Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 177, NWS Blacksburg, VA

July 3, 2002Watauga County, North Carolina

NWS Blacksburg, VA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 3, 2002, 4:22 PM EDT for Watauga County, North Carolina. It was in force for 23 min. 1 report 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: Jul 3, 2002, 4:22 PM EDT (20:22 UTC)
Expired: Jul 3, 2002, 4:45 PM EDT
In force: 23 min
Issued by: NWS Blacksburg, VA
Area: Whole counties

County Watauga County, NC

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 153 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:24 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 3, 4:32 PM EDT	Hail 0.88	Deep Gap, NC

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.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 3, 2:00 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 162 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: 429 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -175 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1263 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 5 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 39 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.

805 
WUUS51 KRNK 032022
SVRRNK
NCC189-032045-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
421 PM EDT WED JUL 3 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN WATAUGA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 445 PM EDT.

* AT 419 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND         
  SPOTTERS INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES SOUTH OF DEEP     
  GAP...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT   10 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THREATENED THROUGH 445 PM EDT INCLUDE
  DEEP GAP...
  BLOWING ROCK...

IF SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...GO INSIDE A STURDY SHELTER.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAN PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL...
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY
HEAVY RAIN.

RELAY SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4.

$$

02

LAT...LON 3622 8144 3630 8159 3613 8177 3611 8154

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 Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 3, 3:09 PM EDT, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 3, 3:09 PM EDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG, VA
309 PM EDT WED JUL 3 2002

SHORT RANGE...

FIRST OFF...A SVR TSTM WATCH IN EFFECT TIL 8 PM FOR OUR WHOLE FA.
WILL HAVE LIKELY POPS ALONG AND EAST OF BLUE RIDGE THRUGH EARLY
EVENING WITH 50 POPS IN THE FAR WEST.

AGAIN...ACTIVITY SHOULD DECREASE AND END BY LATE EVENING. LEE TROF
SHIFTS EAST OVERNIGHT...THEN FRONT MOVES INTO THE PA-OH VLY REGION
THURSDAY. ANOTHER UNSTABLE DAY...WITH BEST LOW LVL CONVERGENCE
OCCURRING ACROSS THE NRN CWA...WHERE I WILL PUT HIGHER POPS. MDLS
SLOWING FRONT DOWN...ESP AVN...SO MAY HAVE TO ADD CHANCE POPS
FURTHER NORTH INTO THE NRV.

EXTENDED...

STILL APPEARS 5H RIDGE WILL RETROGRADE NEXT WEEK...AS TROF DIGS OVER
THE EAST BY TUESDAY. SFC FRONT WILL BE TO OUR SOUTH SAT MORNING...SO
SAT APPEARS DRY FOR NOW. MEAN RH INCREASES OVER THE BLUE RIDGE
SUNDAY...BUT STILL APPEARS ANY ACTIVITY WILL STILL BE TO OUR SOUTH.
MEAN LAYER MOISTURE CONTINUES INCREASING MONDAY. FRONT APPROACHES FA
LATE MONDAY...PASSING THROUGH THE FA LATE TUESDAY. SO TUESDAY
APPEARS TO BE THE BETTER DAY FOR CHANCES OF TSRA...ALTHOUGH THINK A
CHANCE IN THE MTNS MONDAY AFTN MAY BE REQUIRED. THE FRONT SHOULD BE
TO ERN NC WED AFTN...BUT PLAN ON KEEPING A CHANCE IN FOR MOST OF THE
AREA THEN.

PRELIM CCF NUMBERS
FCSTID = 5
ROA   70  92  70  90 /  50  40  30  10
LYH   68  93  68  89 /  60  40  30  10
DAN   71  94  71  91 /  50  30  30  30
BLF   64  84  64  83 /  40  30  30  30
LWB   62  83  61  82 /  40  40  30  10
BCB   64  89  64  84 /  50  40  30  30
TNB   62  84  62  84 /  70  40  30  30

.RNK...
NC...NONE.
VA...NONE.
WV...NONE.

WHP

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 3, 11:45 AM EDT, 4 hours 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1145 AM EDT WED JUL 03 2002

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

256 PM     SINKS GROVE               WV   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   MONROE

330 PM     KELLYSVILLE               WV   1.00 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   MERCER

430 PM                               NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/02/02   ALLEGHANY                      TREES BLOWN DOWN ACROSS
                                          THE COUNTY.

435 PM                               NC   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   ALLEGHANY

445 PM     CEDAR CREEK               VA   1.00 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   BATH

500 PM     8W BYLLESBY               VA   WIND DAMAGE
07/02/02   CARROLL                        TREES DOWN ON STATE RT.
                                          94.

515 PM     MCGRADY                   NC   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   WILKES

715 PM     HORSE PASTURE             VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   HENRY                          HAIL COVERED THE GROUND.

730 PM     DEEP GAP                  NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/02/02   WATAUGA                        TREES DOWN ON RT. 421.

Local storm report, Jul 3, 11:50 AM EDT, 4 hours 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1150 AM EDT WED JUL 03 2002

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

525 PM     ELLISTON                  VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   MONTGOMERY

545 PM     SHAWSVILLE                VA   1.00 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   MONTGOMERY

Special weather statement, Jul 3, 11:55 AM EDT, 4 hours 27 minutes before

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-
WVZ042>045-032300-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
1155 AM EDT WED JUL 3 2002

...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...

THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN DURING THE MIDDAY AND
AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN WEST VIRGINIA...SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA
AND NORTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.  AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
CROSSES THE REGION...SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE
WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

IN ADDITION...THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS VERY MOIST.  VERY HEAVY RAIN
WILL OCCUR WITH SOME OF THE STORMS.  FLASH FLOODING IS A POSSIBILITY
IN THE HEAVIER RAIN...ESPECIALLY WHERE HEAVY THUNDERSTORM RAINS
OCCURRED DURING TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

SKYWARN MAY NEED TO BE ACTIVATED THIS AFTERNOON.

NOGUEIRA/JDS

Local storm report, Jul 3, 3:33 PM EDT, 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
333 PM EDT WED JUL 03 2002

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

209 PM     3S FANCY GAP              VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   CARROLL

222 PM     FANCY GAP                 VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   CARROLL

246 PM     GLADYS                    VA   0.88 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   APPOMATTOX

305 PM     SPOUT SPRING              VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   APPOMATTOX                     REPORTED BY SPOUT SPRING
                                          POST OFFICE.

310 PM     APPOMATTOX                VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   APPOMATTOX

320 PM     5W HILLSVILLE             VA   1.00 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   CARROLL                        REPORTED BY SKYWARN
                                          SPOTTER.

320 PM     HUDDLESTON                VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/02/02   BEDFORD

Local storm report, Jul 3, 4:04 PM EDT, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED FOR DATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
404 PM EDT WED JUL 03 2002

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

209 PM     3S FANCY GAP              VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/03/02   CARROLL

222 PM     FANCY GAP                 VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/03/02   CARROLL

246 PM     GLADYS                    VA   0.88 INCH HAIL
07/03/02   APPOMATTOX

305 PM     SPOUT SPRING              VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/03/02   APPOMATTOX                     REPORTED BY SPOUT SPRING
                                          POST OFFICE.

310 PM     APPOMATTOX                VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/03/02   APPOMATTOX

320 PM     5W HILLSVILLE             VA   1.00 INCH HAIL
07/03/02   CARROLL                        REPORTED BY SKYWARN
                                          SPOTTER.

320 PM     HUDDLESTON                VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/03/02   BEDFORD

The office that day

Everything else NWS Blacksburg, VA issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 3, 1:48 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	RNK	Surry	27 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.