Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 288, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

November 11, 2002Habersham County, Rabun County, Georgia

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Nov 11, 2002, 2:33 AM EST for Habersham County, Rabun County, Georgia. It was in force for 42 min. 2 reports 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
Nov 11, 2002, 2:33 AM EST (07:33 UTC)
Expired
Nov 11, 2002, 3:15 AM EST
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Habersham County, GA, Rabun County, GA

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Nov 11, 2:50 AM ESTThunderstorm Wind 50 EClarkesville, GAA few trees were blown down.
Nov 11, 2:50 AM ESTThunderstorm Wind 50 EClayton, GAA few trees and a power pole were blown down.

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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Nov 10, 11:05 PM ESTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 181 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 2002-11-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1907 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 00:00Z on 2002-11-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 287 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
1907 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
713 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
57 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
287 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
332 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.3
Supercell composite
11.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Nov 11, 1:25 AM EST, 1 hour 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 11, 1:25 AM EST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
125 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

UPDATED ZONES TO REFLECT NEW TORNADO WATCH.

FCSTID = 33

.GSP...
GA...NONE.
NC...WIND ADVISORY TONIGHT FOR NC/NE GA MTNS.
SC...NONE.

HG
Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 10, 6:05 AM EST, 20 hours 28 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-101300-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
605 AM EST SUN NOV 10 2002

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

.DAY ONE...

LOW PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL PUSH A COLD FRONT INTO
THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHERN GEORGIA TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WILL
ACCOMPANY THE FRONT TONIGHT...SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

ON TUESDAY...LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE
AND WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF PRECIPITATION TO THE REGION.
DEPENDING ON THE EVENTUAL TRACK AND STRENGTH OF THIS SYSTEM...HEAVY
RAINFALL MAY RESULT ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST
GEORGIA ON TUESDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NED

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 10, 10:00 PM EST, 4 hours 33 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-111000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1000 PM EST SUN NOV 10 2002

...SEVERE WEATHER LIKELY OVERNIGHT IN THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND
NORTHEAST GEORGIA...

WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT
MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL TENNESSEE THIS EVENING. THIS STORM SYSTEM...
WHICH HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY TORNADOES...WILL APPROACH THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST
GEORGIA OVERNIGHT. THE COMBINATION OF UNSTABLE AIR IN PLACE OVER THE
REGION...COMBINED WITH VERY STRONG WINDS THROUGH A DEEP LAYER OF THE
ATMOSPHERE...ARE EXPECTED TO KEEP THIS STORM SYSTEM TOGETHER AS IT
MOVES INTO THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS.

ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO THE MOUNTAINS OF
NORTH CAROLINA AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SEVERE
WEATHER WILL BE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA...UPSTATE
SOUTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA THROUGH 5 AM. IF THE SQUALL
LINE HOLDS TOGETHER... THEN THE SEVERE THREAT WILL SPREAD TOWARD THE
INTERSTATE 77 CORRIDOR BY DAYBREAK.

ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP OVERNIGHT WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
POSSIBLY TORNADOES.

SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ACTIVATE QUICKLY OVERNIGHT.
DISPATCHERS SHOULD ENSURE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS ARE
AWARE OF THIS INFORMATION.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET IN
CASE ANY WATCHES OR WARNING ARE ISSUED.

HG
Special weather statement, Nov 11, 12:08 AM EST, 2 hours 25 minutes before
NCZ051-058-110600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1208 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING THE SOUTHWEST
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS...

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS...WILL BE MOVING INTO THE SMOKIES SHORTLY AFTER 1 AM.
AREAS FROM AROUND ROBBINSVILLE TO BRYSON CITY WILL EXPERIENCE
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL
FOR WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH. IF STORMS CONTINUE TO
MAINTAIN THEIR STRENGTH AS THEY APPROACH THE NORTH CAROLINA
MOUNTAINS...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING MAY BE NEEDED.

55
Special weather statement, Nov 11, 1:02 AM EST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
GAZ010-017-110645-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
102 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA
MOUNTAINS...

A LARGE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA WILL CONTINUE
MOVING EAST THROUGH 2 AM...SPREADING INTO THE MOUNTAINS.
STRONG WIND FIELDS IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION COMBINED WITH
AN INCREASED COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS MAY RESULT IN WIND
GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH THROUGH 2 AM. FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING MAY RESULT IN SOME POWER INTERRUPTIONS.

55
Special weather statement, Nov 11, 1:37 AM EST, 56 minutes before
NCZ033-048>050-052-053-059-063>065-110740-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
137 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

...THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS...

STORMS SPREADING IN FROM EAST TENNESSEE WILL CONTINUE
TO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE STRONG WIND GUSTS IN
EXCESS OF 50 MPH ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS.
A FEW TREES COULD BE DOWNED AND POWER INTERRUPTIONS
ARE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING
THROUGH 3 AM.

55
Special weather statement, Nov 11, 2:09 AM EST, 24 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-110745-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
209 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING EXTREME
NORTHEAST GEORGIA...

FAST MOVING THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL GEORGIA...
MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH...WILL BE HEADING
INTO EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA BY 3 AM. THE POTENTIAL FOR
STRONG...POSSIBLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WILL BE THE MAIN
THREAT EARLY THIS MORNING. IF STORMS MAINTAIN THEIR
STRENGTH...WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED WITHIN THE HOUR.

55

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 11, 12:40 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGraham, Swain65 min
Nov 11, 12:54 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMacon66 min
Nov 11, 6:51 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMecklenburg, Union54 min
Nov 11, 8:11 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPUnion34 min
Nov 11, 8:11 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPUnion34 min
Nov 11, 3:09 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPOconee51 min
Nov 11, 3:56 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPickens49 min
Nov 11, 4:10 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenville, Spartanburg50 min
Nov 11, 4:31 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson, Oconee44 min
Nov 11, 5:15 AM ESTTornado WarningGSPAnderson30 min
Nov 11, 5:26 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenville, Laurens, Spartanburg49 min
Nov 11, 6:15 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee, Union, York45 min
Nov 11, 6:27 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPChester48 min
Nov 11, 6:31 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAbbeville, Greenwood44 min
Nov 11, 6:35 AM ESTTornado WarningGSPGreenwood40 min
Nov 11, 6:35 AM ESTTornado WarningGSPGreenwood40 min
Nov 11, 7:36 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPChester24 min
Nov 11, 4:01 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPFranklin, Stephens44 min
Nov 11, 4:38 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHart52 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 2002Every severe thunderstorm 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.