A moist tropical plume, combined with diffluent flow aloft produced heavy rain.
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.
A moist tropical plume, combined with diffluent flow aloft produced heavy rain.
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 Sep 26, 2:38 PM EST, 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 338 PM EDT MON SEP 26 2011 .SYNOPSIS... TROPICAL MOISTURE STREAMING FROM THE SOUTH OVER THE AREA WILL MAINTAIN SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA VERY EARLY THURSDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO SWEEP ACROSS THE REGION LATE FRIDAY...BRINGING COOLER AND DRIER WEATHER INTO THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...ITS SHAPING UP TO BE SOMEWHAT OF A REPEAT OF YESTERDAYS PATTERN JUST SHIFTED IN TIME A FEW HOURS EARLIER. INCREASINGLY AGITATED CU FIELD OVER WESTERN ZONES WOULD LEND CREDENCE TO LOCAL WRF IN DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED TO PERHAPS NUMEROUS SHOWERS/STORMS. NOTABLE FEATURE WITHIN THIS AREA LOOKS LIKE SFC CONFLUENCE FROM CHS TO CLARENDON CTY AND JUST WEST OF DARLINGTON...WHERE STORMS SHOULD BEGIN TO FIRE WITH SOME VIGOR. MEANWHILE A MESOSCALE LOW CAN BE SEEN IN RADAR DATA MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST 50NM OFF NEW HANOVER/PENDER COASTLINE. THIS HAS LEAD TO A BLOSSOMING OF CONVECTION INTO THE BEACHES OF NHC AND MAY CONTINUE TO DO SO OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. && .SHORT TERM/TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...STAGNANT UPPER LOW OVER THE MIDWEST WILL BASICALLY SPIN IN PLACE TUESDAY AS LARGE BLOCKING RIDGE REMAINS OVER THE ATLANTIC. OCCLUDED LOW WEST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA WILL EJECT A PIECE OF ENERGY OVER THE MTN-WEST RIDGE WHICH WILL ACT AS THE KICKER TO FINALLY DISPLACE THE UPPER LOW TO THE NORTHEAST. GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD...WITH THE ECMWF SLIGHTLY SLOWER WITH THIS PROGRESSION. WILL LEAN TOWARDS THE SLOWER SOLUTION FOR PERSISTENCE OF THIS CURRENT PATTERN. THIS WILL CREATE SENSIBLE WEATHER ACROSS THE AREA THAT IS ANALOGOUS TO THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. TROPICAL AIR STREAMING INTO THE CAROLINAS WILL CONTINUE HUMID AND PARTLY/MOSTLY CLOUDY CONDITIONS...WITH TEMPERATURES ABOVE...TO WELL ABOVE CLIMO. HOWEVER...AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER WILL GREATLY INFLUENCE BOTH MAX AND MIN TEMPS EACH DAY AND THERE COULD BE CONSIDERABLE SPREAD FROM PLACE TO PLACE. MOIST ATMOSPHERE AS SIGNALED BY PWATS OF 1.5 TO 2.0 INCHES PROMOTES A RAIN/TSTM THREAT...WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF TSTMS BEING TUESDAY AFTN AND EVE. THERE IS ALSO LIKELY BE A DIURNAL OSCILLATION IN PRECIP...FROM THE COAST AT NIGHT TO INLAND ZONES DURING THE AFTNS. COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH BY THE END OF THE PERIOD USHERING IN MUCH DRIER AIR...BUT MAY HOLD OFF UNTIL THURSDAY MORNING. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 3 PM MONDAY...THE UPPER LEVEL LOW THAT HAS TAKEN UP RESIDENCE OVER THE GREAT LAKES APPEARS TO BE FINALLY BE ON THE MOVE IN THIS FORECAST PERIOD BUT BY MONDAY THE A SECONDARY CUTOFF IN THE PREFERRED ECMWF WILL BE OVER THE DELMARVA. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT THE AREA WILL FINALLY BE DRYING OUT BUT THE MODEL ARE SHOWING THE COOLEST WEATHER OF THE FALL SO FAR WITH LOW EXPECTED TO REACH THE MID 40S INLAND SUNDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION/18Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 18Z...AREAS OF MVFR/IFR CIGS CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA...WITH VIS SATELLITE ILLUSTRATING ISOLATED AREAS BECOMING CLR. FOR THE REST OF TODAY...EXPECT SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA ACROSS THE AREA TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING...CONTINUING THE TREND OF MVFR/IFR. HAVE INCLUDED VCSH/SHRA IN CURRENT FCST...THOUGH CONFIDENCE IS LOW REGARDING TIMING OF ACTIVITY. ONCE SHRA/TSRA HAS DIMINISHED...EXPECT VFR/MVFR OVERNIGHT THROUGH VALID PERIOD. FOR NOW...HAVE INTRODUCED MARGINAL VFR/MVFR BR AT INLAND TERMINALS. CANNOT RULE OUT BR DEVELOPMENT ELSEWHERE...BUT GIVEN PROJECTED CLOUD COVER...COULD INHIBIT ANY DEVELOPMENT ALL TOGETHER. INSTEAD...LOW STRATUS CLOUD LAYER MAY FORM...BUT DO NOT EXPECT ANY RESTRICTIONS ATTM. SIMILAR TO EARLIER TODAY...EXPECT TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON TO HAVE MVFR/IFR CIGS. WINDS WILL BE GENERALLY S-SW AOB 10KTS...DECREASING TO NEAR 5KTS OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. WINDS SPEEDS WILL INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON TUESDAY...AGAIN GENERALLY S-SW AOB 10KTS. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE EACH DAY. SLOW IMPROVEMENTS POSSIBLE TUESDAY AND VFR EXPECTED WED/THU. COLD FRONT MAY CROSS THE AREA FRIDAY WITH A STRONG WIND SHIFT...BUT LITTLE RAINFALL. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...NICE TO FINALLY SEE A 6 FT WAVE OB AT BUOY 41036 SINCE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HAS BEEN IN EFFECT FOR SOME TIME AND STRUGGLING TO VERIFY. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS TO VEER TO SOUTHERLY AS COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. SINCE THE SEAS ARE PREDOMINANTLY COMPRISED OF A SOUTHEAST SWELL LITTLE CHANGE IS EXPECTED FOR MOST OF THE PERIOD. WITH THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY SO BORDERLINE IN NATURE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO NAIL DOWN THE TIME AT WHICH IT WILL NO LONGER BE NEEDED. SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...COMBINATION OF SWELLS FROM RECENTLY DISSIPATED TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA AND SW FLOW AROUND SUBTROPICAL RIDGE WILL CONTROL THE WAVE BEHAVIOR THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. SEAS OF AROUND 5 FT...6 FT OUTER WATERS....TO START THE PERIOD WILL DECREASE SLOWLY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE WAVE GUIDANCE IS KEEPING WIDESPREAD 5 FT SEAS THROUGH THIS PERIOD...IT APPEARS TO BE OVERDOING THE AMPLITUDE OF OPHELIA SWELL. SO WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE SEAS TO 3-4 FT BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SW WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KTS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE PERIOD CONTRIBUTING TO 2-3 FT OF SW WIND CHOP ON TOP OF THE SWELL FROM OPHELIA. LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 3 PM MONDAY...THE UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES WILL START MOVING AND THIS WILL RESULT IN A FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVING ACROSS THE WATERS LATE ON THURSDAY. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE WITH A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT AND COLD AIR ADVECTION OVERNIGHT FRIDAY BUT THIS IS JUST AFTER THE FORECAST PERIOD. AT THIS TIME SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN AROUND 1 TO 3 FEET. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS UNTIL 6 AM EDT TUESDAY FOR AMZ250-252. && SYNOPSIS...SHK NEAR TERM...MBB SHORT TERM...JDW LONG TERM...HAWKINS AVIATION...SGL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 321 PM EDT MON SEP 26 2011 AMZ254-256-271930- LITTLE RIVER INLET TO MURRELLS INLET SC OUT 20 NM- MURRELLS INLET TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SC OUT 20 NM- 321 PM EDT MON SEP 26 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .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. AMZ250-252-271930- SURF CITY TO CAPE FEAR NC OUT 20 NM- CAPE FEAR NC TO LITTLE RIVER INLET SC OUT 20 NM- 321 PM EDT MON SEP 26 2011 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EDT TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .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. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS. .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. NCZ106-108-110-SCZ054-056-271930- COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-COASTAL BRUNSWICK-COASTAL HORRY- COASTAL GEORGETOWN- 321 PM EDT MON SEP 26 2011 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH 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 RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE TODAY. A SOMEWHAT SLOW STORM MOVEMENT COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING IN THE AFTERNOON THROUGH EVENING HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ087-096-099-105-107-109-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-053-055-271930- ROBESON-BLADEN-COLUMBUS-INLAND PENDER-INLAND NEW HANOVER- INLAND BRUNSWICK-MARLBORO-DARLINGTON-DILLON-FLORENCE-MARION- WILLIAMSBURG-INLAND HORRY-INLAND GEORGETOWN- 321 PM EDT MON SEP 26 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE TODAY ASSOCIATED WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. A SOMEWHAT SLOW STORM MOVEMENT COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING PROBLEMS IN THE AFTERNOON THROUGH EVENING HOURS. .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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
229 PM EDT MON SEP 26 2011
SCZ033-053>056-261930-
COASTAL GEORGETOWN-COASTAL HORRY-INLAND GEORGETOWN-INLAND
HORRY-MARION-
229 PM EDT MON SEP 26 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS GEORGETOWN AND THE EXTREME
SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF HORRY AND MARION COUNTIES THROUGH 330 PM EDT...
AT 228 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER
PLANTERSVILLE...OR ABOUT 13 MILES NORTH OF GEORGETOWN...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE GARDEN CITY...GEORGETOWN...MURRELLS
INLET...SOCASTEE...SURFSIDE BEACH...BUCKSPORT...BUCKSVILLE...
BURGESS...DONGOLA...GRAVES...JACKSON AND OATLAND.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING.
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3342 7947 3378 7933 3378 7932 3380 7932
3388 7929 3366 7891 3331 7931
TIME...MOT...LOC 1828Z 223DEG 7KT 3355 7928
BACONThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Standing water was reported on 16th Street, between Market and Dawson. Road was impassable.
Street flooding was reported at the intersection of Independence and 17th Street.
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, September 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: 348955, 348956.