North Carolina, 2019

Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, May 31, 2019

May 31, 2019 · NWS AKQ · 10 events in 6 counties and zones

Scattered severe thunderstorms in advance of low pressure and its associated cold front produced damaging winds and large hail across portions of northeast North Carolina.

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
$154,000
Crop damage
$350,000
Events
10

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 AKQ wrote it up.

Scattered severe thunderstorms in advance of low pressure and its associated cold front produced damaging winds and large hail across portions of northeast North Carolina.

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 Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 31, 9:58 AM EST, 2 hours 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 9:58 AM EST, 2 hours 32 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 31, 3:32 AM EST, 8 hours 58 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, May 31, 7:45 AM EST, 4 hours 45 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 31, 11:39 AM EST, 51 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 31, 11:59 AM EST, 31 minutes before
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The radar

The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 130 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Currituck

When
May 31, 12:30 PM EST
Where
Currituck County, 4.41 mi ENE of Poplar Branch
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
36.310, -75.810

Power line was damaged along Route 12.

Hail, Bertie

When
May 31, 5:16 PM EST
Where
Bertie County, 0.56 mi E of Roxobel
Measured
2.75 in hail
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$250,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
36.200, -77.240

Baseball size hail was reported. Hail damage occurred to homes and vehicles. Also, widespread crop damage was reported.

Hail, Bertie

When
May 31, 5:24 PM EST
Where
Bertie County, 0.56 mi E of Aulander
Measured
2.75 in hail
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
36.230, -77.110

Baseball size hail was reported. Several cars received extensive hail damage.

Hail, Chowan

When
May 31, 5:28 PM EST
Where
Chowan County, 1.12 mi E of Edenton
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
36.070, -76.600

Quarter size hail was reported.

Hail, Hertford

When
May 31, 5:58 PM EST
Where
Hertford County, 0.69 mi S of Murfreesboro
Measured
4 in hail
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
36.440, -77.100

Baseball to softball size hail was reported. Multiple cars and homes with broken windows were reported due to the large hail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hertford

When
May 31, 5:58 PM EST
Where
Hertford County, 0.69 mi S of Murfreesboro
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
36.440, -77.100

Tree was downed through a mobile home.

Thunderstorm Wind, Gates

When
May 31, 6:05 PM EST
Where
Gates County, 0.89 mi NW of Gatesville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
36.410, -76.760

Trees were downed along Route 37 in Gatesville.

Thunderstorm Wind, Northampton

When
May 31, 6:15 PM EST
Where
Northampton County, 0.89 mi NW of Rich Square
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
36.280, -77.290

Trees were downed onto power lines along Highway 305.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hertford

When
May 31, 6:30 PM EST
Where
Hertford County, 3.45 mi N of Menola
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
36.380, -77.130

Numerous trees were downed along Spring Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hertford

When
May 31, 6:30 PM EST
Where
Hertford County, 2.62 mi ENE of Murfreesboro
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
36.470, -77.060

Numerous trees were downed along Route 258 near Barretts Crossroad, between Murfreesboro and Como.

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 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, May 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: 831491, 831486, 831487, 831489, 831490, 831492, 831493, 831495, 831497, 831500.