Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

April 28, 1991Oconee County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Apr 28, 1991, 6:18 PM EDT for Oconee County, South Carolina. It was in force for 42 min. 1 report 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, 1991, 6:18 PM EDT (22:18 UTC)
Expired
Apr 28, 1991, 7:00 PM EDT
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Oconee County, SC

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 28, 6:40 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Oconee, 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, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 92 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 1991-04-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 591 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 1991-04-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 103 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
591 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-43 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
571 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
103 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
143 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 282240 RRA
TORGSP
SCC073-282300-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
618 PM EDT SUN APR 28 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  700 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN  SOUTH CAROLINA
 
   ...SOUTHERN OCONEE COUNTY
 
THE STEPHENS COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA REPORTED A
TORNADO HAD TOUCHED DOWN NEAR TOCCOA. WEATHER RADAR INDICATED
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM JUST EAST OF TOCCOA. THIS STORM WAS MOVING
EAST AND NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
 
 
 
 
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, 4:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
SCZ001>004-282115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
420 PM EDT SUN APR 28 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MOST COUNTIES OF
UPSTATE CAROLINA UNTIL 11 PM EDT...
...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS APPROCHING THE UPSTATE...

IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...OCONEE...PICKENS...GREENVILLE...LAURENS...
SPARTANBURG...ANDERSON...ABBEVILLE...AND GREENWOOD COUNTIES ARE
INCLUDED IN THE WATCH AREA.

AT 415 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA. THIS LINE WAS MOVING
EAST AT 35 MPH AND SHOULD BE MOVING INTO THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF
THE UPSTATE BETWEEN 600 AND 700 PM EDT.

PEOPLE IN UPESTATE SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ALERT THIS EVENING FOR
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

ROBBINS
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 5:19 PM EDT, 59 minutes before
SCZ001>004-282215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
518 PM EDT SUN APR 28 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MOST COUNTIES OF
UPSTATE CAROLINA UNTIL 11 PM EDT...
...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS APPROCHING NORTHWEST UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...

IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA THE WATCH AREA INCLUDES...OCONEE...PICKENS...
GREENVILLE...LAURENS...SPARTANBURG...ANDERSON...ABBEVILLE...AND GREENWOOD
COUNTIES.

AT 515 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN GEORGIA. THIS LINE WAS MOVING EASTWARD AT ABOUT
35 TO 40 MPH AND SHOULD BE MOVING INTO THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF
OCONEE AND ANDERSON COUNTIES BETWEEN 530 ANDq 630 PM EDT.

PEOPLE IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ALERT THIS EVENING FOR
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE
SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

ROBBINS
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 5:34 PM EDT, 44 minutes before
NCZ007-009-010-011-012-013-282330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
530 PM EDT SUN APR 28 1991

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 520 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ON THE INCREASE ACROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG
GUSTY WINDS. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED IN NORTHERN CHEROKEE
AND SOUTHERN GRAHAM COUNTIES. ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG STORMS WERE JUST
NORTH OF BRYSON CITY IN SWAIN COUNTY. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST
AT AROUND 40 MPH.

SOME OF THE THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY DOWNPOURS...STRONG
GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME
SMALL HAIL. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING KILLS!! IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES YOUR AREA..SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
>
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION FOR FURTHER
WSTATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS ON THIS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.
USSERY
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 6:09 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
NCZ007-009-010-011-012-013-280000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
610 PM EDT SUN APR 28 1991

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 600 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAD DECREASED OVER CHEROKEE AND GRAHAM COUNTIES.
HOWEVER...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG
GUSTY WINDS NEAR BRYSON CITY IN SWAIN COUNTY. AT THIS TIME THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY WERE ALSO MOVING ALONG THE NORTH CAROLINA GEORGIA BORDER ACROSS
CLAY AND MACON COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

SOME OF THE THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY DOWNPOURS...STRONG
GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME
SMALL HAIL. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING KILLS!! IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES YOUR AREA..SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
>
STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TELEVISION STATION OR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO FPR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS IF CONDITION WARRANT.
USSERY
Special weather statement, Apr 28, 6:14 PM EDT, 4 minutes before
NCZ007-009-010-011-012-013-280000-
                                     ...CORRECTION FOR WORDING...
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
613 PM EDT SUN APR 28 1991

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 600 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAD DECREASED OVER CHEROKEE AND GRAHAM COUNTIES.
HOWEVER...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG
GUSTY WINDS NEAR BRYSON CITY IN SWAIN COUNTY. AT THIS TIME THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY WERE ALSO MOVING ALONG THE NORTH CAROLINA GEORGIA BORDER ACROSS
CLAY AND MACON COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

SOME OF THE THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY DOWNPOURS...STRONG
GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME
SMALL HAIL. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING KILLS!! IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES YOUR AREA..SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
>
STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TELEVISION STATION OR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO FPR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS IF CONDITION WARRANT.
USSERY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 28, 6:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson, Oconee64 min
Apr 28, 6:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPickens63 min
Apr 28, 7:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenwood, Laurens58 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

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.