Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

April 29, 1991Greenwood County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Apr 29, 1991, 7:03 PM EDT for Greenwood County, South Carolina. It was in force for 27 min. 2 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 29, 1991, 7:03 PM EDT (23:03 UTC)
Expired
Apr 29, 1991, 7:30 PM EDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Greenwood County, SC

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 29, 7:17 PM EDTHail 1.75Greenwood, SC
Apr 29, 7:35 PM EDTHail 1.75Greenwood, 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, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 111 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 1991-04-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 466 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 1991-04-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 191 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
466 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-85 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
677 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
191 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
221 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KGSP 292305
TORGSP
SCC047-292330-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
703 PM EDT MON APR 29 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  730 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN  SOUTH CAROLINA
 
   ...EASTERN GREENWOOD COUNTY
 
A FUNNEL CLOUD HAS BEEN REPORTED BY POLICE WHO ARE FOLLOWING IT EAST
OF THE CITY OF GREENWOOD MOVING TOWARD THE EAST.
 
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 29, 5:30 PM EDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
NCZ007-008-014-292230-

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
530 PM EDT MON APR 29 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF NORTH AND
SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT.

... THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CATAWBA COUNTY HAS EXPIRED AS
OF 530 PM EDT...

AT 530 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES OF ... CATAWBA ...
IREDELL AND UNION. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS ...
HEAVY DOWNPOURS ... AND DEADLY LIGHTNING. AT 525 PM EDT AN AMATEUR
RADIO OPERATOR REPORTED MARBLE SIZE HAIL OVER EASTERN CATAWBA COUNTY
NEAR INTERSTATE 40.

EVERYONE IN THESE COUNTIES ARE ADVISED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL
RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES ON THESE STORMS.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 630 PM EDT.

MATT
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 5:32 PM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
NCZ007-009-010-011-012-013-292230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
532 PM EDT MON APR 29 1991

...TORNADO WATCH TIL 11 PM EDT FOR THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF NORTH
CAROLINA INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF...ASHE...AVERY...BURKE...BUNCOMBE...
CALDWELL...HENDERSON...JACKSON...MADISON...MCDOWELL...MITCHELL...POLK...
RUTHERFORD...TRANSYLVANIA...WATUAGA AND YANCEY...

AT 530 PM EDT...SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER THE
MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE STRONGEST STORMS
WERE LOCATED IN THE FOOTHILLS FROM 15 TO 25 MILES NORTHEAST OF TRYON
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...POSSIBLY SEVERE WERE MOVING THROUGH UPSTATE
SOUTH CAROLINA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
THIS PATH WILL TAKE THESE STORMS INTO SOUTHEAST TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY AND
ALL OF SOUTHERN HENDERSON COUNTY BY 6 PM EDT. PEOPLE ALONG THE NORTH
CAROLINA-SOUTH CAROLINA BORDER AND IN HENDERSONVILLE SHOULD SEEK SAFE
SHELTER UNTIL THESE DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PASSED.

REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR
RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES
AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. HEAVY RAIN
ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS CAN QUICKLY FLOOD URBAN STREETS...SMALL
STREAMS AND OTHER LOW LYING AREAS.
CARPENTER
Special weather statement, Apr 29, 6:30 PM EDT, 33 minutes before
NCZ007-008-014-292330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
630 PM EDT MON APR 29 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF NORTH AND
SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT...

AT 625 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE
NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES OF GASTON ... CLEVELAND ... AND LINCOLN.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR ALSO INDICATED CLUSTERS OF STRONG PERSISTENT
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTHILLS ... FROM NORTH OF
SPARTANBURG SOUTH CAROLINA EXTENDING SOUTH. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT AROUND 30 MPH. IF THESE STORMS CONTINUE THEIR PRESENT
MOVEMENT THEY WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF
RUTHERFORD AND INTO CLEVELAND COUNTY BY AROUND 700 PM.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH OF THE SPARTANBURG AREA WERE CONTINUING
THEIR NORTHEAST MOVEMENT AND WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO THE SOUTH CAROLINA
COUNTY OF CHEROKEE BY AROUND 730 PM EDT.

THESE STORMS HAVE HAD SEVERE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THEM AND WILL
LIKELY CONTINUE TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS ... STRONG GUSTY WINDS ... AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.

EVERYONE IN THESE COUNTIES ARE ADVISED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL
RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES ON THESE STORMS.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 730 PM EDT.

MATT
Local storm report, Apr 29, 6:46 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
644 PM EDT MON APR 29 1991

640 PM EDT   HAM RADIO OPERATOR REPORTED PEA SIZE HAIL NEAR
             COOLEY SPRINGS IN NORTHERN SPARTANBURG COUNTY
             SOUTH CAROLINA.
Local storm report, Apr 29, 6:48 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
647 PM EDT MON APR 29 1991

647 PM EDT   HAM RADIO OPERATOR REPORTED THREE-QUARTER INCH
             HAIL NEAR COOLEY SPRINGS IN NORTHERN SPARTANBURG COUNTY
             SOUTH CAROLINA.
Local storm report, Apr 29, 6:55 PM EDT, 8 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
655 PM EDT MON APR 29 1991

650 PM EDT   NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTED GOLF BALL HAIL FINGERVILLE
             NORTHERN SPARTANBURG COUNTY.

JONES

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 28, 8:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPUnion58 min
Apr 29, 4:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPOconee57 min
Apr 29, 4:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson, Pickens64 min
Apr 29, 5:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenville64 min
Apr 29, 6:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPSpartanburg30 min
Apr 29, 6:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenwood47 min
Apr 29, 7:33 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPGreenwood57 min
Apr 29, 7:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee, Spartanburg56 min
Apr 29, 7:54 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPGreenville4 hr

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.