A quasi-stationary boundary along the border of North Carolina and Virginia provided the necessary lift to initiate convection in a moderately unstable environment. Several thunderstorms developed across Central North Carolina and many became severe, producing large hail and damaging winds.
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.
A quasi-stationary boundary along the border of North Carolina and Virginia provided the necessary lift to initiate convection in a moderately unstable environment. Several thunderstorms developed across Central North Carolina and many became severe, producing large hail and damaging winds.
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 Apr 28, 2:40 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 340 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016 .SYNOPSIS...A FRONTAL ZONE WILL REMAIN STALLED TO THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH TONIGHT. THE FRONT WILL SAG SOUTH INTO THE REGION AS A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT FRIDAY NIGHT AND WILL QUICKLY RETURN NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT LATE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. && .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT/... AS OF 250 PM THURSDAY... CURRENTLY CENTRAL NC IS CURRENTLY IN A CONVECTIVE LULL...OWING TO PRONOUNCED DRYING AND SUBSIDENCE IN THE WAKE OF THE MID/UPPER LEVEL SHEAR AXIS THAT CROSSED AREA THIS MORNING. HOWEVER WARM SECTOR DESTABILIZATION OF 1500-2000 J/KG MLCAPE...ALONG THE QUASI- STATIONARY BOUNDARY EXTENDING ACROSS SOUTHERN VA/NORTHEAST NC SHOULD PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIFT TO INITIATE CONVECTION OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS...WITH ADDITIONAL DOWNSTREAM STORM DEVELOPMENT AS A RESULT OF OUTFLOW BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS. WILL KEEP POPS IN THE LIKELY TO GOOD CHANCE RANGES...HIGHEST ACROSS THE NORTH NEAR THE FRONT. STRENGTHENING WESTERLY H5 FLOW WILL IMPROVE SHEAR VALUES TO 35 TO 40KTS...FAVORABLE FOR MULTICELLS WITH ONE OR TWO SEVERE CLUSTERS POSSIBLE. MAIN THREAT WILL DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. PRECIP CHANCES ARE EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY DECREASE FROM WEST-EAST TONIGHT AS THE STORMS PUSH EAST AND OUT OF THE AREA AS DRIER AIR SPREADS INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST. LOWS TONIGHT RANGING FROM NEAR 60 NORTH TO MID 60S SE. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT /... AS OF 300 PM THURSDAY... DOMINATED BY WEST-NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT AND RISING HEIGHTS/WARMING TEMPERATURES ALOFT AS SHORTWAVE RIDGING RE-EXERTS ITSELF BACK OVER THE AREA...A DRY AND STABLE AIRMASS WILL PRECLUDE ANY RAIN/CONVECTIVE CHANCES ON FRIDAY AS THE FRONT REMAINS STALLED ACROSS THE AREA. HIGHS TOMORROW WILL BE SIMILAR TO TODAY...RANGING FROM UPPER 70S NE TO MID 80S SOUTH. THE FRONT IS FINALLY FORECAST TO SLIP SLOWLY SOUTH FRIDAY EVENING... BUT NOT TOO FAR SOUTH...THIS TIME PROGGED TO BRIEFLY STALL ALONG THE NC/SC STATE LINE ON SATURDAY. SLIGHTLY COOLER WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MID 50S NORTH TO UPPER 50S/NEAR 60 SOUTH. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 340 PM THURSDAY... A BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL INITIALLY COVER THE LOWER 48 SATURDAY. THIS WILL TRANSITION TO AN AMPLIFIED RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN U.S. AND AN TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN U.S. FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS LOWER THAN NORMAL DUE TO THIS TRANSITION AS MODELS USUALLY HAVING DIFFICULTY RESOLVING WHICH PARTICULAR S/W WILL CAUSE AN ENHANCED CHANCE OF PRECIP TO A GIVEN REGION. SINCE WEDNESDAY...THE MODELS HAVE SPED UP THE RETURN FLOW OF MOISTURE INTO CENTRAL NC SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE S/W RIDGE SCOOTS QUICKLY EAST SATURDAY MORNING. THIS LOW LEVEL WARM AIR ADVECTION COUPLED WITH A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES ALOFT WILL INCREASE RAIN CHANCES SW-NE ACROSS CENTRAL NC SATURDAY AFTERNOON INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. WHILE A SHORT-LIVED HYBRID/INSITU DAMMING EVENT MAY OCCUR SATURDAY AFTERNOON-SATURDAY EVENING... MODEL GUIDANCE NOW SUGGESTING THAT A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT...PLACING CENTRAL NC SOLIDLY IN THE WARM SECTOR ON SUNDAY. THUS HAVE ADJUSTED MAX TEMPS UP SEVERAL DEGREES FROM EARLIER FORECAST AND BACKED SFC WINDS TO A SWLY DIRECTION. S/W IN THE NORTHERN STREAM WILL DRAG A WEAK COLD FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL NC LATE MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...BRINGING ANOTHER THREAT FIR SCATTERED CONVECTION. NELY LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL ADVECT A COOLER AND MORE STABLE AIR MASS TUESDAY LEADING TO PLENTY OF CLOUD COVER AND COOLER DAYTIME TEMPS. -WSS AMPLIFYING RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN CONUS WILL ALLOW FOR A DIGGING TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN CONUS WITH A DEVELOPING UPPER LEVEL FEATURE TO OUR SOUTH. GFS SHOWS A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPING OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHERN FL ON TUE AFTERNOON. ECMWF SHOWS A MUCH STRONGER BUT MUCH SLOWER DEVELOPING DISTURBANCE OVER THE MS VALLEY. WITH THE CURRENT PATTERN AND SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE ECMWF... THE GFS SEEMS TO BE THE MORE REALISTIC SOLUTION AT THIS TIME ALTHOUGH CONFIDENCE IS LOW. THE LOW WILL LIKELY DEVELOP AND MOVE NORTHWARD ALONG THE COAST FOR WED NIGHT INTO THU. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS EASTERLY AND NORTHEASTERLY WINDS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE WEATHER PATTERN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW COULD BRING SOME ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE ALONG WITH INCREASE RAIN CHANCES FOR WED NIGHT AND INTO THU MORNING WITH POPS TAPERING OFF AS THE DISTURBANCE MOVES NORTHEASTWARD. TEMPS ARE CURRENTLY FORECASTED TO BE 5 TO 8 BELOW CLIMO ON WED WITH INCREASING CLOUD COVER AND MOISTURE ADVECTION OFF OF THE ATLANTIC. THE COLD AIR ADVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COULD BE LIGHT ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR TEMPERATURES TO GET CLOSER TO CLIMO. CLOUD COVER COULD LIMIT THE CURRENT FORECAST LOWS... HOWEVER GFS SUGGESTS LOW LEVEL COLD AIR ADVECTION CONTINUING WED NIGHT. -JLB && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 1PM THURSDAY... 24-HOUR TAF PERIOD: STRONG DAYTIME HEATING AND RESULTANT DESTABILIZATION IN THE WARM SECTOR JUST SOUTH OF THE QUASI-STATIONARY FRONTAL ZONE ACROSS NORTHEAST NC WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW OF THE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO REACH SEVERE LIMITS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. THOUGH CONFIDENCE IN TIMING/LOCATION IS LOWER THAN AVERAGE...EXPECT THAT NORTHERN TERMINALS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THE STRONGEST STORMS. AS THE STORMS MOVE EAST OF THE AREA...AREAS OF STRATUS AND/OR FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE EARLY FRIDAY MORNING(06 TO 12Z)...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE SUBSTANTIAL RAINFALL. ANY LOW CLOUDS/STRATUS SHOULD LIFT TO VFR BY MID MORNING WITH DRY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY WITH THE STALLED FRONT FINALLY FORECAST TO PUSH SOUTH OF THE AREA FRIDAY EVENING. LOOKING AHEAD: THE FRONT TO OUR SOUTH WILL QUICKLY RETURN AS A WARM FRONT ON SATURDAY...BRINGING THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND SUB-VFR CEILINGS ON SATURDAY. WARM AND MOIST AIR ADVECTION IN ADVANCE OF A SLOWING MOVING COLD FRONT FROM THE WEST WILL RESULT IN ADVERSE AVIATION CONDITIONS WITH RAIN SHOWERS SUNDAY THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...CBL NEAR TERM...CBL SHORT TERM...CBL LONG TERM...WSS/JLB AVIATION...CBL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 423 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-076>078-291100- PERSON-GRANVILLE-VANCE-WARREN-HALIFAX-FORSYTH-GUILFORD-ALAMANCE- ORANGE-DURHAM-FRANKLIN-NASH-EDGECOMBE-DAVIDSON-RANDOLPH-CHATHAM-WAKE- JOHNSTON-WILSON-LEE-HARNETT-WAYNE- 423 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 119 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 64. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS FROM THESE STORMS. MINOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ073>075-083>086-088-089-291100- STANLY-MONTGOMERY-MOORE-ANSON-RICHMOND-SCOTLAND-HOKE-CUMBERLAND- SAMPSON- 423 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC 302 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016 NCZ021-022-038-039-281945- GUILFORD NC-RANDOLPH NC-DAVIDSON NC-FORSYTH NC- 302 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF SOUTHWESTERN GUILFORD...NORTHWESTERN RANDOLPH...NORTHEASTERN DAVIDSON AND SOUTHEASTERN FORSYTH COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM EDT... AT 301 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WINSTON-SALEM...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... GREENSBORO...WINSTON-SALEM...HIGH POINT...THOMASVILLE...KERNERSVILLE... ARCHDALE...TRINITY...PLEASANT GARDEN...JAMESTOWN AND RANDLEMAN REGIONAL RESERVIOR MARINA. LAT...LON 3592 8027 3608 8027 3615 7976 3585 7978 TIME...MOT...LOC 1901Z 265DEG 18KT 3601 8023 GIH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
322 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016
NCZ022-039-282000-
GUILFORD NC-RANDOLPH NC-
322 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
GUILFORD AND NORTHERN RANDOLPH COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM EDT...
AT 322 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
ASHEBORO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ASHEBORO...RANDLEMAN...LIBERTY...RAMSEUR...FRANKLINVILLE...STALEY...
RANDLEMAN REGIONAL RESERVOIR MARINA... AND CLIMAX.
LAT...LON 3566 7989 3581 8000 3597 7966 3589 7955
3573 7955
TIME...MOT...LOC 1922Z 233DEG 22KT 3577 7990
GIHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
412 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016
NCZ022>024-282100-
GUILFORD NC-ORANGE NC-ALAMANCE NC-
412 PM EDT THU APR 28 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN
GUILFORD...WESTERN ORANGE AND ALAMANCE COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM EDT...
AT 412 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9
MILES SOUTHWEST OF ELON COLLEGE...OR 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BURLINGTON...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BURLINGTON...GRAHAM...CARRBORO...MEBANE...ELON COLLEGE...GIBSONVILLE...HAW
RIVER...SWEPSONVILLE...ALAMANCE AND LAKE GUILFORD MACKINTOSH MARINA.
LAT...LON 3624 7923 3592 7910 3586 7954 3590 7954
3591 7965 3603 7971
TIME...MOT...LOC 2012Z 245DEG 33KT 3597 7958
GIHThe Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:01 UTC.
7 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Quarter sized to golf ball sized hail fell along a one mile swath along highway 54 near the intersection of Orange Grove Road in Teer. The hail covered the road and was approximately half an inch deep, causing the road to be closed for a short period of time.
Numerous trees were blown down along a swath from the intersection of Hillsborough Street and Blue Ridge Road in Raleigh to 6 miles east of Rolesville. Hail up to half-dollar sized was also reported in Rolesville.
A National Weather Service employee reported hail up to the size of quarters in Angier.
Hail up to the size of quarters was reported approximately 2 miles east-northeast of Summerfield.
Two inch hail was reported approximately 4 miles south of Alamance. A few larger hail stones were mixed in.
Hail up to the size of quarters was reported approximately 3 miles southeast of Rolesville.
Multiple trees were blown down along a swath from west-northwest to west-southwest of Bethel Hill.
Multiple large trees were blown down and blocking Highway 96 approximately 3 miles southeast of Rolesville.
Multiple trees were blown down resulting in power outages 5 miles south-southeast of Emit.
Hail up to the size of golf balls was reported at Hobbton High School, resulting in damage to vehicles.
Quarter sized hail was reported at Jordan Lake in Chatham county.
Two trees were blown down along a swath from the intersection of Deboy Street and Schaub Drive to the intersection of Interstate 440 and Western Boulevard in southwest Raleigh.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, April 2016
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: 632248, 632274, 632252, 632261, 632263, 632265, 632276, 632278, 632281, 632269, 632271, 632283.