High Wind in North Carolina, April 26, 2019

Name: High Wind in North Carolina, April 26, 2019
Start: 2019-04-26T13:05
End: 2019-04-26T18:00
Location: North Carolina

April 26, 2019 · NWS RNK · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A cold front passed through the area the afternoon of April 26. Behind this front, very strong northwest winds developed with a few location experiencing wind gusts around 60 mph for a short period of time heading into the evening hours.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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: $100,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 RNK wrote it up.

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 Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 26, 12:50 PM EST, 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 26, 12:50 PM EST, 15 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 26, 2:39 AM EST, 10 hours 26 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 26, 9:02 AM EST, 4 hours 3 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 26, 9:10 AM EST, 3 hours 55 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 26, 11:12 AM EST, 1 hour 53 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Apr 26, 11:28 AM EST, 1 hour 37 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
1228 PM EDT Fri Apr 26 2019

NCZ004>006-VAZ032-033-043>045-058-059-261745-
Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Henry-Franklin-Halifax-Patrick-Campbell-
Pittsylvania-Charlotte-
1228 PM EDT Fri Apr 26 2019

...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE AREA
...

Until 145 PM EDT.

At 1226 PM EDT, radar indicated showers and isolated thunderstorms
were located along a line extending from near Pittsville to
Pinnacle. Movement was east at 35 mph.

Wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible with these storms. Rainfall
amounts up an inch are possible.

Locations impacted include...
Danville...
Eden...
Reidsville...
Martinsville...
and South Boston.

This includes The following Locations The Martinsville Speedway,
Martinsville Airport, and Danville Airport.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these showers, and may
cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

LAT...LON 3689 7849 3670 7865 3663 7855 3669 7868
      3655 7874 3654 7914 3625 7916 3626 8045
      3632 8045 3704 7958 3705 7954 3701 7948
      3702 7946 3706 7949 3706 7944 3714 7934
      3708 7919 3706 7845
TIME...MOT...LOC 1626Z 262DEG 28KT 3704 7951 3631 8040

KK

Special weather statement, Apr 26, 12:34 PM EST, 31 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
134 PM EDT Fri Apr 26 2019

VAZ059-261815-
Charlotte-
134 PM EDT Fri Apr 26 2019

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CHARLOTTE COUNTY
...

Until 215 PM EDT.

At 134 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Phenix, moving
east at 30 mph.

Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.

Locations impacted include...
Keysville...
Charlotte Court House...
Phenix...
Red House...
and Madisonville.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

LAT...LON 3703 7846 3702 7846 3703 7878 3718 7883
      3721 7869 3719 7868 3719 7864 3717 7864
      3715 7860 3714 7859 3715 7855 3713 7851
      3711 7850 3709 7848 3708 7844
TIME...MOT...LOC 1734Z 262DEG 28KT 3711 7872

KK

Special weather statement, Apr 26, 12:52 PM EST, 13 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service BLACKSBURG VA
152 PM EDT Fri Apr 26 2019

VAZ044-058-261830-
Halifax-Pittsylvania-
152 PM EDT Fri Apr 26 2019

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT HALIFAX AND PITTSYLVANIA
COUNTIES...

Until 230 PM EDT.

At 151 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Elmo, moving
east at 30 mph.

Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.

Locations impacted include...
South Boston...
Halifax...
Turbeville...
Ingram...
and Milton.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

LAT...LON 3654 7873 3654 7930 3673 7933 3693 7877
      3662 7871
TIME...MOT...LOC 1751Z 262DEG 28KT 3665 7923

KK

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Surry

When: April 26, 1:05 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Surry forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 36.415, -80.687 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Damaging winds across Surry County prompted 97 calls to emergency officials about downed trees, 36 calls about power outages, four calls about fires (presumably due to power lines arcing), one call of a tree fallen onto a house, one call of a tree fallen onto a car, and two reports of debris in a roadway. Damage values are estimated.

High Wind, Watauga

When: April 26, 2:15 PM EST to 3:15 PM EST
Where: Watauga forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.231, -81.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Ashe

When: April 26, 3:45 PM EST to 4:45 PM EST
Where: Ashe forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 36.434, -81.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Alleghany

When: April 26, 4:59 PM EST to 5:59 PM EST
Where: Alleghany forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 36.491, -81.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, April 2019

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: 821559, 821557, 821554, 821556.