A disturbance aloft moving across central North Carolina and interacted with a warm moist and unstable atmosphere to produce damaging winds.
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 disturbance aloft moving across central North Carolina and interacted with a warm moist and unstable atmosphere to produce damaging winds.
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 13, 1:45 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
245 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011
.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL SETTLE SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH OUR REGION THIS
EVENING. MORE SEASONABLE HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW FOR THURSDAY
THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 240 PM...
CONVECTION FIRING AHEAD OF AN MVC MOVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE
NORTHERN TIER THIS AFTERNOON. ELSEWHERE...INSTABILITY IS ABUNDANT
AND THE CONVECTIVE TEMP WILL BE REACHED...AND A SURFACE TROF IN THE
EAST WILL PROVIDE WEAK FORCING FOR CONVECTION WITH MORE SCATTERED
COVERAGE. STORMS WILL WEAKEN WITH LOSS OF INSOLATION...BUT A SURFACE
FRONT SAGGING SOUTH EARLY TONIGHT WILL PROVIDE IMPETUS FOR CONTINUED
SHOWER AND ISOLATED THUNDER ACTIVITY FOR A FEW HOURS PAST MIDNIGHT.
CLOUDS WILL BE ON THE DECREASE BEHIND THE FRONT AS DRIER AIR FILTERS
IN LATER TONIGHT. MINS WILL BE LARGELY PERSISTENCE...70 T0 75...
WITH THE COOLER AIR ADVECTION HOLDING OFF UNTIL THURSDAY. MOSTLY
SUNNY THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE RIDGES DOWN THE ATLANTIC SEABOARD.
THICKNESSES FALL OFF A FULL 30 METERS...~10 DEGREES...RESULTING IN
HIGHS MAINLY IN THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AS OF 230 PM WEDNESDAY...
STILL LOOKS LIKE A STABLE... DRY... AND SEASONABLE PERIOD WITH LIGHT
NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT... AS THE MID LEVEL TROUGH SHIFTS EAST OUT OVER
THE NW ATLANTIC AND CLOSES OFF A LOW JUST SOUTH OF THE CANADIAN
MARITIMES. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND
SE ONTARIO THURSDAY EVENING DRIFTS TO THE ESE... TO A POSITION JUST
OFF THE MIDATLANTIC COAST BY SATURDAY EVENING... ALL THE WHILE
RIDGING INTO CENTRAL NC. THE LIGHT NORTHEAST SURFACE FLOW GRADUALLY
BECOMES EASTERLY BY SATURDAY... PULLING IN A STEADY FEED OF DRY AIR
IN THE LOW LEVELS. MID LEVELS WILL BE SIMILARLY DRY AND WARMING...
WITH HEIGHTS ALOFT STEADILY RISING AS A MID LEVEL ANTICYCLONE
STRENGTHENS OVER NE/MO. EXPECT GENERALLY FAIR SKIES. THE GFS DEPICTS
ENOUGH MOIST UPGLIDE AROUND 310K FOR A FEW MID CLOUDS IN THE WESTERN
PIEDMONT LATE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING... ALTHOUGH
THIS MAY BE ARTIFICIALLY ENHANCED BY EVENING CONVECTION OVER THE
MOUNTAINS... AND WILL BE DOWNPLAYED WITH JUST A PERIOD OF PARTLY
CLOUDY SKIES. MODEL PROJECTED THICKNESSES ARE NEAR OR JUST UNDER
SEASONAL NORMALS... A WELCOME CHANGE AFTER THIS HOT SPELL...
SUPPORTIVE OF HIGHS OF 84-89... AFTER MORNING LOWS IN THE LOWER-MID
60S. -GIH
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AS OF 240 PM WEDNESDAY...
THE CONUS WILL BE DOMINATED THROUGH THIS PERIOD BY THE STRENGTHENING
MID LEVEL RIDGE WHICH REMAINS LARGELY CENTERED STATIONARY OVER THE
CENTRAL PLAINS (KS/NE/MO/IA) THROUGH MIDWEEK. 1000-850 MB
THICKNESSES OVER NC STEADILY CLIMB BACK TO WELL-ABOVE-NORMAL
VALUES... POTENTIALLY EXCEEDING 1430 M ONCE AGAIN BY WEDNESDAY. AS
THE SURFACE HIGH CENTERED OFF THE MIDATLANTIC COAST RIDGES WESTWARD
ELONGATED ACROSS VA/NC... THE LONG-FETCH ONSHORE-DIRECTED FLOW ON
ITS SOUTH SIDE... INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES... EVENTUALLY PULLS
INCREASING MOISTURE INTO COASTAL AREAS TO OUR SOUTH. NC THEN BECOMES
THE BATTLEGROUND BETWEEN THIS HIGH-PW AIR AND THE DRY/WARM/SUBSIDING
AIR TO THE N AND NW ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRONG MID LEVEL RIDGE AND
ASSUMED HIGH CONVECTIVE INHIBITION. TOUGH TO SAY AT THIS TIME RANGE
WHICH WILL WIN OUT... ALTHOUGH THE LATEST GFS/ECMWF SUPPORT KEEPING
THE MID LEVEL RIDGE AXIS ACROSS NC AND HOLDING THE LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE TRANSPORT TO OUR SOUTH EARLY IN THIS PERIOD... THUS KEEPING
OUR AREA LARGELY DRY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. BY TUESDAY INTO
WEDNESDAY... THE LAST TWO GFS RUNS RETROGRADE THIS RIDGE SLIGHTLY
WESTWARD TO ALLOW SHORTWAVE ENERGY TO DROP THROUGH THE EASTERN GREAT
LAKES AND SSE TOWARD NC... WHILE THE ECMWF ACTUALLY SHIFTS THE 5960
METER RIDGE EASTWARD TO BE CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS
BY LATE WEDNESDAY... KEEPING CENTRAL NC GENERALLY DRY AND HOT UNDER
A WEEK LEE TROUGH THROUGH THE PIEDMONT. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY
EVIDENT HERE AND CONSIDERING THAT THE 12Z/13 GFS HAS A FARTHER-EAST
RIDGE CENTER AT 180H AS COMPARED TO ITS PREVIOUS RUN... WILL LEAN
TOWARD POPS BELOW CLIMATOLOGY... 25 PERCENT OR LOWER... AND TEMPS
1-2 CATEGORIES ABOVE NORMAL... YIELDING LOWS FROM THE UPPER 60S TO
THE LOWER 70S... AND HIGHS RISING FROM AROUND 90/LOWER 90S ON SUNDAY
TO THE MID-UPPER 90S BY WEDNESDAY. WITH NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT...
HOWEVER LIGHT... WE WILL NEED TO WATCH ANY POTENTIAL UPSTREAM MCS
ACTIVITY VERY CLOSELY. -GIH
&&
.AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 200 PM..
CONVECTION WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES.
THUNDER IS CURRENTLY IN THE GSO/INT AREAS AND WILL DEVELOP...WITH
MORE SCATTERED COVERAGE...WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS OVER MOST OF THE
AREA. STORMS WILL WEAKEN BY 02Z WITH COOLING...BUT A FRONT SAGGING
SOUTH WILL POTENTIALLY PRODUCE SHOWERS/SCT STORMS THROUGH 09Z.
A SMALL CHANCE FOR SHOWERS NEAR THE SOUTH CAROLINA BORDER THURSDAY
THEN GENERALLY DRY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. SOME MVFR
VISIBILITY EACH MORNING AROUND DAYBREAK IN FOG.
&&
.CLIMATE...
DAILY RECORDS FOR JULY 13.
RDU
REC MAX REC HI MIN
98 - 1951 78 - 1981
GSO PIEDMONT TRIAD
REC MAX REC HI MIN
98 - 1954 75 - 1981
&&
.RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
HEAT ADVISORY FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING
FOR NCZ042-043-077-078-085-086-088-089.
&&
SYNOPSIS...MB
NEAR TERM...MLM
SHORT TERM...HARTFIELD
LONG TERM...HARTFIELD
AVIATION..MLMHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 304 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011 NCZ042-043-077-078-085-086-088-089-140215- JOHNSTON-WILSON-HARNETT-WAYNE-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON- 304 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 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. THERE IS A CHANCE THAT A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE... PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH AND POSSIBLY SOME LARGE HAIL...THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MONITOR THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RALEIGH. YOU CAN ALSO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST WEATHER ON A WEB ENABLED CELL PHONE OR OTHER MOBILE DEVICE BY VISITING HTTP://MOBILE.WEATHER.GOV. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IMMEDIATELY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. NCZ011-027-028-073>076-083-084-140215- HALIFAX-NASH-EDGECOMBE-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-ANSON-RICHMOND- 304 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE THAT A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE... PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH AND POSSIBLY SOME LARGE HAIL...THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE HAIL THE SIZE OF QUARTERS OR LARGER AND DAMAGING WINDS OF 58 MPH AND GREATER. WHEN STORMS THREATEN... REMEMBER THESE SAFETY GUIDELINES: MONITOR THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RALEIGH. YOU CAN ALSO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST WEATHER ON A WEB ENABLED CELL PHONE OR OTHER MOBILE DEVICE BY VISITING HTTP://MOBILE.WEATHER.GOV. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IMMEDIATELY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. NCZ007>010-021>026-038>041-140215- PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE-ORANGE- DURHAM-FRANKLIN-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-WAKE- 304 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 638 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE HAIL THE SIZE OF QUARTERS OR LARGER AND DAMAGING WINDS OF 58 MPH AND GREATER. WHEN STORMS THREATEN... REMEMBER THESE SAFETY GUIDELINES: MONITOR THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RALEIGH. YOU CAN ALSO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST WEATHER ON A WEB ENABLED CELL PHONE OR OTHER MOBILE DEVICE BY VISITING HTTP://MOBILE.WEATHER.GOV. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY SEVERE OR SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IMMEDIATELY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 245 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011 NCZ022-023-039-040-131945- ALAMANCE-CHATHAM-GUILFORD-RANDOLPH- 245 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS RANDOLPH...GUILFORD... CHATHAM AND ALAMANCE COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EDT... AT 245 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER FOREST OAKS...OR ABOUT 13 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GREENSBORO...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...LIBERTY...STALEY... SNOW CAMP. HAZARDS INCLUDE... GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. && LAT...LON 3587 7923 3566 7944 3595 7979 3609 7965 TIME...MOT...LOC 1845Z 308DEG 10KT 3596 7963 23
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
332 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011
NCZ076-077-132030-
HARNETT-LEE-
332 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS HARNETT AND LEE COUNTIES
THROUGH 430 PM EDT...
AT 332 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
OLIVIA...OR ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTH OF SANFORD...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
HALF INCH DIAMETER SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.
HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING.
SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY BUILDING OR VEHICLE. STRONG WINDS ARE
CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES AND BLOWING AROUND TRASH CANS...
POTTED PLANTS...LAWN FURNITURE AND OTHER LIGHT OUTDOOR OBJECTS.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.
&&
LAT...LON 3521 7915 3524 7917 3527 7922 3530 7919
3535 7927 3538 7928 3540 7930 3555 7916
3550 7873 3526 7882 3525 7887 3523 7889
3521 7896 3519 7909
TIME...MOT...LOC 1932Z 292DEG 22KT 3539 7912
ELLISSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
355 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011
NCZ008-026-041-132100-
FRANKLIN-GRANVILLE-WAKE-
355 PM EDT WED JUL 13 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN WAKE...GRANVILLE
AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES THROUGH 500 PM EDT...
AT 354 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10
MILES NORTHWEST OF FRANKLINTON...OR ABOUT 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF
CREEDMOOR...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...FRANKLINTON...
YOUNGSVILLE...ROLESVILLE.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY BUILDING OR VEHICLE. STRONG WINDS ARE
CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES AND BLOWING AROUND TRASH CANS...
POTTED PLANTS...LAWN FURNITURE AND OTHER LIGHT OUTDOOR OBJECTS.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT
WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.
&&
LAT...LON 3627 7851 3618 7850 3618 7849 3617 7846
3616 7846 3616 7842 3619 7840 3604 7820
3587 7855 3620 7872
TIME...MOT...LOC 1954Z 319DEG 17KT 3619 7859
22The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:03 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
One tree was reported down at Swanns Station Road and Frank Wicker Road.
One tree was reported down in the 3100 block of Cameron Drive.
One tree was reported down near the intersection of United States Highway 1 and Materials Drive.
One tree was reported down on Moores Pond Road.
One tree was down at 1000 Moores Pond Road.
One tree was reported down on Pearces Road.
Numerous trees were reported down throughout Stanly County.
One tree was reported down at Williams-White Road.
Penny sized hail was reported near Pilot, NC.
One tree was reported down on a power line in Vass, NC.
One tree was reported down on Southwest Broad Street.
One tree was reported down on Southwest Broad Street.
Six trees were reported down near Camp Mackall.
One tree was reported down on North Carolina Highway 742 near the Anson County Line.
One tree was reported down on Roseland Road near United States Highway 1.
One tree was down off of North Carolina Highway 109.
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, July 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: 332869, 332870, 332873, 332895, 332874, 332894, 332872, 332893, 332868, 332889, 332888, 332892, 332875, 332890, 332887, 332891.