Severe thunderstorms developed in advance of a cold front.
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.
Severe thunderstorms developed in advance of a cold front.
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 Sep 3, 2:17 PM EST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 317 PM EDT TUE SEP 3 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HUMID AND UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL PRECEDE A COLD FRONT TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY. THE FRONT WILL USHER IN SLIGHTLY COOLER AND DRIER AIR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE OFFSHORE SATURDAY...CREATING SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITY THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...TEMPERATURES STRUGGLED TO CLIMB EARLIER TODAY AS CLOUD COVER WANED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA...BUT WITHIN THE LAST HOUR OR TWO...AREAS WITH BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS HAVE HAD TEMPS INCREASE TO THE UPPER 80S. HIGHS SHOULD PEAK IN THE LOW 90S TODAY...WHICH WITH AN ABUNDANTLY MOIST ATMOSPHERE...WITH PWAT VALUES JUST ABOUT NEAR 2 INCHES...WILL MAKE FOR ANOTHER WARM AND HUMID DAY. HEAD INDICES ACROSS THE INLAND AREAS WILL REACH UP TO NEAR 102 DEGREES...JUST BELOW CRITERIA. A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. ONE CLUSTER HAS MOVED INTO DARLINGTON AND FLORENCE COUNTIES...WHICH SEEMS TO BE ALIGNED WITH A SW-NE ORIENTED LINE OF CONVECTION NE-WARD UP TOWARDS THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE STATE. AS THIS LINE CONTINUES TO PROGRESS EASTWARD...COULD SEE LINE FILL IN...THUS HAVE INCREASED POPS IN THIS AREA. OTHER SHOWERS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG THE SEABREEZE IN THE NC COUNTIES...AND THUS HAVE INCREASE POPS IN THIS AREA AS WELL. ANTICIPATE COVERAGE TO BECOME WIDELY SCATTERED OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS THE FRONT AND SHORTWAVE CONTINUE TO PUSH EASTWARD TOWARDS THE FORECAST AREA. LATEST GUIDANCE HAS FRONT TO PUSH OFFSHORE TONIGHT...WITH A CHANGE OF THE WINDS TRENDING FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA...VEERING FROM SOUTHWEST TO WEST AND BECOMING LIGHT OVERNIGHT. POPS DECREASE ACCORDINGLY WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE AND DRIER AIR QUICKLY INFILTRATES INTO THE AREA. ONLY WEATHER ISSUE OVERNIGHT WILL BE AREAS OF FOG WITH POSSIBLE STRATUS DEVELOPMENT LATE OVERNIGHT INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL RANGE FROM UPPER 60S ACROSS THE WESTERN-MOST PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA TO THE LOWER 70S THROUGH TO THE COAST. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...DAYBREAK WEDNESDAY A FLIMSY COLD FRONT WILL PERISH OFFSHORE. ONLY SLIGHTLY COOLING AND DRYING IS ANTICIPATED WEDNESDAY. SURFACE DEWPOINTS SHOULD BEGIN DROPPING INTO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 60S AREA-WIDE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAKING FOR A MUCH LESS MUGGY FEEL TO THE AIR. MINIMUM TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S ARE ANTICIPATED THURSDAY MORNING EXCEPT AROUND 70 NEAR THE COAST. A SECONDARY SURGE OF DRY AIR WILL ARRIVE AS HIGH PRES OVER THE OHIO VALLEY DROPS SOUTH INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION AND SENDS A REINFORCING COLD FRONT SOUTH OVER THE CAROLINAS. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN EVEN DRIER AIR AND SLIGHTLY MORE COOLER AIR INTO EARLY FRIDAY. DRY AIR ABOVE 700 MB DURING THIS FORECAST PERIOD WILL MAINTAIN POP VALUES BELOW MENTIONABLE VALUES. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...SFC HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD DOWN OVER THE CAROLINAS WITH CENTER SHIFTING ALMOST DIRECTLY OVERHEAD FRI NIGHT INTO SAT. A SHORTWAVE RIDING AROUND THE MORE PERSISTENT LONGER WAVE MID TO UPPER TROUGH OVER THE NORTHEAST CONUS WILL PUSH A BOUNDARY SOUTH AHEAD OF THIS HIGH PRESSURE ON FRIDAY. LOOKING AT THE PCP WATER VALUES THE BOUNDARY LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE CLEARING NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA EARLY FRI WITH A DEEPER DRIER NORTHERLY FLOW REACHING DOWN INTO THE CAROLINAS. MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS DEWPOINT TEMPS DROPPING A GOOD 5 DEGREES DOWN TO THE LOW TO MID 60S FRI INTO SATURDAY. WITH DRIER AIR IN PLACE AND WEAK HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTING BY...EXPECT MORE IDEAL RADIATIONAL COOLING CONDITIONS OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL ALLOW A GREATER DIURNAL SWING OF TEMPS WITH RELATIVELY COOLER AND MORE SEASONABLE OVERNIGHT LOWS DROPPING DOWN TO THE MID 60S MOST PLACES WITH LOWER READINGS IN MORE TRADITIONALLY COOLER SPOTS. OVERALL EXPECT TEMPS TO REACH INTO THE MID 80S DURING THE DAY IN EARLY SEPTEMBER SUNSHINE AND LIMITED CLOUDS. WILL SHOW LOW END CHC OF SHOWERS EXITING THE AREA EARLY FRI AND REMAINING DRY THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH A GRADUAL WARMING BY END OF WEEKEND. THE SFC HIGH WILL DROP SOUTHEAST AND WEAKEN AS IT SHIFTS OFF SHORE SAT NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. THIS WILL TAKE THE DRIEST AIR OFF THE COAST BY SUNDAY WITH A WEAK RETURN FLOW SETTING UP THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. PCP WATER VALUES DOWN CLOSE TO AN INCH OVER THE WEEKEND WILL RISE CLOSER TO 1.75 INCHES BY MONDAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MOVING DOWN FROM THE NORTH. THE MID TO UPPER TROUGH WILL PUSH THIS WEAK FRONT SOUTH ON MONDAY AS THE H5 TROUGH FINALLY LIFTS OFF TO THE NORTHEAST. MID TO UPPER RIDGE WILL BUILD EAST OVER THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH MID WEEK NEXT WEEK AS SURFACE HIGH EXTENDS DOWN INTO THE CAROLINAS FROM THE NORTH. OVERALL EXPECT A FAIRLY QUIET PERIOD TUES THROUGH MID WEEK WITH DEEPER DRIER AIR IN PLACE. && .AVIATION /19Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 19Z...BROAD CYCLONIC TURNING OF THE CLOUDS ON VISIBLE...DUE TO LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE PIEDMONT TROUGH. CLOUDS HAVE CAPPED THINGS...BUT SCATTERED SKIES NOW ARE ALLOWING TEMPS TO REACH THE TRIGGER LEVEL. EXPECT SCATTERED TO POSSIBLY NUMEROUS CONVECTION BY 19Z...CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING HOURS. HIGHEST PWATS WILL BE ALONG THE COAST...WITH BRIEF LIFR VISIBILITIES POSSIBLE IN ISOLATED THUNDER. CONVECTION WILL SLOWLY WANE BUT MAY LINGER INTO THE EVENING. SOUTHWEST FLOW TODAY...BECOMING LIGHT AND MAINLY WESTERLY TONIGHT. FRONTAL PASSAGE WEDNESDAY MORNING WILL USHER IN DRIER AIR WITH SCATTERED SKIES AND A LIGHT NORTHEASTERLY WIND. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...MORNING FOG/STRATUS IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS FRIDAY EVENING WITH ANOTHER FRONTAL PASSAGE. VFR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REST OF TODAY AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. LATER THIS EVENING WINDS WILL GRADUALLY BEGIN TO SHIFT FROM SOUTHWEST TO WEST-SOUTHWEST...AND THEN MAINLY WESTERLY AS THE FRONT PUSHES OFFSHORE OVERNIGHT...WITH SUSTAINED WINDS CONTINUING IN THE 10 TO 15 KT RANGE. CANNOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT A ROUGE GUST NEAR 20 KTS...BUT CONFIDENCE IS FAIRLY LOW...THUS HAVE NOT INTRODUCED SCEC. SEAS WILL BE AROUND 3 FT...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 2 TO 4 FT SEAS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN-MOST ZONES. SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...ALTHOUGH A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OVER THE WATERS EARLY WEDNESDAY...WINDS OVERALL WILL REMAIN LIGHT AND QUICKLY VEERING FROM NNE TO SSE BY MIDDLE OR LATE AFTERNOON AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OFFSHORE. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN LIGHT AND MAINLY S-SW THURSDAY AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE HOLDS SE OF THE WATERS. BECAUSE OF THE LIGHT WINDS SEA HEIGHT MAINLY 2-3 FEET IN A COMBINATION OF SE WAVES 2 FT EVERY 9-10 SECONDS AND A LIGHT SOUTHERLY CHOP. LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 3 PM TUESDAY...WINDS WILL SHIFT AROUND TO THE NORTHEAST AS HIGH PRESSURE PUSHES A BOUNDARY SOUTH EXITING WATERS EARLY FRI. EXPECT NE SURGE PRODUCING WINDS UP AROUND 15 KTS FRI NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. THESE WINDS DRIVE AN INCREASING NE WIND CHOP INTO THE WAVE SPECTRUM...AND SIGNIFICANT SEAS WILL RISE FROM 1-2 FT EARLY FRIDAY...TO 3-4 FT BY SATURDAY AND POSSIBLY HIGHER SEAS IN OUTER WATERS. WINDS WILL VEER AROUND TO THE EAST AND EVENTUALLY SE AS HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS OFF SHORE AND WEAKENS THROUGH SUNDAY. EXPECT A RETURN FLOW SETTING UP WITH SE WINDS AROUND 10 KTS OR LESS THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. NC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && NEAR TERM...SGL/III SHORT TERM...MJC LONG TERM...RGZ AVIATION...DL/SGL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 638 AM EDT TUE SEP 3 2013 NCZ106-108-SCZ054-056-041045- COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-COASTAL HORRY-COASTAL GEORGETOWN- 638 AM EDT TUE SEP 3 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAT INDEX VALUES THIS AFTERNOON WILL RANGE BETWEEN 97 TO 102 DEGREES...REMAINING JUST BELOW ADVISORY THRESHOLDS. .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. NCZ110-041045- COASTAL BRUNSWICK- 638 AM EDT TUE SEP 3 2013 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST 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. MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. HEAT INDEX VALUES THIS AFTERNOON WILL RANGE BETWEEN 97 TO 102 DEGREES...REMAINING JUST BELOW ADVISORY THRESHOLDS. .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. NCZ087-096-099-105-107-109-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-053-055-041045- ROBESON-BLADEN-COLUMBUS-INLAND PENDER-INLAND NEW HANOVER- INLAND BRUNSWICK-MARLBORO-DARLINGTON-DILLON-FLORENCE-MARION- WILLIAMSBURG-INLAND HORRY-INLAND GEORGETOWN- 638 AM EDT TUE SEP 3 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAT INDEX VALUES THIS AFTERNOON WILL RANGE BETWEEN 97 TO 102 DEGREES...REMAINING JUST BELOW ADVISORY THRESHOLDS. .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. AMZ250-252-254-256-041045- 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- 638 AM EDT TUE SEP 3 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY 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. DCH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
358 PM EDT TUE SEP 03 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0335 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 E COWARD 33.96N 79.66W
09/03/2013 FLORENCE SC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
POWER LINES BLOWN ONTO 1003 S FRIENDFIELD ROAD
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1300286
MJCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
413 PM EDT TUE SEP 03 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG FORESTBROOK 33.72N 78.96W
09/03/2013 HORRY SC 911 CALL CENTER
TREE DOWN IN ROADWAY AT QUAIL HOLLOW RD AND FORESTBROOK
RD - TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1300287
BJRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
418 PM EDT TUE SEP 03 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 WNW MYRTLE BEACH 33.71N 78.92W
09/03/2013 HORRY SC MEDIA
TREE BLOWN ON POWERLINE ON PINE ISLAND ROAD NEAR
COASTAL GRAND MALL.
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1300288
MJCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
419 PM EDT TUE SEP 03 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0249 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 S PAMPLICO 33.90N 79.55W
09/03/2013 FLORENCE SC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
POWER LINES IN ROADWAY AT BIG SWAMP RD AND BAZEN RD -
TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1300289
BJRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
438 PM EDT TUE SEP 03 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0247 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 SSE PAMPLICO 33.92N 79.54W
09/03/2013 FLORENCE SC PUBLIC
MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ON TOP OF POWER LINES AND BLOCKING
THE ROADWAY - TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1300290
BJRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
445 PM EDT TUE SEP 03 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0330 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SW CONWAY 33.82N 79.08W
09/03/2013 HORRY SC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
POWER LINES IN ROADWAY ON JANETTE ST AT US HWY 701 -
TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1300291
BJRThe Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:06 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was reported down on a house on Bladen Union Church Road. The time was estimated based on radar data.
A tree was reported down on Gum Spring Road. The time was estimated based on radar data.
A tree was reported down on Tar Heel Road. The time was estimated based on radar data.
Approximately 15 trees were reported down near the intersection of Chickenfoot Road and Tar Heel Road. One of the trees fell onto a house.
A tree was reportedly across the intersection of Hickman Road and Center Road. The time was estimated based on radar data.
Two trees were reportedly in the intersection at Village Street and Seaboard Street. The time was estimated based on radar data.
A tree was reported across the intersection of South Main Street and Kelly Street. The time was estimated based on radar data.
Two trees were reported down on power lines and a car on Stephens Bellamy Lane. The time was estimated based on radar data.
Hail to the size of nickels was reported on McLeod Road near Highway 130. The time was estimated based on radar data.
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, September 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 477313, 477314, 477315, 477328, 477316, 477317, 477318, 477321, 477324.