Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 3, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

February 10, 1990Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 10, 1990, 9:23 AM EST for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. It was in force for 52 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 10, 1990, 9:23 AM EST (14:23 UTC)
Expired
Feb 10, 1990, 10:15 AM EST
In force
52 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Mecklenburg County, NC

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 2.4 hours before the alert went out and 125 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 1990-02-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 1990-02-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 368 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
NaN m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
368 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
365 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KCLT 101423
SVRCLT
NCC119-101515-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
923 AM EST SAT FEB 10 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLOTTE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
          ...MECKLENBURG
 
AT 915 WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTHEASTERN
GASTON COUNTY AND ABOUT TO MOVE INTO NORTHERN MECKLENBURG COUNTY OF
NORTH CAROLINA. THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND SUSPECTED
STRONG WINDS EXTENDED ON TO THE SOUTHEWEST THROUGH CLEVELAND COUNTY
AND INTO YORK COUNTY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
 
EVERYONE IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR SEVERE
WEATHER UNTIL AFTER 1000 AM THIS MORNING.
 
CABARRUS COUNTY SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR THUNDERSTORMS WHICH HAVE
THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER BY 940.
 
MARINERS AND OTHER INTERESTS ON AND AROUND LAKE NORMAN SHOULD
ANTICIPATE THUNDERSTORMS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH
945 THIS MORNING.
 
 
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES6
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 10, 6:09 AM EST, 3 hours 14 minutes before
SCZ001>004-101100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREER SC
605 AM EST SAT FEB 10 1990

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR OCONEE...PICKENS...ANDERSON...GREENVILLE
   SPARTANBURG...AND ABBEVILLE COUNTIES OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL
   10 AM EST...
...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...

AT 600 AM EST WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME
WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN AND EASTERN ANDERSON
NORTHERN ABBEVILLE...AND NORTHERN LAURENS COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WERE
MOVING EAST AND NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL EXTENDED FROM NEAR
ASHEVILLE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTHERN OCONEE
COUNTY OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA AND EXTENDED IN NORTHERN GEORGIA.
ATLANTA HAS REPORTED WIND GUSTS TO 68 MPH AT 6 AM EST WITH THUNDERSTORMS
IN THIS LINE.

PEOPLE IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...INTENSE LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLE
FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS THIS MORNING AS THESE
STORMS MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK
SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TV...OR LOCAL RADIO FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

ROBBINS/GSP
Special weather statement, Feb 10, 6:10 AM EST, 3 hours 13 minutes before
NCZ008-013

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
945 PM EST FRI FEB 09 1990

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHWARD INTO THE SOUTHERN
PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 945 PM EST THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN CHARLOTTE SHOWED
WIDESPREAD LIGHT AND MODERATE RAINFALL...WITH PATCHES OF HEAVIER
RAINFALL...THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA AND
ACROSS PORTIONS OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

HEAVIEST ACTIVITY WAS ACROSS UNION COUNTY OF NORTH CAROLINA...WHERE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE DUMPING HEAVY RAIN. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL CAN
BE EXPECTED UNTIL AT LEAST 1015 PM ACROSS UNION COUNTY...AS MORE
THUNDERSTORMS MOVE INTO THE COUNTY FROM UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

A CHECK WITH THE COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER IN UNION COUNTY
REVEALED MANY WEATHER RELATED AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS SO MOTORISTS
SHOULD USE CAUTION ON THE WET AND SLIPPERY ROADS.

IN ADDITION TO TRAFFIC PROBLEMS...THE HEAVY RAIN COULD CAUSE SOME
STREET FLOODING ACROSS PORTIONS OF UNION COUNTY...ESPECIALLY FROM
MONROE TO MARSHVILLE.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST STATEMENT UNLESS WEATHER CONDITIONS BECOME
WORSE.

JK
Special weather statement, Feb 10, 7:52 AM EST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
NCZ007-008-DDHHMM-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
750 AM EST SAT FEB 10 1990

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS...

AT 746 AM EST WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALEXANDER COUNTYSOUTH TO NEAR HICKORY IN CATAWBA
COUNTY. THIS AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE AMOVING INTO CATAWBA...
CLEVELAND AND LINCOLN COUNTIES.

HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE HAIL WILL
ACCOMPANIED THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

CONTINUE TO MONITOR YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY
9 AM OR SOONER.

JPW
Special weather statement, Feb 10, 8:26 AM EST, 57 minutes before
NCZ 007-009-010-011-012-013 - 101700 -

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
830 AM EST SAT FEB 10 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH VALID UNTIL
NOON FOR MCDOWELL...POLK...BURKE...CALDWELL AND RUTHERFORD COUNTIES
IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. PERSONS IN THESE COUNTIES SHOULD BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING W^EATHER CONDITIONS.

BE PREPARED TO MOVE QUICKLY TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF A TORNADO IS
SIGHTED OR A WARNING ISSUED.
AS
Local storm report, Feb 10, 8:28 AM EST, 55 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREER SC
826 AM EST SAT FEB 10 1990

THERE IS A PATTERN OF SIGNIFICANT HIGH WIND OR TORNADO DAMAGE ACROSS
PARTS OF OCONEE...PICKENS...ANDERSON...AND GREENVILLE AREAS.  SPOTTER
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT INITIAL REPORTS INDICATE WORST HIT AREAS MAY BE
ANDERSON COUNTY...EASLEY...AND EAST SIDE GREENVILLE.  THE LAST REPORTED
DAMAGE WAS IN EASTSIDE GREENVILLE ABOUT 816 AM.  SPECIFIC DETAILS WILL
BE GIVEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

WAJ
Local storm report, Feb 10, 8:51 AM EST, 32 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREER SC
848 AM EST SAT FEB 10 1990

COWPENS AREA SPARTANBURG COUNTY...TRAILER OVERTURNED WITH PERSONAL
INJURIES ABOUT 840 AM.

WAJ

The office that day

Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 10, 8:46 AM ESTTornado WarningGSPCleveland29 min
Feb 10, 9:07 AM ESTTornado WarningGSPGaston38 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.