|
Topsail Area Weather
Watches & Warnings
Beach & Marine
Tides
Drought Center
Cams & Photos
Severe Weather
Weather News
Weather Tools
About TW
|
Topsail Island Severe Weather Awareness
Statewide there are over 3000 reports of thunderstorms in any given year. Some contain large hail and damaging winds resulting in millions of dollars in damage. Powerful thunderstorms are also responsible for injuries and sometimes deaths in North Carolina as a result of lightning and high winds. The severe thunderstorm season in central North Carolina typically starts in mid to late March and does not end until the middle of summer.
Severe thunderstorms
The National Weather Service considers a thunderstorm severe if it produces a tornado, hail at least the size of a penny and or wind of 58 mph or greater. These minimum wind and hail parameters are the National Weather Service's warning criteria for severe thunderstorms. Note the national Weather Service does not issue warnings for lightning and given the deadly nature of lightning you should always be aware of the lightning danger anytime a thunderstorm is nearby. In 2006 warnings issued by the Raleigh NWS office provided an average of fifteen minutes lead time for severe thunderstorms with a detection rate of nearly ninety percent.
Large Hail
In the past several years severe thunderstorms in North Carolina have produced hail as large as tennis balls and even baseballs. Just last year baseball size hail struck Eastern North Carolina resulting in over one hundreds thousand dollars in damage. Just two years ago hail of nearly 4 inches caused damage across the triangle. In the last 10 years there have been over 1000 reports of hail of at least one inch in diameter. While hail is not usually life threatening, these large chucks of ice when driven by strong winds cause serious damage to roofs, automobiles, and crops. Hail season in central North Carolina typically runs from mid March through early July, typically peaking in May.
Hailstones grow in thunderstorms with strong updrafts. These strong upward moving currents of air keep the ice suspended inside the thunderstorm...allowing the chunk of ice or hailstones to grow larger and larger. Once ice stones become too heavy for the updrafts to keep suspended...they fall to earth as hail. Thunderstorm updrafts which show signs of rotation on radar are very effective at suspending hail since the internal velocities in rotating updrafts are higher that those of non rotating updrafts.
Damaging Wind
Strong gusts of wind from a thunderstorm called downbursts or straight line wind, are another serious danger. These gusts of wind rush down from the sky sometimes reaching speeds in excess of 100 mph. Thunderstorm wind of this magnitude can impact large areas creating widespread damage. Damaging straight line winds can even cause damage equivalent to that of a tornado.
Lines of well organized thunderstorms...called squall lines...also Occasionally move across central North Carolina in the spring and early summer. These dangerous storm systems can be very explosive and race across the state at over 50 mph creating widespread wind damage over entire counties.
Damaging wind events in central North Carolina typically start as early as mid March and run into August. Damaging thunderstorm wind events are most notable from May through early August which is much longer than the typical severe hail season.
Safety
You can protect yourself during thunderstorms by remembering this phrase...hide from the wind and lightning. Stay away from windows when storms approach and seek shelter in an interior bathroom or closet when the wind really starts to blow.
Your best line of defense against severe thunderstorms...is to stay informed. There are so many great outdoor activities across the state of North Carolina and severe weather can bring a quick end to a days pleasure. Listen to NOAA weather radio, television or local radio for the latest forecasts and possible threat of thunderstorms and severe weather. If warnings are issued...take action and protect your family and property. Remember being safe is a lot better than being sorry.
Links to More Thunderstorm Information:
|
|
|
