Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1993

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 19, 1993Buncombe County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at May 19, 1993, 3:25 PM EDT for Buncombe County, North Carolina. It was in force for 35 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 19, 1993, 3:25 PM EDT (19:25 UTC)
Expired
May 19, 1993, 4:00 PM EDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Buncombe County, NC

The nearest sounding before it

Athens Municipal, GA (KAHN), launched 12:00Z, 7.4 hours before the alert went out and 198 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 1993-05-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 502 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 1993-05-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -36 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
502 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
759 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-36 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
42 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KAVL 191925
TORAVL
NCC021-192000-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
325 PM EDT WED MAY 19 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ASHEVILLE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  400 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN WEST NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...SOUTHERN BUNCOMBE COUNTY
 
A FUNNEL CLOUD CONTINUES TO BE REPORTED BY CLIMATIC DATA CENTER
EMPLOYEES AND HAM OPERATORS JUST EAST OF THE BILTMORE ESTATES AREA OF
ASHEVILLE. IF THE FUNNEL CLOUD TOUCHES THE GROUND...DAMAGE WILL
OCCUR...IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...TAKE SHELTER NOW.
 
 
PEOPLE IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
ACTION TO PROTECT THEIR LIVES. GO TO A 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.
 
R JONES/AVL
 
&

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, May 19, 1:27 PM EDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
NCZ007-008-014-191900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
125 PM EDT WED MAY 19 1993

...A PORTION OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED.  THE
COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE CANCELLATION PORTION OF THE WATCH INCLUDES
ROWAN COUNTY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND CHEROKEE COUNTY OF SOUTH
CAROLINA...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM FOR A
LARGE PORTION OF BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA.  INCLUDED WITHIN THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA ARE THE NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES OF
CLEVELAND... LINCOLN... GASTON... MECKLENBURG...CABARRUS...STANLY...
UNION... ANSON... MONTGOMERY AND RICHMOND.  THE SAME SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS YORK... CHESTER AND LANCASTER COUNTIES OF
SOUTH CAROLINA...

AT 115 THIS AFTERNOON AN AREA OF MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN WAS DETECTED ON
WEATHER RADAR FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA NORTHERN PIEDMONT SOUTHWEST
THROUGH CATAWBA...LINCOLN AND CLEVELAND COUNTIES AND ACROSS THE
STATELINE INTO WESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA.  THE PRECIPITATION INTENSITY
HAD DECREASED SINCE NOON AND THE RAIN AREA WAS DECREASING IN AREAL
COVERAGE.

MOVEMENT WAS TOWARDS THE EAST AT NEAR 35 MPH.  LIGHT RAIN WILL BEGIN
IN GASTONIA AROUND 130 THIS AFTERNOjON AND IN CHARLOTTE BETWEEN 200 AND
230 PM.

THE NEXT STATMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 300 THIS AFTERNOON. DO NOT
USE THIS STATEMENT BEYOND THAT TIME AS IT IS LIKELY THE WATCH WILL
EXPIRE AT 300 PM.

RNM
Special weather statement, May 19, 2:25 PM EDT, 1 hour before
NCZ007-008-014-191900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
225 PM EDT WED MAY 19 1993

...CORRECTION FOR TIME IN HEADER...

...A PORTION OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED.  THE
COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE CANCELLATION PORTION OF THE WATCH INCLUDES
CLEVELAND...LINCOLN...GASTON...MECKLENBURG...CABARRUS...STANLY...UNION
...ANSON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA...

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM FOR
RICHMOND COUNTY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND YORK... CHESTER AND LANCASTER
COUNTIES OF SOUTH CAROLINA...

AT 230 THIS AFTERNOON AN AREA OF MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN FROM GASTON COUNTY
AND LINCOLN COUNTY WEST INTO CLEVALAND COUNTY.  THE AREA OF
PRECIPITATION ALSO EXTENDED NORTH INTO THE NORTH CAROLINA NORTHERN
PIEDMONT AND SOUTH ACROSS THE STATE LINE THROUGH THE SOUTH CAROLINA
EASTERN PIEDMONT AND MIDLANDS.

FORWARD PROGRESSION OF THE RAIN HAD SLOWED SINCE 100 PM AND THE
MOVMENT WAS TOWARDS THE EAST AT NEAR 20 MPH.  THE PRECIPITATION
CONTINUED TO DECREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE THROUGHOUT CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA.  THIS MEANS THAT ADDITIONAL RAIN WITHIN THE METROLINA
CHARLOTTE AREA WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANT.

THE NEXT STATMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 300 THIS AFTERNOON. DO NOT
USE THIS STATEMENT BEYOND THAT TIME AS IT IS LIKELY THE WATCH WILL
EXPIRE AT 300 PM.

RNM
Special weather statement, May 19, 2:32 PM EDT, 53 minutes before
NCZ007-008-014-191900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
125 PM EDT WED MAY 19 1993

...A PORTION OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED.  THE
COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE CANCELLATION PORTION OF THE WATCH INCLUDES
CLEVELAND...LINCOLN...GASTON...MECKLENBURG...CABARRUS...STANLY...UNION
...ANSON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA...

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM FOR
RICHMOND COUNTY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND YORK... CHESTER AND LANCASTER
COUNTIES OF SOUTH CAROLINA...

AT 230 THIS AFTERNOON AN AREA OF MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN FROM GASTON COUNTY
AND LINCOLN COUNTY WEST INTO CLEVALAND COUNTY.  THE AREA OF
PRECIPITATION ALSO EXTENDED NORTH INTO THE NORTH CAROLINA NORTHERN
PIEDMONT AND SOUTH ACROSS THE STATE LINE THROUGH THE SOUTH CAROLINA
EASTERN PIEDMONT AND MIDLANDS.

FORWARD PROGRESSION OF THE RAIN HAD SLOWED SINCE 100 PM AND THE
MOVMENT WAS TOWARDS THE EAST AT NEAR 20 MPH.  THE PRECIPITATION
CONTINUED TO DECREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE THROUGHOUT CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA.  THIS MEANS THAT ADDITIONAL RAIN WITHIN THE METROLINA
CHARLOTTE AREA WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANT.

THE NEXT STATMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 300 THIS 2AFTERNOON. DO NOT
USE THIS STATEMENT BEYOND THAT TIME AS IT IS LIKELY THE WATCH WILL
EXPIRE AT 300 PM.

RNM
Special weather statement, May 19, 2:33 PM EDT, 52 minutes before
NCZ007-008-014-191900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
225 PM EDT WED MAY 19 1993

...CORRECTION FOR TIME IN HEADER...

...A PORTION OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED.  THE
COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE CANCELLATION PORTION OF THE WATCH INCLUDES
CLEVELAND...LINCOLN...GASTON...MECKLENBURG...CABARRUS...STANLY...UNION
...ANSON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA...

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM FOR
RICHMOND COUNTY OF NORTH CAROLINA AND YORK... CHESTER AND LANCASTER
COUNTIES OF SOUTH CAROLINA...

AT 230 THIS AFTERNOON AN AREA OF MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN FROM GASTON COUNTY
AND LINCOLN COUNTY WEST INTO CLEVALAND COUNTY.  THE AREA OF
PRECIPITATION ALSO EXTENDED NORTH INTO THE NORTH CAROLINA NORTHERN
PIEDMONT AND SOUTH ACROSS THE STATE LINE THROUGH THE SOUTH CAROLINA
EASTERN PIEDMONT AND MIDLANDS.

FORWARD PROGRESSION OF THE RAIN HAD SLOWED SINCE 100 PM AND THE
MOVMENT WAS TOWARDS THE EAST AT NEAR 20 MPH.  THE PRECIPITATION
CONTINUED TO DECREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE THROUGHOUT CENTRAL NORTH
CAROLINA.  THIS MEANS THAT ADDITIONAL RAIN WITHIN THE METROLINA
CHARLOTTE AREA WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANT.4

THE NEXT STATMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 300 THIS AFTERNOON. DO NOT
USE THIS STATEMENT BEYOND THAT TIME AS IT IS LIKELY THE WATCH WILL
EXPIRE AT 300 PM.

RNM
Special weather statement, May 19, 3:00 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
NCZ007-008-014-191900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
300 PM EDT WED MAY 19 1993

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS EXPIRED...

WEATHER RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF LIGHT RAIN OVER MECKLENBURG... GASTON
AND LINCOLN COUNTIES.  MOVEMENT WAS TOWARDS THE EAST AT 20 MPH.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST STATEMENT ISSUED.

RNM
Special weather statement, May 19, 3:03 PM EDT, 22 minutes before
NCZ007-008-014-191900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
300 PM EDT WED MAY 19 1993

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS EXPIRED...

WEATHER RADAR SHOWED AN AvREA OF LIGHT RAIN OVER MECKLENBURG... GASTON
AND LINCOLN COUNTIES.  MOVEMENT WAS TOWARDS THE EAST AT 20 MPH.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST STATEMENT ISSUED.

RNM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 19, 8:20 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMecklenburg40 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 1993Every tornado warning in 1993Tornadoes in 1993

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.