Scattered thunderstorms associated with a trough of low pressure produced heavy rain which caused flooding across portions of northeast North Carolina.
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 AKQ wrote it up.
Scattered thunderstorms associated with a trough of low pressure produced heavy rain which caused flooding across portions of northeast North Carolina.
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 Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 7, 2:22 PM EST, 3 hours 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 322 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY ACROSS THE REGION INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING...THEN SLOWLY MOVES OFF THE COAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT. A MORE SUBSTANTIAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE MID ATLANTIC REGION FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... A STATIONARY FRONT WILL REMAIN DRAPED OVER NRN PORTIONS OF THE FA THROUGH TONIGHT. VERY LITTLE CHANGE TO OVERALL H85 WX PATTERN WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A TROUGH DEVELOPING OVER THE APPALACHIANS OF WV/VA. ALTHOUGH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN AT A MINIMUM EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...SOME CLEARING TO THE SOUTH AND WEST SHOULD CREATE JUST ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP/FILL IN FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST AS THE LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING PROGRESSES. BEST SHORTWAVE ENERGY LIES TO THE SOUTH IN SRN NC BUT IS EXPECTED ROTATE OUT OVER THE NC OUTER BANKS AREA RATHER THAN INTO NE NC. A WEAK AREA OF MOISTURE CONVERGENCE SITS OVER THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE AND ACROSS SE VA WHERE HIGHER STORM TOPS HAVE BEEN SEEN IN LOW LIGHT VISIBLE SATELLITES IMAGES. THEREFORE...STILL EXPECTING BEST PRECIP/STORM CHANCES TO BE ACROSS SRN/SE VA AND NE NC. MAIN THREAT CONTINUES TO BE FROM HEAVY RAIN DUE TO A HUMID AIRMASS AND TRAINING OF STORMS WHICH MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING PROBLEMS...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WITH POOR DRAINAGE AS WELL AS IN LOCATIONS THAT EXPERIENCED UPWARDS OF 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL FROM TRAINING STORMS YESTERDAY. PRECIP SHOULD TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST LATER TONIGHT WITH LINGERING SHOWERS AND ISO-SCT THUNDERSTORMS CLOSER TO THE COAST. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... THE FRONT WILL AGAIN BE NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE FA ON WEDNESDAY AND THEN SLOWLY DISSIPATE OFF THE COAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT...KEEPING AN UNSETTLED WX PATTERN OVER THE MID ATLANTIC REGION. BEST PRECIP/STORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE OVER SE VA AND NE NC WHERE FAVORABLE LIFT/ENERGY RESIDES...SLIGHT CHANCE POPS EXPECTED NORTH AND WEST OF THESE AREAS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL HOVER NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS IN THE MID-UPPER 80S. A LEE TROUGH DEVELOPS OVER THE REGION ON THURSDAY. THE TROUGH WILL HELP TO BOOST TEMPERATURES SEVERAL DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL (LOWER 90S INLAND...UPPER 80S IMMEDIATE COAST) IN PERSISTENT S-SW SURFACE FLOW. PLENTY OF HEAT COMBINED WITH ADDITIONAL HUMIDITY PUMPED UP FROM THE GULF AND ATLANTIC COASTS SHOULD TRIGGER AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS THAT SHOULD MAINTAIN THEMSELVES OVERNIGHT DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF THETA-E RIDGING. FRIDAY WILL BE AN INTERESTING DAY AS A MORE SUBSTANTIAL SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE TN/OH VALLEYS. ANOTHER ROUND OF HOT TEMPERATURES (SIMILAR TO THURSDAY) AND PLENTY OF HUMIDITY WILL ONCE AGAIN ACT TO DESTABILIZE THE LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND COULD LEAD TO ADDITIONAL STORM DEVELOPMENT FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SHEAR PROFILE IS MOSTLY UNIDIRECTIONAL WITH SOME LOW LEVEL VEERING WITH HEIGHT...THEREFORE A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS. A FEW CAVEATS TO CONSIDER ARE THE PRESENCE OF LINGERING SHOWER ACTIVITY (ESPECIALLY NEAR THE COAST) FRIDAY MORNING AND HOW MUCH CLOUD COVER WILL STREAM IN AHEAD OF THE LOW AND ITS ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT...BOTH OF WHICH COULD HAMPER CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT. TIMING WILL BE EVERYTHING AND WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS WX SITUATION CLOSELY. SPC HAS THE MID ATLANTIC REGION WITHIN A SLIGHT RISK AREA FOR FRIDAY. WILL KEEP THREAT FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS OUT OF THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NOW. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... UPR-LVL TROF PIVOTS FROM THE OH VALLEY TO THE NORTHEAST FRI NGT INTO SAT...LEADING TO THE RAIN FRI CONTINUING INTO FRI NGT AND SAT. SFC LO PRES AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRNT...DEEP MOISTURE...A PRE-FRONTAL TROF...AND RFQ OF AN UPR-LVL JET STREAK WILL LEAD TO SHWRS AND TSTMS LIKELY FRI NGT (60% POPS)...WITH 50% POPS FOR SAT AS MODELS HAVE SLOWED THE PROGRESSION OF THE AFOREMENTIONED TROF AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRNT. STRONG STORMS ARE POSSIBLE AS WELL DUE TO STRONG FORCING... SHEAR...AND A DEVELOPING LLJ. FROPA MAY BE DELAYED UNTIL SAT AFTN/EVENG...WITH POPS DECREASING SAT NGT AND SUN. HI PRES BLDS IN BEHIND THE FRNT ERLY NEXT WEEK WITH POPS CAPPED AT 20-30%. TEMPS NEAR NORMAL THRU THE PERIOD. HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPR 80S WITH LOWS IN THE MID 60S TO LOW 70S. && .AVIATION /19Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 18Z...SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE SPREAD OUT ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. THE TAF SITES HAVE HAD FREQUENT PERIODS OF MVFR THROUGHOUT THE PAST SIX HOURS. HAVE VFR WITH TEMPO GROUP OF MVFR NEXT FEW HOURS. TSTMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTN WITH SOME POSSIBLY DEVELOPING OVER THE PIEDMONT. ALL THE TAF SITES EXCEPT SBY HAVE A 2 HOUR PREDOMINANT PERIOD OF SHOWERS WITH TSTMS IN VICINITY FOR LATE AFTN/EARLY EVENING. WILL UPDATE IF TSTMS BECOME MORE CERTAIN FOR THE TERMINAL AREA. MOS FCSTS ARE MORE BULLISH ON IFR WEDNESDAY MORNING COMPARED WITH WHAT THEY HAD 24 HOURS AGO FOR THIS MORNING. IFR WILL BE INFLUENCED ON HOW MUCH CLEARING OCCURS OVERNIGHT AND HOW MUCH RAIN FALLS THIS EVENING. HAVE PLENTY OF MVFR IN THE TAFS BUT HELD BACK ON IFR FOR NOW. UPDATES CAN REASSESS THE SITUATION. CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY BE SLOW TO IMPROVE WEDNESDAY MORNING WITH LIGHT WINDS IN PLACE. KEPT MVFR GOING THROUGH 18Z EXCEPT AT SBY. OUTLOOK...NO APPRECIABLE CHANGE IN THE WX PATTERN IS EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. CHC FOR TSTMS WEDNESDAY AFTN WILL BE HIGHEST OVER ORF/ECG...WITH ANOTHER CHANCE FOR TSTMS AGAIN ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS A MORE SUBSTANTIAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IMPACTS THE MID ATLANTIC REGION. && .MARINE... NO MARINE HEADLINES NEC FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. WEAK FRNTAL BNDRY CURRENTLY STALLED OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA WILL REMAIN FAIRLY STATIONARY AND SLOWLY DISSIPATE THRU WED. WEAK PRES GRADIENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRNT CONTINUES SO WINDS MAINLY S/SW AOB 10 KT... UP TO AROUND 15 KT AT TIMES. WAVES 1-2 FT AND SEAS 2-3 FT. S/SW WINDS SLOWLY INCREASE THU-FRI-SAT AHEAD OF THE NEXT (STRONGER) COLD FRNT WITH MARGINAL SCA CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. SEAS WILL BUILD FROM 3-4 FT FRI NGT TO 4-6 FT SAT. THE FROPA OCCURS LATE SAT/SAT NGT. QUIET MARINE CONDITIONS RETURN SUN THRU TUE AS SFC HI PRES BLDS IN FROM THE WEST BEHIND THE FRNT. && .AKQ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. NC...NONE. VA...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...BMD NEAR TERM...BMD SHORT TERM...BMD LONG TERM...MAS AVIATION...LSA/BMD MARINE...MAS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 323 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012 MDZ021>025-NCZ012>017-030>032-102-VAZ048-049-060>100-081930- DORCHESTER-WICOMICO-SOMERSET-INLAND WORCESTER-MARYLAND BEACHES- NORTHAMPTON NC-HERTFORD-GATES-PASQUOTANK-CAMDEN-INLAND CURRITUCK- BERTIE-CHOWAN-PERQUIMANS-OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK-FLUVANNA-LOUISA- PRINCE EDWARD-CUMBERLAND-GOOCHLAND-HANOVER-CAROLINE-MECKLENBURG- LUNENBURG-NOTTOWAY-AMELIA-POWHATAN-CHESTERFIELD-HENRICO-KING WILLIAM- KING AND QUEEN-ESSEX-WESTMORELAND-RICHMOND-NORTHUMBERLAND-LANCASTER- BRUNSWICK-DINWIDDIE-PRINCE GEORGE-CHARLES CITY-NEW KENT-GLOUCESTER- MIDDLESEX-MATHEWS-GREENSVILLE-SUSSEX-SURRY-JAMES CITY-YORK- SOUTHAMPTON-ISLE OF WIGHT-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON-NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH- SUFFOLK-CHESAPEAKE-VIRGINIA BEACH-ACCOMACK-NORTHAMPTON VA- 323 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE LOWER EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND...COASTAL NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...INTERIOR NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA...THE NORTHERN OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...INTERIOR SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS VIRGINIA...THE EASTERN SHORE OF VIRGINIA...THE MIDDLE PENINSULA OF VIRGINIA...THE NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA...THE PENINSULA OF SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA AND THE PIEDMONT OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ630>638-650-652-654-656-658-081930- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SMITH POINT TO WINDMILL POINT VA- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM WINDMILL POINT TO NEW POINT COMFORT VA- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM NEW POINT COMFORT TO LITTLE CREEK VA- CURRITUCK SOUND- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM LITTLE CREEK TO CAPE HENRY VA...INCLUDING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BRIDGE TUNNEL- RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER FROM URBANNA TO WINDMILL POINT-YORK RIVER- JAMES RIVER FROM JAMESTOWN TO THE JAMES RIVER BRIDGE- JAMES RIVER FROM THE JAMES RIVER BRIDGE TO THE HAMPTON ROADS BRIDGE- TUNNEL- COASTAL WATERS FROM FENWICK ISLAND DE TO CHINCOTEAGUE VA OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CHINCOTEAGUE TO PARRAMORE ISLAND VA OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PARRAMORE ISLAND TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA TO NC VA BORDER OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM NC VA BORDER TO CURRITUCK BEACH LIGHT NC OUT TO 20 NM- 323 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL CHESAPEAKE BAY...THE LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY...THE MID ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...CURRITUCK SOUND...THE EASTERN JAMES RIVER...THE EASTERN RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER AND THE EASTERN YORK RIVER. .DAY ONE...LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. BMD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
1256 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012
MDZ021-071745-
DORCHESTER MD-
1256 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL DORCHESTER COUNTY...
AT 1252 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR CHURCH CREEK...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
* EXPECT INTENSE LIGHTNING FROM THIS STORM. DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN
NOR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS
WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
* VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER
TO POND ON ROADS AND FILL POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THE RAIN WILL CAUSE
RAPID RISES ON SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS.
* THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR HUDSON...CAMBRIDGE AND LINKWOOD.
LAT...LON 3860 7616 3861 7614 3858 7607 3860 7599
3856 7590 3844 7598 3837 7608 3848 7635
3851 7634 3850 7628 3854 7622 3853 7624
3853 7628 3857 7629 3857 7632 3859 7628
3864 7629 3862 7622 3864 7617
DEROSASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
508 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012
NCZ017-VAZ097-098-072200-
CHESAPEAKE VA-VIRGINIA BEACH VA-WESTERN CURRITUCK NC-
508 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012
...FUNNEL CLOUDS POSSIBLE WITH THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS CURRITUCK
COUNTY...
A FEW STORM SPOTTERS HAVE REPORTED SIGHTING A FUNNEL CLOUDS JUST
NORTHEAST OF MOYOCK. THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS ARE IN ASSOCIATION WITH A
SMALL CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...INDICATED BY NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR ABOUT 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF
CURRITUCK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THIS ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN
OVER RURAL NORTHERN CURRITUCK COUNTY AT 515 PM EDT.
ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE POSSIBLE FORMATION OF
SIMILAR WEAK CIRCULATIONS. THESE LOW HANGING CLOUDS WILL OFTEN
APPEAR TO DIP UP AND DOWN AT TIMES...BUT WILL NOT SHOW RAPID SIGNS
OF ROTATION...AND DO NOT POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT. HOWEVER...IN RARE
INSTANCES...THESE FUNNELS CAN TOUCH DOWN BRIEFLY. STAY ALERT AND BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A SAFE SHELTER IF A FUNNEL CLOUD APPROACHES THE
GROUND.
LAT...LON 3650 7599 3652 7599 3655 7602 3648 7602
3646 7610 3650 7614 3660 7611 3652 7592
05SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
522 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012
NCZ012>014-VAZ092-096-072215-
GATES NC-HERTFORD NC-NORTHAMPTON NC-SOUTHAMPTON VA-SUFFOLK VA-
522 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN NORTHAMPTON...
NORTHWESTERN GATES...NORTHWESTERN HERTFORD...SOUTHERN SOUTHAMPTON AND
SOUTHWESTERN CITY OF SUFFOLK COUNTIES...
AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS COVERED PORTIONS OF CITY OF
SUFFOLK...GATES...HERTFORD...NORTHAMPTON AND SOUTHAMPTON COUNTIES AT
517 PM EDT. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE GENERALLY MOVING EAST AT 5
MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH AND INTENSE LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN NOR SEEK SHELTER UNDER
TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM
APPROACHES. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THESE STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND FILL POOR
DRAINAGE AREAS. THE RAIN WILL CAUSE RAPID RISES ON SMALL STREAMS AND
CREEKS.
LAT...LON 3639 7686 3640 7703 3642 7720 3640 7731
3657 7725 3657 7678 3652 7674
FORECASTER: JFOSTERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
546 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012
VAZ075-077-072220-
NORTHUMBERLAND-WESTMORELAND-
546 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS WESTMORELAND AND
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTIES THROUGH 620 PM EDT...
AT 546 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
HAGUE...OR ABOUT 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF CALLAO...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 5
MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...KINSALE...AND...MOUNT
HOLLY...KREMLIN.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH.
HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR FLOODING.
SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARLY 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 3808 7654 3796 7660 3796 7662 3799 7667
3798 7668 3800 7672 3800 7676 3803 7676
3809 7684 3814 7668
SCALORAThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Minor to moderate residential flooding in Moyock, including a parking lot on Highway 168.
Minor to moderate street flooding was reported along Tulls Creek Road between Guinea Road and Sawyertown Road.
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: 411018, 411019.