Alert archive / South Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2002

Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

October 16, 2002Greenville County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Oct 16, 2002, 2:41 AM EDT for Greenville County, South Carolina. It was in force for 109 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
Oct 16, 2002, 2:41 AM EDT (06:41 UTC)
Expired
Oct 16, 2002, 4:30 AM EDT
In force
109 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 06:43 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 00:00Z, 6.7 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 00:00Z on 2002-10-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 2002-10-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 129 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
3 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
460 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
129 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
122 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 
WGUS52 KGSP 160641
FFWGSP
SCC045-160830-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
232 AM EDT WED OCT 16 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 430 AM EDT

* AT 230 AM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE
  WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINFALL WAS SLOWLY TAPERING OFF TO SCATTERED
  SHOWERS. THE REEDY RIVER AT GREENVILLE...HOWEVER...CONTINUES TO
  RISE WITH SOME STREET FLOODING REPORTED. THE REEDY RIVER WAS AT
  8.8 FEET AND RISING AT 230 AM. BRUSHY CREEK AT DEL NORTE WAS
  RUNNING ABOUT 6.3 FEET AND STILL RISING AS WELL.

* FLOODING HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED ALONG HAMMETT STREET NEAR OLD
  BUNCOMBE ROAD IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE. FLOODING ALONG THE REEDY
  RIVER COULD CONTINUE TO AFFECT ADJACENT STREETS THIS MORNING
  BEFORE THE RIVER STARTS TO RECEDE AFTER 4 AM. FLOODING OF BOILING
  SPRINGS ROAD NEAR BRUSHY CREEK AT DEL NORTE IS LIKELY AS WELL.
  SIGNIFICANT PONDING OF WATER CAN BE EXPECTED IN LOW SPOTS
  COUNTYWIDE.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE 
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT
QUICKLY. MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY
IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

$$
HG
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 160744
FFSGSP
SCC045-160830-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
340 AM EDT WED OCT 16 2002

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 430 AM EDT FOR GREENVILLE
COUNTY...

AT 335 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED THAT THE 
WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL THAT HAS BEEN AFFECTING 
GREENVILLE COUNTY WAS PULLING NORTH OF THE AREA. ONLY SCATTERED 
LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EARLY 
MORNING HOURS.

FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED THIS MORNING ALONG THE REEDY RIVER IN 
DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE. AT 335 AM...THE REEDY RIVER STAGE HAD RISEN TO 
8.9 FEET. AN ADDITIONAL RISE TO NEAR 9 FEET IS EXPECTED AFTER 4 
AM...THEN THE REEDY RIVER SHOULD BEGIN FALLING. FLOODING WILL LIKELY 
CONTINUE THROUGH 430 AM IN AND NEAR CLEVELAND PARK...AND ALONG 
HAMMETT ROAD NEAR OLD BUNCOMBE ROAD IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE.

AT 335 AM...BRUSHY CREEK AT DEL NORTE WAS RUNNING JUST ABOVE 6 FEET. 
BRUSHY CREEK IS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY FALL AFTER 4 AM. HOWEVER... 
BOILING SPRINGS ROAD AT DEL NORTE MAY CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE 
FLOODING. ADDITIONALLY...LOW SPOTS IN ROADWAYS COUNTYWIDE WILL 
EXHIBIT SIGNIFICANT STANDING WATER THROUGH 4 AM. MANY OTHER STREAMS 
AND CREEKS MAY RUN QUITE HIGH.

DURING HEAVY RAIN EVENTS...SEVERE URBAN FLOODING CAN OCCUR IN AREAS 
SUCH AS UNDERPASSES...AND LOW AREAS WHERE WATER TENDS TO COLLECT. IF 
DRIVING...BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO 
RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. USE CAUTION IN OR 
NEAR ANY SMALL CREEK TONIGHT...AND AVOID ROUTES THAT YOU KNOW ARE 
FLOOD PRONE.
$$
HG
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 160835
FFSGSP
SCC045-160845-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
434 AM EDT WED OCT 16 2002

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WHICH WAS IN EFFECT FOR GREENVILLE COUNTY
HAS EXPIRED AS OF 430 AM EDT...

AT 430 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED ONLY 
ISOLATED LIGHT RAIN ACROSS GREENVILLE COUNTY. NO ADDITIONAL HEAVY 
RAIN IS EXPECTED...AND THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO 
EXPIRE.

THE REEDY RIVER IN GREENVILLE HAS CRESTED NEAR 9.0 FEET AND SHOULD 
CONTINUE A STEADY FALL THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. NO ADDITIONAL 
REPORTS OF FLOODING ALONG THE REEDY RIVER HAVE BEEN RECEIVED... 
HOWEVER SOME MINOR FLOODING IN THE CLEVELAND PARK AREA MAY CONTINUE 
BEYOND THE EXPIRATION OF THE WARNING.

THE BRUSHY CREEK AT DEL NORTE ROSE TO 6.3 FEET AROUND 3 AM THIS 
MORNING. IT NOW CONTINUES A STEADY FALL...AND WAS RUNNING 5.1 FEET 
AT 430 AM. NO ADDITIONAL FLOODING ALONG BRUSHY CREEK IS EXPECTED.

STANDING WATER MAY PERSIST IN LOW SPOTS THROUGH DAYBREAK...AND 
STREAMS WILL LIKELY RUN MUCH HIGHER THAN NORMAL THIS MORNING...BUT 
NO ADDITIONAL FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED.
$$
HG

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 Oct 15, 11:20 PM EDT, 3 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 15, 11:20 PM EDT, 3 hours 21 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1120 PM EDT TUE OCT 15 2002

CURRENT RADAR IMAGERY CONTINUES TO INDICATE FAIRLY LARGE AREA OF
MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN EXTENDING FROM WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE
UPSTATE THROUGH THE SOUTHERN NC MNTNS. BACK EDGE OF THIS RAIN SHIELD
CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE GA/SC BORDER...WITH ONLY SCATTERED SHOWERS
LINGERING FURTHER WEST INTO NORTH GEORGIA. WE WILL EXTEND
CATEGORICAL POPS/HEAVY RAIN WORDING INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
ACROSS  THE UPSTATE AND NC MNTNS...BUT SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL SHOULD
BE ENDING IN THESE AREAS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. FURTHER
NORTH AND EAST...CAT POPS WILL BE RETAINED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE
OVERNIGHT PERIOD. ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS AS IF THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST RAIN
WILL BE IMMEDIATELY ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE...WHERE LIFT WILL BE AIDED
BY STRONG UPSLOPE FLOW...WE WILL ALLOW THE FLOOD WATCH TO REMAIN IN
EFFECT OVERNIGHT.

OTHERWISE...WILL REFLECT TEMPS ACTUALLY RISING A COUPLE OF DEGREES
OVERNIGHT IN THE UPSTATE AND SOUTHERN NC FOOTHILLS...AS SURFACE COLD
POOL CONTINUES TO DECAY.

.GSP...
GA...NONE.
NC...FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES
NCZ033>037...NCZ048>050...NCZ052>057...NCZ064>072...NCZ082.
SC...FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES SCZ003...SCZ006>009.

LANE
Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 15, 6:11 AM EDT, 20 hours 30 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-151215-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
611 AM EDT TUE OCT 15 2002

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...

WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT WITH THE
THREAT OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
AND ADJACENT AREAS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE. FOR FURTHER
DETAILS...PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WATCH...FFAGSP...AND
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SPSGSP...ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

WINDY CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS HIGHER ELEVATIONS ARE LIKELY
ON WEDNESDAY. FOR FURTHER DETAILS...PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SPSGSP...ISSUED BY THIS OFFICE.

SOME FROST WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PARTS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA
MOUNTAINS EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

55

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 16, 12:41 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPGreenville109 min

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.