Clusters of thunderstorms moved through the area during the afternoon and into the night. Some of the cells attained supercell characteristics as low level lapse rates steepened and shear values increased.
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.
Clusters of thunderstorms moved through the area during the afternoon and into the night. Some of the cells attained supercell characteristics as low level lapse rates steepened and shear values increased.
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 May 14, 2:29 PM EST, 3 hours 26 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 329 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012 .SYNOPSIS... SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE UPCOMING WEEK...AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ACROSS THE GULF COAST STATES MOVES SLOWLY NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH OFFSHORE BY THURSDAY WITH DRIER CONDITIONS EXPECTED INTO THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...MAIN FOCUS FOR THE SHORT TERM IS THE RELATIVELY STRONGLY FORCED AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY MOVING BASICALLY SOUTH TO NORTH AND JOGGING TO THE EAST EVER SO SLIGHTLY. WILL GO WITH CATEGORICAL POPS WEST BASICALLY IN THIS AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS WITH CHANCE ELSEWHERE. FORECAST CHALLENGE IS HOW THIS AREA HOLDS TOGETHER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT AREAS. THE FORCING APPEARS TO BE FAVORING COUPLED 200-300MB DIVERGENCE WITH THE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE OF THE FRONT. THIS FRONT WILL MAKE LITTLE IF ANY EASTWARD PROGRESS TO THE EAST OVERNIGHT. THE UPPER LEVEL FORCING MOVES OFF TO THE NORTH AND EAST AND BECOMES MORE DIFFUSE. CONSIDERING THESE FACTORS AND THE INHERIT DIURNAL NATURE OF THE ACTIVITY HAVE DRAMATICALLY DECREASED POPS FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. I DO KEEP CHANCE VALUES IN THE WESTERN COUNTIES AND OFFSHORE WITH THE COASTAL AREAS IN A RELATIVE MINIMUM. OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD HOVER IN THE MIDDLE 60S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...HIGHLY AMPLIFIED MID TO UPPER LEVEL TROUGH REACHING DOWN FROM THE GREAT LAKES TO THE GULF OF MEXICO WILL TRACK SLOWLY EAST THROUGH THE PERIOD AS SURFACE LOW REMAINS OVER THE CAROLNAS JUST TO OUR WEST. THIS WILL MAINTAIN A DEEP S-SW FLOW OF WARM MOIST AIR INTO THE AREA UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY MOVES TO THE COAST PUSHING A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE CAROLINAS WED NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. SHORTWAVE ENERGY ROTATING AROUND THIS TROUGH WILL TRACK ACROSS THE CAROLINAS KEEPING UNSETTLED WEATHER THROUGH THE PERIOD. PLENTY OF CIRRUS CLOUDS WILL STREAM IN FROM CONVECTION UPSTREAM WHILE OTHER CLOUD DEVELOPMENT WILL COMBINE TO KEEP CLOUDS IN THE FORECAST THROUGHOUT. NAM/GFS SHOWING A LULL IN PCP AND POSSIBLY A BRIGHTENING OF SKIES TUES AFTN IN A BIT OF SUBSIDENCE ON BACK END OF ONE SHORTWAVE BEFORE ANOTHER COMES THROUGH LATER IN THE DAY. THERE WILL BE PERIODS OF SHOWERS ASSOCIATED MAINLY WITH PERTURBATIONS SWINGING THROUGH BUT THE BEST UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT WILL COME ON WED AND SHOULD SEE WIDER COVERAGE OF SHWRS/TSTMS THROUGH WED AFTN INTO THE EVENING IN MOIST UNSTABLE AIR AHEAD OF COLD FRONT AS IT TRACKS THROUGH THE AREA. THE COLD FRONT SHOULD CLEAR THE COAST BY DAYBREAK THURS WITH DRIER AIR FINALLY MAKING ITS WAY IN AFTER THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. TEMPS WILL BE VERY SIMILAR TUE AND WED...WITH HIGHS 80-83 BOTH DAYS AND MINIMUMS IN THE LOW/MID 60S. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...MINIMAL CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED THIS AFTERNOON WITH AN ACTIVE RADAR. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS HAVE TRENDED TOWARD MORE OF A MORE PROGRESSIVE SOLUTION ESPECIALLY EARLY ON. HYBRID SYSTEM SEEN IN EARLIER CYCLES APPEARS LESS LIKELY NOW...ALTHOUGH IT CANT BE COMPLETELY RULED OUT. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW CLIMATOLOGY. POPS MAY ENTER THE FORECAST ONCE AGAIN AT THE END OF THE PERIOD BUT TOO FAR OUT IN TIME TO INCLUDE AT THIS TIME.&& .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 18Z...PER CURRENT RADAR TRENDS CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT PREDOMINATE SHOWERS WITH TEMPO THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT BOTH FLO/LBT TERMINALS THIS AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH VERY SHORT PERIODS OF IFR WILL OCCUR WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL JUST INDICATE PREDOMINATE MVFR CONDITIONS FOR NOW AND AMEND IF NECESSARY. WILL ALSO INDICATE VCSH/VFR AT THE MYR/CRE TERMINALS AS LIGHT SHOWERS REMAIN JUST INLAND. BUT AT THE ILM TERMINAL WHERE SHOWER DEVELOPMENT IS MORE ROBUST WILL INCLUDE A TEMPO GROUP FOR SHOWERS/MVFR FOR SEVERAL HOURS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD END OR BECOME VERY ISOLATED THIS EVENING. AT FLO/LBT THERE WILL BE A POTENTIAL FOR STRATUS/FOG THROUGH SUNRISE...BUT SINCE BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS SHOULD ONLY DECREASE TO 15 KNOTS AND SKY COVER WILL BE BROKEN WILL ONLY INDICATE MVFR CONDITIONS FOR NOW. IFR WILL BE A POSSIBILITY IF WINDS DECREASE ENOUGH AND SKIES SCATTER. SHOWERS SHOULD DEVELOP AT THE COASTAL TERMINALS IN THE PRE-DAWN HOURS...BUT CONFIDENCE IS STILL LOW AS TO WHETHER THE ACTIVITY WILL BE ACTUALLY AT THE COAST OR OFFSHORE. WILL JUST INDICATE VCSH IN COASTAL TAFS ATTM. THERE MAY BE A BETTER CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION AT THE COASTAL TERMINALS ALONG THE SEA BREEZE BY MID-LATE MORNING. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...UNSETTLED WEATHER THROUGH THURSDAY WITH A GOOD CHANCE FOR SHOWERS/ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS/TEMPO MVFR. VFR FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...MAIN FOCUS FOR THE SHORT TERM IS THE RELATIVELY STRONGLY FORCED AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY MOVING BASICALLY SOUTH TO NORTH AND JOGGING TO THE EAST EVER SO SLIGHTLY. WILL GO WITH CATEGORICAL POPS WEST BASICALLY IN THIS AREA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS WITH CHANCE ELSEWHERE. FORECAST CHALLENGE IS HOW THIS AREA HOLDS TOGETHER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT AREAS. THE FORCING APPEARS TO BE FAVORING COUPLED 200-300MB DIVERGENCE WITH THE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE OF THE FRONT. THIS FRONT WILL MAKE LITTLE IF ANY EASTWARD PROGRESS TO THE EAST OVERNIGHT. THE UPPER LEVEL FORCING MOVES OFF TO THE NORTH AND EAST AND BECOMES MORE DIFFUSE. CONSIDERING THESE FACTORS AND THE INHERIT DIURNAL NATURE OF THE ACTIVITY HAVE DRAMATICALLY DECREASED POPS FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. I DO KEEP CHANCE VALUES IN THE WESTERN COUNTIES AND OFFSHORE WITH THE COASTAL AREAS IN A RELATIVE MINIMUM. OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD HOVER IN THE MIDDLE 60S. SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD AS LOW PRESSURE REMAINS OVER THE CAROLINAS TO THE WEST OF THE WATERS WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN THE OFF SHORE WATERS TO THE EAST BOTH TUES AND WED. THIS WILL ALSO KEEP UNSETTLED WEATHER THROUGH THE PERIOD. A HIGHLY AMPLIFIED MID TO UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE SLOWLY EASTWARD PUSHING A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE WATERS BY THURS MORNING. WINDS WILL BE UP TO 15 KTS THROUGH TUES AFTN AND WILL DECREASE AND BEGIN TO VEER AROUND AS FRONT DRAWS NEAR LATE WED INTO THURS. BY END OF PERIOD...THURS MORNING...WINDS WILL VEER AROUND TO THE NW BEHIND COLD FRONT. WILL START OUT WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER SEAS TUES MORNING AND LOWERING AS WINDS DIMINISH THROUGH WED BUT OVERALL THIS SOUTHERLY PUSH WILL KEEP SEAS 2 TO 4 FT THROUGH MOST OF THE PERIOD. WINDS AND SEAS WILL BE HIGHER IN AND AROUND ANY THUNDERSTORMS. LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 300 PM MONDAY...NORTHEAST FLOW FOR THE MARINE COMMUNITY FOR THE EXTENDED AS HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE EXTENDS FROM THE NORTHEAST DOWN THROUGH THE APPALACHIANS. WIND SPEEDS WILL STAY HIGH ENOUGH...15-20 KNOTS TO KEEP SEAS INTERESTING ALTHOUGH THEY SHOULD AT THIS POINT REMAIN JUST BELOW FLAG CRITERIA. CAVEAT TO THIS FORECAST WITH THIS PATTERN ARE THE FREQUENT SURGES THAT ARE ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO GAGE THIS FAR OUT. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...SHK SHORT TERM...RGZ LONG TERM...III AVIATION...SHK/MRR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 505 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2012 AMZ250-252-254-256-150915- 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- 505 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ087-096-099-105-107-109-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-053-055-150915- ROBESON-BLADEN-COLUMBUS-INLAND PENDER-INLAND NEW HANOVER- INLAND BRUNSWICK-MARLBORO-DARLINGTON-DILLON-FLORENCE-MARION- WILLIAMSBURG-INLAND HORRY-INLAND GEORGETOWN- 505 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES...MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ106-108-110-SCZ054-056-150915- COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-COASTAL BRUNSWICK-COASTAL HORRY- COASTAL GEORGETOWN- 505 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2012 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES...MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. 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. SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES...MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
546 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0526 PM HAIL CONWAY 33.84N 79.06W
05/14/2012 E1.00 INCH HORRY SC PUBLIC
QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN CONWAY.
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1200092
LACORTEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
624 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0540 PM LIGHTNING 7 ENE RED HILL 33.82N 78.90W
05/14/2012 HORRY SC AMATEUR RADIO
A POWER POLE WAS HIT BY LIGHTNING AT THE INTERSECTION
OF HIGHWAY 90 AND SERENITY PLACE
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1200093
RJDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
627 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0540 PM FLOOD 7 ENE RED HILL 33.82N 78.90W
05/14/2012 HORRY SC AMATEUR RADIO
TWO TO THREE INCHES OF STANDING WATER REPORTED AT THE
INTERSECTION OF SERENITY PLACE AND HIGHWAY 90.
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1200094
RJDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
629 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0530 PM FLOOD 7 WNW CONWAY 33.87N 79.17W
05/14/2012 HORRY SC EMERGENCY MNGR
MINOR FLOODING REPORTED ALONG JUNIPER BAY ROAD.
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1200095
RJDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
631 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0530 PM FLOOD 2 NE CONWAY 33.85N 79.03W
05/14/2012 HORRY SC EMERGENCY MNGR
MINOR FLOODING REPORTED ALONG EAST COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE.
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1200096
RJDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
637 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012
SCZ033-053-142330-
INLAND HORRY-MARION-
637 PM EDT MON MAY 14 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS HORRY AND MARION COUNTIES
THROUGH 730 PM EDT...
AT 637 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF PEE DEE CROSSROADS...OR ABOUT 14 MILES WEST OF CONWAY...
MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE DONGOLA AND PEE DEE CROSSROADS.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
PEA SIZE HAIL.
GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH.
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3374 7930 3378 7932 3380 7933 3381 7932
3383 7932 3388 7921 3374 7914
TIME...MOT...LOC 2237Z 261DEG 5KT 3379 7929
IIIThe Wilmington radar (KLTX), 10 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:54 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree was reported down across Mary Sheldon Drive SW.
Hail to the size of pennies was reported on Bay Road SW.
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, May 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: 378426, 378420.