NWS Wilmington, NC

Weather Forecast Office

Damaging Squall Line on March 8, 2005

Damaging Squall Line on March 8, 2005

The Event:

A damaging squall line developed during the morning hours over upstate North Carolina.

Fueled by a very strong jet stream, the storms raced to the east at 60 mph. All of the instances of severe weather resulted from straight-line wind damage, and there were a few reports of small hail. Larger hail was reported in northeastern North Carolina.

Most of the wind reports were between 60 and 70 mph across the Pee Dee and Lumberton areas, Figs. 1-4 and Appendix B. However, the convection strengthened as it moved toward the Cape Fear area wind gusts ranged from 80-100 mph, Figs 5-6 and Appendix B. There was a 77 knot (89 mph) gust reported at KILM as the line moved through. There was damage to one of the buildings on the airport grounds, along with some other structural damage in various parts of the CWA.

WFO Wilmington issued 24 warnings (21 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and 3 Special Marine Warnings). 17 of 21 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings verified. All three Special Marine Warnings verified as well.

Injuries/Deaths: Wilmington News reported a man was hurt in a tractor-trailer when a gat was made airborne by the wind and crashed into his cab.

RADAR IMAGERY


Figure 1. WSR-88D KLTX Base Reflectivity 0.5° 0.9° 1.3° 1.8°, 1431 UTC 3/8/05	Figure 2. WSR-88D KLTX Base Velocity 0.5° 0.9° 1.3° 1.8°, 1431 UTC 3/8/05

Figure 3. WSR-88D KLTX Base Reflectivity 0.5° 0.9° 1.3° 1.8°, 1444 UTC 3/8/05	Figure 4. WSR-88D KLTX Base Velocity 0.5° 0.9° 1.3° 1.8°, 1444 UTC 3/8/05

Figure 5. WSR-88D KLTX Base Reflectivity 0.5° 0.9° 1.3° 1.8°, 1548 UTC 3/8/05	Figure 6. WSR-88D KLTX Base Velocity 0.5° 0.9° 1.3° 1.8°, 1548 UTC 3/8/05

APPENDIX A Storm Report

Map of yesterday's severe weather reports

Type of Warning

Valid Time

County

Verify

Reports

Leadtime

SVR

827 - 915 AM

Darlington

Yes

Trees down Patrick Hiway in Hartsville 61 mph @ UDG @901 AM

34

SVR

827 - 915 AM

Marlboro

Yes

908 AM Trees down on Blenheim Highway - Hiway 38

41

SVR

906 - 945 AM

Marion

Yes

931 AM Trees down in Marion 944 AM 60 mph gust at 501 and 76

25

SVR

906 - 945 AM

Florence

Yes

919 AM FLO G58 923 AM Trees down W Pine St in FLO

13

SVR

906 - 945 AM

Dillon

Yes

915 AM Trees down Hi 38 Oak Grove

9

SVR

906 - 945 AM

Robeson

Yes

930 AM Trees down in Red Springs 936 AM Trees down in Orrum 940 AM Tractor Trailer overturned in LBT

24

SVR

939 - 1030 AM

Horry

Yes

950 AM Trees and powerlines in Duford

11

SVR

939 - 1030 AM

Marion

No

na

SVR

939 - 1030 AM

Florence

No

na

SVR

939 - 1030 AM

Columbus

No

na

SVR

939 - 1030 AM

Bladen

Yes

950 AM 70 MPH wind gust amat radio

11

SVR

939 - 1030 AM

Robeson

Yes

942 AM Trees down 3 on US 301 3 miles south of St Pauls

3

SVR

1008 - 1100 AM

Horry

Yes

1020 AM Trees and powerlines in Longs

12

SVR

1008 - 1100 AM

Brunswick

Yes

1036 AM Trees down in Leland

32

SVR

1008 - 1100 AM

New Hanover

Yes

1049 AM gust 89 @ ILM ASOS

41

SVR

1008 - 1100 AM

Columbus

1045 AM Home destroyed in Evergreen

37

SVR

1008 - 1100 AM

Pender

Yes

1040 AM 60 mph gust 3 W Burgaw 1045 AM trees down in Currie

32

SVR

1008 - 1100 AM

Bladen

Yes

Trees down in Lisbon 1031 AM

23

SVR

1057 - 1115 AM

Brunswick

No

na

SVR

1057 - 1115 AM

New Hanover

Yes

89 mph wind gust in Myrtle Grove 125 at Figure 8 Island (mesnet) 1100 AM

3

SVR

1057 - 1115 AM

Pender

Yes

1103 AM 72 mph wind gust at Surf City

6

APPENDIX B Wind Gust Values

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

SPOTTER REPORTS

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC

450 PM EST TUE MAR 8 2005

THIS IS A SUMMARY OF PEAK WIND REPORTS FROM THE HIGH WIND AND

THUNDERSTORM EVENT EARLIER TODAY. MANY THANKS ARE EXTENDED TO OUR

SPOTTERS...MESONET VOLUNTEERS...AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS...AND TO OUR

MEDIA PARTNERS WPDE-TV AND WECT-TV WHO RELAYED MANY REPORTS.

*********************MAXIMUM WIND SPEED*********************

LOCATION         MAXIMUM WIND    TIME/DATE    COMMENTS

                        SPEED       OF

                        (MPH)   MEASUREMENT

NORTH CAROLINA

...BRUNSWICK COUNTY...

   SOUTHPORT               51  1115 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS MESONET OBSERVATION

   OAK ISLAND              49  1115 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS MESONET OBSERVATION

...COLUMBUS COUNTY...

   WHITEVILLE              49  1115 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS MESONET OBSERVATION

...NEW HANOVER COUNTY...

   MYRTLE GROVE            89  1100 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS MESONET OBSERVATION

   WILMINGTON              89  1049 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS ASOS OBSERVATION

   WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH      76  1050 PM   3/8 SPOTTER  SUNSPREE RESORT - WECT

   WILMINGTON              51  1045 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  UNCW MAR SCI CNTR - WECT

   WILMINGTON              49  1045 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WECT STUDIOS

...PENDER COUNTY...

   SURF CITY               72  1103 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  MESONET OBSERVATION

   BURGAW                  60   940 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  TRAINED SPOTTER REPORT

...ROBESON COUNTY...

   LUMBERTON               51   944 PM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS ASOS OBSERVATION

SOUTH CAROLINA

...DARLINGTON COUNTY...

   DARLINGTON              61   901 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS AWOS OBSERVATION

...FLORENCE COUNTY...

   FLORENCE                58   919 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS ASOS OBSERVATION

   TIMMONSVILLE            52   915 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   JOHNSONVILLE            47   940 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   LAKE CITY               44   925 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   EFFINGHAM               43   925 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

...GEORGETOWN COUNTY...

   MURRELLS INLET          49  1015 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   PAWLEYS ISLAND          49  1015 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   GEORGETOWN              46  1015 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

...HORRY COUNTY...

   MYRTLE BEACH            53  1015 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   CONWAY                  47  1000 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   NORTH MYRTLE BEACH      47  1015 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   LITTLE RIVER            44  1015 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   SOCASTEE                44  1000 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

   CONWAY                  41  1130 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS MESONET OBSERVATION

   NORTH MYRTLE BEACH      36  1025 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  NWS ASOS OBSERVATION

...MARION COUNTY...

   MARION                  60   944 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER

...WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY...

   ANDREWS                 43   945 AM   3/8 SPOTTER  WPDE RELAYED REPORT

$$