Isolated storms developed across the central North Carolina as a strong heat ridge|resided over the region.
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.
Isolated storms developed across the central North Carolina as a strong heat ridge|resided over the region.
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 22, 2:05 PM EST, 3 hours 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 305 PM EDT FRI JUL 22 2011 .SYNOPSIS... STRONG HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL EXTEND ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEKEND...THEN RETROGRESS AND GIVE WAY TO LESS HOT TROUGHING ALOFT OVER THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 240 PM... A PERSISTENCE FORECAST. CONTINUING HEAT WARNINGS THROUGH THE NIGHT AND INTO SATURDAY AFTERNOON A GOOD CALL WITH NO RELIEF FROM THE HEAT OVERNIGHT. HEAT ADVISORY RETURNS FOR THE NORTHWEST PIEDMONT FOR SATURDAY. BROAD 700 MILLIBAR HIGH PRESSURE DOMINATING THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES DURING THE PERIOD WITH A SURFACE TROUGH CENTERED ROUGHLY NEW YORK CITY TO CHARLOTTE. MINIMAL CHANGE EXPECTED. AFTERNOON INSTABILITY WILL CONTINUE MODERATE WITH HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATERS. SYNOPTIC WINDS QUITE WEAK OVER THE NORTHWEST THIRD OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA SO ANY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE UNORGANIZED PULSE TYPES. WINDS ARE AS HIGH AS 20 KNOTS OR SO NEAR AND EAST OF HIGHWAY ONE AND IN THE SOUTHWEST. THIS WILL BE THE PREFERRED LOCATION FOR CONVECTION... THOUGH STILL ONLY SLIGHT CHANCES... AND SIMILAR CONDITIONS FOR SATURDAY. AN ISOLATED THREAT FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS. AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES 97 TO 104. OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES IN THE 80S BEFORE DIPPING TO THE UPPER 70S PRIOR TO SUNRISE. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT... AS OF 300 PM THURSDAY... SAT NIGHT THROUGH SUN NIGHT: WHILE THE DOMINANT RIDGE ALOFT WILL RETROGRADE INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS AGAIN ON SUN...THE CHARACTER OF THE AIR MASS IT LEAVES BEHIND OVER NC SHOULD CHANGE VERY LITTLE. AS SUCH...VERY MILD LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 70S TO AROUND 80 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED AGAIN FOR SUN MORNING...FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER VERY HOT DAY...WITH HIGHS SIMILAR TO A DEGREE OR TWO LESS HOT THAN PREVIOUS DAYS. A HEAT ADVISORY AT THE LEAST WILL BE NEEDED FOR MOST OF CENTRAL NC (SAVE THE NW PIEDMONT). STEERING FLOW WILL BACK TO WEST TO NW AND STRENGTHEN TO AROUND 15 KTS ON SUN...WHICH SUGGESTS MOUNTAIN CONVECTION/OUTFLOW WILL STAND A PROGRESSIVELY BETTER CHANCE OF PROPAGATING INTO THE WESTERN PIEDMONT THAN RECENT DAYS. MEANWHILE...THE LEE TROUGH AND SEA-BREEZE/OUTFLOW WILL ALSO SERVE AS TRIGGERS FOR ISOLATED CONVECTION DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MON AND MON NIGHT: THE CONTINUED RETROGRESSION OF THE HEAT WAVE-CAUSING RIDGE ALOFT...AND RESULTANT DEVELOPMENT OF TROUGHING/CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT OVER THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC REGION...WILL BRING A REPRIEVE FROM THE EXCESSIVE HEAT FOR MON...THOUGH HIGHS SHOULD STILL REACH THE 93 TO 98 DEGREE RANGE. THE CHANCE/COVERAGE OF MUCH NEEDED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONVERSELY INCREASE LATE MON INTO MON NIGHT...INTO THE 30-40 PERCENT RANGE...WHEN A LEAD DISTURBANCE IN NW FLOW ALOFT IS FORECAST TO CROSS CENTRAL NC. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 245 PM THURSDAY... MEDIUM RANGE NWP GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO INDICATE A TRANSITION FROM EARLY TO MID WEEK TROUGHINESS AND ASSOCIATED PERTURBED NW FLOW ALOFT OVER THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC REGION...TO THE REDEVELOPMENT OF A HOT AND DRY RIDGE ALOFT INVOF THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS BY THE END OF THE WEEK. TUE PROMISES THE BEST CHANCE OF STORMS DURING THE PERIOD...AS NWP GUIDANCE REMAINS SUGGESTIVE OF PRONOUNCED CONVERGENCE INVOF THE PERSISTENT LEESIDE TROUGH AND THE PASSAGE OF A DISTURBANCE ALOFT ON TUE. CONVECTION MAY ALSO BE ENHANCED BY A COLD FRONT ON TUE...THOUGH HOW DEEP INTO CENTRAL NC THE THIS EFFECTIVE FRONT CAN PENETRATE INTO NC...IF AT ALL...REMAINS IN QUESTION AND WILL LARGELY BE A FUNCTION OF LOW PREDICTABILITY PRIOR STORM DEVELOPMENT AND OUTFLOW ORGANIZATION LATE MON-MON NIGHT. THEREAFTER...THE REDEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF THE RIDGE ALOFT SHOULD KEEP DIURNAL CONVECTION ISOLATED AT BEST WED-FRI...AND ALSO CAUSE TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB BACK INTO THE 95 TO 100 DEGREE OR BETTER RANGE LATE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. && .AVIATION /19Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 145 PM... VFR THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INTO THE EARLY EVENING. SOUTHWEST WINDS OCCASIONALLY GUSTING TO 20 MPH UNTIL EARLY EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT WILL GRADUALLY WEAKEN INTO SUNDAY. THIS WILL ALLOW A MODEST INCREASE IN AFTERNOON AND EVENING CONVECTION... MORE SO SUNDAY INTO TUESDAY. OTHERWISE MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EXCEPT AREAS OF MVFR VISIBILITY DUE TO FOG AROUND SUNRISE EACH MORNING. && .CLIMATE... GSO RDU DATE HIGH/YEAR HIGH MIN/YEAR HIGH/YEAR HIGH MIN/YEAR FRI 22: 100/1952 76/2010 103/1952 76/1991 SAT 23: 99/1952 78/2010 105/1952 76/2010 SUN 24: 96/2010 78/2010 100/2010 79/2010 && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR NCZ008>011- 024>028-040>043-073>078-083>086-088-089. HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NCZ007-021>023- 038-039. HEAT ADVISORY FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR NCZ007- 021>023-038-039. && SYNOPSIS...MWS NEAR TERM...99 SHORT TERM...MWS LONG TERM...MWS AVIATION...99 CLIMATE...RAH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 346 PM EDT FRI JUL 22 2011 NCZ008>011-024>028-040>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-232000- GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE- CHATHAM-WAKE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT- WAYNE-ANSON-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON- 346 PM EDT FRI JUL 22 2011 ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY... 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. EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING. EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING. NCZ007-021>023-038-039-232000- PERSON-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH- 346 PM EDT FRI JUL 22 2011 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM EDT SATURDAY... 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. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HEAT ADVISORY. HEAT ADVISORY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
536 PM EDT FRI JUL 22 2011
NCZ089-222215-
SAMPSON-
536 PM EDT FRI JUL 22 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS SAMPSON COUNTY THROUGH 615
PM EDT...
AT 535 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES
SOUTH OF TURKEY...OR ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WARSAW...MOVING EAST
AT 10 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...TURKEY.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3476 7841 3478 7844 3481 7846 3484 7850
3486 7850 3492 7856 3508 7816 3507 7816
3488 7814 3475 7819 3473 7818 3469 7837
TIME...MOT...LOC 2135Z 251DEG 10KT 3490 7817
KRRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
645 PM EDT FRI JUL 22 2011
NCZ010-222330-
WARREN-
645 PM EDT FRI JUL 22 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WARREN COUNTY THROUGH 730 PM
EDT...
AT 644 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
MACON...OR ABOUT OVER WARRENTON...THAT WAS NEARLY STATIONARY.
SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...MACON...NORLINA...
WARRENTON AND WISE.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3654 7789 3651 7789 3648 7791 3643 7792
3641 7791 3629 7795 3638 7829 3655 7833
3655 7790
TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 266DEG 2KT 3645 7812
KRRThe Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 138 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:47 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Two large oak trees were uprooted, damaging a house and fence. Monetary damages were estimated.
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: 332241.