL MOVE INTO THE TRIAD REGION...
INCLUDING INTERSTATES 40 AND 85... AFTER 300 PM.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE... LEWISVILLE...
CLEMMONS... WINSTON-SALEM... LEXINGTON... STOKESDALE... AND
GREENSBORO.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF LIGHTNING.
SEEK SHELTER INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS. MANY LIGHTNING
STRIKES WILL OCCUR WELL AHEAD OF THE HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS. IF
YOU CANNOT SEEK SHELTER INDOORS TAKE COVER IN A VEHICLE.
TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WITH THESE STORMS WILL MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT.
USE EXTREME CAUTION AND SLOW DOWN IN HEAVY RAIN.
&&
LAT...LON 3612 8045 3626 8046 3624 7967 3602 7976
3591 8004 3586 8005 3555 8019 3555 8021
3569 8033 3571 8033 3571 8038 3574 8046
3583 8049 3584 8040 3589 8041 3590 8037
3596 8038 3607 8052 3609 8052
TIME...MOT...LOC 1817Z 274DEG 19KT 3639 8087 3593 8115
GIHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
240 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010
NCZ022>024-039-040-051945-
ALAMANCE-CHATHAM-GUILFORD-ORANGE-RANDOLPH-
240 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS PARTS OF GUILFORD...
ALAMANCE...ORANGE...RANDOLPH AND CHATHAM COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM
EDT...
AT 239 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
LIBERTY...OR ABOUT 10 MILES EAST OF RANDLEMAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
30 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...
ALAMANCE...SWEPSONVILLE...GRAHAM...HAW RIVER...AND MEBANE.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING.
IF A THUNDERSTORM MOVES NEARBY OR OVERHEAD...SEEK SAFE SHELTER IN A
NEARLY BUILDING OR VEHICLE. STRONG WINDS ARE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING
DOWN BLOWING AROUND LIGHT OBJECTS LEFT OUTDOORS. BRIEFLY HEAVY RAIN
WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND POOR VISIBILITY.
&&
LAT...LON 3624 7949 3623 7924 3576 7926 3561 7968
3582 7987
TIME...MOT...LOC 1839Z 229DEG 27KT 3588 7960
DJFThe Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:17 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees down on a swatch extending from Graham to Mebane. The damage was most extensive in Mebane where down trees caused damage to two vehicles and two homes.
Several trees and power lines were blown down along a swath from Highway 150 near Arcadia to Hasty School Road near Thomasville.
A tree was blown down on Watkins Ford Road.
Multiple trees were blown down along a swath extending from Burlington Road to Chub Lake Road. One tree fell onto the front porch of a house and a truck near Chub Lake Road. Monetary damages were estimated.
Several trees were blown down along the swath.
Several trees were blown down in Mebane. One tree blew over onto a carport causing damage to several vehicles. Monetary damage values were estimated.
A tree was blown down at NC Highway 86 and Walnut Grove Church Road.
Lightning blew a transformer on Snow Hill Road near Whispering Meadow Lane.
A couple of trees were blown down along Chapel Hill Road and Chapel Hill Street near Willard Street.
A couple of trees were blown down near the intersection of NC Highway 158 and Zoo Road.
A tree was blown down at the intersection of Gorman Street and Thistledown Drive.
One tree was blown down at the intersection of Milburnie Road and Shanta Drive.
Heavy thunderstorm rains forced the closing of eastbound Glenwood Avenue due to street flooding.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 2010
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: 256882, 256883, 256884, 256885, 256886, 256887, 256888, 256879, 256891, 256892, 256894, 256895, 256878.