Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours. One particular storm became severe and produced isolated wind damage.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 MHX wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours. One particular storm became severe and produced isolated wind damage.
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 May 27, 2:27 PM EST, 3 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
327 PM EDT Wed May 27 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Strong to severe thunderstorm threat for Thursday.
Lowered temps a bit Sat/Sat night, as well as Sun into Mon.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Unseasonably warm, moist, and unstable airmass will support
multiple rounds of scattered storms through Thursday evening.
2) Drier and cooler behind a cold front Fri, then another fast
moving system brings potential for showers and a couple storms
Saturday.
3) Another cold front moves through Saturday night, bringing
next round of drier and more seasonable temperatures Sunday
through early next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...The sea breeze is working its way inland as a
front remains stalled to our north this afternoon. Moderate
instability and 2" PWATs will support a risk of intense rainfall
rates and localized flooding. Bulk shear will increase to 35 kt
this afternoon/evening, which will increase the potential for
more organized convection.
Tonight, the aforementioned front that has been stalled in VA
will start to drop south. This boundary and cold pools from
convection to our north will be the main forcing mechanisms
that will spark convection across our northern zones around
midnight. Modest instability (SBCAPE 1200 J/kg) and bulk shear
(25-30 kt) will present a marginal severe threat. PWATs will
remain around 2", and with a mean storm motion roughly parallel
to the southbound front, another round of intense rainfall rates
and localized flooding will be possible.
The CAMs have trended towards a solution that shows greater coverage
of convection that could last into early tomorrow morning for
the northern half of the CWA. The NAM3k is the most bullish of
the CAMs, but the general consensus is that convection will
start across the Albemarle Sound region around midnight and
increase in coverage as it moves south. By tomorrow morning,
the majority of the shower and thunderstorm activity should be
over the water.
Another round of showers and thunderstorms is expected
tomorrow afternoon and evening. There will be multiple forcing
mechanisms at play (front moving south and sea/river/sound
breezes), and where these interact will present the best chance
for deeper convection. The environment will be more impressive
than today with 30+ kt of bulk shear, strong instability
(1500-2000 J/kg MLCAPE), and 2" PWATs. Strong to moderately
severe thunderstorms will be capable of producing damaging wind
gusts, intense rainfall rates, and localized flooding.
KEY MESSAGE 2...The cold front will clear the area tomorrow
night, leaving drier and cooler conditions in its wake on Friday
as NE flow develops. The front will lift back north as a warm
front on Saturday and bring a 25-30% chance of showers and
thunderstorms to the southern half of the CWA (highest along the
coast).
KEY MESSAGE 3...The next cold front will move through on
Saturday night, which will bring more seasonable temperatures
and humidity to the area Sunday through early next week.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
Scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon may bring
brief periods of sub-VFR conditions (greatest chances for EWN
and OAJ). Another round of showers and thunderstorms will move
into our northern zones around midnight and progress southward
through early tomorrow morning. Again, this activity is expected
to be scattered, but brief periods of sub-VFR conditions will be
possible wherever precipitation develops. Any thunderstorms will
be capable of producing gusty winds and intense rainfall rates.
Tomorrow, the environment will be better suited for some strong
to marginally severe thunderstorms in the afternoon and early
evening as a cold front moves through the area and interacts
with the sea breeze.
Outlook (Thursday through Sunday): Drier and cooler conditions
are expected behind the front on Friday. Periods of sub-VFR may
return Saturday with another chance for rain and some
thunderstorms, mainly near the coast. VFR returns Sunday behind
FROPA.
&&
.MARINE...
Latest obs show SW winds 15-25 kt with 2-5 ft seas. The gradient
will tighten this afternoon through tonight as a thermal trough
strengthens inland in tandem with an approaching cold front
from the north. SW winds will increase to 20-25 kt with gusts to
25-30 kt for the coastal waters south of Oregon Inlet and
Pamlico Sound. Occasional gusts to 25 kt are possible for the
Croatan/Roanoke Sounds due to the localized funneling from the
SSW winds The gradient will relax late tonight with winds
diminishing below 25 kt by early tomorrow morning, though seas
will remain at 6 ft through about mid-morning. SCAs will remain
in place through that time.
Outlook (Thursday through Sunday): Unsettled weather will
continue through Thursday with shower and thunderstorms chances
persisting. The front will push south of the waters Thu into
Thu night, with winds becoming N to NE behind the fropa from
north to south across ENC and remaining through late Fri. Winds
will remain below SCA levels behind the front, with seas
generally 2-4 ft. Winds turn back around to the S on Sat as the
front moves back north as a warm front. Then another front moves
through Sat night, with winds becoming N to NE again by early
Sunday. SCA conditions possible with this round of nerly flow on
Sunday.
&&
.MHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...Beach Hazards Statement until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ195-
196-199-204-205.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 6 AM EDT Thursday for AMZ135.
Small Craft Advisory until 1 PM EDT Thursday for AMZ152-154-
156-158.
&&
DISCUSSION...OJC
AVIATION...OJC
MARINE...OJC/TLHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC 420 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 NCZ029-044>047-079>081-091-193-280830- Martin-Pitt-Washington-Tyrrell-Mainland Dare-Greene-Beaufort- Mainland Hyde-Lenoir-Northern Craven- 420 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for eastern North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ195-196-199-204-280830- West Carteret-East Carteret-Coastal Onslow-Ocracoke Island- 420 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for eastern North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Beach Hazards Statement. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. There is a risk of strong to marginally severe thunderstorms Thursday afternoon into early evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ203-280830- Northern Outer Banks- 420 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for eastern North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ205-280830- Hatteras Island- 420 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING south of Cape Hatteras... ...MODERATE RIP CURRENT RISK IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING north of Cape Hatteras... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for eastern North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Beach Hazards Statement. Moderate Rip Current Risk. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. NCZ090-092-094-194-198-280830- Duplin-Jones-Pamlico-Southern Craven-Inland Onslow- 420 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for eastern North Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. There is a risk of strong to marginally severe thunderstorms Thursday afternoon into early evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC
325 PM EDT Wed May 27 2026
NCZ092-194-195-198-199-272000-
Coastal Onslow NC-West Carteret NC-Jones NC-Inland Onslow NC-
Southern Craven NC-
325 PM EDT Wed May 27 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN JONES...SOUTH
CENTRAL CRAVEN...EAST CENTRAL ONSLOW AND SOUTHWESTERN CARTERET
COUNTIES THROUGH 400 PM EDT...
At 324 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Silverdale, or 8 miles east of Piney Green, moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Havelock, Morehead City, Newport, Stella, Swansboro, Hubert, Cape
Carteret, Pine Knoll Shores, Silverdale, Broad Creek, Wildwood,
Kuhns, Peletier, Bogue, Bogue Inlet Pier, Cedar Point, Mitchell
Village, and Indian Beach.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3465 7728 3482 7728 3491 7682 3464 7677
TIME...MOT...LOC 1924Z 260DEG 26KT 3473 7717
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
SimmsThe Morehead City radar (KMHX), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:30 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts moved patio furniture from the household out into the yard and snapped several branches around the area. The report was received via social media. The time was estimated based on radar.
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: 1330784.