A very moist air mass, with precipitable water values around twice the normal amount, combined with an upper disturbance resulted in a slow moving area of showers and thunderstorms that moved across parts of Sampson County in the afternoon. As much as two to three inches of rain fell in a short amount of time where training occurred, which was enough to cause some flash flooding in Clinton.
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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 RAH wrote it up.
A very moist air mass, with precipitable water values around twice the normal amount, combined with an upper disturbance resulted in a slow moving area of showers and thunderstorms that moved across parts of Sampson County in the afternoon. As much as two to three inches of rain fell in a short amount of time where training occurred, which was enough to cause some flash flooding in Clinton.
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 May 25, 1:05 PM EST, 2 hours 10 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Raleigh NC 205 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... * Isolated pockets of heavy rainfall remain possible through this evening, and are possible again Tue. && .KEY MESSAGES... As of 205 PM Monday... 1) Numerous showers and isolated to scattered storms both today and Tue may produce pockets of heavy rainfall, although not everyone will see heavy rain. 2) Wetter pattern begins to break down, although most of the extended forecast will still have a chance of showers. && .DISCUSSION... As of 205 PM Monday... KEY MESSAGE 1... Numerous showers and isolated to scattered storms both today and Tue may produce pockets of heavy rainfall, although not everyone will see heavy rain. As previous shifts have noted, we remain in a high-PW environment near 2", about 175-200% of normal, with a deep feed of moisture from the Atlantic and Gulf from the surface through the mid levels. This is manifesting in spotty areas of decent rain rates, from a tenth to over a half inch per hour within storm clusters from just south of the Triad into the Triangle and down into the S Coastal Plain and E Sandhills. The surface front analyzed from the S Plains across the Mid Miss Valley and Ohio Valley to the E Great Lakes will remain to our N through Tue, keeping us status quo within steady influx of warm moist air amidst broad SBCAPE and shots of dynamic forcing for ascent, including that generated by subtle mid level perturbations and MCVs being drawn N and NNE around the periphery of the offshore- centered mid level anticyclone. RAP-based mesoanalysis shows 1000- 2500 SBCAPE over the area, supporting the current convection despite deep layer bulk shear generally under 20 kts. Hi-res models show the current area of showers and storms persisting over mainly our central and SE, as activity continues to track NNE from SC into early evening. We'll also see convection blossoming over the higher terrain spreading NE and E late afternoon through this evening affecting the N and W Piedmont, with lift boosted in the right entrance region of a jet core to our N, augmented by MCVs rolling up from the Gulf Coast. Will start with highest pops from the Hwy 1 corridor east, followed quickly by a peak on pops from the Triangle to the N and W through this evening. While river and stream levels are very low due to the ongoing drought conditions, any high rain rates could result in rapid runoff and ponding of water on roads and in low and poor drainage areas. The exit of dynamic forcing and nocturnal relative stabilization should result in a trend to a lull in pops after 2 AM tonight. Looking ahead to Tue, with no significant change in air mass, source region, or forcing mechanisms, persistence should rule. After considerable overnight stratus and patches of fog, another slow lifting of this low deck is expected through the morning, then any bit of insolation and heating will push up CAPE values to support scattered to numerous showers and storms in the still-damp column. While this will mean another threat of storm clusters with locally high rain rates, exactly where this rain might fall is difficult to pinpoint. The latest HREF members show a somewhat similar pattern to today, with the highest afternoon pops in our SE, trending to having the higher pops in the NW by evening as activity rolls off the mountains. Overall, though, pops will be above normal, and isolated street flooding will again be possible. KEY MESSAGE 2 ... Wetter pattern begins to break down, although most of the extended forecast will still have a chance of showers. A stationary front that has been anchored across Virginia will slide south through North Carolina Wednesday night into Thursday. While this will still keep a high chance of rain in the forecast, flow out of the west will not contain as much moisture as the southerly flow that has been occurring over the weekend, and overall rain totals should be less. Much of Thursday night and Friday should be dry across the area. However, the front should then become hung up across South Carolina and Georgia through the weekend, and a wave of low pressure will ride along the front. The low should bring some higher chances of rain back into the forecast, primarily to the south of US-64 and the highest on Saturday and Saturday night. The front will then continue to push south, and the chance of rain will decrease. Highs will be in the 80s Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with highs dropping into the 70s for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 120 PM Monday... Most central NC terminals have improved from earlier IFR conditions to MVFR cigs (including GSO/RDU/RWI), with IFR conditions shifted to the NW of central NC, and RWI/FAY periodically VFR as holes break within the lower cloud deck. But FAY/RWI/RDU have the highest chance of seeing scattered to numerous showers and isolated clusters of storms through this afternoon and early evening, producing brief gusty and erratic winds and brief sub-VFR vsbys. Starting mid evening at 01z-03z, northern areas including GSO/RDU have the highest chance of showers and isolated storms, lasting into the overnight hours before weakening and dissipating by 06z. Otherwise, cigs will continue to slowly rise today, and a short period of mostly VFR conditions is expected at central NC terminals from 20z to about 02z. Soon after 02z, a redevelopment of MVFR then IFR clouds is expected, with the lowest cigs expected 07z-13z Tue morning. Gradual improvement is again expected late morning to early afternoon Tue, toward the end of the TAF valid period, with cigs likely to be high-end MVFR or VFR by 17z. Another round of scattered to numerous showers and a few storms is again possible starting late morning Tue, and these could affect any of the terminals. Surface winds will be mainly from the SSW or SW at 8-14 kts, except mostly under 8 kts during the nighttime hours. Looking beyond 18z Tue, showers and isolated storms may again impact central NC terminals through the evening. The cycle of low stratus and patchy fog from late evening through mid morning will persist through Thu, with daily scattered to numerous showers and storms possible. Drier weather is expected Fri behind a cold front, but a few showers and storms may return Sat. && .CLIMATE... Record High Minimum Temperatures: May 25: KGSO: 70/2019 KRDU: 71/2019 KFAY: 71/2019 May 26: KGSO: 70/2019 KRDU: 73/2011 KFAY: 75/2004 May 27: KRDU: 72/1991 KFAY: 72/2006 May 28: KGSO: 70/2012 KRDU: 74/1914 && .RAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && DISCUSSION...Hartfield/Green AVIATION...Hartfield CLIMATE...RAH
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Raleigh NC 253 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026 NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-261100- Person-Granville-Vance-Warren-Halifax-Forsyth-Guilford-Alamance- Orange-Durham-Franklin-Nash-Edgecombe-Davidson-Randolph-Chatham-Wake- Johnston-Wilson-Stanly-Montgomery-Moore-Lee-Harnett-Wayne-Anson- Richmond-Scotland-Hoke-Cumberland-Sampson- 253 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central North Carolina. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Locally heavy rainfall will be possible through this evening. Isolated flooding in low lying or urban areas is possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Isolated pockets of heavy rainfall are possible again on Tuesday, with the highest chances in the Triad area. Localized flooding of streets and poor drainage areas may occur. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
139 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026
NCZ008-025-026-041-251815-
Franklin NC-Durham NC-Wake NC-Granville NC-
139 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN GRANVILLE...NORTHEASTERN
WAKE...SOUTHERN DURHAM AND NORTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES THROUGH 215
PM EDT...
At 139 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Durham to near Raleigh. Movement was
northeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Raleigh, Durham, Creedmoor, Louisburg, Wake Forest, Butner,
Franklinton, Rolesville, Youngsville, and Stem.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 85 between Mile Markers 177 and 202.
Interstate 440 between Mile Markers 8 and 11.
Interstate 540 between Mile Markers 2 and 19.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3624 7851 3618 7850 3618 7849 3616 7846
3616 7842 3619 7840 3608 7816 3581 7861
3597 7896 3631 7866
TIME...MOT...LOC 1739Z 225DEG 27KT 3597 7885 3588 7866
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
GreenSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Raleigh NC
213 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026
NCZ009-010-026-251915-
Franklin NC-Vance NC-Warren NC-
213 PM EDT Mon May 25 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN VANCE...WARREN AND
NORTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES THROUGH 315 PM EDT...
At 213 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Franklinton, or 7 miles west of Louisburg, moving northeast at 30
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Louisburg, Warrenton, Franklinton, Norlina, Littleton, Kittrell,
Macon, Centerville, Ingleside, and Gillburg.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3645 7791 3643 7792 3638 7791 3629 7795
3600 7841 3611 7853 3617 7850 3618 7850
3654 7808 3654 7802
TIME...MOT...LOC 1813Z 227DEG 26KT 3612 7842
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
GreenThe Raleigh/Durham radar (KRAX), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:15 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
There were multiple reports of flooding and high water in Clinton.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, May 2026
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: 1336371.