Severe thunderstorms developed across southeast North Carolina, producing hail up to 1.75 inches in diameter from Interstate 95 east to the coast during the mid and late afternoon hours. A total of 10 severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for 6 counties in NWS Wilmington's county warning area.
The thunderstorms developed during the afternoon as an upper level low pressure system moved directly over the area. The main severe weather threat was large hail as very cold air aloft was associated with the upper level low. The first report of large hail was received around 2:30 PM as 1.75 inch diameter hail fell just south of Fairmont in Robeson county. As other storms developed, several reports of dime to quarter sized hail were received from Bladen and Columbus counties. By 3:30 PM, the storms merged into a solid line extending from southern Pender county into Brunswick county. As this line advanced east, 1 inch hail was reported in Leland around 4:30 PM and nickel size hail fell in the Myrtle Grove area of New Hanover county before the line moved off the coast.
Widely scattered thunderstorms continued to develop behind this line of storms during the late afternoon hours. Another round of severe weather occurred across Robeson county as 3/4 inch hail fell in Red Springs. The event ended with a rainbow over New Hanover county.
The images below show the base reflectiviy and vertical integrated liquid (VIL) products from the Wilmington NWS radar around the time of the large hail near Fairmont and Leland. The VIL product gives a look at the total amount of water in a thunderstorm and large values indicate the possibility of large hail.
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Reflectivity image from 2:22 PM
4/28/00 The storm that produced the 1.75 inch diameter hail was just south of Fairmont in southern Robeson county. |
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VIL image from 2:22 PM 4/28/00 |
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Reflectivity image from 4:12 PM
4/28/00 The line of storms stretched from southern Pender county into Brunswick county and dropped 1 inch diameter hail in Leland. |
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VIL image from 4:12 PM 4/28/00 |
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Rainbow east of the NWS office in Wilmington after the thunderstorms. |
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON, NC
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0200 PM BURGAW NC WIND DAMAGE
04/28/00 PENDER EM REPORTED TREES DOWNED
AND ROOF DAMAGE ON NORTH
SIDE OF TOWN
0227 PM 7S FAIRMONT NC 1.75 INCH HAIL 04/28/00 ROBESON
0255 PM S TARHEEL NC 1.00 INCH HAIL 04/28/00 BLADEN NICKEL AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY FIREMAN
0255 PM W EVERGREEN NC 1.00 INCH HAIL
04/28/00 COLUMBUS TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED
QUARTER SIZED HAIL
0317 PM NR BLADENBORO NC .88 INCH HAIL
04/28/00 BLADEN NICKEL SIZE HAIL REPORTED
BY EMERGENCY MANAGER
0330 PM BUG HILL NC .75 INCH HAIL
04/28/00 COLUMBUS NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED
BY THE NAKINA RESCUE SQUAD
0405 PM NR ROWAN NC .75 INCH HAIL 04/28/00 BLADEN TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED DIME SIZED HAIL COVERING THE GROUND
0416 PM NR WINNABOW NC .75 INCH HAIL
04/28/00 BRUNSWICK TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED
DIME SIZE HAIL
0425 PM NR LELAND NC 1.00 INCH HAIL
04/28/00 BRUNSWICK TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED
QUARTER SIZED HAIL
0427 PM NR MYRTLE GROVE NC .88 INCH HAIL
04/28/00 NEW HANOVER NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED
BY FIRE DEPARTMENT
0455 PM RED SPRINGS NC .75 INCH HAIL 04/28/00 ROBESON