Raleigh Tornado
Encyclopedia
The 1988 Raleigh tornado outbreak of November 28, 1988 was the most destructive of the seven tornadoes reported in northeastern North Carolina
and southeastern Virginia
between 1:00 AM and 5:45 AM The Raleigh
tornado produced over $77 million in damage, along with four fatalities (two in the city of Raleigh, and two in Nash County
) and 154 injuries. The damage path from the storm was measured at 84 miles (135 km) long, and 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) wide at times.
and extended from Maryland
to Georgia
. A warm front
previously located in the coastal plains had moved into the piedmont, separating air with temperatures and dew point
s in the 50s to the northwest from southeastern air with temperatures in the 70s and dew points in the 60s. A large upper level progressive amplitude trough stretched from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and an also large amplitude ridge was situated over the western Atlantic with an axis extending from Bermuda to the Canadian Maritimes. A subtropical jetstream
axis extended from the Gulf of Mexico to the Savannah River Basin. A polar jet stream
was located over the Ohio River valley. Positive buoyant energy was estimated at 1200 j/kg over the Raleigh area
), the Raleigh tornado touched down shortly after 1:00 AM on Monday, November 28 in Umstead State Park, between the western city limits of Raleigh and Raleigh-Durham International Airport
. It was spawned by a high-precipitation supercell
that formed east of Charlotte
in the southern Piedmont region and began to exhibit severe and rotational characteristics as it crossed nearby Chatham County
; earlier in the afternoon and evening, strong thunderstorms had been noted in the Charlotte area and also in the mountainous northwest corner of North Carolina. However, at 1:00 AM no severe thunderstorm or tornado watch had been issued for Raleigh and Wake County, NC. The weather conditions were believed to not be conducive to the development of such storms.
Warnings were quickly issued as the storm began carving a path through suburban north Raleigh, damaging or destroying nearly 2500 residences and over 75 businesses including entire shopping centers. By 1:30 AM, the tornado had moved out of northern Wake County and into Franklin County, NC. Fluctuating between F1 and F3 in strength, the storm finally dissipated after crossing I-95
between Roanoke Rapids and the Virginia state line. Overall, four people were killed: 2 children in Raleigh, and a couple in their mobile home in Nash County. Over 157 people were injured as a result of the storms.
After the Raleigh tornado dissipated, the parent supercell
spawned a weaker second tornado (F2) that caused minor damage in a brief touchdown near Seaboard, NC. The storm then spawned a third (also F2) tornado that produced $500,000 in damage in Southampton County, VA, Isle Of Wight County, VA, and the City of Franklin, VA.
Meanwhile, a third supercell later produced weak (F0 and F1) tornadoes in Pamlico County, NC, Hyde County, NC, and the Manteo area on Roanoke Island
in Dare County, NC.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and southeastern Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
between 1:00 AM and 5:45 AM The Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
tornado produced over $77 million in damage, along with four fatalities (two in the city of Raleigh, and two in Nash County
Nash County, North Carolina
Nash County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 87,420. Its county seat is Nashville.- History :...
) and 154 injuries. The damage path from the storm was measured at 84 miles (135 km) long, and 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) wide at times.
Synopsis
A surface-level pressure trough was located east of the Appalachian mountainsAppalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
and extended from Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
to Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. A warm front
Weather front
A weather front is a boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena. In surface weather analyses, fronts are depicted using various colored lines and symbols, depending on the type of front...
previously located in the coastal plains had moved into the piedmont, separating air with temperatures and dew point
Dew point
The dew point is the temperature to which a given parcel of humid air must be cooled, at constant barometric pressure, for water vapor to condense into liquid water. The condensed water is called dew when it forms on a solid surface. The dew point is a saturation temperature.The dew point is...
s in the 50s to the northwest from southeastern air with temperatures in the 70s and dew points in the 60s. A large upper level progressive amplitude trough stretched from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and an also large amplitude ridge was situated over the western Atlantic with an axis extending from Bermuda to the Canadian Maritimes. A subtropical jetstream
JetStream
JetStream and Mobile JetStream are two former brand names used by Telecom New Zealand to market its retail and resale ADSL-based fixed line and CDMA2000-based 3G wireless Internet access offerings respectively...
axis extended from the Gulf of Mexico to the Savannah River Basin. A polar jet stream
Jet stream
Jet streams are fast flowing, narrow air currents found in the atmospheres of some planets, including Earth. The main jet streams are located near the tropopause, the transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere . The major jet streams on Earth are westerly winds...
was located over the Ohio River valley. Positive buoyant energy was estimated at 1200 j/kg over the Raleigh area
Confirmed tornadoes
| F# Fujita scale The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation... |
Location | County | Time (EST) | Path length | Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte... |
||||||
| F4 | Raleigh Raleigh, North Carolina Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh... |
Wake Wake County, North Carolina Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county... , Franklin Franklin County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 47,260 people, 17,843 households, and 12,882 families residing in the county. The population density was 96 people per square mile . There were 20,364 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile... , Nash Nash County, North Carolina Nash County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 87,420. Its county seat is Nashville.- History :... , Halifax Halifax County, North Carolina -Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:-Demographics:[[Image:HalifaxCountyCotton.wmg.jpg|left|thumb|A cotton field blooms in Halifax County.... , Northampton Northampton County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 22,086 people, 8,691 households, and 5,953 families residing in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile . There were 10,455 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile... |
01:08 | 84 miles |
Violent tornado began near I-40 in Umstead State Park, before crossing suburban North Raleigh. At least $75 million in damage was produced by this storm, which eventually dissipated east of I-95 Interstate 95 in North Carolina Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. In North Carolina, I-95 runs diagonally across the eastern third of the state, from Rowland in the southwest to Roanoke Rapids in the northeast of the Inner Banks.-Route... . |
|
| F2 | near Seaboard Seaboard, North Carolina Seaboard is a town in Northampton County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 695 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Seaboard is located at .... |
Northampton Northampton County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 22,086 people, 8,691 households, and 5,953 families residing in the county. The population density was 41 people per square mile . There were 10,455 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile... |
03:00 | 3 miles |
Very brief touchdown shortly after previous tornado dissipated - the 2nd in a 3-tornado family that moved into Virginia. | |
| F1 | east of Bayboro Bayboro, North Carolina Bayboro is a town in Pamlico County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 741 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pamlico County.Bayboro is part of the New Bern, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:... |
Pamlico Pamlico County, North Carolina -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,934 people, 5,178 households, and 3,717 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile . There were 6,781 housing units at an average density of 20 per square mile... |
03:30 | 30 miles |
Weak tornado that criss-crossed inlets in eastern Pamlico County. | |
| F1 | Hyde County Hyde County, North Carolina -National protected areas:* Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge * Cape Hatteras National Seashore * Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge* Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge * Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:... |
Hyde Hyde County, North Carolina -National protected areas:* Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge * Cape Hatteras National Seashore * Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge* Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge * Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:... |
04:05 | 4 miles |
Brief touchdown in very sparsely populated area. | |
| F0 | Manteo Manteo, North Carolina Manteo is a town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States, located on Roanoke Island. The population was 1,052 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Dare County.-Geography:... |
Dare Dare County, North Carolina -National protected areas:* Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge * Cape Hatteras National Seashore * Fort Raleigh National Historic Site* Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge* Wright Brothers National Memorial-Demographics:... |
05:40 | 1 mile |
Brief touchdown with little damage on Roanoke Island. | |
| Virginia Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there... |
||||||
| F1 | near Alberta Alberta, Virginia Alberta is a town in Brunswick County, Virginia, United States. The population was 306 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Christanna Campus of Southside Virginia Community College.-Geography:... |
Brunswick Brunswick County, Virginia As of the census of 2000, there were 18,419 people, 6,277 households, and 4,312 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile . There were 7,541 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile... |
01:15 | 3 miles |
Brief touchdown. | |
| F2 | Franklin Franklin, Virginia Franklin is an independent city in Virginia. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Franklin with Southampton county for statistical purposes. The population was 8,582 in 2010.-History:... |
Southampton Southampton County, Virginia As of the census of 2010, there were 18,570 people, 6,279 households, and 4,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile... , City of Franklin Franklin, Virginia Franklin is an independent city in Virginia. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Franklin with Southampton county for statistical purposes. The population was 8,582 in 2010.-History:... , Isle Of Wight Isle of Wight County, Virginia As of the census of 2010, there were 35,270 people, 11,319 households, and 8,670 families residing in the county. The population density was 94 people per square mile . There were 12,066 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile... |
03:20 | 12 miles |
Multi-vortex F2 tornado began just into Virginia, shortly after the Seaboard tornado dissipated. The last tornado from the series that first formed in Raleigh. | |
The Raleigh tornado
Rated at F4 strength (see Fujita scaleFujita scale
The Fujita scale , or Fujita-Pearson scale, is a scale for rating tornado intensity, based primarily on the damage tornadoes inflict on human-built structures and vegetation...
), the Raleigh tornado touched down shortly after 1:00 AM on Monday, November 28 in Umstead State Park, between the western city limits of Raleigh and Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a public international airport located 4.5 miles northeast of the town of Morrisville in suburban Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The airport covers and operates three runways, providing direct service to 40 domestic and international...
. It was spawned by a high-precipitation supercell
Supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm that is characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, continuously-rotating updraft. For this reason, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms...
that formed east of Charlotte
CHARLOTTE
- CHARLOTTE :CHARLOTTE is an American blues-based hard rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1986. Currently, they are signed to indie label, Eonian Records, under which they released their debut cd, Medusa Groove, in 2010. Notable Charlotte songs include 'Siren', 'Little Devils',...
in the southern Piedmont region and began to exhibit severe and rotational characteristics as it crossed nearby Chatham County
Chatham County, North Carolina
Chatham County is a county located in the Piedmont area of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 49,329. Its county seat is Pittsboro.-History:...
; earlier in the afternoon and evening, strong thunderstorms had been noted in the Charlotte area and also in the mountainous northwest corner of North Carolina. However, at 1:00 AM no severe thunderstorm or tornado watch had been issued for Raleigh and Wake County, NC. The weather conditions were believed to not be conducive to the development of such storms.
Warnings were quickly issued as the storm began carving a path through suburban north Raleigh, damaging or destroying nearly 2500 residences and over 75 businesses including entire shopping centers. By 1:30 AM, the tornado had moved out of northern Wake County and into Franklin County, NC. Fluctuating between F1 and F3 in strength, the storm finally dissipated after crossing I-95
Interstate 95 in North Carolina
Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States from Florida to Maine. In North Carolina, I-95 runs diagonally across the eastern third of the state, from Rowland in the southwest to Roanoke Rapids in the northeast of the Inner Banks.-Route...
between Roanoke Rapids and the Virginia state line. Overall, four people were killed: 2 children in Raleigh, and a couple in their mobile home in Nash County. Over 157 people were injured as a result of the storms.
Additional tornadoes
Shortly after the Raleigh tornado formed, a second supercell produced a weak (F1) tornado near Alberta, VA and I-85.After the Raleigh tornado dissipated, the parent supercell
Supercell
A supercell is a thunderstorm that is characterized by the presence of a mesocyclone: a deep, continuously-rotating updraft. For this reason, these storms are sometimes referred to as rotating thunderstorms...
spawned a weaker second tornado (F2) that caused minor damage in a brief touchdown near Seaboard, NC. The storm then spawned a third (also F2) tornado that produced $500,000 in damage in Southampton County, VA, Isle Of Wight County, VA, and the City of Franklin, VA.
Meanwhile, a third supercell later produced weak (F0 and F1) tornadoes in Pamlico County, NC, Hyde County, NC, and the Manteo area on Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....
in Dare County, NC.