Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

March 27, 1994Rutherford County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 27, 1994, 4:45 PM EST for Rutherford County, North Carolina. It was in force for 45 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 27, 1994, 4:45 PM EST (21:45 UTC)
Expired
Mar 27, 1994, 5:30 PM EST
In force
45 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, 9.8 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 1994-03-27Temperature 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 1994-03-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 542 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
534 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
72 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
542 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
777 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 KAVL 272144
TORAVL
NCC161-272230-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASHEVILLE NC
445 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ASHEVILLE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  530 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN WEST NORTH CAROLINA
 
   ...RUTHERFORD COUNTY
 
AT 445 PM EST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER SOUTHERN POLK
COUNTY...MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 55 MILES AN HOUR. THIS TRACK WILL
CARRY THE THUNDERSTORM INTO RUTHERFORD COUNTY NEAR SPINDALE AND FOREST
CITY. WHILE NO TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN POLK COUNTY AT THIS TIME
...THIS THUNDERSTORM HAS SPAWNED SEVERAL TORNADOES IN SOUTH CAROLINA
NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE LINE.
 
TORNADOES IN THE SOUTH ARE HARD TO SEE BECAUSE OF RAIN...LOW
CLOUDS...AND TREES. TAKE COVER NOW...DO NOT TRY TO WAIT ON THE
STORM AND DO NOT TRY TO OUTRUN IT.
 
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, Mar 27, 3:03 PM EST, 1 hour 42 minutes before
NCZ056-068>074-082>084-272100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
300 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL 9 PM
THIS EVENING.  CLEVELAND... LINCOLN... GASTON... IREDELL...
MECKLENBURG... ROWAN... CABARRUS... UNION... STANLY... ANSON...
MONTGOMERY... AND RICHMOND IN NORTH CAROLINA...

...A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
SOUTH CAROLINA ALSO UNTIL 9 PM.  CHEROKEE... YORK... CHESTER.... AND
LANCASTER.

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CLEVELAND... CATAWBA...
LINCOLN... AND GASTON COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 250 PM WEATHER RADAR WAS SHOWING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
INTO EXTREME WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHWESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE SHOWERS WAS EXTENDING SOUTH FROM A LINE ABOUT
50 MILES WEST OF HICKORY TO 50 MILES WEST OF SHELBY.  THE
PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT AROUND 40 MPH.

REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE
WATCH AREA.  IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES PLEASE TAKE COVER
IMMEDIATELY.

CONTINUE T&O MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND IF ANY WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.
THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 4 PM.

GK
Local storm report, Mar 27, 3:26 PM EST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
325 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

TORNADO 319 PM LONG CREEK TORNADO ON GROUND 2 INJURED 2 HOMES
DESTROYED.

W. JONES/GSP
Local storm report, Mar 27, 3:40 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
340 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

330 PM OCONEE COUNTY REPORTS TORNADO DAMAGE WIDEPREAD ACROSS NORTHERN
PART OF COUNTY WITH MULTIPLE INJURIES...ST|ORM HAD LIFTED AND HEADED
TOWARD SALEM AT LAST REPORT.

W. JONES/GSP
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 3:59 PM EST, 46 minutes before
NCZ056-068>074-082>084-272200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLOTTE NC
400 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL 9 PM
THIS EVENING.  CLEVELAND... LINCOLN... GASTON... IREDELL...
MECKLENBURG... ROWAN... CABARRUS... UNION... STANLY... ANSON...
MONTGOMERY... AND RICHMOND IN NORTH CAROLINA...

...A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN
SOUTH CAROLINA ALSO UNTIL 9 PM.  CHEROKEE... YORK... CHESTER.... AND
LANCASTER.

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CLEVELAND... CATAWBA...
LINCOLN... AND GASTON COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 350 PM WEATHER RADAR WAS SHOWING A WIDESPREAD AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF NORTH AND SOUTH
CAROLINA.  THE AREA WAS MOVING INTO EXTREME WESTERN PORTIONS OF
CATAWBA AND CLEVELAND COUNTIES.  TORNADO PRODUCING STORMS WERE MOVING
THROUGH EXTREME NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA.  STORMS WERE
MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT AROUND 40 MPH.

REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE
WATCH AREA.  TORNADOES HAVE TOUCHED DOWN THROUGHOUT NORTHERN GEORGIA
AND NORTHWESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA.  IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES
PLEASE TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO
FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND FOR ANY WARNINGS THAT MAY BE
ISSUED.  THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY 5 PM.

GK
Local storm report, Mar 27, 4:01 PM EST, 44 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
400 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

355 PM OCONEE COUNTY MOUNTAIN REST TORNADO DAMAGE. SECOND STORM.

W. JONES/GSP
Local storm report, Mar 27, 4:19 PM EST, 26 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
418 PM EST SUN MAR 27 1994

415 PM GOLF BALL HAIL CLEVELAND GREENVILLE COUNTY.

W. JONES/GSP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 27, 1:32 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGraham, Swain58 min
Mar 27, 1:50 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee, Clay55 min
Mar 27, 3:35 PM ESTTornado WarningGSPJackson, Transylvania40 min
Mar 27, 3:46 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMacon59 min
Mar 27, 4:08 PM ESTTornado WarningGSPHenderson, Polk67 min
Mar 27, 5:05 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland55 min
Mar 27, 5:23 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPTransylvania37 min
Mar 27, 5:29 PM ESTTornado WarningGSPGaston61 min
Mar 27, 5:39 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHenderson66 min
Mar 27, 5:53 PM ESTTornado WarningGSPGaston37 min
Mar 27, 5:56 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPTransylvania34 min
Mar 27, 6:27 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee, Graham63 min
Mar 27, 6:27 PM ESTTornado WarningGSPGaston33 min
Mar 27, 6:31 PM ESTTornado WarningGSPGaston59 min
Mar 27, 6:53 PM ESTTornado WarningGSPCabarrus52 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.