A weak cold front crossed eastern North Carolina during the early afternoon hours on May 14th, 2011. Showers with a few severe thunderstorms developed ahead of the cold front producing several reports of damaging winds and hail.
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 MHX wrote it up.
A weak cold front crossed eastern North Carolina during the early afternoon hours on May 14th, 2011. Showers with a few severe thunderstorms developed ahead of the cold front producing several reports of damaging winds and hail.
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 14, 1:30 PM EST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
230 PM EDT SAT MAY 14 2011
.SYNOPSIS...
A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH ACROSS THE REGION INTO VIRGINIA
THROUGH TONIGHT. A VERY SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE
REGION ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY BEFORE BECOMING STATIONARY. THE FRONT
WILL FINALLY MOVE OFFSHORE BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 225 PM SATURDAY...SEVERE TSTM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE
REGION THROUGH 8 PM THIS EVENING. VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE IN
PLACE ACROSS EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA WITH LI VALUES DOWN TO -9 AND
CAPES APPROACHING 3000 J/KG. LARGE HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED IN TSTMS
IN THE MYRTLE BEACH AREA WHICH DEVELOPED STRONG ELEVATED CORES AND
THESE STORMS SHOULD START TO AFFECT OUR SOUTHWESTERN COUNTIES IN
THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. WILL HAVE LIKELY POPS OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN
THIRD OF THE CWA TONIGHT...TAPERING TO CHANCE POPS OVER THE
NORTHEASTERN COUNTIES TONIGHT. THE CLOUDS AND SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL
KEEP TEMPS IN THE MILD MIDDLE TO UPPER 60S OVERNIGHT. THE LOCAL
WRF...NSSL WRF AND RUC INDICATE THE ACTIVITY DIMINISHES OVER THE
SOUTHERN COUNTIES AFTER ABOUT 01Z AND OVER THE NORTHERN AREAS BY
06Z. WITH THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY STILL TO THE WEST AND THE AREA IN
THE WARM SECTOR...WILL KEEP A 20-40 PERCENT POPS OVER THE CWA ON
SUNDAY. MAX TEMPS SUNDAY WILL RANGE FROM 75 BEACHES TO 85 INLAND.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 215 PM SAT...NO SIG CHANGES NEEDED TO ONGOING FORECAST. KEPT
SLIGHT CHANCE POP SUN NIGHT INTO EARLY MON WITH CONTINUED GOOD LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE...S/SW LOW LEVEL FLOW...LOW PRESSURE AREAS TO THE N
AND W WITH ASSOCIATED FRONT LINGERING OVER EASTERN NC. WEAK
FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LINGER OVER THE AREA THROUGH MON. BEST
PRECIP CHANCES FOR MONDAY LOOK LIKE AREAS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE
COAST...THOUGH MODELS CONTINUING TO TREND DRIER DURING THIS
PERIOD. HIGH TEMPS MONDAY GENERALLY 75-80 DEG.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AS OF 215 PM SAT...WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL CONTINUE TO LINGER
OVER EASTERN NC TUE AND TUE EVENING. MODELS STILL SHOWING UPPER
AND SFC LOW PRESSURE AREAS...THOUGH NOT CONSISTENT WITH PLACEMENT
AT THIS TIME. BEST CONVECTION CHANCES STILL LOOK LIKE TUESDAY
POSSIBLY INTO TUESDAY EVENING. HAVE KEPT HIGH CHANCE POPS FOR NOW.
UPPER LOW WILL LINGER JUST W/NW OF THE AREA THROUGH WED EVENING
BEFORE LIFTING NORTHWARD WED NIGHT INTO THU. SCT DIURNAL
CONVECTION POSSIBLE THEN THROUGH SAT. TEMPS AROUND SEASONABLE
NORMS...UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
/SHORT TERM THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 230 PM SATURDAY...STRONG CONVECTION LIKELY TO AFFECT THE TAF
SITES OVER THE NEXT 3 TO 6 HOURS. AFTER 06Z TONIGHT...MVFR
CEILINGS LIKELY ALONG WITH PATCHES OF FOG IN AREAS THAT WILL
RECEIVE RAIN TODAY. CEILINGS IMPROVE TO VFR MOST AREAS THROUGH MID
AFTERNOON WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE AGAIN
LATER TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
/LONG TERM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 215 PM SAT...UNSETTLED PERIOD WITH SCT CONVECTION LIKELY
THROUGH THE WEEK...WITH THE BEST CHANCES LOOKING TUESDAY AND
POSSIBLY INTO TUE EVENING AS UPPER LOW LINGERS WEST OF THE AREA.
&&
.MARINE...
/SHORT TERM THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 230 PM SATURDAY...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES REMAIN IN PLACE
ON THE COASTAL WATERS WITH SEAS UP TO 6 FEET...ESPECIALLY OVER THE
OUTER WATERS. WINDS WILL LIKELY BE GUSTY IN CONVECTION THROUGH THIS
EVENING AS WELL. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO CURRENT MARINE
FORECAST.
LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 215 PM SAT...UNSETTLED MARINE PERIOD CONTINUES. EXPECT 6FT
SEAS TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE WATERS SUNDAY EVENING...THEN SLOWLY
SUBSIDING TO 3-5FT BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING. EXPECT SEAS TO REMAIN
BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS THROUGH TUE MORNING...BEFORE INCREASING TO
6FT TUE...MAINLY N OF OCRACOKE...AS S/SE WINDS INCREASE TO
10-20KT. WINDS WILL REMAIN S/SE THROUGH THE REST OF THE PERIOD
WITH SEAS LIKELY SUBSIDING TO 3-5FT WED NIGHT.
&&
.MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EDT MONDAY FOR AMZ152-154-156.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 AM EDT MONDAY FOR AMZ150-158.
&&
SYNOPSIS...CTC
NEAR TERM...CTC
SHORT TERM...CQD
LONG TERM...CQD
AVIATION...CTC/CQD
MARINE...CTC/CQDHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC 219 PM EDT SAT MAY 14 2011 NCZ103-151830- OUTER BANKS DARE- 219 PM EDT SAT MAY 14 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 302 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING NORTH OF CAPE HATTERAS... ...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING SOUTH OF CAPE HATTERAS... 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. HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. MAIN THREATS WILL BE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS. .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. NCZ104-151830- OUTER BANKS HYDE- 219 PM EDT SAT MAY 14 2011 ...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS 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. SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. MAIN THREATS WILL BE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS. .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. NCZ095-151830- CARTERET- 219 PM EDT SAT MAY 14 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 302 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. MAIN THREATS WILL BE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS. .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. NCZ046-047-151830- TYRRELL-MAINLAND DARE- 219 PM EDT SAT MAY 14 2011 ...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 302 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS 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. AIR QUALITY ALERT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. MAIN THREATS WILL BE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS. .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. NCZ029-044-045-079>081-090>094-098-151830- MARTIN-PITT-WASHINGTON-GREENE-BEAUFORT-MAINLAND HYDE-DUPLIN-LENOIR- JONES-CRAVEN-PAMLICO-ONSLOW- 219 PM EDT SAT MAY 14 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 302 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. MAIN THREATS WILL BE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS. .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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC 307 PM EDT SAT MAY 14 2011 NCZ090-142000- DUPLIN- 307 PM EDT SAT MAY 14 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT DUPLIN COUNTY UNTIL 400 PM EDT... AT 307 PM EDT...THERE WERE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER WALLACE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR ROSE HILL AT 315 PM EDT...GREENEVERS AT 320 PM EDT...KORNEGAY AT 400 PM EDT. OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS INCLUDE BEULAVILLE... KENANSVILLE...ALBERTSON AND POTTERS HILL. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS. MOTORISTS SHOULD SLOW DOWN ON AREA ROADWAYS TO AVOID HYDROPLANING. TELEPHONE LINES AND METAL PIPES CONDUCT ELECTRICITY. YOU CAN BE INJURED OR KILLED IF LIGHTNING STRIKES NEARBY. UNPLUG APPLIANCES NOT NECESSARY FOR OBTAINING WEATHER INFORMATION. DO NOT TAKE A BATH OR SHOWER. GET OUT OF INDOOR POOLS. AVOID USING THE TELEPHONE OR ANY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE DURING A THUNDERSTORM UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THE WEATHER SITUATION ACROSS THE AREA. 11
The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:53 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotter reported trees down along Poplar Street just west of Faison which totaled two vehicles.
Trained spotter reported trees down on Highway 117 about one mile south-southeast of Faison.
Trained spotter reported trees down along McNeill Road approximately two miles east-southeast of Faison.
Trained spotter reported trees down on Highway 403 about one mile east of Faison.
Emergency manager reported quarter size hail in Kenansville.
Emergency manager reported quarter size hail about two miles east of Kenansville.
Public reported penny size hail near Red Hill.
Public reported nickel size hail in Albertson.
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, May 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: 299672, 299673, 299675, 299676, 299681, 299683, 299680, 299678.