Alert archive / South Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2002

Flash Flood Warning 13, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

September 15, 2002Greenville County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Sep 15, 2002, 5:01 PM EDT for Greenville County, South Carolina. It was in force for 119 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 15, 2002, 5:01 PM EDT (21:01 UTC)
Expired
Sep 15, 2002, 7:00 PM EDT
In force
119 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Greenville County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 14 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:02 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 259 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2002-09-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 97 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2002-09-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 148 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
97 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-167 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
457 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
148 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
253 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS52 KGSP 152101
FFWGSP
SCC045-152300-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
502 PM EDT SUN SEP 15 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL GREENVILLE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 700 PM EDT

* AT 445 PM EDT...THE PUBLIC REPORTED A FLASH FLOOD IN SEVERAL PARTS 
OF GREENVILLE COUNTY...INCLUDING MAULDIN AND THE EAST SIDE OF 
GREENVILLE.

* HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE OVER GREENVILLE COUNTY...CAUSING 
RIVERS AND STREAMS TO RISE FURTHER. CREEKS ON THE EAST SIDE OF 
GREENVILLE...AND IN MAULDIN AND TAYLORS...CAN BE EXPECTED TO REMAIN 
OUT OF THEIR BANKS.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY
ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS AND OTHER
LOW LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLASH FLOODING.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY.
MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. EVEN MODERN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES CANNOT BE 
SAFELY DRIVEN THROUGH FLOOD WATERS. PEOPLE BELOW SMALL DAMS AND 
PONDS SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY ALERT FOR RISING WATER.

$$
07
1 follow-up statement
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 152218
FFSGSP
SCC045-152300-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
618 PM EDT SUN SEP 15 2002

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 700 PM EDT FOR GREENVILLE
COUNTY...

EXTENSIVE FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE EAST SIDE OF GREENVILLE 
AND IN MAULDIN. MANY CREEKS WERE REPORTED OUT OF THEIR BANKS. 
ALTHOUGH THE THUNDERSTORMS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RAIN THAT CAUSED THE 
FLOOING ARE MOVING OUT OF GREENVILLE COUNTY...RUNOFF WILL CONTINUE 
FOR SOME TIME...AND RIVERS AND STREAMS MAY CONTINUE TO RISE.

DO NOT BECOME A FATALITY DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS...THE ROAD COULD
BE WASHED OUT FROM THE FLOW OF THE WATER...AND YOUR CAR COULD BE
SWEPT AWAY BY THE SWIFTLY MOVING WATER.

$$
07

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Sep 15, 2:24 PM EDT, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 15, 2:24 PM EDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
224 PM EDT SUN SEP 15 2002

REMNANTS OF HANNA APPEARS TO BE ON A TRACK JUST S OF AREA. HEAVY
RAIN PRODUCING FLOODING IN NE GA AND UPSTATE SC AT THIS TIME.
FAVORABLE PARAMETERS FOR PRECIPITATION MOVE N INTO NC THIS EVENING
AND OUT OF AREA OVERNIGHT. BASED ON RADAR TRENDS...LIMITED LIKELY
POPS TO GSP/AVL AND POINTS NE...WITH CHANCE TO SW. EXTENDED FLOOD
WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR AREA BETWEEN I-26 IN SC AND US-74 IN
NC...WHERE LIKELY POPS COINCIDE WITH BETTER 48 HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS.
ALTHOUGH I-40 CORRIDOR EXPECTED TO RECEIVE HEAVY RAIN AS
WELL...PREVIOUS TOTALS ON LOW SIDE AND DO NOT THINK FLOODING AS
LIKELY THERE.

MON FEATURES PARTIAL DRYING ON BACK SIDE OF LEE TROUGH IN DOWNGLIDE
FLOW...THOUGH ENOUGH MOISTURE TO MAINTAIN CHANCE POPS AS FRONT
ARRIVES LATE IN DAY. FRONT THROUGH AREA MON NIGHT...STALLING JUST S
OF AREA. BY TUE NIGHT ENOUGH MOISTURE ALONG TAIL OF FRONT TO
INTRODUCE POPS S AN W...SPREADING NE ACROSS AREA WED.

EXTENDED FEATURES ANOTHER FRONT REACHING AREA FRI...WITH YET ANOTHER
FRONT APPROACHING ON SUN. CHANCE POPS THROUGH MUCH OF EXTENDED.
CURRENT FORECAST OF NEXT TROPICAL SYSTEM TOO FAR AWAY TO IMPACT
LOCAL AREA BY DAY 7.

FCSTID =    7
GSP   66  87  65  84 /  60  30  20  10
AND   67  88  66  85 /  40  30  20  10
CLT   65  87  64  83 /  60  30  20  10
HKY   65  86  64  82 /  60  30  20  10
AVL   62  83  60  80 /  60  30  20  10

.GSP...
GA...NONE.
NC...FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS EVENING FOR ZONES NCZ066>072...NCZ082.
SC...FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS EVENING FOR ZONES
SCZ003...SCZ006>009...SCZ012>014.
O7

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 15, 2:38 PM EDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
238 PM EDT SUN SEP 15 2002

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

236 PM     WALHALLA                  SC   FLASH FLOOD
09/15/02   OCONEE                         TORRINGTON ROAD NEAR
                                          WALHALLA IS CLOSED DUE TO
                                          FLOODING. REPORT FROM
                                          COUNTY 911.

230 PM     SENECA                    SC   FLASH FLOOD
09/15/02   OCONEE                         MAULDIN MILL RD NEAR
                                          SENECA CLOSED DUE TO
                                          FLOODING. REPORT FROM
                                          COUNTY 911.

HANDEL
Local storm report, Sep 15, 4:41 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
441 PM EDT SUN SEP 15 2002

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

450 PM     ANDERSON                  SC   HEAVY RAINFALL
09/15/02   ANDERSON                       SEVERAL TREES DOWN DO TO
                                          WET SOILS...ONE FELL OVER
                                          SOME RAILROAD TRACKS

330 PM     PIEDMONT                  SC   FLOODING
09/15/02   GREENVILLE                     HIGHWAY 20 FLOODED

337 PM     MAULDIN                   SC   FLOODING
09/15/02   GREENVILLE                     CREEK FLOODING IN
                                          FORRESTER WOODS
                                          SUBDIVISION...ALSO AT
                                          BUTLER AND VERDIN ROADS.

340 PM     GREENVILLE                SC   FLOODING
09/15/02   GREENVILLE                     LAURENS ROAD AT WINBLEY
                                          AND CLEVELAND STREETS
                                          CLOSED DUE TO FLOIDING.
                                          SOME HOMES FLOODED AROUND
                                          CLEVELAND STREET. SINK
                                          HOLE REPORTED AT KEITH
                                          INDUSTRIAL.

345 PM     GREENVILLE                SC   FLOODING
09/15/02   GREENVILLE                     FLOODING REPORTED ON
                                          PELHAM ROAD AT SILVER
                                          CREEK...CAR STUCK ON
                                          FLOODED BRIDGE ON RILEY
                                          SMITH ROAD...COACH HILL
                                          FLOODED...ADDISON TOWN
                                          HOMES FLOODED...EDWARDS
                                          AND HOWELL ROADS FLOODED.

RBN
Local storm report, Sep 15, 4:58 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
458 PM EDT SUN SEP 15 2002

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

330 PM     ANDERSON                  SC   HEAVY RAINFALL
09/15/02   ANDERSON                       SEVERAL TREES DOWN DO TO
                                          WET SOILS...ONE FELL OVER
                                          SOME RAILROAD TRACKS

330 PM     PIEDMONT                  SC   FLOODING
09/15/02   GREENVILLE                     HIGHWAY 20 FLOODED

337 PM     MAULDIN                   SC   FLOODING
09/15/02   GREENVILLE                     CREEK FLOODING IN
                                          FORRESTER WOODS
                                          SUBDIVISION...ALSO AT
                                          BUTLER AND VERDIN ROADS.

340 PM     GREENVILLE                SC   FLOODING
09/15/02   GREENVILLE                     LAURENS ROAD AT WINBLEY
                                          AND CLEVELAND STREETS
                                          CLOSED DUE TO FLOIDING.
                                          SOME HOMES FLOODED AROUND
                                          CLEVELAND STREET. SINK
                                          HOLE REPORTED AT KEITH
                                          INDUSTRIAL.

345 PM     GREENVILLE                SC   FLOODING
09/15/02   GREENVILLE                     FLOODING REPORTED ON
                                          PELHAM ROAD AT SILVER
                                          CREEK...CAR STUCK ON
                                          FLOODED BRIDGE ON RILEY
                                          SMITH ROAD...COACH HILL
                                          FLOODED...ADDISON TOWN
                                          HOMES FLOODED...EDWARDS
                                          AND HOWELL ROADS FLOODED.

RBN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 15, 5:29 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPSpartanburg3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in South Carolina, 2002Every flash flood warning in 2002

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.