A broken band of storms developed across the Carolinas along a pre-frontal surface trough and in advance of a negative tilted upper trough and closed low over the southern Ohio Valley. Thunderstorm wind damage was extensive across central North Carolina with a few storms producing hail as large as golf balls.
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.
A broken band of storms developed across the Carolinas along a pre-frontal surface trough and in advance of a negative tilted upper trough and closed low over the southern Ohio Valley. Thunderstorm wind damage was extensive across central North Carolina with a few storms producing hail as large as golf balls.
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 Jun 1, 9:30 AM EST, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 1030 AM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST TODAY AND CROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE CAROLINAS ON SATURDAY AND LINGER OVERHEAD ON SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1030 AM FRIDAY... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPEAR LIKELY FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL NC THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. CURRENT FORECAST IS GENERALLY ON TRACK THIS MORNING...AS A SHORTWAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY APPROACHING THE OH AND TN VALLEYS WILL INTERACT WITH A MOIST AND INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE WARM SECTOR AIRMASS EAST OF THE APPALACHIANS. THE MAIN CONCERN FOR NEAR TERM UPDATES WILL BE FOR HEATING AND DESTABILIZATION POTENTIAL. A FEW SHOWERS AND STORMS ALONG A DIFFUSE SURFACE TO 850MB WARM FRONT CONTINUE TO MOVE OFF TO THE NORTHEAST THIS MORNING...WITH A PERIOD LITTLE ACTIVITY EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. STRATUS IS SCATTERING RATHER QUICKLY OVER CENTRAL NC...AND SKIES ARE NEARLY CLEAR OVER CENTRAL AND EASTERN SC. 12Z RAOBS AT KGSO AND KMHX SHOW A STRONG BUT EASILY BREAKABLE CAP ABOVE THE MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER...SO RAP FORECASTS OF 1500-2000 J/KG OF SBCAPE SEEM ATTAINABLE. MODIFIED FORECAST SOUNDINGS FROM THE RAP GIVE 1000-1500 J/KG OF MLCAPE OVER EASTERN NC. THE HRRR AND CAMS HAVE PERFORMED POORLY WITH THE PRECIP THIS MORNING...SO CONFIDENCE IN THEIR DEPICTION OF CONVECTIVE IGNITION THROUGH MID AFTERNOON IS LOW. HOWEVER...THE CAP SHOULD BREAK BY NOON AND CLOUD STREETS ARE BEGINNING TO SHOW UP OVER THE SANDHILLS IN VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGERY...SO SHOWERS AND STORMS MAY BEGIN TO POP UP BY 18Z. ONE LAST COMPLICATING FACTOR IS CLOUD COVER OVER MUCH OF VA...WHICH COULD LEAD TO A DIFFERENTIAL HEATING BOUNDARY NEAR THE NC/VA BORDER THIS AFTERNOON. WE WILL INCREASE POPS OVER THE EASTERN CWA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...AND CONTINUE THE HIGHER 80-90 POPS FROM EAST TO WEST THIS EVENING. AS THE UPPER TROUGH BECOMES NEGATIVELY TILLED AND LIFTS ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON...0-6KM EFFECTIVE SHEAR FORECASTS SHOW 35-40KT BETWEEN THE POLAR JET TO THE NORTH AND A WEAKER COMPONENT OF THE SUBTROPICAL JET EXPECTED TO EMERGE OVER SOUTHEAST GA/SC THIS AFTERNOON. SURFACE WINDS HAVE BEEN BACKED TO SOUTHEASTERLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE WEAK WARM FRONT THIS MORNING...BUT ALL MODELS INDICATED WINDS WILL VEER TO SOUTHERLY AS MIXING INCREASES THIS MORNING. DEEP LAYER SHEAR VALUES WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF DISCRETE SUPERCELLS OUT AHEAD OF THE LINEAR FORCING AND EXPECTED QLCS THIS EVENING. AS UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE AND HEIGHT FALLS INCREASE THIS EVENING...THE LOW LEVEL JET IF FORECAST TO STRENGTHEN 35-40KT...ESPECIALLY NORTH...WHICH WILL HELP TO INCREASE LOW LEVEL HODOGRAPH CURVATURE AND MAY SUPPORT AN ISOLATED TORNADO THREAT. THE CURRENT SLIGHT RISK FROM SPC CONTINUES TO SHOW A 10 PERCENT TORNADO RISK NORTH OF THE TRIANGLE AND ROCKY MOUNT. CONCERNING THE POTENTIAL QLCS THIS EVENING...MODELS HAVE SLOWED THE ARRIVAL OF THE SURFACE TROUGH AND COLD FRONT BY A FEW HOURS...THOUGH MOST OF THE CAMS SUGGEST THE COLD POOL WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM REDEVELOPING EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS AND SURGING ACROSS THE UNSTABLE AIRMASS AREA AFTER 21Z. LARGE SCALE SHEAR PARAMETERS AND SIMULATED UPDRAFT HELICITY VALUES SUGGEST EMBEDDED SUPERCELL STRUCTURE WILL BE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE LINE. WE WILL LEAVE FORECAST HIGHS AS THEY ARE SINCE THEY ARE ON THE WARMER SIDE OF GUIDANCE AND WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER MAY NOT BE AN ISSUE. TONIGHT...BAND OF CONVECTION CROSSES THEN PIEDMONT DURING THE EVENING...AND THE COASTAL PLAIN LATE THIS EVENING-OVERNIGHT. FAVOR SLIGHTLY WARMER NAM-WRF MOS GUIDANCE VERSUS THE COOLER GFS. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 255 AM FRIDAY... SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT....TRANQUIL WEATHER REGIME ENSUES BEHIND EXITING FRONTAL SYSTEM WITH SURFACE HIGH CENTERED TO OUR SW. RESULTANT W-NW FLOW WILL ADVECT DRIER MORE STABLE AIR INTO CENTRAL NC. EXPECT TO SEE A FEW PASSING CLOUDS SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT THOUGH BULK OF COLUMN TOO DRY TO SUPPORT PRECIP GENERATION. TEMPS SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL FOR EARLY JUNE. MAX TEMPS 75-80. MIN TEMPS MID-UPPER 50S WITH A LOWER 50S IN THE NORMALLY COOLER LOCALES. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 235 AM FRIDAY... MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT ON SHOWING A RATHER AMPLIFIED PATTERN ACROSS THE CONUS NEXT WEEK... WITH MID/UPPER LEVEL PATTERN FEATURING TROUGHING NEAR THE WEST AND EAST COAST... WITH A CENTRAL U.S. RIDGE. WITH THE EAST COAST MID/UPPER LEVEL LOW EXPECTED TO BE CENTERED INVOF NEW ENGLAND/OFF THE NORTHEAST U.S. COAST... CENTRAL NC WILL REMAIN IN CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT... AND SUSCEPTIBLE TO DISTURANCES ROTATING THROUGH THE CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT. GIVEN THESE FEATURES ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO TIME THIS FAR OUT IN TIME... WILL GO WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS/STORMS FROM MONDAY NIGHT ONWARD. HOWEVER... THE GFS CONTINUES TO HINT AT THE BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIP WILL BE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY. THUS... WILL GO WITH THE HIGHEST SLIGHT CHANCE POP THEN. GIVEN THIS SYNOPTIC PATTERN WILL GO WITH HIGH AND LOW TEMPS NEAR NORMAL... WITH EVEN SOME PERIODS OF BELOW NORMAL TEMPS POSSIBLE DEPENDING ON TIMING OF DISTURBANCES AND ASSOCIATED SHOWERS/STORMS/CLOUD COVER. && .AVIATION /12Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 745 AM FRIDAY... SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PROBABLE LATE TODAY AND THIS EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL NC. WIDESPREAD STRATUS WITH CEILINGS IN THE LIFR/IFR CATEGORIES WILL, LIFT INTO A SCATTERED-BROKEN CU FIELD BY MID DAY WITH BASES 3500-4500FT. THE APPROACH OF A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL INCREASE SHOWER AND T-STORM ACTIVITY LATE TODAY AND THIS EVENING WITH A GOOD PROBABILITY OF A FEW SEVERE STORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. THE THREAT FOR NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE GREATEST IN THE TRIAD REGION BETWEEN 4 PM AND 9 PM...AND IN THE KRDU/KFAY AND KRWI VICINITY BETWEEN 6 PM AND 11 PM. AHEAD OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS...EXPECT LOW END VFR CONDITIONS WITH BREEZY SLY WINDS GUSTING BETWEEN 20-25KTS. THE COLD FRONT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POTENTIALLY ACTIVE WEATHER THIS EVENING WILL CROSS CENTRAL NC LATE TONIGHT. DRIER MORE STABLE AIR WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION BY EARLY SATURDAY WITH VFR CONDITIONS PROJECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES MAY CAUSE VFR CEILINGS MONDAY WITH A POTENTIAL FOR SUB-VFR CEILINGS MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY AS A SURFACE BOUNDARY DRIFTS ACROSS THE AREA. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...WSS NEAR TERM...WSS/SMITH SHORT TERM...WSS LONG TERM...BSD AVIATION...WSS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 436 AM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-020930- 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- 436 AM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER HAZARDS WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH...HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT APPEARS TO BE HIGHEST BETWEEN 4 PM AND 11 PM. PEOPLE ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA ARE ENCOURAGED TO REVIEW SAFETY RULES IN PREPARATION FOR THESE STORMS. CHECK THE LATEST CONDITIONS FREQUENTLY DURING THE DAY TO STAY SAFE... AND MAKE SURE YOU USE A NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS TO KEEP UP WITH ANY WATCHES... WARNINGS... OR OTHER NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATEMENTS. WHEN STORMS THREATEN... REMEMBER THESE SAFETY GUIDELINES: IF A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES YOU OR A WARNING IS ISSUED... SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING... AND STAY AWAY FROM DOORS AND WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE DRIVING... FIND A STRONG SHELTER TO AVOID BEING CAUGHT IN LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS. SEVERE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS CAN CAUSE AS MUCH DAMAGE AS TORNADOES. WHEN SEVERE WINDS STRIKE... TAKE COVER IN AN INTERIOR BATHROOM... CLOSET... OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. REMEMBER THAT EVERY THUNDERSTORM PRODUCES DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND NO PLACE OUTSIDE IS SAFE. LIGHTNING IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS THREATS POSED BY THUNDERSTORMS. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 20 MILES AWAY FROM A STORM. IF SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING... SEEK MEDICAL CARE IMMEDIATELY. LIGHTNING STRIKES CAN RESULT IN CARDIAC ARREST... AND QUICK RESPONSE IS VITAL. WHEN THUNDER ROARS... GO INDOORS. MONITOR THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/RALEIGH. YOU CAN ALSO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST WEATHER ON A WEB ENABLED CELL PHONE OR OTHER MOBILE DEVICE BY VISITING HTTP://MOBILE.WEATHER.GOV. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED IN THE TRIAD REGION BETWEEN 3 PM THROUGH 9 PM...AND IN THE TRIANGLE AND FAYETTEVILLE AREAS BETWEEN 5 PM AND 11 PM. SPOTTERS SHOULD REPORT SEVERE WEATHER AS SOON AS IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. PLEASE STAY TUNED LATER TODAY FOR LATER WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1202 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012
NCZ010-026-011645-
FRANKLIN-WARREN-
1202 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS WARREN AND FRANKLIN
COUNTIES THROUGH 1245 PM EDT...
AT 1202 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6
MILES SOUTH OF LOUISBURG...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...LOUISBURG...
INGLESIDE.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH.
DON'T WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE FIRST LIGHTNING FLASH BEFORE HEADING TO
SAFETY. MOVE INDOORS AT THE FIRST SIGN OF THREATENING SKIES OR THE
FIRST SOUND OF THUNDER. MAKE SURE THAT LIGHTNING IS WELL AWAY FROM
YOUR LOCATION BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITY.
&&
LAT...LON 3628 7798 3591 7825 3599 7847 3626 7831
3630 7828 3633 7828 3636 7826
TIME...MOT...LOC 1602Z 204DEG 24KT 3603 7832
GIHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 1223 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 NCZ008>010-026-011700- FRANKLIN-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN- 1223 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS WARREN...VANCE...GRANVILLE AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES THROUGH 100 PM EDT... AT 1221 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF LOUISBURG...MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE...KITTRELL... INGLESIDE... GILLBURG...SOUTH HENDERSON...HENDERSON... MIDDLEBURG... AFTON. HAZARDS INCLUDE... HALF INCH DIAMETER SIZE HAIL. GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 85 BETWEEN EXITS 206 AND 223. DON'T WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE FIRST LIGHTNING FLASH BEFORE HEADING TO SAFETY. MOVE INDOORS AT THE FIRST SIGN OF THREATENING SKIES OR THE FIRST SOUND OF THUNDER. MAKE SURE THAT LIGHTNING IS WELL AWAY FROM YOUR LOCATION BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITY. ADDITIONAL STRONG STORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && LAT...LON 3645 7862 3644 7806 3611 7819 3612 7850 TIME...MOT...LOC 1621Z 180DEG 19KT 3615 7835 GIH
The Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 79 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:51 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Several large tree limbs were blown down near the intersection of Coolsprings and Tower|Road.
A trained spotter reported one tree blown down at Old Watkins and Forestville Roads.|A downed tree also fell across power lines along Highway 98.
Several trees were blown down along the wind swath. Law enforcement reported that the downed trees resulted in the blocking of traffic on Tanner Road, Country Club Road and Piney Grove Church Road.
Several trees were blown within the city limits of High Point.
Golf ball size hail was reported on the campus of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Quarter size hail was reported at the Four Seasons Town Centre Mall.
Numerous tree and large tree limbs were blown down inside the city limits of Mebane. One large oak tree with a base of more than 10 feet in diameter, fell onto a home. The home was a total loss. There were no injuries.
Numerous trees were blown down in the Greensboro area. Elm Street, Summit Avenue and Sunset Drive was some of the hardest hit areas. The severe thunderstorm winds |resulted in damage at Peck Elementary School. Multiple trees were downed, and multiple cars were damaged, as well as the walkway to the trailers outside the main building.
Public report several small trees and large limbs were blown down.
Broadcast media reported downed trees on Shattelon Drive. Trees were also reported down on Germanton Road. One tree fell onto a house. Damages where unknown.
Nearly a dozen trees were blown down and snapped in half. There was some moderate roof damage to several structures, including a smoke house.
A power utility pole was blown down onto a automobile at a car dealership.
Law enforcement reported a downed tree onto a mobile home.
Law enforcement and emergency management reported numerous trees down all throughout the county. Thunderstorm wind damage was most extensive in the Nashville, Spring Hope, Red Oak and Salem areas. Large tree limbs fell onto a home inside the city limits of Nashville.
Several trees were blown down in the White Oak Subdivision.
Several trees were blown down near US Highway 401.
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, June 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: 389739, 389740, 389741, 389742, 389745, 389746, 389747, 389748, 389749, 389750, 389751, 389753, 389754, 389770, 389755, 389756, 389758, 389760, 389761, 389763.