Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 24, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

April 27, 1994Rutherford County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Apr 27, 1994, 3:23 PM EDT for Rutherford County, North Carolina. It was in force for 37 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 27, 1994, 3:23 PM EDT (19:23 UTC)
Expired
Apr 27, 1994, 4:00 PM EDT
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Rutherford County, NC

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 7.4 hours before the alert went out and 197 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 1994-04-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 77 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 1994-04-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 70 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
77 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-224 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1050 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
70 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
74 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 271924
TORAVL
NCC161-272000-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
323 PM EDT WED APR 27 1994
 
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
 
   ...NORTHWESTERN RUTHERFORD COUNTY
 
AT 320 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO
WESTERN RUTHERFORD COUNTY BETWEEN LAKE LURE AND CHIMNEY ROCK. THIS
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAD PRODUCED SOME HAIL IN THE AREA.
 
 
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

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 27, 1:34 PM EDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before
NCZ001-018-033-034-048>055-058>067-271830-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
133 PM EDT WED APR 27 1994

AT 130 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADARS AND LIGHTNING NETWORK INFORMATION
INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE NORTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE
STATELINE EXTENDING FROM GRAYSON IN ASHE COUNTY TO RANGER IN SOUTHERN
CHEROKEE COUNTY. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
WAS OVER THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK NEAR CLINGMANS DOME.

MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WAS EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS...LOCALLY
HEAVY RAIN...AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING. THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
PRODUCED SMALL HAIL IN PARTS OF EASTERN TENNESSEE...AS THEY MOVE INTO
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA THEY MAY PRODUCE MORE HAIL.

PEOPLE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE READY TO TAKE SHELTER IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER`...YOU
ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

STAY TUNED TO LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES AND WARNINGS.

R. JONES
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 3:03 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
NCZ068>074-082>084-272000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
300 PM EDT WED APR 27 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF
   WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 8 PM...

...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS
   THE FOOTHILLS AND INTO THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 255 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS... WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN... DEADLY FREQUENT LIGHTNING...
AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS OVER A LARGE AREA OF NORTHWEST
NORTH CAROLINA. THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
AND WILL MOVE INTO PARTS OF CATAWBA COUNTY BY 315 PM.

THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY WAS JUST TO THE NORTH OF HICKORY IN CATAWBA
COUNTY AND CONTINUED TO THE NORTHEAST TO THE VIRGINIA BORDER. TO THE
SOUTHWEST THE LINE WAS JUST WEST OF WESTERN CATAWBA COUNTY AND
STRETCHED TO THE ASHEVILLE AREA.

SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY
WINDS AND HAIL.

ALTHOUGH NO WARNING IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT IN THE AREA CONTINUE TO
MONITOR TV...RADIO OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION AND BE READY TO fTAKE QUICK ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 4 PM.

GWC
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 3:03 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
SCZ001>008-010>013-019-272000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
302 PM EDT WED APR 27 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL UPSTATE COUNTIES EXCEPT
GREENWOOD UNTIL 800 PM EDT...

RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA FROM SOUTH OF ASHEVILLE TO NEAR CHATTANOOGA TENNESSEE
MOVING EAST AND SOUTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH. LARGE HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED
WITH THESE STORMS NEAR ASHEVILLE.

THESE STORMS MAY ENTER THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF OCONEE...PICKENS...AND
GREENVILLE COUNTIES BY 400 PM. INTENSE LIGHTNING ALONG WITH STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WINDS ARE POSSIBLE AS THESE STORMS MOVE INTO THE UPSTATE.

UPSTATE RESIDENT3S AND AREA BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR CHANGING WEATHER
CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND BE READY TO SEEK SHELTER IF THESE STORMS
THREATEN YOUR AREA.

LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

LEFKOF/GSP
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 3:07 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
NCZ068>074-082>084-272000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
300 PM EDT WED APR 27 1994

CORRECTED TO INCLUDE COUNTIED IN THE WATCH...

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF
   WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 8 PM...

...IN NORTH CAROLINA THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE
WATCH... CLEVELAND... CATAWBA... LINCOLN... GASTON... MECKLENBURG...
CABARRUS... STANLY... IREDELL... AND ROWAN...

...IN SOUTH CAROLINA THE WATCH COVERS CHEROKEE... YORK... CHESTER...
AND LANCASTER...

...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS
   THE FOOTHILLS AND INTO THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 255 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS... WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN... DEADLY FREQUENT LIGHTNING...
AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS OVER A LARGE AREA OF NORTHWEST
NORTH CAROLINA. THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
AND WILL MOVE INTO PARTS OF CATAWBA COUNTY BY 315 PM.

THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY WAS JUST TO THE NORTH OF HICKORY IN CATAWBA
COUNTY AND CONTINUED TO THE NORTHEAST TO THE VIRGINIA BORDER. TO THE
SOUTHWEST THE LINE WAS JUST WEST OF WESTERN CATAWBA COUNTY AND
STRETCHED TO THE ASHEVILLE AREA.

SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY
WINDS AND HAIL.

ALTHOUGH NO WARNING IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT IN THE AREA CONTINUE TO
MONITvOR TV...RADIO OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 4 PM.

GWC
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 3:09 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
NCZ068-069-070-071-072-073-074-082-083-084-272000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
300 PM EDT WED APR 27 1994

CORRECTED TO INCLUDE COUNTIES IN THE WATCH...

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF
   WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 8 PM...

...IN NORTH CAROLINA THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE
WATCH... CLEVELAND... CATAWBA... LINCOLN... GASTON... MECKLENBURG...
CABARRUS... STANLY... IREDELL... AND ROWAN...

...IN SOUTH CAROLINA THE WATCH COVERS CHEROKEE... YORK... CHESTER...
AND LANCASTER...

...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS
   THE FOOTHILLS AND INTO THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 255 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS... WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN... DEADLY FREQUENT LIGHTNING...
AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS OVER A LARGE AREA OF NORTHWEST
NORTH CAROLINA. THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
AND WILL MOVE INTO PARTS OF CATAWBA COUNTY BY 315 PM.

THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY WAS JUST TO THE NORTH OF HICKORY IN CATAWBA
COUNTY AND CONTINUED TO THE NORTHEAST TO THE VIRGINIA BORDER. TO THE
SOUTHWEST THE LINE WAS JUST WEST OF WESTERN CATAWBA COUNTY AND
STRETCHED TO THE ASHEVILLE AREA.

SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY
WINDS AND HAIL.

ALTHOUGH NO WARNING IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT IN THEx AREA CONTINUE TO
MONITOR TV...RADIO OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 4 PM.

GWC
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 3:14 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
NCZ056-068>074-082>084-272000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
300 PM EDT WED APR 27 1994

...CORRECTED TO INCLUDE COUNTIES IN THE WATCH...

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF
   WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 8 PM...

...IN NORTH CAROLINA THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE
WATCH... CLEVELAND... CATAWBA... LINCOLN... GASTON... MECKLENBURG...
CABARRUS... STANLY... IREDELL... AND ROWAN...

...IN SOUTH CAROLINA THE WATCH COVERS CHEROKEE... YORK... CHESTER...
AND LANCASTER...

...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS
   THE FOOTHILLS AND INTO THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...

AT 255 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS... WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN... DEADLY FREQUENT LIGHTNING...
AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS OVER A LARGE AREA OF NORTHWEST
NORTH CAROLINA. THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
AND WILL MOVE INTO PARTS OF CATAWBA COUNTY BY 315 PM.

THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY WAS JUST TO THE NORTH OF HICKORY IN CATAWBA
COUNTY AND CONTINUED TO THE NORTHEAST TO THE VIRGINIA BORDER. TO THE
SOUTHWEST THE LINE WAS JUST WEST OF WESTERN CATAWBA COUNTY AND
STRETCHED TO THE ASHEVILLE AREA.

SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY
WINDS AND HAIL.

ALTHOUGH NO WARNING IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT IN THE AREA CONTINUE TO
MONITOR TV...RADIO OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AROUND 4 PM.

GWC

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 27, 11:26 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCatawba34 min
Apr 27, 1:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPJackson, Swain46 min
Apr 27, 2:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee, Graham64 min
Apr 27, 2:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe, McDowell67 min
Apr 27, 3:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHenderson, Polk69 min
Apr 27, 3:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMacon66 min
Apr 27, 4:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPTransylvania38 min
Apr 27, 4:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland29 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes in 1994

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.