Thunderstorms developed in a moist and moderately unstable environment. Outflow boundaries organized thunderstorms into back-building clusters which produced 2 to 5 inches of rain.
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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 ILM wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed in a moist and moderately unstable environment. Outflow boundaries organized thunderstorms into back-building clusters which produced 2 to 5 inches of rain.
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 9, 5:34 PM EST, 46 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wilmington NC 634 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2017 .SYNOPSIS... A weak cold front will stall across the area through Monday, enhancing the risk for thunderstorms and excessive rainfall. The front will slowly dissipate Tuesday as the Bermuda ridge builds back across the Carolinas. The Bermuda ridge and Piedmont trough will produce typical summertime heat and humidity and afternoon and evening thunderstorms Wednesday through Friday. Heat index values mid to late week will approach 105 degrees. A cold front will approach Saturday with cooler temperatures and better rain chances. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 630 PM Sunday...Slow cell motion coupled with lots of boundary interactions should keep showers and thunderstorms rather widespread across the area for the next several hours. The upcoming "hot spot" is likely to be Marion, Horry, Brunswick, and the southern portion of Columbus counties where the best potential for excessive rainfall may develop. I'm also watching an advancing area of showers coming up from south of Manning, SC that could affect the Florence area late in the evening. PoPs and forecast rainfall amounts have been increased to near 100 percent and over 1", respectively, from Conway and Galivants Ferry into the Tabor City and Lake Waccamaw area. Discussion from 300 PM follows... A few showers have developed across the area. Cloud cover has generally kept temps below the point of convective initiation which has helped to delay the development of thunderstorms. A stalled and weak cold front will slowly dissolve into Tue. A series of mid-level shortwaves through Mon are the expected impetus for numerous showers and thunderstorms, especially late tonight and on Mon. A check of water vapor shows the dry air struggling to approach the Forecast Area from the NW as deeper moisture to our SE and S pivots toward the eastern Carolinas ahead of building Western Atlantic ridge. We still expect scattered convection to develop through the afternoon and early eve. Then with the arrival of deeper moisture and ahead of the first in the series of mid level impulses, we expect convection to become much more numerous. We have ramped POPs up to likely/categorical late tonight and on Mon. High precipitable water content, near or upwards of 2 inches, and slow storm motions should result in an excessive rainfall threat and significant ponding. The threat appears highest tonight and Mon with coastal areas in a more favorable position than areas along and west of I-95 as a significant moisture feed is funneled right up the coast. Downdraft CAPE values are less conducive for strong to damaging wind gusts through tonight, largely as a result of less heating today. The column has cooled aloft and with a slightly lower freezing level, the more persistent updrafts, able to gain sufficient depth, may be capable of hail. The severe threat appears rather low, but a wet microburst is certainly possible. Lows will be in the lower to mid 70s. Highs on Mon will be in the mid and upper 80s due to significant cloud cover and the widespread nature of showers and thunderstorms. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 PM Sunday...The mid level pattern will become poorly defined across the area through the period, which is quite typical this time of year. Any lingering fronts or boundaries will have all but washed out leaving the standard local or regional features to work with what will still be a very moist airmass as precipitable water values hover near an inch. Guidance does show a decent chance of overnight convection late Monday into early Tuesday with a shortwave moving across from the west. For the day Tuesday the sea breeze and Piedmont trough will be the primary triggers. It appears as of now overnight Tuesday into early Wednesday may see a quiet overnight period, the first in some time as the weak flow is void of any shortwaves. No changes to the temperature forecast which should remain just a notch or two above climatology. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... As of 300 PM Sunday...First half of the extended offers a return to heat and humidity as mid-level ridge expands across the Southeast. The mid-level ridge expands from the east and extends into the Carolinas, beneath which a surface Bermuda-type high strengthens. This will bring hot temperatures back into the region, along with increasing humidity on return flow. Highs on Wednesday will rise into the low 90s most locations away from the immediate beaches, with heat index values climbing over 100. Thu-Fri will be just as warm, and feel even hotter, with heat index values climbing to near 105 both aftns. Scattered diurnal showers and tstms will be possible each aftn as well, but subsidence beneath the ridge and lack of significant mid- level forcing will keep coverage isolated at best. As we head into the wknd, the ridge will amplify across the mountain west driving a longwave trough into the eastern CONUS. This will suppress the ridge locally into the GOM, and cause increasing shower and tstm chances as well as bring cooler, more seasonable, temps to the Carolinas. A cold front will likely sink south into the region at the leading edge of the trough, and then stall across the area. This will create much more unsettled weather to the region with good shower/tstm chances through the wknd. && .AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 18Z...Satellite indicates clouds are getting more convective with time as their depth increases. Still no showers have developed as cloud cover has generally kept temps below convection initiation so far this afternoon. High resolution models continue to point to convection initiating, especially for the coastal terminals, after 19z. A mid-level impulse should help to increase the coverage of showers and thunderstorms, especially later tonight and on Mon. Thunderstorms will have the potential to drop ceiling and visibility to MVFR or lower. Fog may also contribute to lower visibility late tonight, especially if the coverage of convection does not materialize as expected. Wind speeds will be under 10 kt through the period, except for some gusts around 15 kt at KMYR and KCRE into this eve. Extended Outlook...MVFR/IFR conditions are possible from thunderstorms as a stalled front dissipates across the area into Tue. && .MARINE... NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 630 PM Sunday...No significant changes are needed to the forecast. Today's seabreeze was rather anemic given the weak temperature contrasts across the beaches, and winds are generally less than 15 knots. Wind speeds around 10 knots from the southwest are expected overnight, with variability near thunderstorms may which become more common near the beaches of Myrtle Beach and Cape Fear later this evening. Discussion from 300 PM follows... A weak cold front will slowly dissolve upstream ahead of building western Atlantic ridge. Sustained wind speeds into tonight and though Mon will be 10 to 15 kt. The direction will be S into early this eve, becoming SSW/SW tonight and Mon. Seas will remain about 3 ft throughout. Showers and thunderstorms with heavy rain will become numerous to widespread, especially late tonight and on Mon. SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... As of 300 PM Sunday...Bermuda High pressure will continue to be the dominant feature across the coastal waters through the short term period. Expect winds from the south/southwest of 10-15 knots through the period. There may be a slight enhancement to just above 15 knots overnight Monday into early Tuesday with the low level jet. Significant seas will be 2-4 feet. LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 300 PM Sunday...High pressure centered well offshore will expand and ridge back into the Carolinas through the end of the week. This persists SW winds across the waters, with only slow increase in speeds from around 10 kts Wed/Thu to 10-15 kts Friday as the gradient pinches ahead of an approaching cold front from the NW. This front will remain well NW of the waters through the period, but these stronger winds late will create the highest seas of the week on Friday. 3-4 ft seas will be common on Friday with a SW wind wave amplifying in the spectrum, after several days of 2-3 ft thanks to a low amplitude SE swell and SW wind wave earlier int he week. && .ILM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...None. NC...None. MARINE...None. && SYNOPSIS...JDW NEAR TERM...RJD/TRA SHORT TERM...SHK LONG TERM...JDW AVIATION...RJD
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wilmington NC 315 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2017 NCZ087-096-099-105>109-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-053-055-056-101915- Robeson-Bladen-Columbus-Inland Pender-Coastal Pender- Inland New Hanover-Coastal New Hanover-Inland Brunswick-Marlboro- Darlington-Dillon-Florence-Marion-Williamsburg-Inland Horry- Inland Georgetown-Coastal Georgetown- 315 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast North Carolina and northeast South Carolina. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. Thunderstorms may produce excessive rainfall. One or two thunderstorms may be strong to possibly severe into this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Thunderstorms may produce excessive rainfall on Monday. Heat index values will rise to 100 degrees or higher Tuesday through Friday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ110-SCZ054-101915- Coastal Brunswick-Coastal Horry- 315 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2017 ...MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS 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. Moderate Risk of Rip Currents. Thunderstorms may produce excessive rainfall. One or two thunderstorms may be strong to possibly severe into this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Thunderstorms may produce excessive rainfall on Monday. Heat index values will rise to 100 degrees or higher Tuesday through Friday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. AMZ250-252-254-256-101915- 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- 315 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for The adjacent Coastal Waters. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. Thunderstorms with heavy rain will become numerous to widespread late tonight, resulting in poor visibility. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Thunderstorms with heavy rain will be numerous to widespread Monday, resulting in poor visibility. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. 27
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wilmington NC
544 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017
NCZ099-092245-
Columbus NC-
544 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017
...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR CENTRAL COLUMBUS COUNTY UNTIL 645 PM
EDT...
At 544 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Williams, or 8 miles south of Whiteville, moving northeast at 20 mph.
Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Bethel, Lake Waccamaw, Hallsboro, Nakina, Redbug, Old Dock, Mollie,
Williams, Freeman, Delco, Crusoe Island, Riegelwood, Brunswick and
Bolton.
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 storm passes.
&&
LAT...LON 3423 7825 3421 7833 3421 7837 3420 7837
3416 7849 3417 7851 3416 7852 3410 7873
3427 7881 3438 7845 3437 7834 3437 7832
3436 7825 3430 7820
TIME...MOT...LOC 2144Z 247DEG 19KT 3422 7869
SHKSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Wilmington NC 645 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017 NCZ099-SCZ053-092345- Columbus NC-Inland Horry SC- 645 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017 ...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR SOUTHWESTERN COLUMBUS AND NORTH CENTRAL HORRY COUNTIES UNTIL 745 PM EDT... At 644 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Green Sea, or 17 miles east of Mullins, moving east at 10 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Tabor City, Loris, Bethel, Williams, Nakina, Dulah, Mollie, Sidney, Green Sea, Clarendon and Loris Community 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 storm passes. && LAT...LON 3406 7900 3422 7900 3426 7865 3405 7867 TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 273DEG 10KT 3415 7896 SHK
The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 45 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:19 UTC.
1 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Water was reportedly rushing across Old Stake Rd. just to the north of Tabor City. Some water entered a car that was driving through the flood waters.
High water was reported on 7 Creeks Hwy. near the Southern Bloom Nursery. A tree was also reported down in the flooded area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, July 2017
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: 713992, 713993.