Training thunderstorms along a stalled surface front produced heavy rainfall of 4 to 5 inches and flash flooding to Gordontown in Davidson County.
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 RAH wrote it up.
Training thunderstorms along a stalled surface front produced heavy rainfall of 4 to 5 inches and flash flooding to Gordontown in Davidson County.
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 Raleigh, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 11, 6:45 PM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 745 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST ACROSS THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC REGION TONIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST LATE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 315 PM SATURDAY... OVERVIEW: CLOSED UPPER LOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES WILL LIFT NORTHEAST INTO QUEBEC TONIGHT. ATTENDANT UPPER TROUGH AND SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL REMAIN STALLED OVER WESTERN NC...THEN PROGRESS EASTWARD ACROSS THE CAROLINAS LATE TONIGHT/EARLY SUNDAY. PRECIP CHANCES: VERY CHALLENGING PRECIP/CONVECTIVE FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THE SURFACE COLD FRONT WAS NEAR THE FOOTHILLS OF THE CAROLINAS AND VIRGINIA. IN THE BROAD SWLY FLOW EAST OF THE UPPER TROUGH...DEEP MOISTURE FEATURING PWS OF 1.75-2.0" EXTENDED SW TO NE ALONG THE ENTIRE ATLANTIC SEABOARD. WV IMAGERY SHOWED A COUPLE OF WEAK S/W TROUGHS UPSTREAM ACROSS GA/SC EMBEDDED WITHIN THE DEEP MOIST SWLY FLOW ALOFT. THESE MINOR DISTURBANCES LIFTING NORTHEAST INTO THE AREA WILL DRIVE RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS...UNTIL THE LARGE SCALE ASCENT WILL FINALLY BEGIN TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA BETWEEN 21Z TO 06Z TONIGHT WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE MID/UPPER TROUGH DYNAMICS...INCREASING UPPER JET DIVERGENCE ATTENDANT TO A 70-75KT JET STREAK...AND ALONG THE SLOW EASTWARD MOVING LOW-LEVEL FRONTAL CONVERGENCE ZONE. THE CHALLENGING ASPECT TO ALL THIS AND WHAT MAY EVENTUALLY BE THE TELL-TELL SIGN IN DETERMINING THE AREAL COVERAGE/RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND STRENGTH/SEVERITY OF THE STORMS...WILL BE HOW MUCH INSOLATION WE WILL SEE IN THE MOISTURE-LADEN-EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER BLANKETING THE REGION. THE RESULTANT WEAK MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL CERTAINLY TEMPER DESTABILIZATION...BUT MODELS STILL SUGGEST MODERATE INSTABILITY TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON WHICH SHOULD SUPPORT RATHER ROBUST POPS. AS SUCH WILL KEEP POPS IN THE LIKELY CATEGORY AFTER 18Z AND CONTINUING THROUGH 06Z...WITH A WEST TO EAST TAPERING OF POPS THROUGH DAYBREAK AS DRIER INFILTRATES IN FROM THE WEST WITH PASSAGE OF THE UPPER TROUGH. SEVERE THREAT THIS AFTERNOON/TONIGHT: EXTENSIVE LOW-LEVEL CLOUD COVER WILL SLOW THE DAYTIME HEATING PROCESS...BUT MODERATE INSTABILITY IS STILL EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY MID/LATE AFTERNOON WITH MLCAPE VALUES AROUND 2000 J/KG. SEASONABLY STRONG 30KTS OF LOW/MID LEVEL FLOW SUGGESTS SOME RISK OF GUSTY/DAMAGING WINDS IN THE STRONGER STORMS TODAY. FINALLY...WITH THE SLOW MOVING FRONT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL POSE A MINOR FLOODING THREAT. TEMPERATURES: GIVEN RELATIVELY LITTLE CHANGE IN THE OVERALL PATTERN ASIDE FROM BEING SLIGHTLY CLOSER TO THE LOW-LEVEL TROUGH ATTENDANT THE UPPER LEVEL LOW...EXPECT HIGHS SIMILAR TO FRIDAY...LOWER/MID 80S WEST TO MID/UPPER 80S EAST...OR 83-88F. WITH THE COLD FRONT MAKING SLOW EASTWARD PROGRESS INTO THE AREA TONIGHT...EXPECT LOWS SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN THIS MORNING...IN THE MID/UPPER 60S WEST TO UPPER 60S/ LOWER 70S EAST. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 315 PM SATURDAY... FOR SUNDAY...THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH RESPECT TO HOW FAR EAST THE FRONT WILL MAKE IT...NEVERTHELESS...STRONG INSOLATION WITHIN THE LINGERING LOW-LEVEL MOIST THETA-E TONGUE ACROSS THE COASTAL PLAIN WILL BE MORE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SLIGHT TO SMALL CHANCE POPS. THEREFORE...WILL KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE OF AFTERNOON POPS ALONG AND EAST THE I-95 CORRIDOR. THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT WILL BRING NOTICEABLY LESS HUMID AIR INTO THE CAROLINAS ON SUNDAY...THERE IS PRETTY MUCH ZERO/NEUTRAL TEMPERATURE ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT WITH ABUNDANT SUNSHINE SUNDAY AFTERNOON RESULTING IN AFTERNOON HIGHS A GOOD 3 TO 5 DEGREES WARMER THAN SATURDAY. HIGHS SUNDAY IN THE UPPER 80S TO AROUND 90. MOSTLY CLEAR SUNDAY NIGHT. MINS IN THE MID 60S NORTH TO UPPER 60S SOUTH. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 300 PM SATURDAY... TO START OUT THE LONG TERM PERIOD...WEAK UPPER RIDGING AND SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA. AS A RESULT AM EXPECTING DRY CONDITIONS AND MOSTLY TO PARTLY SUNNY SKIES. WEAK WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL ALLOW MAX TEMPERATURES RISING NEAR OR JUST ABOVE 90 DEGREES...SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL. BY TUESDAY...ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION. WHILE MODELS GENERALLY AGREE ON THE TIMING OF THIS TROUGH/FRONT...THERE IS STILL QUITE A BIT OF DISAGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE STRENGTH OF THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH. THE WEAKER ECMWF DOES NOT SHOW MUCH IN THE WAY OF PRECIP TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AS THESE FEATURES APPROACH THE REGION...HOWEVER THE STRONGER GFS AND CANADIAN SHOW MUCH MORE IN THE WAY OF PRECIP DURING THIS TIME FRAME. DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY AT THIS TIME...WILL MAINTAIN FORECAST CONTINUITY AND CONTINUE TO CARRY LOW CHANCE POPS TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WITH SLIGHT CHANCE BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. IT STILL LOOKS LIKE FAIR WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL RETURN ON THURSDAY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE AND A WEAK UPPER LEVEL RIDGE MOVE IN FROM THE WEST. HOWEVER...UNCERTAINTY RETURNS FOR THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD AS ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE FRONT APPROACH THE REGION. THE ECMWF IS STRONGER AND FASTER WITH THE SYSTEM...WHILE THE GFS IS WEAKER AND THEREFORE SLOWER WITH THE PROGRESSION OF THE SYSTEM. WILL THEREFORE GO NO HIGHER THAN SLIGHT CHANCE POPS DURING THIS PERIOD UNTIL CONFIDENCE BECOMES BETTER. MAX TEMPS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S...WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /00Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 745 PM SATURDAY... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE KINT/KGSO/KRDU TERMINALS THROUGH 06Z/12. KFAY AND KRWI WILL SEE A LULL IN THUNDERSTORMS... BUT THEY WILL HAVE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS BETWEEN 03Z AND 09Z/12. OTHERWISE... PATCHY STRATUS AND FOG WILL AFFECT KFAY THROUGH KRWI OVERNIGHT. PATCHY IFR FOG WILL BE LIKELY FROM KINT EAST TO KRDU BETWEEN 09Z-12Z/12. OTHERWISE... SUNDAY WILL BRING VFR CONDITIONS EXCEPT FOR A PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS IN THE KRDU TO KFAY VICINITIES WITH A CHANCE OF A SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM WITH MVFR VSBYS BETWEEN 16Z-23Z SUNDAY. VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. OUTLOOK...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BUT SCATTERED (MAINLY AFTERNOON/EVENING) THUNDERSTORMS WILL RETURN. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...PWB NEAR TERM...CBL SHORT TERM...CBL LONG TERM...KRR AVIATION...PWB/KRR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 704 AM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-121115- PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE- ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-WAKE- JOHNSTON-WILSON-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE-ANSON- RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON- 704 AM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH A PRIMARY THREAT OF DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. VINCENT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
319 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
NCZ007>010-022>025-039-112015-
ALAMANCE-DURHAM-GRANVILLE-GUILFORD-ORANGE-PERSON-RANDOLPH-VANCE-
WARREN-
319 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS WARREN...VANCE...RANDOLPH...
PERSON...ORANGE...GUILFORD...GRANVILLE...DURHAM AND ALAMANCE COUNTIES
THROUGH 415 PM EDT...
AT 319 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER
CANE CREEK RESERVOIR...OR ABOUT 9 MILES WEST OF CHAPEL HILL...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE CARRBORO...EFLAND...
HILLSBOROUGH...SCHLEY...BAHAMA.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING.
SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY BUILDING OR VEHICLE. STRONG WINDS ARE
CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES AND BLOWING AROUND TRASH CANS...
POTTED PLANTS...LAWN FURNITURE AND OTHER LIGHT OUTDOOR OBJECTS.
&&
LAT...LON 3655 7810 3618 7846 3618 7850 3604 7860
3607 7868 3607 7875 3598 7871 3592 7876
3593 7881 3587 7883 3588 7925 3584 7927
3585 7985 3626 7950 3625 7916 3655 7913
TIME...MOT...LOC 1919Z 227DEG 21KT 3594 7918
23SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
329 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
NCZ088-089-112030-
CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON-
329 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS SAMPSON AND CUMBERLAND
COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM EDT...
AT 329 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN 8 MILES WEST OF GARLAND...OR ABOUT 14 MILES
NORTH OF ELIZABETHTOWN...MOVING NORTH AT 35 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...ROSEBORO...SALEMBURG...HOBBTON.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING.
SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY BUILDING OR VEHICLE. STRONG WINDS ARE
CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES AND BLOWING AROUND TRASH CANS...
POTTED PLANTS...LAWN FURNITURE AND OTHER LIGHT OUTDOOR OBJECTS.
&&
LAT...LON 3461 7832 3467 7833 3470 7838 3474 7839
3485 7850 3485 7865 3525 7862 3527 7859
3519 7816 3509 7817 3505 7815 3489 7814
3474 7819 3472 7814 3455 7825
TIME...MOT...LOC 1929Z 197DEG 29KT 3482 7852
23SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
342 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
NCZ009-010-026-027-112045-
FRANKLIN-NASH-VANCE-WARREN-
342 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
...HEAVY RAIN WILL MOVE ACROSS NASH...WARREN...VANCE AND FRANKLIN
COUNTIES THROUGH 445 PM EDT...
AT 342 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER AFTON...OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF
WARRENTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS WHICH WILL EXPERIENCE HEAVY RAIN INCLUDE...
WARRENTON...MACON...LAKE GASTON...LAKE GASTON.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING.
THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL...WHICH WILL CAUSE MINOR
FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS INCLUDING DITCHES...CREEKS...ROADWAYS AND
AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED
ROADS. MOTORISTS SHOULD ALSO REDUCE DRIVING SPEEDS TO AVOID
HYDROPLANING.
&&
LAT...LON 3654 7790 3652 7789 3649 7791 3636 7792
3620 7801 3619 7798 3619 7796 3619 7798
3618 7798 3593 7818 3604 7854 3609 7854
3613 7852 3655 7820
TIME...MOT...LOC 1942Z 219DEG 35KT 3627 7821
23SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
407 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
NCZ010-011-026>028-041>043-077-078-089-112130-
EDGECOMBE-FRANKLIN-HALIFAX-HARNETT-JOHNSTON-NASH-SAMPSON-WAKE-WARREN-
WAYNE-WILSON-
407 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS
SAMPSON...HARNETT...WAYNE...JOHNSTON...NASH...WILSON...WARREN...WAKE.
..HALIFAX...FRANKLIN AND EDGECOMBE COUNTIES THROUGH 530 PM EDT...
AT 406 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER SIMS...OR ABOUT 16 MILES SOUTH OF
NASHVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...WILSON...NEW HOPE...ELM CITY...
SHARPSBURG...ROCKY MOUNT...KINGSBORO.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN EXITS 325 AND 348.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 95 BETWEEN EXITS 70 AND 173.
THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL...WHICH WILL CAUSE MINOR
FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS INCLUDING DITCHES...CREEKS...ROADWAYS AND
AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED
ROADS. MOTORISTS SHOULD ALSO REDUCE DRIVING SPEEDS TO AVOID
HYDROPLANING.
&&
LAT...LON 3608 7731 3600 7740 3591 7734 3582 7735
3580 7747 3557 7782 3518 7783 3515 7790
3519 7801 3518 7816 3512 7817 3527 7870
3650 7786 3649 7764 3641 7754 3632 7757
3633 7744 3622 7738 3616 7727 3610 7722
TIME...MOT...LOC 2006Z 226DEG 19KT 3574 7801
23PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
541 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0523 PM TORNADO STANTONSBURG 35.61N 77.82W
08/11/2012 WILSON NC 911 CALL CENTER
POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCH DOWN. ATTACHED CAR PORT BLOWN
OFF HOME AND TREE BLOWN DOWN. RESIDENT STATES THAT HE
SAW A FUNNEL CLOUD LOWER AND TOUCH DOWN.
&&
EVENT NUMBER RAH1200851
NPSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
558 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
NCZ021-112230-
FORSYTH-
558 PM EDT SAT AUG 11 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS FORSYTH COUNTY THROUGH 630
PM EDT...
AT 558 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
WALKERTOWN...OR ABOUT 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF WINSTON-SALEM...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...BELEWS CREEK.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY BUILDING OR VEHICLE. STRONG WINDS ARE
CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES AND BLOWING AROUND TRASH CANS...
POTTED PLANTS...LAWN FURNITURE AND OTHER LIGHT OUTDOOR OBJECTS.
&&
LAT...LON 3627 8028 3627 8023 3626 8023 3626 8004
3620 8003 3613 8004 3606 8026 3622 8037
TIME...MOT...LOC 2158Z 229DEG 18KT 3620 8019
23The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 143 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:59 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash flooding was reported along Old US Highway 64 and NC Highway 109 with multiple water rescues on Regan Road and New Cut Road as flood waters entered homes.
Little Uwharrie Road near the intersection of Riverchase Drive was closed due to a nearby flooded creek.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 2012
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: 411040, 411041.