The environment destabilized ahead of a slow moving cold front and a deepening 500 mb long wave trough. This allowed developing thunderstorms to quickly become severe.
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.
The environment destabilized ahead of a slow moving cold front and a deepening 500 mb long wave trough. This allowed developing thunderstorms to quickly become severe.
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 3, 2:19 PM EST, 1 hour 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 319 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2016 .SYNOPSIS... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ARE EXPECTED AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. A COLD UPPER LOW WILL DROP OVER THE CAROLINAS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...BRINGING COOLER TEMPERATURES AND SCATTERED GUSTY SHOWERS. DRYING AND WARMING WILL FOLLOW INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... AS OF 315 PM TUESDAY...MUCH AS EXPECTED WE ARE SEEING SOME REGENERATION OF CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON IN THE AREAS THAT CLEARED THE EARLIEST...AND THUS HEATED UP THE QUICKEST. HOWEVER...THIS ACTIVITY HAS BEEN WEAK TO MODERATE IN SCOPE SO FAR AND THAT IS LIKELY DUE TO THE THOROUGH WORKING OVER THE ATMOSPHERE RECEIVED LAST NIGHT AND THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE THREAT HAS TOTALLY DIMINISHED. WE NOW HAVE THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA COVERED BY SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 140...WHICH IS GOOD UNTIL 01Z. SOUNDING ANALYSIS SHOWS A RETURN TO A MODERATELY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE IMPENDING...IF VERY SLOW MOVING...COLD FRONT AND A SERIES OF WEAK UPPER IMPULSES EMBEDDED WITHIN THE DEEPENING 500MB LONGWAVE TROUGH AND A FAVORABLE WIND SHEAR PROFILE. SO...WE WILL BE RAMPING UP POPS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS...WITH PRECIP POTENTIAL PEAKING LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THIS EVENING BEFORE TAPERING OFF OVERNIGHT. ANOTHER HALF INCH QPF DOES NOT SEEM UNREASONABLE SHOULD THIS SCENARIO PLAY OUT. WILL ADD SVR WORDING TO THE ZONES TO COVER THE LATEST WATCH. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 315 PM TUESDAY...A VERY UNSEASONABLY DEEP UPPER TROUGH WILL DROP SOUTH OVER EASTERN CONUS THROUGH THIS PERIOD WITH THE UPPER COLD POOL SITTING DIRECTLY OVERHEAD BY THURSDAY EVENING. AT THE SURFACE A COLD FRONT WILL VERY SLOWLY PUSH EAST AND OFFSHORE FROM THE FORECAST AREA. THIS WILL MAKE FOR A COOLING TREND...WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S ON WEDNESDAY DROPPING TO RIGHT AROUND 70 ON THURSDAY. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT WILL ONLY BE AROUND 50. STEEP LAPSE RATES INDUCED BY THE UPPER COLD POOL WILL ENHANCE PRECIP POTENTIAL...WITH SLIGHT TO LOW CHANCE POPS FOR SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS BOTH DAYS...PRIMARILY DURING THE AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 315 PM TUESDAY...PERIOD BEGINS WITH OMEGA BLOCK IN PLACE BUT BLOCK IS SHORT LIVED AND BY THE START OF NEXT WEEK MID LEVEL RIDGING TO THE WEST WILL BE HEADING EAST. BEST PRECIP CHANCES WILL BE FRI WHEN MID LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE HIGHEST. PRESENCE OF ANY MID LEVEL MOISTURE AND THE COLD 5H LOW OVER NC/VA WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY PRODUCE ISOLATED AFTERNOON CONVECTION...BUT THE BEST ACTIVITY MAY END UP NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL RUN BELOW CLIMO FRI AND FRI NIGHT. PRECIP CHANCES WILL DECREASE FOR THE WEEKEND. THE MID LEVEL LOW WILL BE LIFTING NORTHEAST ON SAT. ALTHOUGH SOME MID LEVEL COLD AIR REMAINS IN PLACE THE LACK OF MID LEVEL MOISTURE AND WEAKENING MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL MAKE AFTERNOON SHOWERS LESS LIKELY. MID LEVELS DRY OUT EVEN MORE ON SUN AS THE 5H RIDGE MOVES EAST AND DOWNSLOPE FLOW/SUBSIDENCE INCREASES. BACKDOOR COLD FRONT TRIES TO DROP IN FROM THE NORTH MON/TUE BUT NOT SURE HOW FAR SOUTH IT WILL MOVE BEFORE STALLING. THERE IS LIMITED POTENTIAL FOR SOME PRECIP ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT BUT FOR NOW PLAN TO MAINTAIN DRY FORECAST THROUGH END OF THE PERIOD. TEMPERATURES NEAR SO SLIGHTLY BELOW CLIMO SAT WILL RUN ABOVE CLIMO SUN THROUGH TUE. IF THE COLD FRONT DROPS FARTHER SOUTH THAN EXPECTED TEMPS COULD END UP NEAR CLIMO MON AND MON NIGHT. && .AVIATION /19Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 18Z...WIDESPREAD CONVECTION HAS ENDED ACROSS THE AREA WITH MAINLY MVFR TO VFR CONDITIONS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AS CU DEVELOPED. MODELS CONTINUED TO SHOW SOME REGENERATION OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND AS OF NOW...A COUPLE OF CLUSTERS WERE APPROACHING THE MYRTLES AND LUMBERTON. EXPECT BEST CHANCE ALONG THE SEA BREEZE BOUNDARY AND ALONG AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. WILL INDICATE VCSH/VCTS FOR THIS AFTERNOON ATTM. EXPECT MAINLY VFR THIS EVENING BUT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH OVERNIGHT THE INTRODUCTION OF COOLER AIR MAY CAUSE MVFR/IFR CIGS/VSBYS TO DEVELOP. EXTENDED OUTLOOK...MVFR/IFR POSSIBLE FROM CONVECTION THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY. VFR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH SCT 4SM SHRA THU AND FRI. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 315 PM TUESDAY...SW FLOW WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT AS A COLD FRONT ADVANCES UPON THE COASTAL WATERS. FRONT WILL BE SLOW MOVING AND MAY NOT MAKE IT OFFSHORE BY SUNRISE. GREATEST THREAT TO MARINERS OVERNIGHT WILL CONTINUE TO BE FROM SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...POSSIBLY SEVERE...WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS POSSIBLE. OTHERWISE...EXPECTING SW WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS AND SEAS OF 2 TO 4 FT. SEAS SE OF CAPE FEAR MAY RUN A BIT HIGHER THOUGH...MORE LIKE 3 TO 5 FT. SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 315 PM TUESDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL VERY SLOWLY MAKE ITS WAY ACROSS THE WATERS ON WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...WITH SW WINDS EARLY IN THE PERIOD ULTIMATELY BECOMING WEST AND NW BY THE END OF THE SHORT TERM. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE PRESENT THROUGH THE PERIOD. THE COLD SURGE FOLLOWING FROPA IS NOT EXPECTED TO BRING ADVISORY CONDITIONS ALTHOUGH WINDS MAY GUST UP TO AROUND 25 KTS IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT. LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 315 PM TUESDAY...WEST TO NORTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES FRI WITH SPEEDS OF 15 TO 20 KT FOR MUCH OF THE DAY. SLOW MOVING SURFACE LOW IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION WILL KEEP THE GRADIENT TIGHT INTO SAT. GRADIENT DOES START TO RELAX SAT AFTERNOON AS THE LOW STARTS MOVING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST. REDUCTION IN WIND SPEEDS SAT IS ACCOMPANIED BY A LATE DAY SHIFT TO WEST-SOUTHWEST. SOUTHWEST FLOW CONTINUES SAT NIGHT AND SUN WITH SPEEDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS WILL BE TRENDING DOWN AT THE START OF THE PERIOD...DROPPING FROM 2 TO 4 FT FRI AM TO 2 TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. WEAKENING OFFSHORE FLOW EVENTUALLY DROPS SEAS TO 2 FT OR LESS SAT BUT DEVELOPMENT OF SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL PUSH SEAS BACK TO 2 TO 3 FT SUN. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 140 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING ALL ZONES. NC...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 140 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING ALL ZONES. MARINE...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 140 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING ALL ZONES. && SYNOPSIS...SHK NEAR TERM...REK SHORT TERM...REK LONG TERM...III AVIATION...RGZ/MRR MARINE...REK/III/SHK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC 301 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2016 AMZ250-252-254-256-041915- 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- 301 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2016 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 140 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ087-096-099-105-107-109-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-053-055-056- 041915- ROBESON-BLADEN-COLUMBUS-INLAND PENDER-INLAND NEW HANOVER- INLAND BRUNSWICK-MARLBORO-DARLINGTON-DILLON-FLORENCE-MARION- WILLIAMSBURG-INLAND HORRY-INLAND GEORGETOWN-COASTAL GEORGETOWN- 301 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2016 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 140 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ106-108-041915- COASTAL PENDER-COASTAL NEW HANOVER- 301 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2016 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 140 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. NCZ110-SCZ054-041915- COASTAL BRUNSWICK-COASTAL HORRY- 301 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2016 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 140 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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. MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. 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
424 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2016
NCZ087-096-099-032130-
COLUMBUS-BLADEN-ROBESON-
424 PM EDT TUE MAY 3 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN BLADEN...
NORTHWESTERN COLUMBUS AND SOUTHEASTERN ROBESON COUNTIES...
AT 424 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR FAIRMONT...OR 10 MILES
NORTHEAST OF DILLON...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND HALF INCH HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
FAIRMONT...BLADENBORO...FAIR BLUFF...BOARDMAN...BARNESVILLE...ABBOTTSBURG...
EVERGREEN...BUTTERS...MARIETTA...PROCTORVILLE...MCDONALD AND ORRUM.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
INTERSTATE 74 NEAR MILE MARKER 212...AND BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 209 AND
210...AND NEAR MILE MARKER 214.
INTERSTATE 95 IN NORTH CAROLINA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 9 AND 13.
US ROUTE 74 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 365 AND 380.
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 3453 7864 3429 7903 3439 7918 3448 7928
3449 7927 3460 7913
TIME...MOT...LOC 2024Z 283DEG 17KT 3449 7920
IIIThe Wilmington radar (KLTX), 42 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:59 UTC.
14 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Large tree limbs were reportedly down on Freeman Road.
A tree was reportedly down on Walter Shaw Road.
Hail to the size of quarters was reported near the intersection of Old Lumberton Road and Peacock Road.
Nickel size hail was reportedly mixed in with smaller pieces.
Hail to the size of quarters reportedly caused significant damage to five acres of strawberries.
Dime to nickel size hail reportedly covered the ground.
Hail to the size of quarters was reported.
Nickel to quarter size hail was reported near Mallory Creek.
A video confirmed hail to the size of quarters.
Hail to the size of pennies was reported.
Hail to the size of half dollars was reported. The information was relayed by the media.
Portions of Highway 20 near Tobermory were reportedly closed due to numerous trees down.
Quarter of golf ball size hail was reported at the Tobermory Fire Department.
Several reports of hail up to the size of tennis balls along a stretch of Highway 20.
Hail to the size of quarters was reported at the Marathon gas station. The report was relayed by a NWS employee.
Hail to the size of golf balls was reported near the intersection of Highway 87 and Highway 20. The report was relayed by the Bladen County Emergency Manager.
Hail to the size of ping pongs was reported.
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: 638054, 637989, 638051, 637988, 638053, 637987, 637990, 638050, 637994, 638056, 638043, 638048, 637991, 638006, 638003, 638004, 638046.