Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 295, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

November 11, 2002Greenville County, Laurens County, Spartanburg County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Nov 11, 2002, 5:26 AM EST for Greenville County, Laurens County, Spartanburg County, South Carolina. It was in force for 49 min. 7 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, 5:26 AM EST (10:26 UTC)
Expired: Nov 11, 2002, 6:15 AM EST
In force: 49 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Greenville County, SC, Laurens County, SC, Spartanburg County, SC

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Nov 11, 5:30 AM EST	Thunderstorm Wind 55 E	Simpsonville, SC	Numerous trees were blown down. An outbuilding was blown into a road west of Simpsonville.
Nov 11, 5:30 AM EST	Tornado F1	Simpsonville, SC	This tornado touched down in the Westwood subdivision, where widespread tree damage and some minor structural damage occurred. More light structural damage and heavy tree damage occurred as the tornado passed through the Hunters Wood subdivision. In the I-385
Nov 11, 5:40 AM EST	Thunderstorm Wind 55 E	Fountain Inn, SC	Several trees were blown down.
Nov 11, 5:40 AM EST	Thunderstorm Wind 50 E	Gray Court, SC	Some trees were blown down.
Nov 11, 6:00 AM EST	Thunderstorm Wind 55 E	Spartanburg, SC	Numerous trees and power lines were blown down.
Nov 11, 6:00 AM EST	Thunderstorm Wind 55 E	Clinton, SC	Some trees were blown down.
Nov 11, 6:10 AM EST	Thunderstorm Wind 50 E	Enoree, SC	Numerous trees 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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Nov 11, 3:30 AM EST	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 249 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 316 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -64 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 840 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 276 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 400 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.5
Supercell composite: 2.1

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, 4:15 AM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 11, 4:15 AM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
415 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

...TORNADO WATCH FOR NC FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT ZONES UNTIL 7 AM...
...TORNADO WATCH FOR SC AND GA ZONES UNTIL 9 AM...

MAIN LINE OF TS IS CURRENTLY RUNNING FROM GVL NORTHEAST TO HKY...AND
PUSHING EAST. LINE SHOULD BE EAST OF THE CWA BY NOON TODAY. UNTIL
THEN THE THREAT OF SVR WX WILL CONTINUE AS FORCING REMAINS DECENT
AND ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR A LEAST STRONG TS WINDS.

TONIGHT THINGS SHOULD BE FAIRLY QUIET AS BOUNDARY SLIDES EAST AND
WITH LITTLE REMAINING FORCING...HAVE TRIMMED BACK POPS. HAVE
INCREASE POPS AND QPF FOR TUES. DEEP H5 TROF WILL MOVE OVER THE MS
VALLEY. GFS CONSISTENT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW OVER THE FL
PANHANDLE AND TRACK TO THE NE. GOOD JET DIV AND OMEGA FIELDS...WITH
SOME INSTABILITY GOOD MOISTURE SHOULD SEE AN SIGNIFICANT AXIS OF
RAINFALL ACROSS CENTRAL SC. HPC QPF SHOWS EASTERN EDGE OF CWA
RECEIVING UP TO 3 TO AN TENTH OVER THE WESTERN SLOPES. TUES PM
PRECIP LINGERS FOR MUCH OF THE NIGHTTIME TO THE EAST...DWINDLE AFTER
MIDNIGHT CENTRAL CWA...AND CAA AND NORTHWEST FLOW SHOULD RESULT IN
-SHRASN IN THE NORTHERN MTNS. LITTLE CHANGE MADE TO WED AND BEYOND.

WILL KEEP TEMPS WITHIN A BLEND OF MOS GUIDANCE.

FCSTID =   16
GSP   72  52  56  42 / 100  40  80  40
AND   73  54  57  43 / 100  50  80  40
CLT   73  54  57  44 / 100  40  80  50
HKY   72  51  54  40 / 100  40  70  40
AVL   69  46  50  37 / 100  30  60  30

.GSP...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.

NED

Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 10, 6:05 AM EST, 23 hours 21 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

Local storm report, Nov 11, 3:53 AM EST, 1 hour 33 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

LANE

Local storm report, Nov 11, 4:13 AM EST, 1 hour 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
413 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

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

0353 AM    MOUNTAIN REST             SC   .88 INCH HAIL
11/11/02   OCONEE                         DIME TO NICKEL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED BY A HAM RADIO
                                          OPERATOR AT MOUNTAIN
                                          REST.

BURRUS

Local storm report, Nov 11, 4:50 AM EST, 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
450 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

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

0425 AM    3 NW CARNESVILLE          GA   WIND DAMAGE
11/11/02   FRANKLIN                       911 CENTER REPORTS TREES
                                          DOWN ON HIGHWAY 320 IN
                                          THE NEW BETHEL COMMUNITY.

BURRUS

Local storm report, Nov 11, 5:05 AM EST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
505 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

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

445 AM     7 S WALHALLA              SC   WIND DAMAGE
11/11/02   OCONEE                         911 CENTER REPORTS TREES
                                          DOWN AT
                                          WESTMINSTER...SENECA AND
                                          SOUTH UNION.

445 AM     11 S WALHALLA             SC   WIND DAMAGE
11/11/02   OCONEE                         HAM RADIO REPORTS
                                          NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN
                                          THE OAKWAY AND FAIR PLAY
                                          COMMUNITIES. ONE TREE
                                          FELL ON A TRAILER. IT IS
                                          UNKNOWN WHETHER THERE ARE
                                          ANY INJURIES.

BURRUS

Special weather statement, Nov 11, 5:09 AM EST, 17 minutes before

NCZ034-035-055-056-111100-

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

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS OF
NORTH CAROLINA...

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH...WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN FOOTHILLS THROUGH 6 AM. THE STORMS WILL
BE NEAR GRANITE FALLS AND ICARD ABOUT 515 AM...AND NEAR TAYLORSVILLE
AND HICKORY ABOUT 530 AM. STORMS WITHIN THIS LINE WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH. FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO LIKELY. SHOULD THESE STORMS
STRENGTHEN...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS WILL BE NEEDED.

RWH

Local storm report, Nov 11, 5:18 AM EST, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
518 AM EST MON NOV 11 2002

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

0505 AM    7 SW ANDERSON             SC   WIND DAMAGE
11/11/02   ANDERSON                       TREES DOWN ON INTERSTATE
                                          85 AT MILE MARKER 12.
                                          REPORT FROM ANDERSON
                                          COUNTY 911.

0500 AM    14 NW ANDERSON            SC   WIND DAMAGE
11/11/02   ANDERSON                       TREES DOWN ON LEBANON
                                          ROAD IN PENDLETON. REPORT
                                          FROM ANDERSON COUNTY 911.

515 AM     21 NE ANDERSON            SC   .75 INCH HAIL
11/11/02   ANDERSON                       HAM RADIO REPORT OF DIME
                                          SIZED HAIL ON THE
                                          ANDERSON COUNTY SIDE OF
                                          EASLEY.

BURRUS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Nov 11, 12:40 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Graham, Swain	65 min
Nov 11, 12:54 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Macon	66 min
Nov 11, 6:51 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Mecklenburg, Union	54 min
Nov 11, 8:11 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Union	34 min
Nov 11, 8:11 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Union	34 min
Nov 11, 3:09 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Oconee	51 min
Nov 11, 3:56 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Pickens	49 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, 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
Nov 11, 2:33 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Habersham, Rabun	42 min
Nov 11, 4:01 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Franklin, Stephens	44 min
Nov 11, 4:38 AM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Hart	52 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 2002 Every 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.