A stalled front produced slow moving thunderstorms that dumped around five inches of rain in southern Brunswick County.
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 ILM wrote it up.
A stalled front produced slow moving thunderstorms that dumped around five inches of rain in southern Brunswick County.
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 Wilmington, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 29, 6:36 AM EST, 1 hour 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 736 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010 .SYNOPSIS... A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SLOWLY DISSIPATE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE AREA BEGINNING SUNDAY AND PERSIST THROUGH MOST OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...ONGOING CONVECTION WILL ONLY SLOWLY DIMINISH THROUGH DAYBREAK. STILL SOME HEAVY RAIN IN A FEW AREAS...PRIMARILY ACROSS PORTIONS OF COLUMBUS COUNTY...EXTENDING INTO SMALL PORTIONS OF BRUNSWICK AND HORRY. THIS APPEARS TO BE IN AN AREA WHERE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES MERGED WITH THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE IS MAXIMIZED. FOR THE SAME REASON...WE MAY SEE ACTIVITY FILL IN FURTHER E ACROSS PENDER AND NEW HANOVER COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. ON THE SYNOPTIC SCALE...A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SLOWLY DISSIPATE THROUGH TONIGHT. MODELS DID NOT INITIALIZE WELL AND SO THEIR OUTPUT IS RATHER SUSPECT THIS PERIOD. CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO LINGER LONGER ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. THIS WILL LIMIT MAGNITUDE OF INSOLATION AND CAP MAY BE TOUGH TO BREAK TODAY. CAP TODAY IS CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN YESTERDAY...NEAR 5 KFT INLAND TRENDING EVEN LOWER NEAR THE COAST. STORM MOTIONS EVEN SLOWER THAN ON FRI AND CONVECTION COULD BE VIRTUALLY STATIONARY AT TIMES. INSTABILITY NOT ANYWHERE NEAR AS IMPRESSIVE TODAY AS ON FRI...PRIMARILY DUE TO LOWER DAYTIME MAXIMUMS. THEREFORE...ALTHOUGH NOT A HIGH CONFIDENCE FORECAST...WE WOULD EXPECT CONVECTION TO BE MORE SCATTERED TODAY. THAT BEING SAID...CONVECTION TODAY COULD DEVELOP ANYWHERE FIRST PART OF DAY...INCLUDING THE SEABREEZE BOUNDARY. OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES WILL ALSO SERVE AS POINTS OF INITIATION. THE CHANCES FOR RAIN ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST WILL DIMINISH DURING THE MID AND LATE AFTERNOON AS SEABREEZE MAKES INLAND PROGRESS. WE DO EXPECT CONVECTION TO DISSIPATE MUCH QUICKER TONIGHT AS RIDGING GRADUALLY BUILDS ACROSS THE AREA...BOTH SURFACE AND ALOFT. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...EXPECT A TREND TOWARD MORE STABLE CONDITIONS AS AN UPPER RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE CAROLINAS FROM THE SE AND THE CUTOFF UPPER LOW OVER THE DEEP SOUTH FILLS IN. SFC PATTERN WILL TRANSITION TO MORE OF THE BERMUDA HIGH THAT USUALLY BECOMES THE MAIN PLAYER THIS TIME OF YEAR. WILL RETAIN SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR SEABREEZE CONVECTION ON SUNDAY...AND BELIEVE THAT MAY BE GENEROUS. DRY FORECAST ON MONDAY AS IT SHOULD BE EVEN A LITTLE MORE STABLE. UNCANNY AGREEMENT BETWEEN MODEL TEMP GUIDANCE. WITH THE VERY SMALL DISCONNECT ON MAX TEMPS INLAND WILL FAVOR THE NAM MOS AND LET MONDAY BE THE WARMER OF THE TWO DAYS. MINS ALSO A FEW DEGREES ABOVE CLIMO. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...RIGHT ON TIME FOR THE START OF METEOROLOGICAL SUMMER IT LOOKS LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE A WELL- ENTRENCHED...IF NOT VERY STRONG...BERMUDA HIGH THAT CONTROLS OUR WEATHER FOR MUCH OF THE PERIOD. GFS STILL TRYING TO BRING A FRONT INTO OUR AREA TUESDAY NIGHT BUT NOW WEAKENING THE BOUNDARY OVERHEAD THROUGH THURSDAY. AS A RESULT IT IS RATHER BULLISH WITH DIURNAL CONVECTION...AND WILL BE TAKEN WITH A GRAIN OF SALT FOR AT LEAST ONE MORE RUN. GENERALLY LOOKING AT ISOLATED SHOWERS AND TSTMS EACH DAY AND TEMPS A CATEGORY OR TWO ABOVE CLIMO. STRONGER FRONT ADVERTISED AT THE END OF THE WEEK IS ALSO QUESTIONABLE GIVEN THAT THERE IS NO BACKING FROM THE ECMWF ON THIS SOLUTION. HOWEVER THIS IS AT LEAST THE SECOND 00Z/12Z GFS RUN TO ADVERTISE A FRONTAL PASSAGE SO LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO KEEP TABS ON THIS. AT THIS POINT THE FORECAST WILL NOT REFLECT ANY FROPA WITHIN THE NEXT 7 DAYS. && .AVIATION /12Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 12Z...MODERATE CONFIDENCE FORECAST THROUGH THE VALID PERIOD WITH SCATTERED CONVECTION LIKELY THROUGHOUT TODAY. INTERESTING RADAR MOSAIC THIS MORNING WITH A STEADY EAST TO WEST ORIENTED LINE OF CONVECTION PUSHING ONSHORE BELOW EASTERLY WINDS. AT THE SAME TIME...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING ACROSS THE COASTAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL...TEMPORARILY REDUCING VSBYS AND CREATING MVFR CIGS. BELIEVE THIS CONVECTION IS FIRING DUE TO ENHANCED LOW LEVEL LR/S OVER THE WARM OCEAN...AND ONCE AIR TEMPERATURES INCREASE THIS MORNING EXPECT COVERAGE OF SHOWERS TO DIMINISH FOR A WHILE. HAVE TEMPO MVFR GROUPS AT ILM/CRE/MYR FOR THE FIRST FEW HOURS THIS MORNING TO ACCOUNT FOR CONTINUED CONVECTION...BUT EXPECT PREDOMINATE VFR CONDITIONS. GUIDANCE NOT INITIALIZING THIS MORNINGS CONVECTION VERY WELL...APPEARS THAT SREF HAS THE BEST HANDLE ON IT SO HAVE LEANED ON THAT FOR THIS VALID PERIOD. TRICKY FORECAST THIS AFTN WITH CONVECTION EXPECTED TO FIRE AGAIN ACROSS THE AREA WITH REMNANT COLD POOL REMAINING ALOFT TO ENHANCE LR/S. A WEAK MID LEVEL CAP WILL EXIST THIS AFTN...SO IT WILL TAKE ENHANCED LIFT ALONG BOUNDARIES TO CREATE TS TODAY. EXPECT THIS TO OCCUR FIRST ALONG THE SEA BREEZE NEAR ILM/CRE/MYR...AND LATER IN THE AFTN AT THE INLAND TERMINALS. TRYING TO TIME EXACTLY WHEN CONVECTION WILL DEVELOP IS TOUGH TODAY SO HAVE GONE VCTS THROUGH THE AFTN AND WILL UPDATE AS NECESSARY ONCE STORMS BEGIN TO FIRE. EXPECT AT LEAST TEMPO MVFR IN ANY TS WITH IFR POSSIBLE IN ANY STRONGER CONVECTION. VFR WILL BE THE RULE WHEN TS IS NOT OCCURRING. WINDS TODAY WILL BE PREDOMINATELY FROM THE E/SE INCREASING TO 10 TO 14 KT DURING THE AFTN. BY THE END OF THIS VALID PERIOD CONVECTION SHOULD DISSIPATE LEAVING ONLY LIGHT WINDS AND BKN CONVECTIVE DEBRIS CIRRUS. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...ISOLATED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY. VFR MONDAY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE WITH A COLD FRONT TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 3AM SATURDAY...WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY LIES ACROSS THE NORTHERN WATERS AS OF 08Z. THIS BOUNDARY WILL SLOWLY DISSIPATE THROUGH TONIGHT. SEABREEZE FRONT WILL PUSH INLAND THIS AFTERNOON AND WITH THAT...WINDS WILL VEER FROM AN EASTERLY DIRECTION TO SE. WINDS WILL ALSO BE HIGHER ACROSS THE NEAR SHORE WATERS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVE DUE TO THE SEABREEZE CIRCULATION. AS BERMUDA RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE WATERS TONIGHT AND SUN...WINDS WILL VEER TO S AND SW. SEAS WILL REMAIN VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED...3 TO POSSIBLY A FEW 4 FOOTERS OUT NEAR FRYING PAN SHOALS WITH 2 FT OR LESS NEAR SHORE. A WEAK 8 TO 9 SECOND ESE SWELL WILL HAVE ONLY A MINOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE OVERALL SEA HEIGHTS. SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...STRENGTHENING BERMUDA RIDGE WILL ASSERT ITSELF ACROSS THE WATERS...WITH ANY FRONTAL SYSTEMS BEING KEPT WELL TO THE NORTH AND WEST. WINDS WILL OSCILLATE WITH THE DAILY SEABREEZE...BACKING TO SOUTHERLY AND PICKING UP TO A SOLID 15 KT EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SEAS AROUND 3 FT IN MOST LOCATIONS...BUT COULD SEE A FEW 4 FOOTERS ALONG FRYING PAN SHOALS. EITHER WAY...BOTH WINDS AND SEAS WILL REMAIN WELL BELOW ADVISORY THRESHOLDS. LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...LOOKS LIKE A RATHER SUMMER-LIKE PATTERN THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD. THE BERMUDA HIGH WILL BE ANCHORED IN PLACE KEEPING THE WIND OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST WITH SPEEDS GENERALLY IN THE 10 TO 15 KT RANGE. THUNDERSTORMS WILL TEND TO FAVOR THE LANDMASS RATHER THAN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT...BUT ANY MORE ORGANIZED CONVECTION COULD PUSH OUT OVER THE WATER. SEAS WILL AVERAGE 2 TO 3 FT...HIGHEST OFFSHORE...IN A SHORT PERIOD WIND WAVE WITH ONLY A VERY MINOR SWELL COMPONENT. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...RJD SHORT TERM...RAS LONG TERM...RAS AVIATION...JDW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 420 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010 NCZ087-096-097-099>101-SCZ017-023-024-032>034-039-046-300830- ROBESON-BLADEN-PENDER-COLUMBUS-BRUNSWICK-NEW HANOVER-MARLBORO- DARLINGTON-DILLON-FLORENCE-MARION-HORRY-WILLIAMSBURG-GEORGETOWN- 420 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED SLOW MOVING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. NEAR STATIONARY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE FREQUENT LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. AMZ250-252-254-256-300830- SURF CITY TO CAPE FEAR NC OUT 20 NM- CAPE FEAR NC TO LITTLE RIVER INLET SC OUT 20 NM- LITTLE RIVER INLET TO MURRELLS INLET SC OUT 20 NM- MURRELLS INLET TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SC OUT 20 NM- 420 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. RJD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
247 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010
NCZ087-096-099-290845-
COLUMBUS-BLADEN-ROBESON-
247 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS NEAR
EVERGREEN AND FAIR BLUFF...
AT 246 AM EDT...THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS
FROM NEAR EVERGREEN TO FAIR BLUFF...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 5 MPH.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL OF UP TO TWO INCHES.
THIS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS
ALSO EXPECTED.
THROUGH 430 AM EDT...COMMUNITIES IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS ARE
BARNESVILLE...BOARDMAN...CHADBOURN...CHERRY GROVE...EVERGREEN...FAIR
BLUFF...FAIRMONT...CERRO GORDO...ORRUM AND PROCTORVILLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THUNDERSTORMS CAN POSE A VARIETY OF THREATS IN ADDITION TO VERY
HEAVY RAIN INCLUDING CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND LOCALIZED
FLOODING. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS
PASS.
&&
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR
UPDATES. FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/ILM.
LAT...LON 3461 7894 3444 7862 3420 7895 3421 7896
3444 7920
RJDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
410 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010
NCZ100-290945-
BRUNSWICK-
410 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010
...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL RAIN OVER WESTERN BRUNSWICK
COUNTY...
AT 408 AM EDT...A THUNDERSTORM WAS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...2 MILES
EAST OF LONGWOOD...OR JUST WEST OF SHALLOTTE...MOVING NORTH AT 5 MPH.
THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL OF UP TO 2 INCHES.
THIS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. IN ADDITION...AN
EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS
STORM.
COMMUNITIES IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS ARE ASH...EXUM...FREELAND...
GRISSETTOWN...HONEY ISLAND...IREDELL...LONGWOOD...RUSSTOWN AND
WACCAMAW.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY! LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE
KILLERS. REMEMBER IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS, AND STAY OFF
PORCHES.
&&
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR
UPDATES. FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/ILM.
LAT...LON 3391 7840 3390 7860 3392 7862 3397 7864
3400 7864 3403 7859 3406 7856 3414 7854
3416 7852 3416 7849 3414 7844 3414 7842
RASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
728 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0710 AM FLOOD 4 SSE RUSSTOWN 33.90N 78.39W
05/29/2010 BRUNSWICK NC PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORTS 10 INCHES OF WATER ALONG E. 2ND STREET AND
E. 3RD STREET NEAR OCEAN ISLE BEACH.
&&
WEISSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
833 AM EDT SAT MAY 29 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 AM FLOOD 3 E SEASIDE 33.89N 78.44W
05/29/2010 BRUNSWICK NC PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORTS 10 INCHES OF WATER ALONG E. 2ND STREET
BETWEEN HWY 901 AND SHALLOTTE BLVD. SMALL CARS HAVING
TROUBLE PASSING THROUGH.
&&
WEISSThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency Manager reported water flowing across Hwy 17 near Hwy 904 in Ocean Isle Beach. The road was impassable.
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, May 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: 230405.