Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 42, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 1, 1990Caldwell County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 1, 1990, 6:18 PM EDT for Caldwell County, North Carolina. It was in force for 57 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 1, 1990, 6:18 PM EDT (22:18 UTC)
Expired
May 1, 1990, 7:15 PM EDT
In force
57 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Caldwell 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, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 149 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 1990-05-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 564 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 1990-05-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 50 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
564 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-160 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1024 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
57 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.

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, May 1, 3:38 PM EDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
NCZ007-009-010-011-012-012230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
345 PM EDT TUE  MAY 01 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA UNTIL 9 PM...

AT 330 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
IN EASTERN TENNESSEE JUST WEST OF KNOXVILLE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT
ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO EXTREME WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  SOME OF THE HEAVIER STORMS MAY
PRODUCE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF ONE OF THESE STORMS..TAKE SLELTER UNTIL IT
PASSES.

STAY TUNED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO FOR THE LATEST
STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS.   YOU WILL HEAR IT FIRST ON THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE RADIO.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 6 PM.

OS
Special weather statement, May 1, 5:07 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
NCZ007-012200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
500 PM EDT TUE MAY 01 1990

... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA INCLUDING CATAWBA COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM EDT ...

AT 5 PM ... CHARLOTTE WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN COVERING MUCH OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.  THESE
VERY ACTIVE THUNDERSTORMS REACHED FROM NEAR ASHEVILLE NORTHEASTWARD
TO JUST WEST OF GREENSBORO.  ALL THE PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING TOWARD
THE EAST BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH.

EVERYONE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS OR REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THIS OFFjICE JUST BEFORE 7 PM
EDT.

CLARK
Special weather statement, May 1, 6:00 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
SCZ001>004-012300

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREER SC
500 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES
UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

NO THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED OVER THE UPSTATE AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS EASTERN TENNESSEE...
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA. THESE STORMS HAVE
PRODUCED DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL DURING THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS.

THIS AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE APPROACHING THE WESTERN
COUNTIES OF THE UPSTATE AROUND 8 PM EDT. BUT THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP
AHEAD OF THIS MAIN LINE AT ANY TIME.

PEOPLE IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD KEEP ALERT TO THE CURRENT
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES.

LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
ROBBINS
Special weather statement, May 1, 6:02 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
SCZ001>004-012300

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREER SC
600 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES
UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

NO THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED OVER THE UPSTATE AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS EASTERN TENNESSEE...
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...AND NORTHWEST GEORGIA. THESE STORMS HAVE
PRODUCED DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL DURING THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS.

THIS AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE APPROACHING THE WESTERN
COUNTIES OF THE UPSTATE AROUND 8 PM EDT. BUT THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP
AHEAD OF THIS MAIN LINE AT ANY TIME.

PEOPLE IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD KEEP ALERT TO THE CURRENT
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES.

LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
ROBBINS
CORRECTION FOR HEADING TIME.
Special weather statement, May 1, 6:03 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
NCZ007-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
600 PM EDT TUE MAY 01 1990

... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND
SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL MIDNIGHT.  THE WATCH INCLUDED BUT WAS NOT
LIMITED TO ... CLEVELAND ... CATAWBA ... LINCOLN ... GASTON ...
MECKLENBURG ... CABARRUS ... STANLY ... UNION ... ANSON ...
MONTGOMERY ... RICHMOND ... IREDELL ... AND ROWAN COUNTIES OF NORTH
CAROLINA AND CHEROKEE ... YORK ... CHESTER ... AND LANCASTER COUNTIES
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

AT 6 PM EDT ... CHARLOTTE WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN COVERING MOST OF WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA.  THE MOST ACTIVE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER EXTREME
WESTERN RUTHERFORD ... WESTERN BURKE ... AND EXTENDING INTO WESTERN
CATAWBA COUNTY ... JUST NORTH OF HICKORY ... ALL IN NORTH CAROLINA.
OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS EXTENDED FROM NORTHERN
IREDELL COUNTY TO NEAR MT. AIRY ... JUST SOUTH OF THE VIRGINIA
BORDER.  ALL OF THE STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AROUND 25 MPH.
THESE ARE DANGEROUS STORMS AND PEOPLE IN THEIR PATH SHOULD BE READY
TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IF SEVERE WEATHER IS SPOTTED OR A WARNING IS
ISSUED.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE AROUND 730 PM EDT.

CLARK
Special weather statement, May 1, 6:04 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
NCZ007-NCZ008-NCZ013-012330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
600 PM EDT TUE MAY 01 1990

... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND
SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL MIDNIGHT.  THE WATCH INCLUDED BUT WAS NOT
LIMITED TO ... CLEVELAND ... CATAWBA ... LINCOLN ... GASTON ...
MECKLENBURG ... CABARRUS ... STANLY ... UNION ... ANSON ...
MONTGOMERY ... RICHMOND ... IREDELL ... AND ROWAN COUNTIES OF NORTH
CAROLINA AND CHEROKEE ... YORK ... CHESTER ... AND LANCASTER COUNTIES
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

AT 6 PM EDT ... CHARLOTTE WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN COVERING MOST OF WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA.  THE MOST ACTIVE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER EXTREME
WESTERN RUTHERFORD ... WESTERN BURKE ... AND EXTENDING INTO WESTERN
CATAWBA COUNTY ... JUST NORTH OF HICKORY ... ALL IN NORTH CAROLINA.
OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS EXTENDED FROM NORTHERN
IREDELL COUNTY TO NEAR MT. AIRY ... JUST SOUTH OF THE VIRGINIA
BORDER.  ALL OF THE STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AROUND 25 MPH.
THESE ARE DANGEROUS STORMS AND PEOPLE IN THEIR PATH SHOULD BE READY
TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IF SEVERE WEATHER IS SPOTTED OR A WARNING IS
ISSUED.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE AROUND 730 PM EDT.

CLARK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 1, 5:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAvery58 min
May 1, 5:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGraham, Swain61 min
May 1, 5:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPolk, Rutherford66 min
May 1, 5:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee58 min
May 1, 6:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPolk, Rutherford60 min
May 1, 6:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBurke69 min
May 1, 7:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGaston69 min
May 1, 7:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee, Spartanburg64 min
May 1, 7:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson, Pickens38 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.