North Carolina, 2015

Strong Wind in North Carolina, November 18, 2015

November 18, 2015 · NWS RNK · 1 event in 1 county or zone

High pressure was wedged against the eastern face of the Appalachians, while a deep low pressure system passed across the central Plains states. The tight pressure gradient between the two features resulted in 60 to 65 knot southeasterly low level jet along the central Appalachians.

Where it happened

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$1,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.

High pressure was wedged against the eastern face of the Appalachians, while a deep low pressure system passed across the central Plains states. The tight pressure gradient between the two features resulted in 60 to 65 knot southeasterly low level jet along the central Appalachians. Winds were particularly strong on the west side of the actual ridge lines, where downslope flow acted to draw the winds of the low level jet toward the surface, resulting in surface gusts around 50 mph.

What forecasters said that day

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 Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 18, 4:59 AM EST, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 18, 4:59 AM EST, 1 hour 1 minute before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 18, 4:30 AM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Watauga

When
November 18, 6:00 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Watauga forecast zone
Measured
45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
36.231, -81.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong southeasterly winds resulted in isolated reports of downed trees in Watauga County.

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, November 2015

Sources

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 605334.