Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 290, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Nov 11, 2002, 3:56 AM EST for Pickens County, South Carolina. It was in force for 49 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Nov 11, 2002, 3:56 AM EST (08:56 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 11, 2002, 4:45 AM EST
- In force
- 49 min
- Issued by
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Pickens County, SC
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 11, 4:15 AM EST | Thunderstorm Wind 50 E | Pickens, SC | A number of trees and power lines were blown down along Highway 11 in the Laurel Valley community. |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 10, 11:05 PM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
| Nov 11, 3:30 AM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 230 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.
- 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
071 WUUS52 KGSP 110856 SVRGSP SCC077-110945- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 356 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... PICKENS COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA * UNTIL 445 AM EST * AT 355 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF WALHALLA TO 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CLAYTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. * SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... NINE TIMES AT 400 AM EST. LIBERTY AT 405 AM EST. PICKENS AT 410 AM EST. EASLEY AT 415 AM EST. PUMPKINTOWN AT 435 AM EST. WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH ARE LIKELY WITH THIS STORM. ALTHOUGH TORNADOES HAVE NOT BEEN DETECTED WITH THIS LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP WITHOUT WARNING FROM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. THIS IS A DANGEROUS LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND YOU SHOULD GO TO A PLACE OF SAFETY QUICKLY IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OF THIS TYPE CAN CAUSE AS MUCH DAMAGE AS WEAK TO MODERATE TORNADOES. LAT...LON 3491 8292 3463 8283 3481 8249 3507 8270 $$ BURRUS/LANE
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, 2 hours 31 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Nov 11, 1:25 AM EST, 2 hours 31 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, 21 hours 51 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 11, 1:02 AM EST, 2 hours 54 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, 2 hours 19 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, 1 hour 47 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
Special weather statement, Nov 11, 2:43 AM EST, 1 hour 13 minutes before
SCZ001-004-110815- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 243 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002 ...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL APPROACH THE WESTERN UPSTATE... FAST MOVING THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING NORTHEAST GEORGIA... MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH...WILL BE HEADING INTO THE WESTERN UPSTATE...ESPECIALLY OCONEE COUNTY...AFTER 3 AM. THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG...POSSIBLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT EARLY THIS MORNING. IF STORMS MAINTAIN THEIR STRENGTH...ADDITIONAL WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED SHORTLY. 55
Special weather statement, Nov 11, 3:13 AM EST, 43 minutes before
GAZ028-029-SCZ002-003-005-006-010-011-110930- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 313 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002 ...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO THE WESTERN UPSTATE AND ADJACENT AREAS OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA... A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH...WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND INTO THE WESTERN UPSTATE THROUGH 5 AM. STORMS WITHIN THIS LINE WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO LIKELY. 55
Local storm report, Nov 11, 3:53 AM EST, 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
353 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
350 AM MOUNTAIN REST SC WIND DAMAGE
11/11/02 OCONEE TREES BLOWN DOWN BY
THUNDERSTORM WINDS
LANEThe office that day
Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 11, 3:09 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Oconee | 51 min |
| Nov 11, 4:10 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Greenville, Spartanburg | 50 min |
| Nov 11, 4:31 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Anderson, Oconee | 44 min |
| Nov 11, 5:15 AM EST | Tornado Warning | GSP | Anderson | 30 min |
| Nov 11, 5:26 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Greenville, Laurens, Spartanburg | 49 min |
| Nov 11, 6:15 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Cherokee, Union, York | 45 min |
| Nov 11, 6:27 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Chester | 48 min |
| Nov 11, 6:31 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Abbeville, Greenwood | 44 min |
| Nov 11, 6:35 AM EST | Tornado Warning | GSP | Greenwood | 40 min |
| Nov 11, 6:35 AM EST | Tornado Warning | GSP | Greenwood | 40 min |
| Nov 11, 7:36 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Chester | 24 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 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.