Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 65, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 7, 1998Madison County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 7, 1998, 3:10 PM EDT for Madison County, North Carolina. It was in force for 50 min. 1 report 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
May 7, 1998, 3:10 PM EDT (19:10 UTC)
Expired
May 7, 1998, 4:00 PM EDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Madison County, NC

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 7, 3:58 PM EDTHail 0.75Big Laurel, NC

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.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 7.2 hours before the alert went out and 254 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 1998-05-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 49 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 1998-05-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 31 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
49 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
523 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
31 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
53 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.

634 
WUUS1 KGSP 071911 RRA
SVRGSP
NCC115-072000-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
310 PM EDT THU MAY 7 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC HAS
ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  MADISON COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 400 PM EDT

* AT 311 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A
  DEVELOPING SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHERN GREENE COUNTY IN EAST
  TENNESSEE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  WHITEROCK BY 320 PM
  FAUST 325 PM

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.  FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CAN OCCUR
WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM.
KAJ

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 7, 2:40 PM EDT, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 7, 2:40 PM EDT, 30 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
240 PM EDT THU MAY 7 1998

CAE/FFC/RAH: TSTMS WITH HVY RAIN...POSS SVR TONIGHT.  HANG ONTO
              SMALL POPS THRU FRIDAY.

INITIAL BAND OF CONVECTION GETTING READY TO CLEAR EASTERN FRINGES
OF CWA & IN ITS WAKE...ATMOSPHERE SHOULD RECOVER QUICKLY WITH
AS SUNSHINE RETURNED TO HELP DESTABILIZE.  ALREADY TSTMS DEVELOPING
RAPIDLY IN EAST TENNESSEE & WILL SPREAD EAST BACK INTO FA LATER
THIS AFTERNOON & EVENING.  STRONG OMEGA...FAVORABLE LEFT EXIT REGION
POS OF 25H JET...UPPER DIFFLUENCE...INCREASING VWP AND LLVL RH RETURN
ALL LEADS TO IMPRESSIVE SVR CHCS INTO TONIGHT.  WARM FRONT LIES JUST
TO THE SOUTH/WEST OF FA & WILL CONT TO LIFT NWD WITH BEST TORNADO
THREAT ALONG THIS BNDRY.

THETA-E & HIGHER PW AXIS WILL SHIFT FROM ERN TENN THIS AFTERNOON
INTO AN E-W ORIENTATION ACRS N GA/N SC.  LOCALIZED 1-2 AMTS WILL
LIKELY DEVELOP WITH STMS TONIGHT BUT DEBATABLE IF THE DURATION OF
THIS SYSTEM WILL BE LONG ENOUGH FOR WIDESPREAD FLDG TO EVOLVE.

OMEGA & DEEP MOISTURE CUTS OFF TWDS 12Z WITH SFC & 85H FNT MOVING
ACRS FA DURING FRIDAY MORNING.  LLVL DRYING PROGGED DURING DAY
...BUT WERE STILL UNSTABLE AS UPPER LOW REMAINS OVER THE AREA.
SO...STILL WOULD LIKE TO HANG ONTO SMALL POPS THRU FRIDAY.

AVL  58/71/53/77  6312
CLT  63/77/58/83  6412
GSP  62/78/57/82  6312

CSH

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 7, 10:09 AM EDT, 5 hours 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
1009 AM EDT THU MAY 07 1998

TIME (EDT) .....CITY LOCATION....... ST   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           .....COUNTY LOCATION.....

1000 AM    CLARKESVILLE              GA   1.50 INCH HAIL
05/07/98   HABERSHAM                      REPORTED BY 911
                                          COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

KAJ
Special weather statement, May 7, 11:21 AM EDT, 3 hours 49 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-072300-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1121 AM EDT THU MAY 7 1998

...MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
THIS EVENING OVER NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA
UPSTATE...WITH A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS IN NORTH CAROLINA...

AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHEAST GEORGIA WILL
CONTINUE TO SPREAD EAST INTO SOUTH CAROLINA THROUGH MID-AFTERNOON.
INCREASING MID-LEVEL DRY AIR AND WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL
AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN CONJUCTION WITH INCREASING LOWER LEVEL
WARM AIR AND MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.
THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...ALTHOUGH
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.

LATER THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT...A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT INTO THE
AREA.  STRENTHENING LOW-LEVEL WIND FIELDS WILL AGAIN INCREASE THE
POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.  WITH THIS BOUNDARY LIFTING
NORTH...AN INCREASED CHANCE FOR TORNADOES WILL EXIST TONIGHT.

SPOTTER GROUPS WILL NEED TO BE ACTIVIATED THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA AND POSSIBLY AREAWIDE TONIGHT.

KEEP IT RIGHT HERE FOR UPDATES.

HORNE
Special weather statement, May 7, 1:55 PM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
GAZ026-028-029-SCZ001>014-019-071855-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
155 PM EDT THU MAY 7 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CLEARED THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 301...

IN GEORGIA...

FRANKLIN...HART...ELBERT

IN SOUTH CAROLINA...

OCONEE...PICKENS...GREENVILLE...SPARTANBURG...CHEROKEE...CHESTER...
YORK...ANDERSON...LAURENS...UNION...ABBEVILLE....GREENWOOD

SEVERE WEATHER HAS MOVED EAST OF THE THESE COUNTIES.
KAJ
Special weather statement, May 7, 1:55 PM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
GAZ026-028-029-SCZ001>014-019-071855-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
155 PM EDT THU MAY 7 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CLEARED THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 301...

IN GEORGIA...

FRANKLIN...HART...ELBERT

IN SOUTH CAROLINA...

OCONEE...PICKENS...GREENVILLE...SPARTANBURG...CHEROKEE...CHESTER...
YORK...ANDERSON...LAURENS...UNION...ABBEVILLE....GREENWOOD

SEVERE WEATHER HAS MOVED EAST OF THE THESE COUNTIES.
KAJ
Special weather statement, May 7, 2:29 PM EDT, 41 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-
SCZ001>014-
019-080005-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
229 PM EDT THU MAY 7 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER STILL POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS
NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS...

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
ACROSS NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS.  THUNDERSTORMS
THAT AFFECTED MOST OF THE AREA EARLIER TODAY HAVE MOVED EAST OF
THE AREA.  THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE
THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AS SUNSHINE DEVELOPS ACROSS MUCH
OF THE AREA.  THIS COMBINED WITH DRIER AIR ALOFT AND STRENGTHENING
WINDS IN THE ATMOSPHERE WILL RESULT IN POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

AS OF 230 PM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN EAST TENNESSEE
AND WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA DURING
THE MID AND LATE AFTERNOON.  NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN PORTIONS
OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA COULD BE AFFECTED BY LATE AFTERNOON.
SEVERE WEATHER WILL LIKELY HOLD OFF UNTIL THIS EVENING ACROSS THE
CAROLINA PIEDMONT.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED BY MID OR LATE AFTERNOON IN
PARTS OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RAIO OR TELEVISION OR
CABLE TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
KAJ
Special weather statement, May 7, 2:29 PM EDT, 41 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-
SCZ001>014-
019-080005-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
229 PM EDT THU MAY 7 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER STILL POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS
NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS...

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
ACROSS NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS.  THUNDERSTORMS
THAT AFFECTED MOST OF THE AREA EARLIER TODAY HAVE MOVED EAST OF
THE AREA.  THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE
THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AS SUNSHINE DEVELOPS ACROSS MUCH
OF THE AREA.  THIS COMBINED WITH DRIER AIR ALOFT AND STRENGTHENING
WINDS IN THE ATMOSPHERE WILL RESULT IN POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

AS OF 230 PM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN EAST TENNESSEE
AND WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA DURING
THE MID AND LATE AFTERNOON.  NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN PORTIONS
OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA COULD BE AFFECTED BY LATE AFTERNOON.
SEVERE WEATHER WILL LIKELY HOLD OFF UNTIL THIS EVENING ACROSS THE
CAROLINA PIEDMONT.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED BY MID OR LATE AFTERNOON IN
PARTS OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RAIO OR TELEVISION OR
CABLE TELEVISION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
KAJ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 7, 3:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMitchell, Yancey48 min
May 7, 4:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMadison45 min
May 7, 4:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPYancey44 min
May 7, 4:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMadison49 min
May 7, 5:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe32 min
May 7, 5:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander35 min
May 7, 5:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMcDowell46 min
May 7, 5:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGraham49 min
May 7, 5:33 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPIredell47 min
May 7, 5:40 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPMcDowell45 min
May 7, 5:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCaldwell49 min
May 7, 5:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPDavie34 min
May 7, 6:09 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAlexander46 min
May 7, 6:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHaywood49 min
May 7, 6:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBurke48 min
May 7, 6:26 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPIredell49 min
May 7, 6:34 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPLincoln46 min
May 7, 6:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe60 min
May 7, 7:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHaywood64 min
May 7, 7:06 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPRowan64 min
May 7, 7:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMcDowell64 min
May 7, 7:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPIredell, Mecklenburg33 min
May 7, 7:54 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPCabarrus46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

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.