An approaching mid-level shortwave helped to generate scattered thunderstorms. One of these storm briefly pulsed to severe levels during the afternoon, although there were several reports of small hail.
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.
An approaching mid-level shortwave helped to generate scattered thunderstorms. One of these storm briefly pulsed to severe levels during the afternoon, although there were several reports of small hail.
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 May 13, 1:55 PM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 255 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016 .SYNOPSIS... Thunderstorms may be severe ahead of a cold front which will move across the area this evening. Another cold front will move across the area saturday evening with perhaps some sprinkles across portions of the area. Cooler temperatures and drier air are expected behind this front for Sunday and Monday. Temperatures will rise beginning Tuesday with a risk for showers and thunderstorms returning mid and late week as a front stalls across the area. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 300 PM Friday...Thunderstorms blossoming across the area this aftn...and a busy evening for convection remains on track. Two areas of thunderstorms have developed slowly today...and these are expected to congeal into a larger area of convection as the aftn wears into evening. Morning cloud cover never quite eroded...but enough breaks developed to allow instability to rapidly increase...and storms have developed along differential heating boundaries between regions of different cloud thicknesses. Latest SPC Mesoanalysis has MLCAPE to 1500 J/kg along the coast...slightly lower inland...with PWATS over 1.6 inches and 0-6 km bulk shear values of 20-30 kt. A cold front approaching from the west is on the western edge of the CWA...and in a continuing-to- destabilize environment will serve as a catalyst for widespread tstms through the evening. SPC maintained the Slight Risk in the SWODY1...and recently issued an MCD with a 40% chance for a watch later today. Do not expect widespread severe weather today...but strong lift aided both by surface features and diffluence within an upper jet may produce isolated large hail...and as storms organize thanks to the aforementioned shear and high PWAT...damaging winds gusts will become the primary threat. 4 km NSSL WRF initialized quite well at 18z (12z run) and is favored for the next few hours. Cold front will race across the area this evening bringing an end to convection late this evening. Dry air will rapidly follow the front...and sky conditions will improve...becoming mostly clear late tonight. Broad high pressure behind the front builds across the area reducing the pressure gradient and winds will drop off to near calm late. Forecast profiles suggest lingering near-surface saturation...likely aided by moistened soils from today's rainfall. Crossover temps will likely be met as mins drop to around 60 well inland...65 at the coast...and local UPS Fog procedure develops areas of fog across the eastern half of the CWA. Have added this to the wx grids...while inland areas will likely be too dry for any fog tonight. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 PM friday...A secondary cold front will move across the forecast area Sat eve. The deep moisture will already have been swept well offshore by this time. However...there will be a shallow layer of moisture through about 6-7 kft along with shallow frontal lift. thus...will include mention of sprinkles for portions of the area...mainly across southeast north Carolina...in closest proximity to the pivoting upper trough. Behind this second front...the airmass will be much less humid and cooler as a northerly wind takes hold. High pressure to the west will build across the area Sun and Sun night. A weak trough will move across the area late Sun night to reinforce the cooler and drier air. highs Sat will be in the mid 80s...cooling to the mid 70s on Sun. Lows Sat night and Sun night will be in the 50s...coolest Sun night. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 300 AM Friday...East-west elongated high over the area on Monday making for light winds and thus fairly shallow mixing. 850mb temperatures only around 8C bringing highs a bit shy of climo. Good WAA gets underway Monday night to bring considerable increase in cloud cover and so a night not as cool as the preceding. High pressure winds up off the coast by Tuesday allowing for more WAA and moisture increase while seabreeze and a few weak upper disturbances provide lift sufficient for low end chance POPs. Discounting the overly wet looking ECMWF at this time given that it's vort maxes are similarly weak. Cold front dropping into the area late Wednesday possibly accompanied by more energy aloft. Wednesday may offer the best rain chances of the period as some drying is expected behind the front on Thursday. This could be short-lived however as the new airmass may start getting overrun by the next southern branch system just beyond. Previously we were still carrying rain chances on Thursday and will leave in at this time since the late period system will be of very low amplitude and thus possibly faster than progged. After our slightly cool Monday temperatures will return to above normal, with the larger deviations at night due to cloud cover. && .AVIATION /18Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 18Z...Showers and thunderstorms beginning to blossom across the area...and an active aftn/evening is forecast. Storms are expected to be strongest and most concentrated along the coast and have tempo IFR for vsby with gusty winds...with mvfr inland thanks to the expected lighter coverage and intensity. Convection will persist through nightfall before a cold front moves offshore. This front will bring an end to any storms...and also produce a wind shift from the current SW winds at 10-15 kt...to NW at 5-10 kt. Behind this front sky conditions will clear and the atmosphere will dry out...but lingering moisture may produce fog...with IFR possible again at the coastal terminals. Confidence is lower inland where drying will be more robust. Any fog will burn off quickly by daybreak Saturday with VFR forecast thereafter. Extended outlook...VFR through Monday. Low confidence for showers Tuesday and Wednesday. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 300 PM Friday...Cold front approaching from the west is keeping the coastal waters firmly in the warm sector this aftn...with winds remaining predominantly from the SW at 10-15 kt. The exception is in the near-shore waters where a sea breeze has caused a local backing to the South along with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas of 2-4 ft will persist until the cold frontal passage this evening...and this will also be accompanied by increasing showers and thunderstorms. Once this front moves offshore...winds will shift quickly to the NW...but with much lower speeds of 5-10 ktthanks to high pressure ridging in from the west. Seas will fall on these decreasing and offshore winds...becoming 1-2 ft by daybreak Saturday. SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 PM Friday...A secondary cold front will swing across the waters Sat eve. Winds will start the day Sat from the north in the wake of earlier cold front and then back to sw and increase to 15 to 20 kt. Then in the wake of the secondary cold front...the wind direction will shift to n and may briefly reach around 20 kt late Sat night and early Sun morning in northerly surge. Winds will lighten up and back to nw and w during Sun and Sun eve as high pressure grows closer. Another trough swinging across the area Sun night should shift winds back to the north with wind speeds increasing toward morning in a developing weak surge. Seas will be up to 3 to 5 ft in the strongest surge late Sat night and Sun morning. LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... As of 300 AM Friday...Plenty of change in wind direction slated for Monday. Lucking wind speeds will remain low so even if wave faces get a bit steep the overall wave height will remain capped at 3 ft. An east-west elongated high will initially be stretched across the area but migrating to an offshore position as Monday progresses, leading to the veering flow. With the high well off the coast by Tuesday a south to southwesterly flow will become established. Wave periods should relax slightly as a swell component does the same. A few 4 foot seas may impinge upon the outer waters. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...None. NC...None. MARINE...None. && NEAR TERM...JDW SHORT TERM...RJD LONG TERM...MBB AVIATION...JDW/DL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 324 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016 NCZ087-096-099-105>110-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-053>056-141930- 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- 324 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO OCCUR THROUGH THIS EVENING. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT...BUT HAIL...LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. AMZ250-252-254-256-141930- 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- 324 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO OCCUR THROUGH THIS EVENING. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT...BUT HAIL...LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. 17
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
303 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
SCZ053-054-132000-
COASTAL HORRY-INLAND HORRY-
303 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EAST CENTRAL HORRY COUNTY...
AT 303 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR GORETOWN...OR 13 MILES
NORTHWEST OF NORTH MYRTLE BEACH AIRPORT...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND HALF INCH HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH...LITTLE RIVER...NORTH MYRTLE BEACH AIRPORT...LITTLE
RIVER ENTRANCE...GORETOWN...WAMPEE...HAND...LONGS...HAMMOND...BROOKSVILLE...
BAREFOOT LANDING AREA OF NORTH MYRTLE BEACH...ATLANTIC BEACH AND SEA
COAST MEDICAL CENTER.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
SC HIGHWAY 31 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 19 AND 24.
SC HIGHWAY 22 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 15 AND 24.
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.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
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 3390 7895 3404 7888 3408 7881 3385 7854
3384 7862 3380 7872
TIME...MOT...LOC 1903Z 278DEG 19KT 3398 7885
SHKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
323 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
SCZ039-132030-
WILLIAMSBURG-
323 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY...
AT 322 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 7 MILES WEST OF SALTERS...OR
10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF KINGSTREE...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. IN ADDITION...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS LIKELY.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
KINGSTREE...ANDREWS...WARSAW...SALTERS...GOURDIN...EARLE...MORRISVILLE...
TRIO...LANE...AND GREELEYVILLE.
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 3371 7998 3361 7944 3350 7952 3344 7959
3337 7963 3334 7968 3331 7968 3333 7976
3338 7979 3337 7980 3339 7984 3343 7988
3344 7987 3350 7996 3350 7999 3351 8000
3350 8000 3351 8008 3350 8010
TIME...MOT...LOC 1922Z 284DEG 25KT 3359 7998
SRPSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
324 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
NCZ105>109-132030-
INLAND BRUNSWICK-COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER-INLAND NEW
HANOVER-INLAND PENDER-
324 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PENDER...NORTHERN NEW HANOVER
AND NORTHEASTERN BRUNSWICK COUNTIES...
AT 324 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR DELCO...OR 11 MILES
WEST OF LELAND...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND HALF INCH HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WILMINGTON...LELAND...WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH...SURF CITY...RICH INLET...FIGURE
EIGHT ISLAND...JOHNNY MERCER PIER...NORTH MASONBORO ISLAND...HAMPSTEAD...
NORTHWEST...TOPSAIL BEACH...TOPSAIL...WRIGHTSBORO...BISHOP...BAYSHORE...
OGDEN...PHOENIX...WINDEMERE...BATARORA AND SCOTTS HILL.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 403 AND 416.
INTERSTATE 140 US ROUTE 74 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 423 AND 434.
US ROUTE 17 IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 36 AND 44.
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.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
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 3432 7769 3418 7781 3416 7794 3420 7796
3416 7797 3411 7823 3421 7828 3422 7825
3436 7816 3436 7817 3435 7820 3436 7821
3464 7764 3448 7758 3446 7754 3444 7752
TIME...MOT...LOC 1924Z 239DEG 49KT 3426 7823
SHKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
336 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0237 PM TSTM WND DMG OCEAN LAKES 33.62N 78.95W
05/13/2016 HORRY SC MEDIA
SEVERAL LARGE CAMPERS BLOWN OVER AT LAKEWOOD
CAMPGROUND.
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1600084
WEISSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
356 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0258 PM MARINE TSTM WIND 1 S INLET HARBOR 33.52N 79.03W
05/13/2016 M54 MPH AMZ256 SC BUOY
WEATHERFLOW SENSOR
&&
EVENT NUMBER ILM1600085
WEISSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
411 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
NCZ105-132115-
INLAND PENDER-
411 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN PENDER COUNTY...
AT 411 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR THE BOROUGH...OR 14
MILES NORTHWEST OF LELAND...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND HALF INCH HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BURGAW...MONTAGUE...CURRIE...THE BOROUGH...MALPASS CORNER...MURRAY TOWN...
WHITE STOCKING...WARDS CORNER...ROOKS...WILLARD...MAPLE HILL...POINT
CASWELL...ST. HELENA...ATKINSON...WATHA AND PENDER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 40 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 388 AND 402.
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.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
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 7813 3445 7820 3446 7818 3449 7821
3472 7796 3472 7768 3471 7768 3463 7764
TIME...MOT...LOC 2011Z 237DEG 23KT 3442 7816
SHKThe Wilmington radar (KLTX), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:39 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A video showed hail falling. The size was estimated to be dime to quarter size. The time was estimated by radar.
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, May 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: 637327.