A potent mid-level shortwave and associated cold pool topped the upper ridge axis to our west and then moved rapidly southeast and across the eastern Carolinas after dark.
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 potent mid-level shortwave and associated cold pool topped the upper ridge axis to our west and then moved rapidly southeast and across the eastern Carolinas after dark.
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 Apr 9, 3:44 PM EST, 2 hours 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 444 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST WILL BRING SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA LATE MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH MID WEEK. A POTENTIALLY STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE AREA LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH 6 PM SUNDAY/... AS OF 430 PM SATURDAY...LATEST SAT IMAGERY TRENDS INDICATE SKC CONDITIONS HAVING INCREASED ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...ESPECIALLY THE ILM CWA INLAND SC COUNTIES. STRATUS FROM OFF THE ATLANTIC WILL AFFECT THE IMMEDIATE COASTAL COUNTIES INTO THIS EVENING. SEA FOG NOT TOO APPARENT WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE 50S OVER THE ADJACENT WATERS. WITH THE ONSHORE FLOW FROM THE PASSAGE OF THE MEANDERING FRONT AND THE INLAND PROGRESSION OF THE RESULTANT WIND BOUNDARY..SOME OF THIS MARINE STRATUS COULD PUSH FURTHER INLAND. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION................................................ AS OF 300 PM SATURDAY...DIFFICULT FORECAST TO SAY THE LEAST FOR THE NEXT TWELVE HOURS ANYWAY. CURRENTLY A WELL DEFINED MCS IS MOVING ACROSS KENTUCKY AND ENTERING WEST VIRGINIA AND WESTERN PARTS OF VIRGINIA. STEERING FLOW AROUND THE MID LEVEL RIDGE TURNS THIS FEATURE TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FURTHER SOUTH A RICH THETA E ENVIRONMENT RESIDES ACROSS PARTS OF TENNESSEE EXTENDING TO THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH PARTS OF GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA. THIS SHOULD ENABLE THE FEATURE TO DEVELOP FURTHER TO THE SOUTH AS WELL. THE 1200 UTC GUIDANCE MOVES THIS FEATURE ACROSS THE AREA FROM 0000 THROUGH 1200 UTC SUNDAY FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. HAVE ADJUSTED POPS TO 100 FOR NORTHERN AREAS TO ONLY SLIGHT CHANCE FOR EXTREME SOUTHERN AREAS. SPC CONTINUES TO HIGHLIGHT THE AREA IN A SLIGHT RISK WITH EMPHASIS MORE ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA WITH HAIL AND STRONG WINDS THE PRIMARY THREATS. FOR SUNDAY...500MB RIDGE BUILDS AS MID LEVELS DRY OUT WHICH SHOULD KEEP POPS TO A MINIMUM. REGARDING TEMPERATURES...LEANED TOWARD THE MAV NUMBERS WHICH ARE A LITTLE WARMER TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM SATURDAY...SUNDAY NIGHT HIGH PRESSURE SLIPS FARTHER OFFSHORE AND ALLOWS LOCAL WINDS TO VEER TO SSW...WITH A DIFFUSE AND UNEVENTFUL WARM FRONT LIKELY LIFTING NORTH OVER THE REGION INTO SUNDAY EVENING. THE ELEVATED AND BALMY SSW FLOW OVERNIGHT AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WILL KEEP MINIMUM TEMPS HELD IN THE 60S INTO DAYBREAK MONDAY. VERY WARM TO HOT DAY EXPECTED MONDAY IN WARM SECTOR AHEAD OF APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SEE FIRE WX SECTION BELOW FOR EXPECTED FIRE CONCERNS ON MONDAY. WE MAY WITNESS FEW RECORD HIGH TEMPS APPROACHED OR NEARED. ILM MAX TEMP OF 88 DEG SET ON 4/11/1908 WILL BE TOUGH TO ECLIPSE MONDAY. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE QUITE DRY ABOVE 5000 FT WITH MOSTLY SUNNY...WARM...AND BREEZY/WINDY CONDITIONS A GOOD BET. HAVE RETAINED POPS FOR LATE MONDAY NIGHT AS COLD FRONT ARRIVES ON OUR WESTERN DOOR STE AROUND 6Z TUESDAY...NEARING THE COAST INTO DAYBREAK. QPF FIELDS APPEAR MEAGER COMPARED TO PREVIOUS RUNS AND HAVE HELD CURRENT POPS IN SCT CATEGORY...BUT INCLUDING TSTMS. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 3 PM SATURDAY...SURFACE COLD FRONT MAY JUST BE PUSHING OFF THE COAST AT 12Z TUESDAY. THE LINGERING LOW LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE AND MID LEVEL TROUGH AND VORT MAX SHOULD KEEP RAIN CHANCES IN THE FORECAST FOR A FEW HOURS THEREAFTER MAINLY ALONG THE COAST. DRY AIR ADVECTION TAKES HOLD BY AFTERNOON HOWEVER. ECMWF CUTOFF IS A RELATIVELY NEW IDEA AND LOOKS RATHER ANOMALOUS SO NOT MUCH CREDENCE GIVEN TO THAT SOLUTION AT THIS TIME. SURFACE HIGH WEDGES IN FROM THE NORTH ON WEDNESDAY WHICH COULD BE THE ONLY DAY OF THE PERIOD WITH NEAR CLIMO HIGHS...THE REST OF THE LONG TERM LOOKS WARM. THE HIGH LIFTS OUT THURSDAY ALLOWING FOR SOME WARMING AND THE RETURN FLOW GETS BOLSTERED ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF APPROACHING COLD FRONT. COPIOUS MOISTURE SHOULD FLOOD IN ON FRIDAY AHEAD OF THIS BOUNDARY AND RAIN CHANCES WILL BE ON THE RISE. CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND TSTMS PEAKS FRIDAY NIGHT WITH FROPA ALTHOUGH EXACT TIMING WILL LIKELY BE REFINED IN THE COMING DAYS. MODELS ARE WAFFLING WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE UPPER TROUGH IN THE EAST OVER THE WEEKEND WHICH WILL DICTATE HOW MUCH COOLING THERE IS BEHIND THE FRIDAY COLD FRONT. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST CONTINUES DUE TO TIMING THE LIFT OF IFR STRATUS THIS AFTN...LACK OF MODEL CONSENSUS...AND POTENTIAL MCS OVERNIGHT. GUIDANCE IS LESS THAN HELPFUL TODAY EVEN THOUGH LATEST NAM/MET APPEARS TO HAVE AN IMPROVED HANDLE ON THE SITUATION...BUT MUCH OF THE FIRST 6 HOURS IS BASED OFF UPSTREAM OBS AND 12Z SOUNDINGS. COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN ZONES IS TRAILING AN EXPANSIVE STRATUS SHIELD ACROSS NEARLY ALL OF NC. THIS STRATUS HAS BEHAVED PRETTY MUCH AS EXPECTED THUS FAR...ALTHOUGH WITH FURTHER SOUTHERN MOVEMENT. HAVE NOTED SOME DRYING AND LIFTING OF THE DECK ACROSS NE NC...AND WITH VERY DRY AIR PRESENT THROUGH MUCH OF THE COLUMN HAVE REMOVED IFR STRATUS FROM ALL TERMINALS EXCEPT LBT AT 18Z. LBT SHOULD RISE TO MVFR WITHIN A FEW HOURS. FULLY EXPECT MVFR CIGS TO PERSIST THROUGH MUCH IF NOT ALL OF THE NEXT 6 HOURS AT ALL THE TERMINALS AS E/NE WINDS AROUND 10 KTS CONTINUE TO ADVECT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. CONCERN THEN TURNS TO POTENTIAL MCS OVERNIGHT. GUIDANCE HAS SLOWED ONSET OF CONVECTION AND BASED OFF CURRENT OBS BELIEVE THIS SLOWER SOLUTION IS VALID. AS MCS TURNS THE CORNER AND BEGINS ITS SE MOTION TOWARDS THE CAROLINAS...IT WILL LIKELY INCREASE SPEED SO HAVE GONE SLIGHTLY FASTER THAN GUIDANCE...WITH RAIN DEVELOPING AT LBT LATE TONIGHT AND LASTING INTO THE EARLY MORNING AT THE COAST. ALTHOUGH VERY LITTLE IF ANY SURFACE INSTABILITY WILL EXIST...SOUNDING AT FLO SHOWS CONSIDERABLE ELEVATED CAPE SO HAVE MENTIONED -TSRA THERE. OTHER TERMINALS SHOW WEAKER INSTABILITY SO HAVE GONE WITH -SHRA AND CB...AND CAN UPDATE WITH LATER ISSUANCES. NOT EXPECTING ANY STRONG WINDS DUE TO LOW LEVEL STABLE LAYER. HAVE NOT MENTIONED PRECIP INDUCED IFR ATTM...BUT HEAVIER CONVECTION WILL LIKELY CREATE SOME IFR CIGS AND VSBYS THAT MAY NEED TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN A FUTURE TEMPO GROUP. IF ALL THAT ISN'T ENOUGH...GUIDANCE IS VERY AGGRESSIVE WITH IFR STRATUS OVERNIGHT AND WITH WAA ALOFT COMBINED WITH E WINDS AT THE SURFACE BELIEVE THIS WILL OCCUR AT ALL TERMINALS. IF TODAY IS ANY INDICATION THEN WE MAY SEE WIDESPREAD IFR/LIFR STRATUS INTO SUNDAY MORNING...LIFTING SLOWLY TO MVFR BY 18Z. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...STRONG S/SW WINDS MONDAY BUT VFR. MODERATE CONFIDENCE IN SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY. VFR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH 6 PM SUNDAY/... AS OF 430 PM SATURDAY...NO CHANGES NEEDED THIS UPDATE. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION................................................ AS OF 3 PM SATURDAY...A RATHER WEAK PATTERN WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE WATERS THROUGH SUNDAY. CURRENTLY WINDS ARE FROM THE NORTHEAST MOST AREAS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE EXTREME SOUTHERN WATERS WHERE THE FRONT HAS YET TO PROGRESS AND A WELL DEFINED SEA BREEZE IS PRESENT. FRONT WILL ESSENTIALLY DISSIPATE THROUGH THE PERIOD AND WINDS WILL TURN MORE FROM THE SOUTHEAST SUNDAY. SPEEDS SHOULD NOT DEVIATE MORE THAN A COUPLE OF KNOTS EITHER SIDE OF 10 KNOTS. SWAN SEAS ARE SPOT ON WITH INITIALIZATION AND REMAIN CONFINED TO 2-4 FOOT RANGE THROUGH SUNDAY. COULD SEE A FEW HOURS OF DISTORTED WINDS AND ROUGH SEAS LATER TONIGHT IF MCS MOVES ACROSS THE AREA AND WATERS. SHORT TERM /6 PM SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM SATURDAY...NO PROBLEMS ANTICIPATED IN THE WATERS SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH MODERATE S-SSW FLOW SEAS 2-3 FEET. MONDAY HOWEVER WINDS WILL INCREASE AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND AN ADVISORY MONDAY AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT MAY BE NEEDED. IT APPEARS THE ASSOCIATED WINDSHIFT WITH THIS FRONT MAY NOT OCCUR UNTIL AFTER DAYBREAK TUESDAY. THUS EXPECTED SOUTH FLOW TO HOLD LATE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...BUT BECOMING INCREASINGLY TREACHEROUS AS GUSTS AND SEA-HEIGHTS INCREASE. A COUPLE CLOUD TO WATER LIGHTNING STRIKES CANNOT BE RULED OUT LATE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 3 PM SATURDAY...MODERATELY STRONG WIND FIELD WILL BE IN PLACE TO BEGIN TUESDAY JUST AS A COLD FRONT ENTERS THE WATERS. THIS BOUNDARY WILL QUICKLY TRANSLATE EASTWARD AND BRING A QUICK VEER TO A MORE OFFSHORE DIRECTION FROM THE PRE-FRONTAL SOUTH-SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW. SOON AFTER FROPA WIND SPEED WILL TAPER OFF RATHER QUICKLY AND ANY WIND OR SEAS-DRIVEN FLAGS IN EFFECT WILL LIKELY BE ABLE TO BE DROPPED. ADDITIONAL VEERING TO THE NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AS A SURFACE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WEDGES IN FROM POINTS NORTH. THIS HIGH WILL LIFT OUT AND PROGRESS TO THE EAST ON THURSDAY VEERING THE WIND YET TO EASTERLY/ONSHORE. A SOUTHERLY COMPONENT MAY ALSO SOON BE IN THE OFFERING AS SOON AS THURSDAY NIGHT OR SLIGHTLY THEREAFTER AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. && .FIRE WEATHER...VERY WARM TO HOT CONDITIONS MONDAY COINCIDENT WITH BLUSTERY SW WINDS WILL ELEVATE THE FIRE DANGER ACROSS THE EASTERN CAROLINAS. RELATIVELY HIGH DEWPOINTS WITH A MUGGY FEEL HOWEVER MAY SERVE TO KEEP RH VALUES ABOVE 30 PERCENT IN MANY AREAS MONDAY AFTERNOON...BUT DRY FINE FUELS WILL STILL SPELL AN ENHANCED FIRE DANGER MONDAY...AND A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT MAY BE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE...AND REMAINS AT LEAST PARTIALLY DEPENDENT ON RAINFALL/BASIN QPF TONIGHT. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...DCH/SHK SHORT TERM...MJC LONG TERM...MBB AVIATION...JDW/SHK FIRE WEATHER...MJC
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 637 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 NCZ087-096-097-099>101-SCZ017-024-033-034-046-102245- ROBESON-BLADEN-PENDER-COLUMBUS-BRUNSWICK-NEW HANOVER-MARLBORO-DILLON- MARION-HORRY-GEORGETOWN- 637 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA OVERNIGHT. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG WINDS AND HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. SCZ039-102245- WILLIAMSBURG- 637 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 114 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...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. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. SCZ023-032-102245- DARLINGTON-FLORENCE- 637 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 ...TORNADO WATCH 115 IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. AMZ250-252-254-256-102245- SURF CITY TO CAPE FEAR NC OUT 20 NM- CAPE FEAR NC TO LITTLE RIVER INLET SC OUT 20 NM- LITTLE RIVER INLET TO MURRELLS INLET SC OUT 20 NM- MURRELLS INLET TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SC OUT 20 NM- 637 PM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA OVERNIGHT. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG WINDS UP TO 35 KT... ...AND SMALL HAIL NEAR THE IMMEDIATE COAST. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. DCH
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:33 UTC.
17 hail, 7 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail up to the size of half dollars was reported covering the ground.
Hail to the size of quarters was reported on Topsail Drive.
Hail up to the size of quarters covered the ground on West Bobo Newsom Highway.
Hail up to the size of half dollars was reported.
A large tree in roadway at the intersection of Ashland Road and West Old Camden Road.
A large tree fell onto a car near Lake Robinson and injured the two occupants.
Nine power poles were reported down near Highway 15 and Snow Hill Road. Several pine trees were also snapped near their tops.
Hail to the size of quarters was reported.
Hail to the size of golf balls was reported.
Hail to the size of baseballs was reported by the public on Lake Robinson. The media relayed the report.
Hail to the size of quarters covered the ground.
Hail was estimated up to 2 inches in diameter.
A tree was reported down at the intersection of Indian Branch Road and West Mclver Road.
Hail up to the size of nickels was reported.
Hail up to the size of golf balls was reported along Highway 52.
A tree was reported down at the intersection of Indian Branch Road and Lamar Highway.
Hail up to the size of nickels was reported.
A large tree was reported down on a truck on East Friendfield Road near the Lynches River Bridge.
Hail to the size of quarters was reported.
Hail to the size of nickels was reported.
Large limbs were reported down.
Hail to the size of quarters was reported.
Hail up to 1 inch was measured. The hail covered the wooden deck.
Hail to the size of golf balls was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, April 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 292278, 292283, 292286, 292287, 292290, 292295, 292297, 292298, 292299, 292302, 292303, 292310, 292410, 292313, 292330, 292399, 292315, 292324, 292418, 292415, 292420, 292422, 292263, 292261.