Thunderstorms developed along a cold front to our west and northwest during the afternoon. These thunderstorms interacted with the seabreeze and intensified as they reached Robeson and Bladen counties during the evening.
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.
Thunderstorms developed along a cold front to our west and northwest during the afternoon. These thunderstorms interacted with the seabreeze and intensified as they reached Robeson and Bladen counties during the evening. A couple of these storms did pulse to severe levels.
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 Aug 29, 7:33 PM EST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 833 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER-LEVEL IMPULSE AND A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL BRING THE ONLY CHANCE FOR RAIN TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW LATER TUESDAY AND PERSIST FOR MOST OF THE WEEK...WITH DRY WEATHER AND NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 6:55 PM MONDAY...SEA BREEZE HAS PUSHED SURFACE BOUNDARY INLAND AND NVA IN THE WAKE OF A FEATURE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONVECTION EARLIER OFFSHORE HAS LIMITED ACTIVITY ALONG THE COAST TO ALMOST NOTHING. DIFFERENT STORY INLAND WHERE STRONG SHORTWAVE IS ALLOWING CONVECTION TO ORGANIZE. FORECAST DILEMMA IS HOW FAR THIS CONVECTION MAKES IT EAST. 1800 UTC MODELS ARE INSISTENT ON THIS HAPPENING WITH THE SHORTWAVE AND THE FRONT PUSHING BACK TO THE SOUTHEAST. FOR THIS REASON I HAVE ELEVATED POPS QUITE A BIT FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ALL AREAS. ALSO INCREASED CLOUD COVER AND MIN TEMPERATURES. SEVERE THREAT SEEMS TO BE DIMINISHING WITH THE HEATING OF THE DAY BUT STILL PLENTY OF DOWNDRAFT CAPE TO TAP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. WATCH CONTINUES THROUGH 11 PM. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 2:00 PM MONDAY...PROGRESSIVE MID LEVEL TROUGH WILL BE REPLACED BY RIDGING WEDNESDAY ALTHOUGH THE FLOW WILL REMAIN SLIGHTLY FROM THE NORTHWEST. AT THE SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD DOWN FROM THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE PERIOD. THIS WILL ALLOW COOL ALMOST FALL LIKE TEMPERATURES TO DEVELOP ESPECIALLY THURSDAY MORNING WHERE LOWER 60S WILL BE COMMON. REGARDING POPS CANT COMPLETELY RULE OUT ACTIVITY WITH ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINING TUESDAY VIA THE SEA BREEZE. PROFILES ARE JUST TOO DRY FROM TOP TO BOTTOM WEDNESDAY. WITHOUT THE LUXURY OF VERIFICATION FOR THE NEW AIRMASS WILL OPT FOR A BLEND OF THE WARMER MET NUMBERS...WHICH MIGHT MAKE MORE SENSE VIA THE SLOW NATURE OF THE COLD AIR ADVECTION AND THE COOLER MAV NUMBERS. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 2:00 PM MONDAY...THURSDAY WILL BRING NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WHILE HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE RIDGES IN FROM THE NNE. BOTH WILL PROVIDE A SOURCE FOR RELATIVELY DRY AIR SO THE DAY SHOULD STAY RAIN-FREE DESPITE SOME WEAK SHORTWAVES RIPPLING BY NOT FAR TO OUR NORTH. TEMPS WILL BE RIGHT NEAR CLIMO. UPPER PATTERN AMPLIFIES ON FRIDAY AS UPPER RIDGING BUILDS OVER MS/OH VALLEYS AND A TROUGH DEEPENS OFF THE MIDATLANTIC COAST. FLOW ALOFT VEERS TO NNW AND SURFACE HIGH SHOWS LITTLE MOVEMENT. THE DRY AIR SOURCES WILL THUS REMAIN UNFETTERED AND FRIDAY WILL ONCE AGAIN BE DRY AND SEASONABLE. THE UPPER RIDGE TO OUR WEST BECOMES SUPPRESSED BY SATURDAY AS A VERY BROAD BELT OF WESTERLIES PUSHES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND WESTERN GREAT LAKES. EVENTUALLY THIS JET WILL DEEPEN A TROUGH OVER THE OHIO VALLEY THAT COULD PUSH A FRONT INTO THE CAROLINAS BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. RAIN CHANCES WILL FINALLY RETURN TO THE FORECAST ON MONDAY. && .AVIATION /01Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 00Z...CURRENT RADAR DEPICTS A CLUSTER OF SHRA/TSRA PROPAGATING EASTWARD TOWARDS THE AREA. THOUGH THIS CONVECTION IS SLOWLY WEAKENING...IT IS LIKELY THAT IT WILL AFFECT THE INLAND TERMINALS THIS EVENING. THEREFORE...HAVE INCLUDED A VCTS AT KLBT/KFLO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. CONVECTION COULD CREATE BRIEF MVFR RESTRICTIONS. ALSO...CURRENT MVFR CIG AND VSBY RESTRICTIONS AT KMYR/KCRE. EXPECT THIS TO LAST FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS. OVERNIGHT...THE CHANCE FOR ISOLATED TO SCATTERED CONVECTION WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA INTO THE COASTAL SITES. GIVEN UNCERTAINTY...HAVE OPTED TO INCLUDE ONLY VCTS ATTM. OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...A CHANCE OF SHRA/TSRA WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH AS THE MORNING PROGRESSES. LATEST GUIDANCE AND SOUNDINGS SUPPORT THE POSSIBILITY OF A LOW STRATUS LAYER DEVELOPING...POSSIBLY CREATING MVFR RESTRICTIONS AT KLBT/KFLO. FOR KILM/KCRE/KMYR...HAVE INTRODUCED A LLVL CLOUD LAYER...BUT KEPT AT SCT FOR NOW...INTRODUCING THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT GIVEN LIGHT WINDS AND RESIDUAL MOISTURE. EXPECT LLVL JET TO AT INLAND SITES TO NOT SUPPORT ANY FOG DEVELOPMENT...THOUGH CANNOT RULE OUT ATTM. WINDS OVERNIGHT WILL BE NORTHEAST AROUND 8 KTS AT THE INLAND SITES...AND NEAR CALM AT THE COASTAL SITES. BY DAYBREAK...EXPECT VFR TO PREVAIL...WITH NORTHEAST WINDS SHIFTING TO THE EAST BY THE AFTERNOON WITH WIND SPEEDS AOB 10 KTS. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...PATCHY MORNING FOG EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY MORNINGS...WITH ISOLATED/SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 6:50 PM MONDAY...ESSENTIALLY NO CHANGES TO COASTAL WATERS FORECAST. STILL EXPECT A WIND SHIFT TO NORTHEAST JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT. EXPECT CONVECTION TO FIRE AS WELL WITH STRONG MID LEVEL DYNAMICS. GOOD CHANCE OF A SMW OR MARINE WEATHER STATEMENT TO BE ISSUED AS EARLIER CONVECTION HAS BEEN LADEN WITH STRONG OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES. SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 2:00 PM MONDAY...NORTHEASTERLY FLOW THROUGH THE PERIOD AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. WIND FIELDS THROUGH 850MB SHOW AT LEAST THREE DISTINCT SURGES MOVING ACROSS. ONE TUESDAY...ONE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND ONE THURSDAY MORNING. ALWAYS TOUGH TO TIME THESE EXACTLY BUT I DO HAVE THE WINDS ON THE HIGHER END OF THE 10-15 KNOT RANGE CORRESPONDING TO EACH OF THESE PERIODS. SWAN SEAS ARE 2-4 FEET WITH MOSTLY WIND WAVES. A VERY SUBTLE SWELL COMPONENT DOES DEVELOP LATE IN THE PERIOD. LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 2:00 PM MONDAY...WIND WILL BE OUT OF THE NORTHEAST ON THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE SITS CENTERED OVER THE NEW ENGLAND STATES WHILE A RIDGE AXIS EXTENDS DOWN INTO THE CAROLINAS. SEAS WILL AVERAGE 2 TO 4 FT AND BE COMPRISED OF BOTH A 6 SECOND NE WIND WAVE AND AN 8 SEC EASTERLY 8 SEC WAVE. ATMOSPHERIC CHANGES FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WILL BE MINOR AND CONFINED TO THE UPPER LEVELS...WITH LITTLE CHANGES NOTED AFFECTING THE SURFACE PRESSURE PATTERN AND THUS THE WINDS. WIND AND SEAS FORECAST WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY STEADY. THERE COULD BE SOME VEERING ON SATURDAY AS THE SURFACE HIGH WEAKENS. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...SHK NEAR TERM...SHK SHORT TERM...SHK LONG TERM...MBB AVIATION...SGL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 422 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011 AMZ250-252-254-256-302030- 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- 422 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A FEW STORMS COULD MOVE OFF THE COAST FROM THE MAINLAND AND BRIEFLY PRODUCE 30 KT OR GREATER WIND GUSTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ087-096-099-105>110-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-053>056-302030- ROBESON-BLADEN-COLUMBUS-INLAND PENDER-COASTAL PENDER- INLAND NEW HANOVER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-INLAND BRUNSWICK- COASTAL BRUNSWICK-MARLBORO-DARLINGTON-DILLON-FLORENCE-MARION- WILLIAMSBURG-INLAND HORRY-COASTAL HORRY-INLAND GEORGETOWN- COASTAL GEORGETOWN- 422 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 817 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...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. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE FROM DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WITH A SECONDARY AFFECT FROM HAIL 1 INCH OR GREATER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. DCH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
448 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011
SCZ032-033-039-053-292115-
FLORENCE-INLAND HORRY-MARION-WILLIAMSBURG-
448 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS HORRY...WILLIAMSBURG...
FLORENCE AND MARION COUNTIES THROUGH 515 PM EDT...
AT 448 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
STUCKEY...OR ABOUT 18 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LAKE CITY...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 20 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE BRITTON NECK...GRESHAM...HEMINGWAY...
HENRY...INDIANTOWN...JOHNSONVILLE...KINGSBURG...OUTLAND...POSTON AND
STUCKEY.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
THUNDERSTORMS CAN POSE A VARIETY OF THREATS INCLUDING GUSTY WINDS...
SMALL HAIL...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. IT
IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS PASS.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT
MONDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH
CAROLINA.
&&
LAT...LON 3374 7962 3405 7940 3393 7917 3377 7931
3378 7933 3374 7936 3369 7941 3366 7942
3364 7944
TIME...MOT...LOC 2048Z 214DEG 18KT 3377 7946
BACONSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 515 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011 NCZ099-109-292215- COLUMBUS-INLAND BRUNSWICK- 515 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS BRUNSWICK AND COLUMBUS COUNTIES THROUGH 615 PM EDT... AT 515 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES EAST OF MAKATOKA...OR ABOUT 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LELAND... MOVING NORTHWEST AT 5 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE MAKATOKA. HAZARDS INCLUDE... PEA SIZE HAIL. GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS CAN POSE A VARIETY OF THREATS INCLUDING GUSTY WINDS... SMALL HAIL...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS PASS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT MONDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. && LAT...LON 3414 7853 3433 7834 3419 7809 3403 7819 TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 117DEG 6KT 3415 7823 BACON
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
612 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0524 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 WNW GRESHAM 33.94N 79.50W
08/29/2011 FLORENCE SC 911 CALL CENTER
TREE DOWN NEAR INTERSECTION OF OLD RIVER ROAD AND
MCWHITE CIRCLE. TIME OF EVENT ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1100532
LACORTEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
614 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0524 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 SE PAMPLICO 33.95N 79.50W
08/29/2011 FLORENCE SC 911 CALL CENTER
TREE DOWN ON THOMAS LANE NEAR OLD RIVER ROAD. TIME OF
EVENT ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1100533
LACORTEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
625 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 SE LAKE CITY 33.84N 79.71W
08/29/2011 FLORENCE SC 911 CALL CENTER
TREE DOWN ON JOHNSONVILLE HWY NEAR MCCLAM ROAD. TIME OF
EVENT ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1100534
LACORTESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
756 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011
SCZ017-300100-
MARLBORO-
756 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS MARLBORO COUNTY THROUGH 900
PM EDT...
AT 756 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES
SOUTH OF WALLACE...OR ABOUT OVER CHERAW...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE BENNETTSVILLE...CHAVISTOWN...CLIO...
DUNBAR...MCCOLL...WALLACE...BLENHEIM AND TATUM.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
THUNDERSTORMS CAN POSE A VARIETY OF THREATS INCLUDING GUSTY WINDS...
SMALL HAIL...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. IT
IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS PASS.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT
MONDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH
CAROLINA.
&&
LAT...LON 3480 7967 3463 7946 3460 7946 3441 7957
3446 7975 3447 7973 3449 7972 3452 7976
3449 7979 3451 7983 3460 7981 3462 7978
3465 7982 3468 7986 3475 7990 3477 7994
3481 7993
TIME...MOT...LOC 2356Z 277DEG 15KT 3463 7987
BACONThe Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:17 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was reported down on David Parnell Street. The time was estimated based on radar data.
A tree was reported down on Highway 72. The time was estimated based on radar data.
A tree was reported down on Mercer Mill Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 2011
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: 342561, 342562, 342563.