NOUS42 KILM 112043
PNSILM
NCZ087-096-097-099>101-SCZ017-023-024-032>034-039-046-120845-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
443 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2009

...MICROBURST (STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE) CONFIRMED 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF ORRUM NC...

LOCATION(CITY, COUNTY)...5 MILES NORTHEAST ORRUM, ROBESON COUNTY
DATE...MAY 11TH 2009
ESTIMATED TIME...858 TO 900 AM
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...125 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...350 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...2.5 MILES
* FATALITIES...0
* INJURIES...1

* NOTE THESE NUMBERS COULD CHANGE AFTER THE ISSUANCE OF THIS PRODUCT.

...SUMMARY...

A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM ENTERED WESTERN ROBESON COUNTY NEAR MAXTON
AROUND 815 AM MONDAY MORNING. STRONG WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
STORM TOPPLED NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES AS IT ACCELERATED TO
THE EAST. THE MOST SEVERE DAMAGE OCCURRED SOON AFTER THE STORM
MOVED EAST OF HIGHWAY 72 APPROXIMATELY 8-10 MILES SOUTH OF
LUMBERTON. AROUND THIS TIME...A WET MICROBURST...OR LOCALIZED
DOWNBURST ACCOMPANIED BY VERY HEAVY RAIN...BEGAN TO DESCEND. AS
THIS ACCELERATING COLUMN OF AIR REACHED THE GROUND...IT RAPIDLY
SPREAD TO THE SOUTHEAST RESULTING IN A SWATH OF STRAIGHT LINE WIND
DAMAGE TO NUMEROUS TREES...POWER LINES AND HOMES.

THE MICROBURST DAMAGE BEGAN TO APPEAR IN THE VICINITY OF WILTON
DRIVE NEAR GEM ROAD. SEVERAL TREES WERE UPROOTED OR SNAPPED OFF
AND MINOR TO MODERATE DAMAGE TO SHINGLES AND SIDING WAS OBSERVED.
THE DAMAGE BECAME MORE SIGNIFICANT AS THE STORM CROSSED HIGHWAY 72
AND APPROACHED SADIE DRIVE. NUMEROUS LARGE TREES WERE SNAPPED OFF
OR UPROOTED ALONG HIGHWAY 72...AND SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
OCCURRED TO APPROXIMATELY EIGHT HOMES ON SADIE DRIVE. ONE OF
THOSE HOMES WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND ONE LOST ITS ROOF. IN
ADDITION...SEVERAL SHEDS OR OUT BUILDINGS WERE TOTALLY DEMOLISHED.

DAMAGE OF THIS NATURE IS CONSISTENT WITH STRAIGHT LINE WIND SPEEDS
OF UP TO 125 MPH. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT A TORNADO
OCCURRED WITH THIS STORM...THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE IT PRODUCED IS
COMPARABLE TO A RATING OF EF-2. THIS WOULD ALSO BE COMPARABLE TO
WIND SPEEDS EXPERIENCED IN A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE.

$$

CRM