Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

April 28, 1990Greenville County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Apr 28, 1990, 5:20 PM EDT for Greenville County, South Carolina. It was in force for 55 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 28, 1990, 5:20 PM EDT (21:20 UTC)
Expired
Apr 28, 1990, 6:15 PM EDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Greenville County, SC

The radar

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

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 28, 5:40 PM EDTHail 1.75Greenville, SC
Apr 28, 5:53 PM EDTHail 0.88Greenville, SC
Apr 28, 6:10 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Greenville, SC

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Athens Municipal, GA (KAHN), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 135 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, Athens Municipal, GA at 12:00Z on 1990-04-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 5 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, Athens Municipal, GA at 12:00Z on 1990-04-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 157 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
5 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-92 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
653 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
157 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
133 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 KGSP 282122
TORGSP
SCC045-282215-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
520 PM EDT SAT APR 28 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  615 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN  SOUTH CAROLINA
          ...SOUTHERN GREENVILLE
 
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS ANDERSON COUNTY HAS CONTINUED TO
PRODUCE REPORTS OF VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGE FROM EITHER HIGH WINDS
OR TORNADOES. THE DAMAGE SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING IN THE PORTION OF THE
STORM WHICH TYPICALLY PRODUCES TORNADOES.
 
THE PROJECTED PATH OF THIS PART OF THE STORM IS OVER OR NEAR...
 
WILLIAMSTON BY 525 PM...FORK SHOALS...530 PM...GOLDEN STRIP AREA 540
TO 545 PM.
 
LARGE HAIL IS OCCURRING IN A LARGE AREA OF THE STORM
 
 
PEOPLE IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
ACTION TO PROTECT THEIR LIVES. GO TO YOUR BASEMENT...THE CENTER OF
BUILDINGS...COVER YOUR HEAD. DO NOT GO NEAR DOORS OR WINDOWS. GET
OUT OF MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES. GET INTO A STURDY BUILDING OR A
DITCH.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Apr 28, 3:15 PM EDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before
SCZ001>004-282030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
315 PM EDT SAT APR 28 1990

...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 900 PM FOR ALL THE UPSTATE COUNTIES OF
   SOUTH CAROLINA...

AT 315 PM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR FONTANA LAKE
IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...TO LAKE LANIER IN NOTHERN GEORGIA THEN
TO JUST EAST OF ATLANTA.  THE WEATHER SERVICE HAD SEVERAL REPORTS
OF HAIL WITH THESE STROMS AS THEY PASSED ACROSS WESTERN GEORGIA.

THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVIMG TO THE EAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR
AND MAY MOVE INTO THE WESTERN COUNTIES OF SOUTH CAROLINA BETWEEN
330 AND 400 PM EDT.  PLEASE MONTOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FREQUENTLY
FOR THE LATEST BULLETINS OR WARNINGS.

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REVIEW THE REPORTING PROCEDURES...
AND REMAIN ACTIVE UNTIL THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER PASSES.
MUSGROVE
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 3:39 PM EDT, 1 hour 41 minutes before
NCZ009-010-011-012-282130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
335 PM EDT SAT APR 28 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM FOR THE CENTRAL...
SOUTHERN AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 330 PM THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED FROM CHEROKEE TO
GRAHAM TO THE EXTREME WESTERN TIP OF SWAIN COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH
CAROLINA. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL TAKE THESE
STORMS NEAR BRYSON CITY IN SWAIN COUNTY BEFORE MOVING INTO SEVIER COUNTY
TENNESSEE.

A HAILSTORM WAS REPORTED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM ON HANGING DOG MOUNTAIN
JUST NORTHWEST OF MURPHY AND AT WKRK RADIO IN MURPHY. STRONG GUSTY WINDS
WERE REPORTED IN ROBBINSVILLE. NO WIND DAMAGE OR LARGE HAIL WAS REPORTED.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...MOVE INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING UNTIL
THE STORM HAS PASSED.

ELSEWHERE...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS MUCH OF
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT.

REMEMBER...THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORRENTIAL
DOWNPOURS...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS AS WELL AS DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.
CC
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 4:05 PM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
SCZ001>004-282100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
405 PM EDT SAT APR 28 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO OCONEE COUNTY OF SOUTH CAROLINA...
...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 900 PM FOR ALL THE UPSTATE COUNTIES OF
   SOUTH CAROLINA...

AT 400 PM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHEASTERN GEORGIA FROM
NEAR CLAYTON TO ATHENS.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST 35 MILES
AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE INTO OCONEE COUNTY WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. HAIL
AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE STROMS. IF WARNINGS SHOULD
BE ISSUED FOR THESE STORMS THERE MAY BE ONLY A FEW MINUTES TO TAKE
ACTION.

PLEASE MONTOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FREQUENTLY FOR THE LATEST BULLETINS
OR WARNINGS.
MUSGROVE
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 4:22 PM EDT, 58 minutes before
SCZ001>004-282100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
420 PM EDT SAT APR 28 1990

...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 900 PM FOR ALL THE UPSTATE COUNTIES OF
   SOUTH CAROLINA...

THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEASTERN GEORGIA WILL MOVE NORTHEAST INTO
THE SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE WITHIN AN HOUR. SOME OF THESE STORMS
HAVE PRODUCED DAMAGE IN NORTHERN GEORGIA. A TORNADO WAS REPORTED
IN THE ATHENS GEORGIA VICINITY AROUND 4 PM.

PEOPLE IN NORTHWESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
THUNDERSTRORMS DURING THE NEXT TWO TO THREE HOURS WITH POSSIBLE
STRONG GUSTY WIND AND HAIL.

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO REMAIN ALERT UNTIL THE THREAT OF
SEVERE WEATHER PASSES.
MUSGROVE
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 4:31 PM EDT, 49 minutes before
SCZ001>004-282115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
430 PM EDT SAT APR 28 1990

...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 900 PM FOR ALL THE UPSTATE COUNTIES OF
   SOUTH CAROLINA...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MOVING TOWARD ANDERSON COUNTY SOUTH CAROLINA HAS
PRODUCED ANOTHER POSSIBLE TORNADO IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA.  THERE HAVE BEEN
A NUMBER OF HAIL REPORTS WITH THIS STORM.  A WARNING MAY BECOME
NECESSARY FOR ANDERSON COUNTY SHORTLY.

LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

WAJ
Local storm report, Apr 28, 5:16 PM EDT, 4 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
515 PM EST SAT APR 28 1990

505 PM       SILO BLOWN DOWN 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ANDERSON AT
INTERSECTION OF SC 187 AND US 29.
512 PM       GOLFBALL HAIL WESTERN SECTIONS ANDERSON.

DAMAGE IS OCCURRING BACK EDGE OF STORM WHICH INDICATES POSSIBLE TORNADO.

JONES

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 28, 4:37 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAnderson68 min
Apr 28, 5:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAbbeville, Laurens69 min
Apr 28, 5:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPSpartanburg58 min
Apr 28, 6:03 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPSpartanburg27 min
Apr 28, 6:23 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPCherokee67 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.