Wind Gusts and Rainfall Totals from the January 23-24, 2015 Coastal Storm

Strengthening low pressure developed in the northern Gulf of America on January 23rd and accelerated northeastward through Georgia and the Carolinas early in the morning of the 24th.  By sunrise on the 24th the low had exited northeastern North Carolina into the Atlantic Ocean and continued moving northeastward parallel to the mid-Atlantic coast.  Heavy rainfall measuring over three inches in spots occurred along the Grand Strand and Cape Fear coastline, accompanied by wind gusts in the 40-50 mph range. 

Although no coastal flooding was reported at local beaches, a storm surge of +1.4 to +2.1 feet above the predicted astronomical tide accompanied the strongest onshore winds.  This produced minor coastal flooding along the tidal portion of the Cape Fear River affecting downtown Wilmington. 

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1005 AM EST SAT JAN 24 2015

...SUMMARY OF STORM-TOTAL RAINFALL AND WIND GUSTS FROM THE COASTAL 
STORM OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS...

**********************24 HOUR RAINFALL**********************

LOCATION              24 HOUR     TIME/DATE   SOURCE                   
                     RAINFALL           OF 
                     /INCHES/   MEASUREMENT

NORTH CAROLINA

...BLADEN COUNTY...
   ELIZABETHTOWN 7 NW    0.68   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                

...BRUNSWICK COUNTY...
   WINNABOW 4 SE         3.40   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   BOLIVIA 8 SW          3.28   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   SUNSET BEACH 2 WNW    3.18   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   SUNSET BEACH 3 N      2.96   855 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   SOUTHPORT 6 W         2.64   845 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   OAK ISLAND 2 E        2.25   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   SOUTHPORT 3 NNW       2.11   740 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   LELAND 6 WSW          2.07   600 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   OAK ISLAND 1 W        1.70   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   LELAND 2 SW           1.69   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   SOUTHPORT 1 NE        1.66   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   SUPPLY                2.72   700 AM  1/24  RAWS
   LONGWOOD              1.46   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER                

...COLUMBUS COUNTY...
   LAKE WACCAMAW 3 SSW   1.55   635 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   CHADBOURN 1 NNW       0.88   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   WHITEVILLE 6 NW       0.79   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   WHITEVILLE            0.92   700 AM  1/24  RAWS                

...NEW HANOVER COUNTY...
   WILMINGTON 3 S        3.19   900 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   WILMINGTON 3S         3.30   900 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   WILMINGTON 6 SSE      2.11   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   BAYSHORE 1 ENE        1.95   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   WILMINGTON AIRPORT    1.74   700 AM  1/24  ASOS
   NWS WILMINGTON        1.71   700 AM  1/24  GOVERNMENT
   WILMINGTON 7SE        2.39   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER
   MASONBORO ISLAND      1.87   700 AM  1/24  NOS        

...PENDER COUNTY...
   CASTLE HAYNE 3 NW     2.48   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   HAMPSTEAD 2 S         2.29   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   SURF CITY 1 E         2.29   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   HAMPSTEAD  NW         2.23   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   SURF CITY             2.68   900 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER
   BACK ISLAND           2.52   700 AM  1/24  RAWS
   MOORES CREEK NATL PK  1.95   930 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER                 

...ROBESON COUNTY...
   LUMBERTON 2 NE        1.24   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   LUMBER RIVER ST PARK  0.67   800 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER
   LUMBERTON AIRPORT     1.02   700 AM  1/24  ASOS
   LUMBERTON WATER PLANT 1.08   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER              

SOUTH CAROLINA

...DARLINGTON COUNTY...
   HARTSVILLE 5 WSW      0.99   615 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   HARTSVILLE            0.90   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER                

...DILLON COUNTY...
   DILLON 4 NW           1.13   849 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   DILLON                0.90   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER                

...FLORENCE COUNTY...
   FLORENCE 2 SW         1.10   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   COWARD 5 NNW          0.84   835 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   LAKE CITY             0.93   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER
   FLORENCE AIRPORT      0.87   700 AM  1/24  ASOS                

...GEORGETOWN COUNTY...
   MURRELLS INLET 1 NNE  2.88   745 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   GEORGETOWN 5 NNE      2.75   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   PAWLEYS ISLAND 6 NNE  2.60   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   PAWLEYS ISLAND 3 W    2.49   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   PAWLEY'S ISLAND 1 NW  2.43   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   GEORGETOWN AIRPORT    2.15   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER

...HORRY COUNTY...
   SURFSIDE BEACH 1 NE   3.08   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MYRTLE BEACH 5 SW     3.04   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   NORTH MYRTLE BEACH 1  2.95   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MYRTLE BEACH 5 NE     2.90   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MURRELLS INLET 2 N    2.85   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MYRTLE BEACH 5 NNW    2.62   830 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MURRELLS INLET 4 N    2.59   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MYRTLE BEACH 9 WSW    2.52   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MYRTLE BEACH 2 ENE    2.32   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MYRTLE BEACH 8 WNW    1.80   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MYRTLE BEACH 5 WNW    1.77   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   MYRTLE BEACH 7 NNW    1.73   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   CONWAY 5 SSE          1.58   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   LORIS 3 WSW           1.24   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                
   LORIS 1 ENE           1.23   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   N MYRTLE BEACH        2.26   700 AM  1/24  ASOS
   MYRTLE BEACH 79TH ST  2.30   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER         

...MARION COUNTY...
   MULLINS               0.69   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER

...MARLBORO COUNTY...
   BENNETTSVILLE 4 SE    0.96   700 AM  1/24  COCORAHS                

...WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY...
   KINGSTREE 8 NW        1.34   800 AM  1/24  COCORAHS
   CADES                 1.05   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER
   OUTLAND               1.35   700 AM  1/24  COOP OBSERVER                         


***********************PEAK WIND GUST***********************

LOCATION             MAX WIND     TIME/DATE   SOURCE                   
                        GUST            OF 
                         MPH    MEASUREMENT

NORTH CAROLINA

...ATLANTIC OCEAN...
   WRIGHTSVILLE NEARSHORE  49   800 AM  1/24  NOAA BUOY 41038         
   SUNSET BEACH BUOY 2 SE  31   300 AM  1/24  NOAA BUOY 41024         
   FRYING PAN SHOALS BUOY  46   650 AM  1/24  NOAA BUOY 41013         

...BRUNSWICK COUNTY...
   SOUTHPORT 1 SSE         49   740 AM  1/24  CAPE FEAR RIVER PILOTS MESONET
   OCEAN CREST PIER        44   717 AM  1/24  OCPN7                   
   BALD HEAD ISLAND 1 W    38   745 AM  1/24  B.H.I. WEST BEACH MESONET
   SUNSET BEACH 3 NNE      33   254 AM  1/24  MESONET                 
   SOUTHPORT               30   735 AM  1/24  SUT AWOS                

...NEW HANOVER COUNTY...
   JOHNNY MERCER PIER      49   400 AM  1/24  JMPN7                   
   WILMINGTON 3 WSW        44   746 AM  1/24  STATE PORT MESONET  
   WILMINGTON              44   626 AM  1/24  ILM ASOS                
   SMITH CREEK             35   426 AM  1/24  KINGS GRANT MESONET     
   OGDEN 1 WSW             28   747 AM  1/24  MIDDLE SOUND LOOP RD MESONET

...PENDER COUNTY...
   TOPSAIL BEACH 1 SW      46   805 AM  1/24  N TOPSAIL BCH-MARKER 3 MESONET
   HAMPSTEAD 2 N           39   453 AM  1/24  CASTLE BAY MESONET      

SOUTH CAROLINA

...GEORGETOWN COUNTY...
   GEORGETOWN              44   635 AM  1/24  GGE AWOS                

...HORRY COUNTY...
   NORTH MYRTLE BEACH      47   647 AM  1/24  CRE ASOS                
   SPRINGMAID PIER         44   136 AM  1/24  MROS1                   
   LITTLE RIVER 1 N        43   512 AM  1/24  LITTLE RIVER-HIDDEN LAKES MESONET
   MYRTLE BEACH 2 WSW      38   315 AM  1/24  MYR AWOS                
   SOCASTEE 4 SSW          36   633 AM  1/24  SCHWARTZ WWTP MESONET   
   LONGS 3 SSE             33   453 AM  1/24  LITTLE RIVER-PLANTATION PINES MESO
   CONWAY 1 ESE            31   501 AM  1/24  CONWAY COURTHOUSE MESONET

$$

MRR/TRA