North Carolina Climate
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Transcript of North Carolina Climate
North Carolina Climate
NOAA/National Weather Service Raleigh, NC North Carolina Climate
Phillip Badgett NWS Raleigh, NC National Weather Service North
Carolina Topographic Map
National Weather Service North Carolinas Unique Topography and
Geography
The Appalachian Mountains the proximity to the Gulf Coast and the
Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Stream all have a profound affect on North
Carolinas Climate. Elevations range from sea level to 6684 feet at
Mt. Mitchell. Geographic regions include the Mountains Foothills
Piedmont Sandhills Coastal Plain Coastal Area and Outer Banks.
National Weather Service Factors that Influence North Carolinas
Climate
Mountains and moisture sources (Gulf and Atlantic) play major roles
in Cold Air Damming (CAD) and Thermal Moisture Boundary (TMB)
formation and resultant severe weather and winter weather
climatology. Tornado outbreaks are often tied to location of TMB.
(March 1984, November 1988, November 2008 just a few examples).
Mountains can disrupt or weaken tornado outbreaks in Tennessee
Valley from affecting our Piedmont (April 3-4, 1974 event).
Mesoscale Convective System (MCS) crossing mountains (often break
up crossing the mountains but can re-intensify east of mountains.
(RNK study). CAD results when cold stable air arriving from the
northeast is dammed up along the mountains. National Weather
Service Factors that Influence North Carolinas Climate
CAD (profound affect on North Carolinas Climate often enhancing
winter storms severe weather near TMB along CAD periphery to the
east and south and enhancing or reducing QPF. National Weather
Service TMB Severe Weather 3/28/1984 March 1984 Tornadoes Cold Air
Damming National Weather Service CAD with Ice Storm Dec. 2002 Ice
Accrual December 2002 North Carolinas Annual Precipitation
National Weather Service North Carolinas Annual Precipitation
Wettest weather station in North Carolina 91.72 Inches (Annual
Average) Lake Toxaway, Transylvania County Driest weather station
in North Carolina 37.32 Inches Asheville (downtown), Buncombe
County National Weather Service North Carolinas Annual
Precipitation
Wettest calendar year for any station Inches (1924), Rosman,
Transylvania County Driest calendar year for any station 22.69
Inches (1930), Mount Airy, Surry County National Weather Service
North Carolinas Precipitation Influences
Primary storm tracks, CAD, and TMB/Coastal Fronts (cool season).
Tropical cyclone tracks and low level boundaries (warm season).
Piedmont trough position (enhances summer pulse storms and
resultant QPF and pulse severe). (Reference Tony Ray study).
Sandhills enhanced summer rainfall due to differential heating of
sandy soil versus other soil types surrounding the region. (SCO
study). National Weather Service North Carolinas Annual
Temperature
National Weather Service North Carolinas Annual Temperature
Warmest weather station in North Carolina 63.8 degrees Wilmington,
New Hanover County Coldest weather station in North Carolina (where
people actually live) 48.8 degrees Banner Elk, Avery County degrees
Mount Mitchell, Yancey County National Weather Service North
Carolinas Annual Temperature
Lowest temperature on record was 34 below at Mount Mitchell
(January 21, 1985). Raleigh was 9 degrees below zero on that same
date for lowest all time in the Raleigh area. Highest temperature
on record was 110 degrees at Fayetteville (August 21, 1983) Raleigh
was 101 degrees that same day. National Weather Service Winter
Weather Climatology
Winter weather season typically runs between December and March.
Predominate snow events are most common over the northwest with
least occurrences along the coast. Freezing rain is most often
predominate over the Northern Piedmont Damming Region (due to CAD).
Sleet is rarely the predominate winter storm precipitation type (it
is typically found with transition zones of precipitation).
National Weather Service North Carolinas Annual Average
Snowfall
National Weather Service North Carolinas Number of Days with Snow
and Sleet Accumulation
National Weather Service North Carolinas Number of Events per Year
with Sleet and Freezing Rain
National Weather Service A Typical Strong Winter Storm with Cold
Air Damming
National Weather Service Severe Weather Climatology
Three Distinctive Severe Weather Seasons Primary (late February
through May) Pulse Severe (June through August) Secondary (October
and November) National Weather Service Tornado Track (EF3 and
Greater Since 1950)
National Weather Service Monthly Distribution of Tornadoes for the
Raleigh CWA
National Weather Service Monthly Distribution of Severe
Thunderstorm Wind Events for the Raleigh CWA
National Weather Service Hourly Frequency of Severe Thunderstorm
Wind Events for the Raleigh CWA
National Weather Service Monthly Distribution of Severe
Thunderstorm Hail Events for the Raleigh CWA
National Weather Service Hourly Frequency of Severe Thunderstorm
Hail Events for the Raleigh CWA
National Weather Service Flash Flood Climatology
National Weather Service River Flood Climatology
National Weather Service All Hurricanes Affecting North Carolina
1851-2008
National Weather Service June Hurricanes Affecting North Carolina
1851-2008
National Weather Service July Hurricanes Affecting North Carolina
1851-2008
National Weather Service August Hurricanes Affecting North Carolina
1851-2008
National Weather Service September Hurricanes Affecting North
Carolina 1851-2008
National Weather Service October Hurricanes Affecting North
Carolina 1851-2008
National Weather Service November Hurricanes Affecting North
Carolina 1851-2008
National Weather Service Record Tropical Season 2004 Tropical
Cyclone Tracks that Produced Tornadoes over RAH CWA (1950 through
2008) Credits North Carolina State Climate Office
Southeastern River Forecast Center National Climatic Data Center
Brandon Dunstan Jonathan Blaes, Darin Figurskey, Ryan Ellis,
Brandon Locklear, Mike Moneypenny, Barrett Smith - (NWS RAH).
National Weather Service