A woman was injured due to lightning at Wrightsville Beach.
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.
A woman was injured due to lightning at Wrightsville Beach.
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 Jul 14, 6:40 PM EST, 20 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 740 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016 .SYNOPSIS... A ridge of high pressure along the coast will break down over the next two days, allowing a cold front to move south from the Great Lakes and stall across Virginia this weekend. This will create slightly cooler temperatures and good thunderstorm chances. Drier conditions will return early next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 530 PM Thursday...Have cancelled the heat advisory for all counties as all obs now show that we are well below criteria. Have also updated pops to show no further precip this evening for virtually all the forecast area as sea breeze related convection has all but ended. A few showers are still lingering in Williamsburg County, but these should fade shortly. Relevant portion of previous discussion from earlier this afternoon follows: The Bermuda High, despite having weakened over the past 24 hours, still extends a surface ridge axis westward across Florida and continues to feed hot and humid air across the Carolinas. The more abrupt change has occurred aloft where yesterday's 500 mb ridge is now located much farther offshore. Southwesterly mid and upper level flow is increasing over the Carolinas, and the increase in thunderstorm coverage compared to yesterday is probably directly related to the breakdown of this ridge aloft. 500 mb heights should continue to fall overnight as the trough extending from the Great Lakes down the Mississippi Valley develops. Any convective development overnight will likely occur offshore where surface-based parcels will be most buoyant. Winds just 1000 feet off the surface should remain around 25 knots overnight which is typically enough to keep a strong nocturnal inversion from developing. Forecast lows range from around 80 on the coast to 75-77 inland. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 PM Thursday...A series of weak upper level disturbances will move through the broad trough over the eastern United States Friday and Saturday. Given the deeply humid and unstable airmass still in place, the result should be good coverage of showers and thunderstorms both days. Our forecast is for a 40-50 percent chance on Friday, and 50-70 percent on Saturday. Storm-total precipitation will vary widely, but 1.0 to 1.5 inches is our forecast areal average Friday through Saturday. The additional cloud cover and precipitation should hold highs down several degrees from what we've experienced over the past week: mainly mid 90s on Thursday and lower 90s on Friday. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 200 PM Thursday...Typical summertime weather for the first half of the extended as Bermuda ridging sits offshore. Temperatures will be near seasonable values for highs as broad troughing limits thickness values, but well above normal for mins thanks to persistent warm SW flow at night. The warmest day is likely to be Monday when the trough retreats and mid-level ridging expands from the west, but still temps will be only slightly above climo norms. Sun-Tue will also feature scattered aftn convection as a front dissipates to the north, with Sunday expected to be the most active day of the three. Late Tue into Wed, a strong vorticity lobe digs into the area driving a strong trough into the northeast. At the surface, a cold front will cross into the Carolinas and then stall into Thursday. This will create slightly cooler temperatures but with better chances for convection, and Wednesday into Thursday may be quite active as strong upper forcing interacts with a very humid and unstable airmass south of the front. Will carry mid-CHC pop for the end of the time period, with the limiting factor being that it is D6/D7. && .AVIATION /00Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 00Z...Thunderstorms early this evening are well S of KFLO with other isolated light showers between KFLO and the coast. All convection will dissipate later this evening, with winds remaining light SW overnight. This and 25kt boundary layer winds should provide sufficient mixing to prevent fog formation overnight. Some models are suggesting the possibility of showers developing along the immediate coast overnight. Confidence is low however. After sunrise there will will be a slight veering of winds to the WSW, but SSW winds will develop by late morning/early afternoon. Thunderstorms are again possible along the coast by mid-late morning. this activity should develop further inland away from the coast as the afternoon progresses. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...VFR in isolated Aftn/Eve tstms with some periods of MVFR/IFR in stronger thunderstorms mainly Saturday and Sunday. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 530 PM Thursday...Thunderstorms over the waters have faded for the evening and have updated the forecast to reflect a dry overnight period. Forecast otherwise remains the same. Relevant portion of forecast from earlier this afternoon follows: The Bermuda High has weakened but still extends a ridge axis westward across Florida. With a Piedmont Trough in place across the interior Carolinas the pressure gradient will support southwest winds of 15 to occasionally 20 knots overnight, driving an increase in sea heights to 3-4 feet. While the weather should remain dry this evening and overnight, thunderstorms could redevelop late tonight as inland wind directions turn a little more westerly, increasing convergence across the coastal waters. SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 PM Thursday...The Bermuda High will weaken further as a trough of low pressure dangles southward from Canada into the eastern United States. While the surface cold front is not expected to make it this far south, the coverage of thunderstorms should increase substantially Friday into Saturday as temperatures aloft cool and a series of upper level disturbances move overhead. Surface winds will remain southwesterly near 15 knots, with 3 to occasionally 4 foot seas expected. LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 200 PM Thursday...Bermuda ridging remains the dominant feature through early next week, although in a somewhat weakened state. This persists SW winds over the waters, but with a weak gradient in place, speeds will be just around 10 kts, up to 15 kts at times. A cold front will approach Tuesday night. This will pinch the gradient and cause winds to begin to climb late in the period, becoming widespread 15 kts while maintaining a SW direction. Seas will be formed primarily this period by a 2ft/9sec SE swell, although a residual SW 5 sec wave will remain on Sunday, and wave heights are forecast to be 2-3 ft, with more 3 fters expected on Sunday. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...None. NC...None. MARINE...None. && SYNOPSIS...TRA NEAR TERM...TRA SHORT TERM...TRA LONG TERM...JDW AVIATION...MRR MARINE...TRA/JDW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 516 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016 NCZ087-096-099-105>110-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-053>056-152130- ROBESON-BLADEN-COLUMBUS-INLAND PENDER-COASTAL PENDER- INLAND NEW HANOVER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-INLAND BRUNSWICK- COASTAL BRUNSWICK-MARLBORO-DARLINGTON-DILLON-FLORENCE-MARION- WILLIAMSBURG-INLAND HORRY-COASTAL HORRY-INLAND GEORGETOWN- COASTAL GEORGETOWN- 516 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...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. AMZ250-252-254-256-152130- COASTAL WATERS FROM SURF CITY TO CAPE FEAR NC OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE FEAR NC TO LITTLE RIVER INLET SC OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM LITTLE RIVER INLET TO MURRELLS INLET SC OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM MURRELLS INLET TO SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SC OUT 20 NM- 516 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
305 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
SCZ039-055-056-141945-
COASTAL GEORGETOWN SC-INLAND GEORGETOWN SC-WILLIAMSBURG SC-
305 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR GEORGETOWN AND SOUTHEASTERN
WILLIAMSBURG COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM EDT...
AT 304 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
GEORGETOWN...AND ANOTHER NEAR TRIO...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GEORGETOWN...DEBORDIEU COLONY...PAWLEYS ISLAND...MURRELLS INLET...
ANDREWS...JACKSON...WARSAW...OUTLAND...EARLE...GRAVES...
PLANTERSVILLE...OATLAND...LITCHFIELD BEACH...SAMPIT...RHEMS...
MORRISVILLE AND GEORGETOWN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THUNDERSTORMS CAN POSE A VARIETY OF THREATS INCLUDING GUSTY WINDS...
SMALL HAIL...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. IT
IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS PASS.
&&
LAT...LON 3346 7969 3375 7940 3353 7904 3349 7908
3346 7910 3339 7914 3333 7916 3329 7929
TIME...MOT...LOC 1904Z 251DEG 15KT 3341 7924
JDWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
318 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
NCZ099-105>109-142000-
INLAND BRUNSWICK NC-COASTAL NEW HANOVER NC-COASTAL PENDER NC-
COLUMBUS NC-INLAND PENDER NC-INLAND NEW HANOVER NC-
318 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR PENDER...EASTERN COLUMBUS...
NORTHEASTERN BRUNSWICK AND NEW HANOVER COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM EDT...
AT 317 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM
NEAR DELCO...TO NEAR TOPSAIL BEACH...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WILMINGTON...LELAND...SURF CITY...RICH INLET...FIGURE EIGHT ISLAND...
HAMPSTEAD...NORTHWEST...TOPSAIL BEACH...TOPSAIL...WRIGHTSBORO...
BAYSHORE...OGDEN...PHOENIX...WINDEMERE...BATARORA...SCOTTS HILL...
ROCKY POINT...CAPE FEAR COMMUNITY COLLEGE NORTH CAMPUS...
WILMINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND RIEGELWOOD.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 408 AND 416.
INTERSTATE 140 US ROUTE 74 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 414 AND 434.
US ROUTE 17 IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 40 AND 44.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3440 7758 3435 7765 3434 7766 3425 7776
3415 7830 3432 7835 3452 7759 3448 7758
3447 7757 3447 7755 3446 7754 3443 7754
TIME...MOT...LOC 1917Z 256DEG 22KT 3426 7825
JDWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
405 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
NCZ107-108-142045-
COASTAL NEW HANOVER NC-INLAND NEW HANOVER NC-
405 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR NORTHERN NEW HANOVER COUNTY UNTIL
445 PM EDT...
AT 405 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
LELAND...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WILMINGTON...WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH...NORTH MASONBORO ISLAND...
FIGURE EIGHT ISLAND...MAYFAIRE...BAYSHORE...OGDEN...HIGHTSVILLE...
LANDFALL...SILVER LAKE...WINDEMERE...SEAGATE...KINGS GRANT...
MURRAYVILLE...WILMINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...MASONBORO...
PORTERS NECK...MYRTLE GROVE...
NEW HANOVER REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER AND CAPE FEAR HOSPITAL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3415 7784 3414 7795 3416 7794 3418 7795
3420 7795 3420 7796 3423 7795 3424 7796
3424 7797 3425 7797 3425 7798 3432 7782
3426 7775
TIME...MOT...LOC 2005Z 265DEG 16KT 3420 7797
JDWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
419 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0410 PM HAIL SCOTTS HILL 34.32N 77.77W
07/14/2016 E1.00 INCH PENDER NC NWS EMPLOYEE
SEVERAL MINUTES OF HAIL VARYING FROM PEA TO QUARTER
SIZE
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1600229
RGZSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
440 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
SCZ039-142130-
WILLIAMSBURG SC-
440 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR SOUTHWESTERN WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY
UNTIL 530 PM EDT...
AT 440 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
GOURDIN...OR 14 MILES SOUTH OF KINGSTREE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GOURDIN...TRIO...SALTERS AND LANE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THUNDERSTORMS CAN POSE A VARIETY OF THREATS INCLUDING GUSTY WINDS...
SMALL HAIL...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. IT
IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS PASS.
&&
LAT...LON 3366 7971 3339 7963 3335 7967 3336 7978
3338 7979 3337 7980 3340 7985 3342 7986
3343 7988 3344 7988 3348 7994 3350 7996
3350 7999 3351 8000 3349 8000 3351 8001
3350 8002 3351 8004
TIME...MOT...LOC 2040Z 264DEG 13KT 3346 7986
JDWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
544 PM EDT THU JUL 14 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0358 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 ENE KIRKLAND 34.30N 77.77W
07/14/2016 PENDER NC PUBLIC
TREE AND LIMBS DOWN IN PLANTATION LANDING
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1600230
WEISSThe Wilmington radar (KLTX), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:02 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
An ocean rescue vehicle was struck by lightning on Wrightsville Beach. The lightning also deflected and struck a woman. She broke her ankle and was dazed. The vehicle sustained electrical damage and would not start.
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, July 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: 651171.