Severe drought (D2) began impacting Eastern North Carolina in early June. Since last winter the region has received well below normal precipitation.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 MHX wrote it up.
Severe drought (D2) began impacting Eastern North Carolina in early June. Since last winter the region has received well below normal precipitation. Streamflows over Eastern North Carolina were well below normal with several sites showing less than ten percentile range of streamflow. Groundwater conditions were listed as much below to record low levels across the region. As of June 1st, Local Climatological Data Sites New Bern and Cape Hatteras observed fifty-one and seventy-seven percent of normal precipitation, respectively. As a result of these conditions, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources banned open burning in Eastern North Carolina. Hot and dry conditions also helped maintain wildfires in Onslow and mainland Dare Counties.
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 Newport/Morehead City, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 31, 5:52 PM EST, 6 hours 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC 652 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A LARGE UPPER RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ANCHORED ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. SEVERAL WEAK COLD FRONTS WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA THROUGH THIS COMING WEEKEND. THE FIRST WILL PASS THROUGH ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WITH ANOTHER FRONT PASSING THROUGH ON SATURDAY OR SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT/... AS OF 650 PM TUE...WILL SEND OUT A ZONE UPDATE SHORTLY TO REMOVE MENTION OF ISOLATED EVENING STORMS IN OUR SOUTHWEST COUNTIES. NO OTHER CHANGES NEEDED. RECORD BREAKING HOT TEMPERATURES TODAY HAVE BEEN OBSERVED...AS A STRONG UPPER RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN CONTROL ACROSS E NC. MORE RECORD HIGH TEMPS VERY POSSIBLE ON WED AS THE RIDGE REMAINS... WITH APPARENT TEMP VALUES ONCE AGAIN REACHING BETWEEN 100 AND 105 DEGREES. LEFT OUT ANY MENTION OF THUNDER ON WED AS SUBSIDENCE WILL BE QUITE STRONG ALOFT AND NEAR THE SFC...WITH ONLY SCT AFTERNOON CU DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 245 PM TUESDAY...MAIN STORY FOR THE SHORT TERM PERIOD WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE HEAT. WITH THE MET/MAV RUNNING A FEW DEGREES TOO COOL OF LATE...WILL USE THE ECMWF BIAS-CORRECTED MAX TEMPERATURE GRIDS WHICH HAVE BEEN CLOSER TO REALITY...ESPECIALLY FOLLOWING TODAY'S RECORD HIGH TEMPS. THE GFS/NAM AND LOCAL WRF CONTINUE TO SHOW SOME QPF ASSOCIATED WITH A WEAK BOUNDARY PASSAGE LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. PREVIOUS FORECASTS HAVE HAD A SLIGHT CHC POP AND WILL CONTINUE THAT THIS FORECAST CYCLE. REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST SHOULD BE DRY WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 245 PM TUESDAY...UPPER PATTERN UNDERGOES A BIT OF A CHANGE FOR THE WEEKEND. UPPER HIGH RETROGRADES TO THE WEST AS UPPER TROUGH DIGS DOWN THE NORTHERN ATLANTIC COAST. THIS WILL PLACE EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA IN A NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. THIS PATTERN TYPICALLY MAKES THE REGION SUSCEPTIBLE TO OUTFLOW FROM MCS ACTIVITY TO THE NORTHWEST...BUT GIVEN DRY CONDITIONS OF LATE...WILL KEEP POPS MINIMAL TO NIL THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD. TEMPERATURES CONTINUE A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... /SHORT TERM TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUE...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH TAF PD AS LARGE UPPER RIDGE REMAINS IN CONTROL. ONLY AN OUTSIDE CHANCE OF AN ISO THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON...MAINLY FOR KOAJ...THOUGH CHANCES SO SLIM THAT LEFT OUT OF THE TAF ATTM. MAINLY CLR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS TONIGHT...WITH TEMPO BR POSSIBLE ACROSS MAINLY KPGV. SKIES WILL BE PARTLY CLOUDY ON WED WITH SCT CU DEVELOPMENT AND LIGHT EASTERLY FLOW EXPECTED. /LONG TERM WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 245 PM TUESDAY...GIVEN THE LACK OF PRECIP OTHER THAN THE ISOLATED VARIETY...EXPECT AVIATION CONDITIONS TO REMAIN IN THE VFR CATEGORY FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD. AS ALWAYS...CANNOT RULE OUT SOME BRIEF EARLY MORNING REDUCTIONS IN STRATUS/FOG BUT THESE SHOULD BE SHORT-LIVED. && .MARINE... /SHORT TERM TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 650 PM TUE...CURRENT FORECAST IN GOOD SHAPE. NO CHANGES NEEDED. NE WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KTS THROUGH THIS EVENING WILL VEER EAST TO SOUTHEAST FOR WED AND DIMINISH TO 5 TO 10 KT. WAVES WILL BE SUB SCA WITH HIGHEST IN THE CENTRAL OUTER WATERS AT AROUND 5 FT...SUBSIDING LATE TONIGHT. /LONG TERM WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 245 PM TUESDAY...PRETTY MUCH OPTIMAL MARINE CONDITIONS THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS WEAK RIDGING KEEPS WINDS AOB 15 KNOTS AND SEAS AOB 4 FEET AREA-WIDE. && .MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...TL NEAR TERM...HSA/TL SHORT TERM...CTC LONG TERM...CTC AVIATION...CTC/TL MARINE...CTC/HSA/TL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC 359 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 NCZ046-081-012000- TYRRELL-MAINLAND HYDE- 359 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 ...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN 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. AIR QUALITY ALERT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. AIR QUALITY ALERT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ103-012000- OUTER BANKS DARE- 359 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 ...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN 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. MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ047-012000- MAINLAND DARE- 359 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 ...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN 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. AIR QUALITY ALERT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. AIR QUALITY ALERT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ095-104-012000- CARTERET-OUTER BANKS HYDE- 359 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 ...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING NORTH OF CAPE LOOKOUT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN 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. MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ029-044-079-080-090>094-098-012000- MARTIN-PITT-GREENE-BEAUFORT-DUPLIN-LENOIR-JONES-CRAVEN-PAMLICO- ONSLOW- 359 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON WILL RANGE IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S ACROSS INLAND PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. HEAT INDEX VALUES ACROSS THESE AREAS WILL CLIMB INTO THE 100 TO 105 DEGREE RANGE. OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST SHOULD DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS AND SEEK SHADE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ045-012000- WASHINGTON- 359 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 ...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EDT WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN 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. AIR QUALITY ALERT. HIGH TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON WILL RANGE IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S ACROSS INLAND PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. HEAT INDEX VALUES ACROSS THESE AREAS WILL CLIMB INTO THE 100 TO 105 DEGREE RANGE. OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST SHOULD DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS AND SEEK SHADE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. AIR QUALITY ALERT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC 741 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 NCZ047-080-081-090>095-098-103-010900- MAINLAND DARE-BEAUFORT-MAINLAND HYDE-DUPLIN-LENOIR-JONES-CRAVEN- PAMLICO-CARTERET-ONSLOW-OUTER BANKS DARE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...RIVER ROAD...WALLACE... WARSAW...ROSE HILL...KENANSVILLE...BEULAVILLE...MAGNOLIA... KINSTON...MAYSVILLE...POLLOCKSVILLE...TRENTON...NEW BERN... HAVELOCK...VANCEBORO...ORIENTAL...ALLIANCE...BAYBORO...ARAPAHOE... MINNESOTT BEACH...VANDEMERE...STONEWALL...MOREHEAD CITY... BEAUFORT...EMERALD ISLE...NEWPORT...JACKSONVILLE... KILL DEVIL HILLS...KITTY HAWK...NAGS HEAD...SOUTHERN SHORES 741 PM EDT TUE MAY 31 2011 ...SMOKE WILL BE IN THE AIR INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING... NORTHEAST WINDS WILL TRANSPORT SMOKE ACROSS THE AREA INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING FROM THE PAINS BAY FIRE IN MAINLAND DARE COUNTY. THE AIR WILL SMELL SMOKEY...ESPECIALLY LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. VISIBILITIES MAY BE SOMEWHAT REDUCED IN SMOKE...BUT IN GENERAL...INCREASING WINDS ABOVE THE SURFACE WILL NOT BE CONDUCIVE FOR SIGNIFICANT SMOKE AND FOG AT GROUND LEVEL.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
17 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Beaufort County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Carteret County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Craven County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Outer Banks Dare County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Mainland Dare County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Duplin County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Greene County in late June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Outer Banks Hyde County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Mainland Hyde County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Jones County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Lenoir County in late June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Martin County in late June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Onslow County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Pamlico County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Pitt County in late June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Tyrrell County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
Severe drought (D2) designation began for Washington County in early June 2011. No significant precipitation occurred during the month with only typical summertime afternoon showers and thunderstorms.
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, June 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: 322072, 322073, 322074, 322075, 322076, 322077, 322078, 322079, 322080, 322081, 322082, 322083, 322084, 322085, 322086, 322087, 322088.