Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed during the afternoon of August 18th 2016 across eastern North Carolina as the sea breeze moved inland. One of the storms produced wind damage in Jones county.
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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 MHX wrote it up.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed during the afternoon of August 18th 2016 across eastern North Carolina as the sea breeze moved inland. One of the storms produced wind damage in Jones county.
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 Newport/Morehead City, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 18, 12:10 PM EST, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC 110 PM EDT THU AUG 18 2016 .SYNOPSIS... A trof of low pressure over the middle of the state will move to the coast Friday morning, then off the coast on Saturday. A cold front will move through from the west on Monday. High pressure will build to the north of the front Tuesday and Wednesday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 1230 pm Thu... no update needed. The latest sfc analysis is showing the old frontal boundary extending from Texas to southern Virginia...bringing an increase of moisture into region while, the Bermuda high shifted a bit further east. The old boundary will move into western NC and interact with the sfc trough over NC. Both old boundary and sfc trough will gradually shift east today and become closer to the coast...resulting in an increase of scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. However, isolated to scattered showers developed along HWY 264 vicinity this morning due to weak disturbance aloft. Expecting showers and thunderstorms to develop along the seabreeze and interact with the lingering boundaries from this morning's showers first, then the bulk of the rain will come from the old frontal boundary. Have the highest POPs along our western counties with 50% to 30% coast, and 20-30% OBX. Expect high temperatures in the low 90s inland to upper 80 to around 90 along the coast with heat index values btw 98 to 103. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY/... As of 230 am Thu...Trof will continue to move further east overnight as will the theta-E ridge, reaching the coast by around 12Z Fri. As a result, slightly higher PoPs forecast for the eastern half of the forecast area. Overnight lows in the mid to upper 70s. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 245 AM Thu...The upper ridge will continue to gradually weaken yet influence the weather into the weekend. A weak frontal boundary will eventually drift south across eastern NC late week and diminish over the area over the weekend. This is expected to lead to a period of unsettled weather through Sunday. A stronger cold front is expected to move through the region Monday as a progressive and more amplified upper trough briefly suppresses the upper ridge to the Gulf of Mexico region. Noticeably cooler and less humid conditions are expected behind this front for Tuesday and Wednesday as seasonably strong surface high pressure builds over the area. Through Sunday night...A series of increasingly amplified mid level shortwaves will swing across the Great Lakes and New England through the period. Ahead of a weakening cold front, pooled moisture, instability enhanced diurnally, forcing from the shortwaves, and remnant surface boundaries will lead to scattered showers and thunderstorms with locally heavy downpours. Continues to look unsettled through Sunday and will continue to handle with high chance PoPs...with best chances Friday and Saturday. High temperatures are expected to be near seasonal norms with clouds/precipitation acting as a limit. Low temperatures will remain in the muggy 70s. Monday through Wednesday...Finally looks like a break in the persistent hot and humid pattern which has prevailed over the region for much of the summer. A stronger cold front will push through the region Monday. 00z guidance continues to trend slighter faster than previous runs with the frontal passage. So adjusted previous forecast slightly to account for timing. Lowered pops slightly for Monday. The GFS shows some scattered showers/isolated tstms while the ECMWF keeps it dry behind the front. High pressure will build over the area with a northerly flow of drier and cooler air which will result in highs in the lower to middle 80s and lows in the 60s inland. && .AVIATION /17Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Short Term /Through Friday Afternoon/... As of 115 PM...VFR conditions expected through the TAF period for most locations. The only sub-VFR threat will be scattered thunderstorms, which will develop this afternoon and continue this evening. Winds will be out of the SW/S between 5 and 10 kts through the short term. There may be some very patchy fog in places Friday morning, but it shouldn't be enough to impact visibilities. Long Term /Friday through Monday/... As of 245 AM Thu...Scattered showers and thunderstorms along with patchy late night fog/stratus will produce periodic brief occurrences of sub- VFR conditions through the period. && .MARINE... Short Term /through tonight/ As of 1230 pm Thu...no update needed. Marine forecast on track. prev dis...The latest buoy obs are showing W/SW winds 10-15 knots and seas 2-3 ft with occasional 4 footer along the outer periphery of the coastal waters. The Bermuda high will shift a bit further east beginning today as an old frontal boundary and surface trof approaches from the west, reaching the coast Friday morning. Similar wind/sea conditions forecast to continue in the short term...SW 5-15 knots all waters, and 2-4 foot seas for the coastal waters. Long Term /Friday through Monday/... As of 245 AM Thu...SW winds 5-15 knots and seas 2-3 feet Friday and Saturday. The gradient tightens through the day Sunday as a cold front approaches from the west. SW winds increase to around 15 knots by Sunday evening with seas building to 2-4 feet. The cold front will push through the waters Monday with winds becoming northerly 10-15 knots. N/NE winds 10-20 knots will continue Monday night into Tuesday with seas 2-5 feet. The post frontal flow could end up being stronger as some of the models are indicating speeds around 20 KT and would not be surprised if a brief period of 25 KT develops. && .MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. MARINE...None. && SYNOPSIS...HSA NEAR TERM...HSA/BM SHORT TERM...HSA LONG TERM...JME/CQD AVIATION...CQD/SGK MARINE...CQD/HSA/BM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC 329 AM EDT THU AUG 18 2016 NCZ029-044>047-079>081-090>094-190730- MARTIN-PITT-WASHINGTON-TYRRELL-MAINLAND DARE-GREENE-BEAUFORT- MAINLAND HYDE-DUPLIN-LENOIR-JONES-CRAVEN-PAMLICO- 329 AM EDT THU AUG 18 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ095-098-103-104-190730- CARTERET-ONSLOW-OUTER BANKS DARE-OUTER BANKS HYDE- 329 AM EDT THU AUG 18 2016 ...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN 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 RIP CURRENT RISK. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. 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 NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
208 PM EDT THU AUG 18 2016
NCZ090>092-098-181900-
ONSLOW-JONES-DUPLIN-LENOIR-
208 PM EDT THU AUG 18 2016
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN DUPLIN...
SOUTH CENTRAL LENOIR...WESTERN ONSLOW AND WEST CENTRAL JONES
COUNTIES...
AT 207 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED
ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR KENANSVILLE TO WILLARD. MOVEMENT WAS
EAST AT 20 MPH.
WINDS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WALLACE...HALF MOON...RICHLANDS...BEULAVILLE...KENANSVILLE...
RICHLANDS SOUTH... ALBERT J ELLIS AIRPORT...GREENEVERS...
PINK HILL AND TEACHEY.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 3448 7758 3472 7768 3472 7794 3471 7798
3473 7801 3473 7803 3507 7799 3507 7738
3445 7745
TIME...MOT...LOC 1807Z 278DEG 18KT 3500 7794 3466 7798
5SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC 255 PM EDT THU AUG 18 2016 NCZ090>093-098-182000- ONSLOW-JONES-CRAVEN-DUPLIN-LENOIR- 255 PM EDT THU AUG 18 2016 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EAST CENTRAL DUPLIN...SOUTH CENTRAL LENOIR...NORTHERN ONSLOW...CENTRAL CRAVEN AND JONES COUNTIES... AT 254 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 9 MILES NORTH OF RICHLANDS...OR 15 MILES NORTH OF HALF MOON...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... POLLOCKSVILLE AND TRENTON. SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY BUILDING OR VEHICLE. STRONG WINDS ARE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES AND BLOWING AROUND TRASH CANS... POTTED PLANTS...LAWN FURNITURE AND OTHER LIGHT OUTDOOR OBJECTS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 10 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE. LAT...LON 3490 7771 3513 7764 3517 7707 3484 7711 TIME...MOT...LOC 1854Z 278DEG 18KT 3504 7757 5
The Morehead City radar (KMHX), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:27 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong winds blew down several trees on Highway 17 near Pollocksville.
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, August 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 650239.