Winds increased across central North Carolina ahead of a high amplitude trough aloft and a strong surface front. With an unseasonably warm and moist air mass in place, a squall line developed ahead of the approaching front, further enhancing the winds and causing wind damage.
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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.
Winds increased across central North Carolina ahead of a high amplitude trough aloft and a strong surface front. With an unseasonably warm and moist air mass in place, a squall line developed ahead of the approaching front, further enhancing the winds and causing wind damage.
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 Jan 30, 7:05 PM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 705 PM EST WED JAN 30 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND WILL CONTINUE INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING STRONG COLD FRONT. COLDER AND DRIER AIR WILL SURGE INTO THE AREA LATER TONIGHT AND THURSDAY FOLLOWING THE FRONT. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 310 PM WEDNESDAY... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND/OR TORNADO WATCHES EXPECTED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THERE IS LITTLE CHANGE TO THE EXPECTED FORECAST THIS EVENING WITH THE STRONG COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. THE SQUALL LINE CONTINUED TO MOVE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AT MID AFTERNOON. THE CONVECTION ALONG THE SQUALL LINE CONTINUED TO BE LOW-TOPPED AS THE LINE MOVED INTO THE NC MOUNTAINS... SOME INCREASE IN CG-LIGHTNING OBSERVED OVER WESTERN NC IN THE PAST HOUR. EVEN DEEPER CONVECTION TO THE SOUTH PART OF THE LINE EXISTED WHERE CG LIGHTNING WAS COMMON ALONG THE SQUALL LINE FROM SOUTHWESTERN NC INTO GA AND AL. THIS IS WHERE THE INSTABILITIES WERE GREATER AND THE CONVECTION EXTENDED MUCH HIGHER INTO THE FAVORABLE ZONE FOR THE INITIATION OF CG STRIKES. THIS IS ALSO WHERE THE STRONGER AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WERE REACHING THE SURFACE. WEATHER PARAMETERS WERE BECOMING MORE FAVORABLE FOR THE SQUALL LINE TO EMERGE OUT INTO THE WESTERN PIEDMONT IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS... THEN SURGE EAST ACROSS THE PIEDMONT DURING THE EVENING... REACHING THE EASTERN ZONES LATE EVENING. THE MAIN HAZARD IS STILL EXPECTED TO BE LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 60-65 MPH WITH THE LEWP/BOWING SEGMENTS ALONG THE LINE OF CONVECTION. THE STRENGTH OF THE LOW LEVEL JET 2-3K FEET AGL... CURRENTLY AT 60+ KNOTS IS PROBLEMATIC... AND IS FORECAST TO INCREASE TO 60-80 MPH AS THE MID LEVEL TROUGH BECOMES NEGATIVELY TILTED AND SURGES ENE OVER THE MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TRANSFER OF MOMENTUM FROM THE LOW LEVEL JET MAY OCCUR WITH THE DOWNPOURS ALONG THE SQUALL LINE AS IT PROGRESSIVELY MOVES EAST THROUGH THE REGION. IN THE EASTERN ZONES... THERE HAS BEEN CLEARING AND DESTABILIZATION THIS AFTERNOON. MLCAPES HAVE INCREASED TO NEARLY 1000 J/KG NEAR THE SC/NC BORDER WHERE TEMPS WERE NEAR 80 AND DEW POINTS WERE IN THE LOWER 60S. THIS WILL BE THE LAST AREA TO SEE THE LINE OF CONVECTION BY LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT... GIVING THIS REGION A CHANCE TO STABILIZE SOMEWHAT DUE TO LOSS OF HEATING. HOWEVER... A SLIGHT RISK WILL REMAIN IN PLACE FOR ALL ZONES THROUGH THE EXPECTED SQUALL LINE PASSAGE. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT THE AREA. THE STRONG SOUTHERLY GRADIENT WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO GUST TO BETWEEN 40 AND POSSIBLY 50 MPH. SCATTERED SHOWERS MAY BRING DOWN THE STRONGER 50 MPH GUSTS WELL OUT AHEAD OF THE SQUALL LINE. THERE IS STILL A LOW END TORNADO THREAT ESPECIALLY BETWEEN LATE AFTERNOON INTO MID EVENING WHEN THE INSTABILITY AND DYNAMICS WORK IN TANDEM. THE SHEAR ILLUSTRATED BY LONG/CURVED HODOGRAPHS IN THE LOWEST FEW KILOMETERS SUGGEST A CONTINUED THREAT (ALTHOUGH CONDITIONAL OF A TORNADO). THIS POTENTIAL SHOULD BE MAXIMIZED OVER THE PIEDMONT... WHERE THE CONVECTIVE LINE WILL ARRIVE BEFORE DIURNALLY-DRIVEN INSTABILITY FULLY WANES. THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT DOES NOT WARRANT A WATCH AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE QUICK MOVEMENT OF THE HEAVY RAIN (TIMING OF 1-2 HOURS MOST AREAS). HOURLY RATES OF 0.75 TO 1 INCH WILL PRODUCE THE TYPICAL URBAN MINOR FLOODING ISSUES... BUT WIDESPREAD FF IS NOT EXPECTED. TOTAL QPF OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WEST... AND 0.5 TO 1 INCH EAST EXPECTED... WITH THE LINE WEAKENING AS IT MOVES INTO THE COASTAL PLAIN. ALL WILL QUIET DOWN AFTER MIDNIGHT... WHEN THE ADVISORY FOR WIND SHOULD BE CANCELED EARLY IF CURRENT PROJECTIONS HOLD. IT APPEARS THAT THE WIND DAMAGE THREAT WILL DIMINISH JUST AFTER THE SQUALL LINE MOVES THROUGH. CAA WILL ARRIVE LATER TONIGHT... LOWS 40-50 NW TO SE. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 150 PM WEDNESDAY... COLD FRONT WILL BE WELL OFFSHORE BY DAYBREAK WITH HIGH PRESSURE INITIALLY BUILDING ACROSS THE GULF STATES AND INTO THE REGION BEHIND THE FRONT. MILD ORIGIN OF THE HIGH AND ENSUING WESTERLY FLOW WILL ALLOW HIGHS ON THURSDAY TO REACH NEAR NORMAL...IN THE UPPER 40S TO LOWER 50S AND WINDS WILL BE DIMINISHING AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT LOOSENS...LOOKING AT UP TO 15 MPH SUSTAINED WESTERLY WINDS WITH GUSTS TO PERHAPS 25 MPH. A REINFORCING SHORT WAVE WILL BE DIGGING INTO THE DOMINANT EAST COAST TROF LATE THURSDAY NIGHT...POSSIBLY SQUEEZING OUT SOME ISOLATED FLURRIES ALONG THE NORTHWEST TIER AS IT CROSSES THE MOUNTAINS. MINS THURSDAY NIGHT WILL BE AROUND 30...AND THE MAIN SENSIBLE IMPACT FROM THIS SHORT WAVE WILL BE TO SHARPEN THE NORTHWEST FLOW INTO THE TROF AND INITIATE STRONGER COLD AIR ADVECTION ON FRIDAY...WHEN HIGHS WILL STRUGGLE TO GET OUT OF THE 30S IN THE NORTHWEST...AND MAX OUT IN THE MID 40S IN THE SOUTHEAST. HIGH PRESSURE SETTLING OVERHEAD WILL LOCK THE COLD AIR IN OVERNIGHT...AND UNDER CLEAR SKIES...MINS FRIDAY NIGHT WILL BOTTOM OUT IN THE LOWER 20S. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 150 PM WEDNESDAY... MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES WITH HIGH PRESSURE OVERHEAD SATURDAY WILL ALLOW HIGH TEMPERATURES TO CLIMB BACK TOWARDS SEASONABLE READINGS...IN THE 45 TO 50 DEGREE RANGE. THIS HIGH WILL SHIFT QUICKLY OFFSHORE AND A FAST MOVING MID LEVEL CLIPPER SYSTEM WILL DIG INTO THE OHIO VALLEY ON SATURDAY NIGHT...POSSIBLY PRODUCING SOME LIGHT RAIN OR SNOW SHOWERS AS IT TRAVERSES THE AREA...WITH LITTLE TO NO ACCUMULATION. THE ASSOCIATED CLOUDINESS WILL PREVENT TEMPERATURES FROM CRASHING HARD SATURDAY NIGHT...HOWEVER...WITH SUNDAY MORNING LOWS AROUND 30. THE WARMER START AND INCREASING SUN EXPECTED ON SUNDAY WILL ALLOW HIGHS TO REBOUND FURTHER...INTO THE SEASONABLE LOWER 50S OVER MOST OF THE AREA. THE EAST COAST TROF AXIS SHIFTS OFFSHORE AND UPPER FLOW WILL NOT BE AS AMPLIFIED EARLY NEXT WEEK. ANOTHER REINFORCING BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL BE SLOWLY EDGING SOUTH AND POTENTIALLY STALLING ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC ON TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY...BUT MOISTURE WILL BE LACKING AND FORCING WILL BE UNFOCUSED IN THE WEAKER UPPER FLOW. AT THIS POINT THE WEATHER MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY LOOKS DRY AND SEASONABLY MILD WITH HIGHS MOSTLY IN THE LOW TO MID 50S EACH DAY. && .AVIATION /00Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 645 PM WEDNESDAY... OVERALL...CIGS HAVE LIFTED TO VFR EARLY THIS EVENING...BUT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT BEGIN TO IMPACT THE AREA. AS OF 00Z...THE LEADING EDGE OF THE PRECIP IS JUST ENTERING THE TRIAD REGION. WITHIN THIS BROAD AREA OF PRECIP...A THIN LINE OF STRONG STORMS WILL PRODUCE A BRIEF PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS (50-60 MPH). THIS LINE WILL MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL NC FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH 06Z. AFTER THE LINE OF STRONGER SHOWERS PASSES...LIGHTER RAIN IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST FOR SEVERAL HOUR BEFORE CONDITIONS IMPROVE TO VFR. IN ADDITION TO THE PRECIP...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE AREA. SOUTHERLY WINDS HAVE BEEN GUSTING UP 40 MPH THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AND ONCE THE FRONT PASSES...GUSTY WESTERLY WINDS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA. WINDS MAY DECREASE SOME TOWARDS DAYBREAK...BUT SHOULD ONCE AGAIN BECOME GUSTY OUT OF THE WEST WHEN HEATING COMMENCES ON THURSDAY. OUTLOOK...VFR CONDITIONS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO PREVAIL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. ALTHOUGH...A COUPLE OF COLD FRONTS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA...ONE FRIDAY MORNING AND ONE SATURDAY NIGHT AND COULD PRODUCE A PERIOD OF INCREASED CLOUDINESS...WITH EVEN A SMALL POSSIBILITY OF SOME SPRINKLES OR FLURRIES. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && WIND ADVISORY FROM NOON WEDNESDAY TO 4 AM EST THURSDAY FOR NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089. && SYNOPSIS...BADGETT NEAR TERM...BADGETT SHORT TERM...MLM LONG TERM...MLM AVIATION...KRR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 411 PM EST WED JAN 30 2013 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-312115- 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- 411 PM EST WED JAN 30 2013 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THROUGH TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. A STRONG COLD FRONT... AND ACCOMPANYING LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS... WILL SURGE EAST ACROSS THE REGION... BEGINNING BY LATE AFTERNOON IN THE WESTERN PIEDMONT... MOVING EAST THROUGH THE REGION THIS EVENING. LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE LINE. THE MAIN WEATHER HAZARD WILL BE THE LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND POTENTIAL. IN ADDITION... AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO MAY BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING. SPOTTERS SHOULD REPORT SEVERE WEATHER AS SOON AS IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LATER WATCHES AND WARNINGS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
759 PM EST WED JAN 30 2013
NCZ021-022-038-039-310230-
DAVIDSON-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-RANDOLPH-
759 PM EST WED JAN 30 2013
...A BAND OF HEAVY SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED THUNDER AND GUSTY WINDS
WILL MOVE ACROSS RANDOLPH...GUILFORD...FORSYTH AND DAVIDSON COUNTIES
THROUGH 930 PM EST...
AT 754 PM EST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A BAND OF SHOWERS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES WEST OF DONNAHA TO 41 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
LINWOOD...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM EAST BEND TO 23 MILES WEST
OF CONCORD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...WINSTON-SALEM...GREENSBORO...
LEXINGTON...AND ASHEBORO.
HAZARDS INCLUDE...
GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH.
HEAVY RAINFALL AND MINOR POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING.
SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY BUILDING. 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 3612 8050 3614 8044 3626 8045 3625 7956
3553 7956 3552 8019 3558 8021 3568 8034
3571 8033 3574 8046 3584 8049 3585 8039
3589 8042 3589 8037 3596 8038 3599 8043
3602 8042 3606 8047 3604 8050 3609 8052
TIME...MOT...LOC 0054Z 232DEG 41KT 3625 8054 3555 8093The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:20 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A couple of trees were blown down along a swath from near Donnaha to near Kernersville.
Multiple trees were blown down along a swath from near Stanfield to near Albemarle.
A couple of trees were blown down near Lexington around Virginia Drive.
Numerous trees were blown down along a swath from near High Point to Greensboro.
A tree was blown down near Elon College at University Drive and Huffman Mill Road.
Multiple trees were blown down in Troy.
A 20 inch diameter tree was blown down and fell onto a home. The monetary damage was estimated.
A roof was partially blown off of a single story retail shop building. The monetary damage was estimated.
Several trees and power lines were blown down along a swath from near Rougemont to near Surl.
A couple of trees were blown down along a swath from just southwest of Walnut Creek to just northeast of Walnut Creek.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, January 2013
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 428391, 428392, 428393, 428394, 428395, 428396, 428397, 428398, 428399, 428400.