North Carolina, 2020

Damaging Winds in North Carolina, April 18, 2020

April 18, 2020 · NWS MHX · 8 events in 6 counties and zones

Thunderstorms developed and moved through the region during the afternoon to early evening hours. Wind damage was reported with some of these storms.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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 MHX wrote it up.

Thunderstorms developed and moved through the region during the afternoon to early evening hours. Wind damage was reported with some of these storms.

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 Newport/Morehead City, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 18, 9:23 AM EST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 18, 9:23 AM EST, 1 hour 16 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 18, 2:48 AM EST, 7 hours 51 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 18, 10:01 AM EST, 38 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Apr 18, 10:25 AM EST, 14 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Apr 18, 10:32 AM EST, 7 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Apr 18, 10:34 AM EST, 5 minutes before
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The radar

The Morehead City radar (KMHX), 130 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:40 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
April 18, 10:39 AM EST
Where
Washington County, 0.56 mi E of Scuppernong
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.880, -76.410

Photos indicate that metal siding and a roof was partially blown off of a farm building.

Thunderstorm Wind, Craven

When
April 18, 11:05 AM EST
Where
Craven County, 0.56 mi W of Washington Forks
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Social Media
Coordinates
35.150, -77.130

Photos indicate that a metal roof was peeled back on a house near the intersection of Beamans Fork Rd and Highway 55 west of New Bern.

Thunderstorm Wind, Beaufort

When
April 18, 11:07 AM EST
Where
Beaufort County, 0.69 mi S of Sidney Xrd
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
35.470, -76.680

Tideland Electric reported a tree on powerlines on Highway 99 near Sidney.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pamlico

When
April 18, 11:30 AM EST
Where
Pamlico County, 0.57 mi E of Merritt
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
35.100, -76.710

Tideland electric reported two power poles were broken and powerlines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pamlico

When
April 18, 11:33 AM EST
Where
Pamlico County, 0.57 mi E of Shortonville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
State Official
Coordinates
35.100, -76.620

Dispatch reports that a carport was blown into powerlines along Whortonsville Rd.

Thunderstorm Wind, Carteret

When
April 18, 12:01 PM EST
Where
Carteret County, 0.69 mi N of Davis
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.810, -76.450

Trees were snapped and large limbs were blown across Highway 70 in Davis. The time was estimated based on radar data.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dare

When
April 18, 12:06 PM EST
Where
Dare County, 0.69 mi N of (Hat)cape Hatteras
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
35.210, -75.700

The wind gust was reported at Hatteras Landing NOS station.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dare

When
April 18, 12:07 PM EST
Where
Dare County, 0.56 mi E of Buxton
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
35.270, -75.540

Cape Hatteras Electric Coop reports trees down on Powerlines in Buxton.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, April 2020

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 879847, 879848, 879849, 879851, 879852, 879853, 879855, 879854.