Strong daytime heating resulted in moderate to strong destabilization across central North Carolina. While initial convective started in proximity to a stalled surface boundary, convection quickly became dominated by convective outflow interaction and cell mergers that produced thunderstorm wind damage across the area with isolated flash flooding in Greensboro.
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.
Strong daytime heating resulted in moderate to strong destabilization across central North Carolina. While initial convective started in proximity to a stalled surface boundary, convection quickly became dominated by convective outflow interaction and cell mergers that produced thunderstorm wind damage across the area with isolated flash flooding in Greensboro.
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 Jul 9, 1:36 PM EST, 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 236 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT STRETCHING EAST TO WEST ACROSS VIRGINIA WILL DRIFT SLOWLY SOUTH TOWARD NORTH CAROLINA. THE FRONT WILL THEN STALL AND LINGER OVER THE REGION THROUGH MUCH OF THE WORK WEEK... BRINGING UNSETTLED WEATHER. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 235 PM... MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH THE WEAK TROUGH OVER NORTH CAROLINA... ITS LOCATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY MINOR MESO LOWS. DO NOT EXPECT TOO MUCH MOVEMENT OF THE TROUGH AND WILL BASE THE FORECAST LOOSELY ON A MEAN TROUGH POSITION FROM CHARLOTTE NORTHEAST TO ROCKY MOUNT DURING THIS FORECAST PERIOD. STILL EXPECTING CONVECTION TO INCREASE OVER CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA AS THE DAY TURNS TO EVENING WITH BEST COVERAGE NEAR AND SOUTH OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED TROUGH. WITH PRECIPITABLE WATERS ON THE INCREASE TO NEAR TWO INCHES BY TUESDAY... BUT LITTLE UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS... EXPECT THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE TO MAXIMIZE LATE AFTERNOON AND SLOWLY WANE TO ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED AS MIDNIGHT APPROACHES. IF CONVECTION INDEED ENDS LATE TONIGHT... EXPECT AN EARLIER START TO CONVECTION WITH A NEARLY SATURATED AIR MASS. LIKELY POPS BY LATE TUESDAY MORNING... THOUGH HIGHER NEAR AND SOUTH OF THE TROUGH. SEVERE THREAT TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT CONTINUES WITH HIGH DOWNDRAFT CAPE AND SURFACE DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS IN MANY LOCATIONS EXCEEDING 25 DEGREES. SEVERE THREAT MUCH REDUCED FOR TUESDAY WITH MORE CLOUDS... LOWER TEMPERATURES... AND MUCH LOWER CAPE. LOW TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO DIP A BIT FROM THE PAST COUPLE OF NIGHTS AS THE SURFACE TROUGH FILLS SLIGHTLY... LOWERING 1000 TO 850 MILLIBAR THICKNESSES. CLOUDS AND MOISTURE WILL COMPENSATE FOR THIS SOMEWHAT... WITH MOST LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 70S. AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES UNDER MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY SKIES WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH 85 TO 90 DEGREES. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 235 AM MONDAY... THIS PERIOD WILL BE DOMINATED BY A BROAD MID LEVEL TROUGH...WHILE AT THE SURFACE...A TROUGH/WEAKENING FRONT WILL BISECT THE REGION FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST. LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL BRING IN MOISTURE FROM THE GULF AND/OR ATLANTIC AND LEAD TO PWAT VALUES EXCEEDING 2 INCHES THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. THIS WILL ALL RESULT IN SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY DURING THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST POPS DURING THE FAVORED DIURNAL HOURS...ALTHOUGH DO NOT EXPECT THE PRECIP TO COMPLETELY COME TO AN END DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. WITH REGARDS TO ANY SEVERE THREAT...THE DEEP LAYER FLOW...SHEAR AND MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ARE ALL FORECAST TO BE RATHER WEAK...THEREFORE AM NOT EXPECTING MUCH IN THE WAY ORGANIZATION. HOWEVER...CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS EACH AFTERNOON...WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS...AS CAPE VALUES ARE FORECAST TO BE ON THE ORDER OF 1500-2000 J/KG...HIGHEST ACROSS THE EAST. HIGH TEMPS WILL BE BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD...GENERALLY MID TO UPPER 80S DUE TO THE CONSIDERABLE CLOUD COVER AND ABOVE NORMAL PRECIP CHANCES...WHILE THE OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL HOVER AROUND 70 DEGREES. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 230 AM MONDAY... THE REMNANTS OF THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO LINGER OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL BE NEAR NON-EXISTENT AND NO HELP IN MOVING THE FRONT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THEREFORE...CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PREVAIL EACH DAY WITH THE MOST LIKELY TIME FRAME COINCIDING WITH PEAK HEATING DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON. AS THE WEEKEND APPROACHES...A HIGH PRESSURE OFF OF THE SOUTHEAST COAST BEGINS TO TRY AND BUILD IN FROM THE EAST. THIS COULD HELP EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA BEGIN TO DRY OUT LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES DURING THIS PERIOD WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE FROM THE MID 80S TO THE UPPER 80S BY SUNDAY. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN FAIRLY CONSISTENT...UPPER 60S TO NEAR 70 DEGREES. && .AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 140 PM... SHOWERS DEVELOPING SOUTH AND WEST OF HIGHWAYS 64 AND ONE. EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES AND COVERAGE TO INCREASE AND SPREAD OVER MOST OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA BY LATE AFTERNOON. IFR VISIBILITIES IN SHOWERS. STORMS WILL DECREASE IN THE LATE EVENING AND BECOME SCATTERED TO ISOLATED AS MIDNIGHT APPROACHES. SOME FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT... ESPECIALLY WHERE SIGNIFICANT RAIN FALLS THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS ALMOST ANYTIME AFTER SUNRISE TUESDAY... ESPECIALLY NEAR AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 64. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS... PRIMARILY IN THE AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING INTO THURSDAY NIGHT... WITH CONVECTION DECREASING IN COVERAGE FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AND MORE LIKELY TO BE CONFINED TO THE AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS. THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE FOR MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES LATE NIGHT TO JUST AFTER SUNRISE EACH NIGHT. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NCZ042-043- 073>078-083>086-088-089. && SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM... SHORT TERM...KRR LONG TERM...RTE AVIATION...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 1038 AM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 NCZ042-043-073>078-083>086-088-089-101445- JOHNSTON-WILSON-STANLY-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE-ANSON- RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON- 1038 AM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH 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. HEAT ADVISORY. A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OVER 60 MPH. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN MAY LEAD TO PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND MINOR FLOODING OF URBAN LOCATIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND STREET FLOODING ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. OTHERWISE... HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ007>011-021>028-038>041-101445- PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE- ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-WAKE- 1038 AM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OVER 60 MPH. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN MAY LEAD TO PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND MINOR FLOODING OF URBAN LOCATIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND STREET FLOODING ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. OTHERWISE... HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
849 AM EDT MON JUL 09 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0455 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 NNW WADESBORO 35.03N 80.09W
07/08/2012 ANSON NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TREES BLOWN DOWN NEAR HIGHWAY 52 AND STATE ROAD 1641.
TIME ESTIMATED.
&&
EVENT NUMBER RAH1200587
DJFPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
901 AM EDT MON JUL 09 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0635 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NNW DABNEY 36.36N 78.48W
07/08/2012 VANCE NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
ONE TREE BLOWN DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF GLEBE ROAD
AND DABNEY ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED.
&&
EVENT NUMBER RAH1200588
DJFPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
902 AM EDT MON JUL 09 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0645 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NE AFTON 36.34N 78.21W
07/08/2012 WARREN NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TWO TREES BLOWN DOWN NEAR U.S. 401 AND PARKTOWN ROAD.
TIME ESTIMATED.
&&
EVENT NUMBER RAH1200589
DJFPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
904 AM EDT MON JUL 09 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0450 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 SSW ANSONVILLE 35.07N 80.13W
07/08/2012 ANSON NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TREES BLOWN DOWN NEAR HIGHWAY 52 AND STATE ROAD 1637.
TIME ESTIMATED.
0455 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 NNW WADESBORO 35.03N 80.09W
07/08/2012 ANSON NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TREES BLOWN DOWN NEAR HIGHWAY 52 AND STATE ROAD 1641.
TIME ESTIMATED.
0635 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NNW DABNEY 36.36N 78.48W
07/08/2012 VANCE NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
ONE TREE BLOWN DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF GLEBE ROAD
AND DABNEY ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED.
0645 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NE AFTON 36.34N 78.21W
07/08/2012 WARREN NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TWO TREES BLOWN DOWN NEAR U.S. 401 AND PARKTOWN ROAD.
TIME ESTIMATED.
&&
EVENT NUMBER RAH1200586 RAH1200587 RAH1200588 RAH1200589
DJFSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
116 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
NCZ074>077-084-086-091815-
HARNETT-HOKE-LEE-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-RICHMOND-
116 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012
...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE BEGINNING TO POP UP ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN PIEDMONT AND SANDHILLS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THESE SHOWERS
AND STORMS WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST ACROSS HARNETT...RICHMOND...
MOORE...MONTGOMERY...LEE AND HOKE COUNTIES THROUGH 215 PM EDT...
SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...TROY...ROBBINS... CARTHAGE...
CAMERON...SOUTHERN PINES... SANFORD...EAGLE SPRINGS...AND SEVEN
LAKES.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND GUSTY WINDS UP TO 30 MPH.
IF YOU SEE LIGHTNING OR HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE AT RISK. TAKE SHELTER
INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU CANNOT FIND SHELTER IN A BUILDING A
VEHICLE PROVIDES SAFETY FROM LIGHTNING.
&&
LAT...LON 3550 8005 3551 7937 3546 7883 3520 7905
3519 7910 3513 7911 3495 7926 3498 7939
3504 7946 3502 7953 3515 8004
TIME...MOT...LOC 1713Z 284DEG 10KT 3535 7974
13SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 157 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 NCZ039-040-074>077-084-086-088-091900- CHATHAM-CUMBERLAND-HARNETT-HOKE-LEE-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-RANDOLPH- RICHMOND- 157 PM EDT MON JUL 9 2012 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE SLOWLY EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT AND SANDHILLS THIS AFTERNOON. THIS INCLUDES HARNETT...RICHMOND...RANDOLPH...MOORE...MONTGOMERY...LEE... CUMBERLAND...CHATHAM AND HOKE COUNTIES THROUGH 300 PM EDT... SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...ANGIER...LILLINGTON...CARTHAGE... SOUTHERN PINES... WHISPERING PINES...SPRING LAKE...BUIES CREEK... HAZARDS INCLUDE... PEA SIZE HAIL. GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. IF YOU SEE LIGHTNING OR HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE AT RISK. TAKE SHELTER INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU CANNOT FIND SHELTER IN A BUILDING A VEHICLE PROVIDES SAFETY FROM LIGHTNING. && LAT...LON 3552 7872 3496 7878 3518 7991 3556 7978 TIME...MOT...LOC 1754Z 280DEG 11KT 3539 7881
The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 47 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:41 UTC.
13 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees were blown down along NC Highway 401.
Multiple trees were blown down, including a downed tree on Jupiter Creek Road and a downed tree onto a power-line on Camp Easter Road.
One tree was blown down onto a power-line.
Several trees were blown down in the area. A roof was also blown off of a wooden barn. |Monetary damages were estimated.
One tree and two power poles were blown down along NC Highway 211, west of Raeford.
One tree was blown down.
A large limb was blown down onto a power-line which resulted in a blown transformer.
Numerous trees and power-lines were blown down along the swath. One carport was also damaged in Lilesville. Damages were estimated.
Power-lines were reported down on Yates Hill Road.
Two trees were blown down in the vicinity of Mt. Gilead.
One tree was blown down on power-lines resulting in scattered power outages in New London and Badin.
Large limbs were blown down near Parktown Road.
One tree was blown down near the intersection of NC Highway 158 and Airport Road.
Heavy rainfall between 2.5 to 3.0 inches resulted in multiple road closures with 20 to 30 cars flooded on Interstate 40 between High Point Road and Wendover Road. Flood waters also overtook some apartments on Wendover Avenue. Monetary damages were estimated.
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, July 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: 398021, 398024, 398025, 398026, 398029, 398031, 398033, 398038, 398040, 398041, 398043, 398045, 398046, 398053.