North Carolina, 2017

Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, April 6, 2017

April 6, 2017 · NWS RAH · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

On the early morning of April 6th, showers and thunderstorms moved into Central NC from the southwest. A few of the storms became severe as a result of strong dynamic forcing and steep lapse rates combined with the high surface dew points.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$1,000
Crop damage
$11,000
Events
5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS RAH wrote it up.

On the early morning of April 6th, showers and thunderstorms moved into Central NC from the southwest. A few of the storms became severe as a result of strong dynamic forcing and steep lapse rates combined with the high surface dew points. The severe storms produced quarter size hail and a long swath of damaging winds.

What forecasters said that day

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 6, 12:37 AM EST, 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 6, 12:37 AM EST, 48 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 5, 6:57 PM EST, 6 hours 28 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 6, 1:02 AM EST, 23 minutes before
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The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 113 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:25 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Forsyth

When
April 6, 1:25 AM EST
Where
Forsyth County, 3.48 mi SE of Union Cross
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$1,000
Crop damage
$500
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
36.020, -80.070

A tree was blown down on power lines near the intersection of Hillside Drive and Mowery Drive.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stanly

When
April 6, 4:00 AM EST to 4:15 AM EST
Where
Stanly County, 1.38 mi S of Stanfield to 0.56 mi E of Badin
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Crop damage
$10,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.210, -80.430

Numerous trees were blown down along a swath from Stanfield to Badin, several of which were blocking roads.

Hail, Guilford

When
April 6, 4:45 AM EST to 4:56 AM EST
Where
Guilford County, 3.43 mi ESE of Climax to 0.89 mi SE of Sedalia
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
35.910, -79.670

Dime to quarter size hail fell along a swath from southeast of Climax to southeast of McLeansville.

Hail, Durham

When
April 6, 6:35 AM EST to 6:45 AM EST
Where
Durham County, 0.69 mi N of Braggtown to Hayes
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
36.040, -78.900

Dime to quarter size hail fell in Durham.

Hail, Cumberland

When
April 6, 7:10 AM EST
Where
Cumberland County, 3.45 mi N of Stedman
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.070, -78.700

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, April 2017

Sources

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: 693114, 693118, 693115, 693116, 693117.