Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed in the morning in association with a frontal boundary and mid-level shortwave. Cell mergers and training resulted in significant flooding.
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.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed in the morning in association with a frontal boundary and mid-level shortwave. Cell mergers and training resulted in significant flooding. A wet microburst reportedly knocked a tree onto a power line.
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 Aug 13, 6:05 AM EST, 3 hours 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 705 AM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK FRONT ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA WILL WEAKEN FURTHER AS IT DRIFTS NORTH TODAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE OFFSHORE SUNDAY AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. THE FRONT WILL CROSS THE EASTERN CAROLINAS MONDAY...BRINGING A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING IN FROM THE NORTH WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL FOR MOST OF NEXT WEEK...WITH MODEST HUMIDITY LEVELS FOR MID-AUGUST. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 630 AM SATURDAY...THE ONLY CHANGE WITH THIS MORNING'S EARLY UPDATE IS TO INCREASE PRECIPITATION CHANCES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE MORNING HOURS ACROSS THE PEE DEE REGION WHERE CLUSTERS OF SHOWERS HAVE DEVELOPED JUST BEFORE SUNRISE. THE 03Z SREF (BASED ON 00Z MODEL MEMBERS) CONTINUES TO PAINT THE HIGHEST PRECIP PROBABILITIES TODAY ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN NC AND ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA ALONG THE STATE LINE. POPS ACROSS THIS AREA REMAIN IN THE 60 PERCENT RANGE. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM 130 AM FOLLOWS...COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION WAS ON THE ORDER OF 70 PERCENT OF OUR FORECAST AREA YESTERDAY. SOME NOTABLE TOTALS INCLUDE 1.55 INCHES AT ILM...2.17 INCHES AT THE KINGS GRANT (WILMINGTON) MESONET SITE...AND 1.78 INCHES AT THE SUNNY POINT MILITARY TERMINAL. AT THE SURFACE THE WEAKENING STATIONARY FRONT IS IN THE BEAUFORT SC VICINITY AND IS BEST IDENTIFIABLE IN THE WIND DIRECTION FIELDS WITH A SHIFT FROM SOUTH WINDS SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY TO SOUTHEAST WINDS NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY. POES TOTAL PRECIPITABLE WATER IMAGERY SUGGESTS MODELS MAY BE UNDERPLAYING THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE AVAILABLE IN THE ATMOSPHERE WITH 2.25 INCHES OBSERVED OFF THE SC/GA COAST. THE WEAKENING FRONT WILL DRIFT NORTH TODAY...MAINTAINING LOW-LEVEL CURVATURE AND CONVERGENCE ACROSS THE AREA. FORECAST SOUNDINGS REVEAL NO CAPPING AND PLENTY OF INSTABILITY AND DEEP MOISTURE TO WORK WITH. THE LAST TWO SREF ENSEMBLES SUGGEST CONSIDERABLE COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...PERHAPS HIGHER THAN SUGGESTED BY THE 00Z GFS MOS. CELL MOVEMENT SHOULD BE TOWARD THE NORTH AT AROUND 10 MPH...STILL SLOW ENOUGH GIVEN THE EXTREMELY MOIST AIRMASS FOR HEAVY RAINFALL TOTALS TO OCCUR. ASIDE FROM AN ISOLATED RISK OF A WET MICROBURST SEVERE WEATHER APPEARS UNLIKELY. CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY SHOULD DIMINISH TONIGHT WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING. HIGHS TODAY WILL BE MODERATED BY CLOUD COVER AND SHOWER ACTIVITY... GENERALLY UPPER 80S MOST LOCATIONS. LOWS TONIGHT 70-75. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...BROAD UPPER TROUGHINESS IN THE EAST SUNDAY WILL HAVE PRETTY GOOD AMPLITUDE FOR AUGUST. THIS UPPER WAVE WILL DRIVE A COLD FRONT INTO THE CAROLINAS BUT LIKELY ONLY ENTER THE PIEDMONT BY LATE EVENING. THE BEST FORCING FOR PRECIP THUS COMES LATE IN THE DAY AND AT NIGHT BUT CYCLONIC MID LEVEL FLOW AND THE RIGHT ENTRANCE OF AN UPPER JET COULD GENERATE PRECIP ANY TIME EARLIER IN THE DAY AS WELL. TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES BELOW THEIR SEASONABLE NORMS DUE TO EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER LIMITING INSOLATION MOST OF THE DAY. VORT MAX SWINGS THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF SUNDAY NIGHT AND THIS APPEARS TO GIVE THE PUSH NEEDED TO GET THE FRONT AND DEEP MOISTURE PLUME OFFSHORE. HIGH LEVEL FORCING ALSO SHUTS OFF AS THE JET SHIFTS TO THE EAST AND THE AREA ENDS UP SITUATED UNDER THE LEFT ENTRANCE REGION. THE LATTER HALF OF SUNDAY NIGHT THUS LOOKS LARGELY RAIN-FREE DESPITE THE MID LEVEL TROUGH STILL DIGGING IN. THE FINAL VORT THAT THE TROUGH HAS TO OFFER WILL SWING THROUGH ON MONDAY. JET ENERGY THEN SWINGS TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE TROUGH AND IT BEGINS TO LIFT OUT. WITH THE MOISTURE MUCH MORE LIMITED RAINFALL CHANCES AND EVEN MORESO THE QPF PROSPECTS ON MONDAY ARE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN SUNDAY WHERE AREA AVERAGE SHOULD BE IN THE TENTH TO QUARTER INCH RANGE. DECREASED CLOUD COVER PROBABLY FAVOR NORMAL TEMPS MONDAY. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...TUESDAY BRINGS A CONTINUATION OF THE EXITING OF THE MID LEVEL TROUGH AND A WEAK SFC GRADIENT. ONLY VERY WEAK NW FLOW REMAINS ON WEDNESDAY...ANOTHER RAIN-FREE AND SEASONABLE DAY. VERY BROAD TROUGHINESS DROPS OUT OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION LATE IN THE PERIOD AND A WEAK FRONT MAY BE CLOSE ENOUGH ON FRIDAY TO CHANNEL SOME MOISTURE ACROSS THE CAROLINAS WHILE THE CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT PROVIDES SOME LIFT. RAIN CHANCES MAY RETURN THURSDAY BUT BETTER CHANCES LOOK LIKE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THROUGH MOST OF THE LONG TERM TEMPERATURES WILL NOT SHOW ANY SIGNIFICANT DEVIATIONS FROM CLIMO. && .AVIATION /12Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 12Z...PRECIPITATION MASSING JUST SOUTH OF THE MYRTLES. THIS AREA IS DEPICTED IN THE HRRR...BUT A BIT FARTHER NORTH THAN ACTUAL. LOOK FOR POSSIBLY HEAVY RAIN AT ALL TERMINALS...THE MYRTLES AND FLO INITIALLY...WITH THE RAIN SPREADING NORTHWARD THROUGH THE MORNING. VISIBILITIES COULD BE BRIEFLY LIFR...BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME WILL BE MVFR OF HIGHER. CEILINGS IN THE MOIST AIRMASS WILL OCCASIONALLY DIP TO MVFR WITH THE LOW CUMULONIMBUS. MAINLY SOUTHEAST FLOW AROUND HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED WELL OFFSHORE. TONIGHT...CONTINUED ISOLATED/SCATTERED SHOWERS. SOME SPORADIC IFR VISIBILITIES ARE POSSIBLE WITH AREAS THAT RECEIVED DECENT RAIN. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...ISOLATED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE EACH DAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 630 AM SATURDAY...NO CHANGES TO THE MARINE FORECAST THIS MORNING. SOUTHEAST WIND IS ~5 KNOTS STRONGER THAN MODELS ARE FORECASTING...AND THIS HAS LED TO SEAS REMAINING ABOUT 1 FOOT ABOVE MODEL PROJECTIONS. EARLIER CONVECTION THE CAPE FEAR VICINITY HAS DISSIPATED...BUT ADDITIONAL CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED LATER THIS MORNING. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FROM 130 AM FOLLOWS...A WEAK NEARLY-STATIONARY FRONT IN THE BEAUFORT SC VICINITY WILL DRIFT BACK TO THE NORTH TODAY...BECOMING LESS WELL-DEFINED WITH TIME. WINDS NORTH OF THIS BOUNDARY HAVE A STRONG SOUTHEASTERLY COMPONENT WITH WINDS AT THE CURRENT HOUR EASILY SUSTAINED AT 15 KNOTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS. WINDS LATER TODAY SHOULD BEGIN TO VEER MORE SOUTHERLY AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH...AND WITH SOME DECREASE IN SPEED AS WELL. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY MAY BE RATHER WIDESPREAD... ESPECIALLY THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY BEFORE CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL SHIFTS INLAND WITH RISING TEMPERATURES WEST OF THE BEACHES. STORM MOTION WILL TURN TOWARD THE NORTH AT AROUND 10 MPH. REDUCED VISIBILITY IN HEAVY RAINFALL IS LARGEST EXPECTED THREAT WITH TODAY'S SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. SEAS HAVE RISEN TO AROUND 4 FT WITH 6 SECOND PERIODS...A CONSEQUENCE OF THE LARGE ZONE OF EAST AND SOUTHEAST WINDS ALONG THE CAROLINA COASTAL WATERS OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. SEAS WILL LIKELY NOT IMPROVE SIGNIFICANTLY UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON WITH LOWERING WIND SPEEDS. SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...BROAD PRE-FRONTAL SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW BECOMES ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT ON SUNDAY. THE TIGHTEST GRADIENT REMAINS OFFSHORE SO SPEEDS WILL BE CAPPED AT 10KT FOR THE MOST PART BUT SOME SLIGHTLY HIGHER SPEEDS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE 20NM FORECAST ZONES. THE BOUNDARY WILL BE SLOWING AND SO MAY NOT CROSS THE WATERS UNTIL THE END OF THE PERIOD OR JUST BEYOND. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL THUS CONTINUE ALBEIT IN A LIGHTENED STATE AS MONDAY WEARS ON AND THE APPROACH OF THE BOUNDARY PUSHES THE GRADIENT FURTHER OUT TO SEA. SEAS WILL BE IN THE 2 TO 3 FT RANGE FOR THE MOST PART FOR MUCH OF THE PERIOD. SOME OF THE 4 FT SEAS OF CONTINUITY HAVE BEEN SCALED BACK. LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 3 AM SATURDAY...COLD FRONT WILL STALL NOT FAR OUTSIDE OF THE FORECAST WATERS AND WEAKEN IN PLACE FOR MOST OF THE PERIOD. THIS WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR ANY PARTICULAR FLOW REGIME TO GET ESTABLISHED. SO WHILE WIND DIRECTION MAY BE QUESTIONABLE PART OF THE FORECAST IT SEEMS THAT AT LEAST WIND SPEED WILL BE CAPPED AT 10 KTS WITH SOME CERTAINTY AND SEAS AT 2 FT. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...TRA SHORT TERM...MBB LONG TERM...MBB AVIATION...43
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 409 AM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 NCZ087-096-099-105-107-109-110-SCZ017-024-053-140815- ROBESON-BLADEN-COLUMBUS-INLAND PENDER-INLAND NEW HANOVER- INLAND BRUNSWICK-COASTAL BRUNSWICK-MARLBORO-DILLON-INLAND HORRY- 409 AM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL TODAY. THE HEAVIEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AND LOW LYING AREAS. .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. NCZ106-108-SCZ054-140815- COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-COASTAL HORRY- 409 AM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL TODAY. THE HEAVIEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AND LOW LYING AREAS. MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. .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. SCZ023-032-033-039-055-140815- DARLINGTON-FLORENCE-MARION-WILLIAMSBURG-INLAND GEORGETOWN- 409 AM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .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. SCZ056-140815- COASTAL GEORGETOWN- 409 AM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY 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. .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. AMZ250-252-254-256-140815- 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- 409 AM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .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. 9
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1007 AM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011
NCZ087-SCZ017-024-131500-
ROBESON-MARLBORO-DILLON-
1007 AM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS NEAR MCCOLL...
AT 1007 AM EDT...A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS...2 MILES
NORTHWEST OF MCCOLL MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...
GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL OF UP TO ONE TO
THREE INCHES. THIS WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
COMMUNITIES IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS ARE BENNETTSVILLE...ALMA...
CLIO...DUNBAR...ELROD...MAXTON...MCCOLL...MINTURN...PURVIS...
RAEMON...ROWLAND AND SEVEN BRIDGES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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.
&&
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR
UPDATES. FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/ILM.
LAT...LON 3449 7926 3455 7972 3481 7972 3481 7967
3464 7947 3464 7946 3476 7935 3478 7934
3481 7935 3481 7922
RANThe Wilmington radar (KLTX), 136 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:29 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was reportedly down across a power line on Highway 385.
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, August 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: 340010.