Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1992

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

June 4, 1992Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Jun 4, 1992, 3:58 PM EDT for Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. It was in force for 32 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 4, 1992, 3:58 PM EDT (19:58 UTC)
Expired
Jun 4, 1992, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Mecklenburg County, NC

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 8.0 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 1992-06-04Temperature 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 1992-06-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 58 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
558 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
58 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
122 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 041959
TORCLT
NCC119-042030-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
358 PM EDT THU JUN 4 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLOTTE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 PM EDT
FOR EVERYONE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...MECKLENBURG COUNTY
 
A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY SEVERAL PEOPLE IN NORTHWESTERN MECKLENBURG
COUNTY AT 355 THIS AFTERNOON. RADAR SHOWS THIS TORNADO TO BE MOVING
TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. ON ITS PRESENT MOVEMENT IT WILL LIKELY
AFFECT HUNTERSVILLE AND PERHAPS A FEW MINUTES LATE CORNELIUS DURING
THE PERIOD OF THE WARNING.
 
EVERYONE IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
ACTION TO PROTECT THEIR LIFE. THE BEST PLACE TO BE IS IN BASEMENT.
IF THERE IS NONE AVAILABLE GO TO A SMALL ROOM NEAR THE CENTER OF A
BUILDING... GROUND FLOOR IF POSSIBLE. PROTECT YOUR HEAD AND CHEST.

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

Local storm report, Jun 4, 12:07 PM EDT, 3 hours 51 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
1205 PM EDT THU JUN 04 1992

DATE/TIME
 (EDT)
04/1130  (TIME ESTIMATED) LIGHTNING STRIKE KILLED ONE MAN IN
         DUNCAN AREA. REPORTED BY WSPA TV-7.
Special weather statement, Jun 4, 12:51 PM EDT, 3 hours 7 minutes before
NCZ009-010-012-007-013-041845-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
1248 PM EDT THU JUN 4 1992

...HEAVY RAIN MOVING THROUGH WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 1230 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF RAIN..SOME OF IT
HEAVY ENTENDING FROM SOUTHERN HENDERSON AND POLK COUNTIES NORTHWARD
INTO MADISON..YANCEY..MITCHELL..AVERY AND WATAUGA COUNTIES.  IT WAS
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS IN WATUAGA COUNTY REPORTED AT 1230PM
THAT THERE WAS SOME MINOR FLOODING OF THE WATAUGA RIVER IN THE FOSCOE
COMMUNITY OF WATAUGA COUNTY.  THE RIVER WAS APPROACHING BANKFUL IN
OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY.

ELSEWHERE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA SOME MINOR FLOODING OF STREETS AND
ROADWAYS MAY OCCUR AS THE HEAVY RAIN MOVES THROUGH.

THE RAIN IS ASSOCIATED WITH A WARM FRONT MOVING TO THE NORTH.  AT THE
ASHEVILLE AIRPORT MORE THAN ONE HALF INCH OF RAIN FELL AS THE FRONT
MOVED THROUGH THIS AREA.

PERSONS IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR HEAVY
RAIN DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR SO AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE QUICKLY TO
HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING DEVELOPS
HM
Special weather statement, Jun 4, 3:33 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
SCZ001-002-004-042030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
330 PM EDT THU JUN 04 1992

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM FOR ALL UPSTATE
   COUNTIES...

AT 325 THIS AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT
LIGHTNING WERE OCCURRING OVER OCONEE...PICKENS...SOUTHERN SPARTANBURG...
AND UNION COUNTIES OF THE UPSTATE. THE STRONGEST OF STORMS WAS LOCATED
OVER WOODRUFF SC MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AROUND 25 MPH AND WILL
AFFECT SOUTHERN SPARTANBURG COUNTY FOR THE NEXT HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE REDEVLOPING OVER THE AREA IN THE UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND
ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL. RESIDENTS
OF THE UPSTATE SHOULD STAY ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR LOCAL TV AND RADIO STATIONS FOR
FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
LEFKOF
Special weather statement, Jun 4, 3:53 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
NCZ007-008-042100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
352 PM EDT THU JUN 4 1992

...A THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 OCLOCK TONIGHT...

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED SINCE THE TORNADO IN CLEVELAND
COUNTY EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.

AT 350 THIS AFTERNOON WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDESTORMS ...
SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN... THROUGHOUT THE AREA WITHIN MORE THAN 100
MILES OF CHARLOTTE.  THE HEAVIEST ONE WAS LOCATED JUST NORTH OF
CHARLOTTE.

OTHER THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WITH HEAVY RAIN WAS NOTED OVER LAKE
WYLIE... COUTHEASTERN YORK COUNTY OF SOUTH CAROLINA... NORTHEASTERN
GASTON COUNTY... CENTRAL CLEVELAND COUNTY NORTHWESTERN LINCOLN COUNTY
AND SOUTHWESTERN CATAWBA COUNTY.  TO THE SOUTHEAST OF CHARLOTTE A
THUNDERSTORM WAS BEING SHOWN OVER MONROE.

ALL PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT AROUND 20 MPH.

THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE WATCH
AREA THIS AFTERNOON.  RAINFALL WITH PASSING THUNDERSTORMS WILL OFTEN
BE HEAVY AND POOLING OF WATER IS LIKELY.  RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WILL
UNDOUBTEDLY BE AFFECTED IN MANY AREAS SO EVERYONE MUST BE ALERT FOR
THIS.

NEARLY ONE INCH OF RAIN WAS \RECORDED THROUGH 345 THIS AFTERNOON AT THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLOTTE.  MANY AREAS HAVE RECEIVED EVEN
MORE.

ANOTHER UPDATED IS PLANNED FOR ABOUT 5 PM... DO NOT USE THIS STATEMENT
BEYOND THAT TIME.

RK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 4, 2:17 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPAvery, Caldwell, Watauga118 min
Jun 4, 2:28 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPCleveland47 min
Jun 4, 4:25 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPCaldwell2 hr
Jun 4, 5:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPUnion45 min
Jun 4, 6:11 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPCleveland34 min
Jun 4, 6:30 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPCaldwell2 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 1992Every tornado warning in 1992Tornadoes in 1992

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.