An approaching cold front triggered showers and a few isolated storms across the region. With an extremely moist air mass in place, moderate to heavy rain fell.
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.
An approaching cold front triggered showers and a few isolated storms across the region. With an extremely moist air mass in place, moderate to heavy rain fell. Given the very saturated soils, flash flooding quickly developed.
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 Dec 30, 6:56 AM EST, 4 hours 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 655 AM WED DEC 30 2015 .SYNOPSIS...A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH CENTRAL NC FROM THE WEST TODAY... THEN CROSS THE REGION TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. COOL AND DRY HIGH PRESSURE WILL ARRIVE FOR THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 325 AM WEDNESDAY... ...A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL LOCATIONS EXCEPT THE COASTAL PLAIN AND FAR SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES UNTIL THURSDAY MORNING... A LINGERING CAD WEDGE AIRMASS CONTINUES TO PLAGUE THE NORTHWEST/NORTHERN PIEDMONT THIS MORNING... GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-85 CORRIDOR. THIS HAD RESULTED IN AREAS OF DENSE FOG ACROSS THIS AREA. EXPECT WE SHOULD SEE AN IMPROVING TREND FROM WEST TO EAST OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS... AS THE MID AND HIGH CLOUDS INCREASE FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST... AND PRECIP EVENTUALLY OVERSPREADS THE AREA. THUS... WILL LEAVE THE DFA AS IS FOR NOW... WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO CANCEL IT A LITTLE EARLY. THE NEXT BIG PROBLEM FOR TODAY WILL BE THE EXPECTED SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS. WE HAVE ELECTED TO EXPAND THE FLOOD WATCH TO COVER THE PIEDMONT AND SANDHILLS... WITH ONLY THE FAR EAST AND SOUTHEAST NOT IN THE FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME. SEVERAL KEY PARAMETERS POINT TO A POTENTIAL FLOODING PROBLEM TODAY... FIRST ANOMALOUSLY HIGH PW'S FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR (PW'S INCREASING TO AROUND 1.8 TO 1.9 INCHES... EVEN IMPRESSIVE IN SUMMERTIME). SECOND THE SYNOPTIC SETUP OF A LINGERING WEDGE FRONT AND AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT... WHICH IS GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE MID/UPPER LEVEL SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW... WHICH COULD LEAD TRAINING OF SHOWERS AND STORMS... AND A SLOW FRONTAL PASSAGE. FINALLY... WITH SOME INSTABILITY (UP TO 500-800 J/KG) AND A NICE UPPER JET WE COULD SEE SOME DEEPER CONVECTION/STORMS... YIELDING HIGHER PRECIP RATES. COMBINE THIS WITH ANTECEDENT CONDITIONS (SATURATED SOILS AND AREA LAKES/PONDS/CREEKS/RIVERS ALREADY RUNNING HIGH OR IN FLOOD) WE HAVE EXPANDED THE FLOOD WATCH. IN ADDITION TO THE FLOODING THREAT... WE COULD SEE A FEW STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE STORMS. HOWEVER... WITH MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST SKIES EXPECTED TODAY... SURFACE INSTABILITY MAIN BE THE LIMITING FACTOR. THE LATEST GFS IS NOW SHOWING UP TO 800 J/KG OF SURFACE BASED CAPE ACROSS OUR FAR EAST. GIVEN DEEP LAYER SHEAR ON THE ORDER OF 35 TO 45 KT... EXPECT WE COULD SEE AN ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE STORM OR TWO.. ESPECIALLY IF A WE DO SEE A LITTLE SUN ACROSS OUR EAST THIS AFTERNOON AND A DECENT DIFFERENTIAL HEATING BOUNDARY SETS UP. THIS COULD RESULT IN A SMALL RISK FOR A DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND/OR BRIEF WEAK TORNADO. HIGH TEMPS TODAY ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE TODAY FROM THE LOWER 60S NORTH/NORTHWEST TO THE MID 70S SE. THE SURFACE FRONT WILL SLOWLY SINK SOUTH AND EASTWARD THROUGH MOST OF THE AREA OVERNIGHT... WITH THE LINGERING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS. LOW TEMPS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM THE MID 50S NW TO THE MID 60S SE. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 3 AM WEDNESDAY... CONFLUENCE ALONG A MID LEVEL TROUGH COUPLED WITH A MOIST AIR MASS WILL MAINTAIN A DECENT THREAT FOR SHOWERS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THURSDAY ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE CWA. EXPECT CHANCES FOR RAIN SHOWERS TO DWINDLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON-EVENING AS THE MID LEVEL TROUGH DRIFTS SEWD. A SERIES OF PERTURBATIONS ALOFT WILL MAINTAIN A MARGINAL THREAT FOR SHOWERS OVER THE FAR SE COUNTIES INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. ANY CLEARING ACROSS THE PIEDMONT BEHIND THE FRONT EXPECTED TO BE SLOW/GRADUAL AS MEAN FLOW REMAINS W-SW. WINDS DO NOT BEGIN TO VEER TO A W-NW FLOW UNTIL THE PASSAGE OF THE 850-700MB FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THUS EXPECT SKIES TO REMAIN OVERCAST OR MOSTLY CLOUDY THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY MORNING WITH SLOW CLEARING DRIFTING SEWD FRIDAY AFTERNOON- FRIDAY NIGHT. AFTERNOON TEMPS WILL BEGIN TO TAKE A TUMBLE THIS PERIOD. ANOTHER MILD DAY EXPECTED THURSDAY AFTERNOON WITH HIGHS TEMPS VARYING FROM AROUND 60 NW TO NEAR 70 SE. A DEEPER LOW LEVEL NLY FLOW WILL ADVECT A COOLER AIR MASS INTO THE REGION FRIDAY...RESULTING IN AFTERNOON TEMPS 8-15 DEGREES COOLER 9THOUGH CLOSER TO SEASONAL NORMS). HIGH TEMPS FRIDAY IN THE LOW-MID 50S. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 3 AM WEDNESDAY... TRANQUIL WEATHER PATTERN SETTING UP OVER THE CAROLINAS THIS PERIOD. A BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD AND A SFC HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM INITIALLY CENTERED OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. BUT EXTENDING EAST INTO THE MID ATLANTIC WILL PRODUCE DRY AND SEASONABLY COOL CONDITIONS. THE SFC HIGH WILL BECOME POSITIONED OVER NEW ENGLAND AND BUILD SWD INTO THE CAROLINAS BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. AFTERNOON TEMPS WILL AVERAGE NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL WHILE OVERNIGHT TEMPS WILL DROP TO AROUND FREEZING. THE DRY AIR MASS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HIGH WILL PRODUCE FEW IF ANY CLOUDS SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY WITH A NOTED UPTICK IN HIGH LEVEL CIRRUS CLOUDS EXPECTED TUESDAY. && .AVIATION /12Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 650 AM WEDNESDAY... 24 HOUR TAF PERIOD: ADVERSE AVIATION CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE 24 HOUR PERIOD... AS A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE WEST. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE INTO THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GENERALLY LIFR-IFR/LOW END MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AS THE PRECIP MOVES INTO THE AREA THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE SOME WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 40 MPH AND HEAVY RAIN. SHOWERS WILL LINGERING ACROSS THE AREA OVERNIGHT... WHILE CIGS AND VISBYS LOWER OUTSIDE OF THE SHOWERS. OUTLOOK: POOR AVIATION CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY AS THE COLD FRONT SLOWLY MAKES IT WAY THROUGH THE AREA...WITH SHOWERS POSSIBLY LINGERING AT KFAY UNTIL THURSDAY AFTERNOON NOW. DRIER WEATHER AND VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR NCZ073-074-083-084. && SYNOPSIS...BADGETT/BSD NEAR TERM...BSD SHORT TERM...WSS LONG TERM...WSS AVIATION...BSD/22
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 627 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015 NCZ007>010-021>026-038>042-073>077-083>086-311030- PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE-ORANGE- DURHAM-FRANKLIN-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-WAKE-JOHNSTON-STANLY- MONTGOMERY-MOORE-LEE-HARNETT-ANSON-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE- 627 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... 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. FLOOD WATCH. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP LATER THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. THE SHOWERS WILL DUMP BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES OF RAIN ON AN ALREADY SATURATED TOP SOIL. AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER HAZARD BEING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OR A BRIEF WEAK TORNADO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ011-027-028-043-078-088-089-311030- HALIFAX-NASH-EDGECOMBE-WILSON-WAYNE-CUMBERLAND-SAMPSON- 627 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION LATER TODAY AND CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT. THE SHOWERS WILL DUMP BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS THIS AREA. AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING WITH THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER HAZARD BEING ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OR A BRIEF WEAK TORNADO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 631 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015 NCZ007>011-023>028-040>043-076-077-301415- PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-ALAMANCE-ORANGE-DURHAM- FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-CHATHAM-WAKE-JOHNSTON-WILSON-LEE-HARNETT- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROXBORO...OXFORD...BUTNER...CREEDMOOR... HENDERSON...NORLINA...WARRENTON...ROANOKE RAPIDS...BURLINGTON... GRAHAM...CHAPEL HILL...CARRBORO...DURHAM...LOUISBURG... FRANKLINTON...NASHVILLE...RED OAK...SHARPSBURG...SPRING HOPE... ROCKY MOUNT...SILER CITY...PITTSBORO...RALEIGH...CARY... SMITHFIELD...CLAYTON...SELMA...BENSON...WILSON...SANFORD...DUNN... ERWIN...ANGIER...LILLINGTON 631 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015 ...POCKETS OF DENSE FOG WILL REDUCE THE VISIBILITY THIS MORNING... POCKETS OF DENSE FOG WILL CONTINUE WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN COASTAL PLAIN AND THE CENTRAL PIEDMONT THIS MORNING. MOTORISTS WILL NEED TO BE ALERT FOR SUDDEN CHANGES IN THE VISIBILITY AND TO REDUCE THEIR SPEED WHEN TRAVELING THROUGH FOGGY AREAS. VISIBILITIES WILL IMPROVE BY MID MORNING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
815 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015
NCZ089-301345-
SAMPSON NC-
815 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
SAMPSON COUNTY UNTIL 845 AM EST...
AT 815 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES SOUTH OF CLINTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55
MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TURKEY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL QUICKLY REDUCE VISIBILITY AND RESULT IN
PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. DRIVERS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN AND USE
EXTRA CAUTION TO AVOID HYDROPLANING.
&&
LAT...LON 3491 7842 3505 7816 3490 7815 3481 7818
3475 7831
TIME...MOT...LOC 1315Z 238DEG 49KT 3488 7828
RAHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
929 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015
NCZ007-022>024-039-040-301530-
GUILFORD NC-RANDOLPH NC-PERSON NC-ORANGE NC-ALAMANCE NC-CHATHAM NC-
929 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015
...AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT PORTIONS
OF GUILFORD...NORTHEASTERN RANDOLPH...SOUTHWESTERN PERSON...ORANGE...
ALAMANCE AND NORTHWESTERN CHATHAM COUNTIES UNTIL 1030 AM EST...
AT 927 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN
AREA OF SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM
NEAR HIGH POINT TO 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF SILER CITY...AND MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GREENSBORO...HIGH POINT...BURLINGTON...GRAHAM...HILLSBOROUGH...
RANDLEMAN...SILER CITY...MEBANE...MCLEANSVILLE AND ELON COLLEGE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL QUICKLY REDUCE VISIBILITY AND RESULT IN
PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. DRIVERS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN AND USE
EXTRA CAUTION TO AVOID HYDROPLANING.
&&
LAT...LON 3617 7896 3608 7898 3565 7958 3601 8004
3612 8004 3625 7995 3624 7915 3632 7915
TIME...MOT...LOC 1427Z 214DEG 33KT 3606 7998 3580 7957
KRDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
1056 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015
NCZ038-039-301700-
RANDOLPH NC-DAVIDSON NC-
1056 AM EST WED DEC 30 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF CENTRAL RANDOLPH
AND EAST CENTRAL DAVIDSON COUNTIES UNTIL NOON EST...
AT 1056 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES WEST OF ASHEBORO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
30 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ASHEBORO...RANDLEMAN...NORTH CAROLINA ZOO...RAMSEUR...
FRANKLINVILLE...RANDLEMAN REGIONAL RESERVIOR MARINA...MARTHA AND
ULAH.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3591 7973 3590 7964 3569 7955 3552 8000
3572 8013
TIME...MOT...LOC 1556Z 238DEG 28KT 3566 8002
KRDThe Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 149 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:23 UTC.
13 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple roads were closed in Denton and surrounding areas due to high water.
Nanas Restaurant on University Drive in Durham flooded. In addition, University Drive was impassible.
Flooding was reported throughout Asheboro, with a couple of roads closed, including Old Liberty Road in Asheboro.
Flooding was reported in Snow Camp, including the closure of Clark Road.
Multiple roads were closed in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro area. In addition a home was reported to be flooded.
Numerous roads were closed due to high water in southwest Orange County.
Flooding caused minor damage to the Hillandale Road VA Clinic in Durham, where 1-2 inches of water got inside the building. In addition, high water signs were deployed across Durham.
Several streets had to be closed due to high water in Greensboro.
Several roads were flooded in Cameron.
Water flooded roads and yards along Greenvale Raod in Asheboro.
Water flooded several roads in the Uwharrie National Forest.
Back Creek Road in Asheboro was flooded.
Several roads were flooded in downtown Raleigh. Several creeks were near or over their banks along NC 50.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, December 2015
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: 610205, 610207, 610208, 610209, 610211, 610212, 610214, 610215, 610217, 610219, 610220, 610221, 610222.