Alert archive / South Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 107, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

August 5, 2003Laurens County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Aug 5, 2003, 10:08 PM EDT for Laurens County, South Carolina. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Aug 5, 2003, 10:08 PM EDT (02:08 UTC)
Expired: Aug 6, 2003, 1:15 AM EDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Whole counties

County Laurens County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 49 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:08 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

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 00:00Z, 2.1 hours before the alert went out and 256 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: 3642 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 542 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 50 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.7
Supercell composite: 4.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WGUS52 KGSP 060216
FFWGSP
SCC059-060515-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1008 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN LAURENS COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 115 AM EDT

* AT 1003 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY
  RAIN BETWEEN COOKS CROSSROADS TO GRAY COURT AND TO ORA. RAINFALL   
  AMOUNTS UP TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR HAVE BEEN INDICATED BY THE RADAR. 
   
* RUNOFF FROM THE RAIN WILL CAUSE LOCAL CREEKS TO RISE RAPIDLY       
  WHICH MAY CAUSE LOW LYING AREAS AND ROADWAYS LIKE HIGHWAYS 221...  
  101 AND 92 TO FLOOD.  THE HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SOUTH     
  INTO THE TOWN OF LAURENS. 


EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY
ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS AND OTHER
LOW LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLASH FLOODING.

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.

$$
PT

2 follow-up statements

000 
WGUS72 KGSP 060324
FFSGSP
SCC059-060515-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1119 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 115 AM EDT FOR LAURENS
COUNTY...

HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL ACROSS LAURENS COUNTY FROM COOKS 
CROSSROADS TO LAURENS AND EAST. REPORTS FROM THE LAURENS 911 CENTER 
INDICATE THAT INTERSTATE 385 IS FLOODING AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS AND 
THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF STREET FLOODING IN THE EASTERN PART 
OF THE COUNTY.  THE HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY MOVE SOUTH INTO 
THE LAURENS AND CLINTON AREAS. 

DURING HEAVY RAIN EVENTS...SEVERE URBAN FLOODING CAN OCCUR IN AREAS
SUCH AS UNDERPASSES...AND LOW AREAS WHERE WATER TENDS TO COLLECT.
CHILDREN SHOULD BE KEPT AWAY FROM SMALL STREAMS AND STORM DRAINS.

DO NOT BECOME A FATALITY DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS...THE ROAD COULD
BE WASHED OUT FROM THE FLOW OF THE WATER...AND YOUR CAR COULD BE
SWEPT AWAY BY THE SWIFTLY MOVING WATER.

$$
PT

000 
WGUS72 KGSP 060438
FFSGSP
SCC045-059-083-060630-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1239 AM EDT WED AUG 6 2003

...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE UNTIL 115 FOR LAURENS COUNTY AND 
UNTIL 215 AM FOR GREENVILLE AND SOUTHERN SPARTANBURG COUNTIES...

HEAVY RAIN HAD DIMINISHED CONSIDERABLY ACROSS THE WARNING AREAS LATE 
TONIGHT...BUT THERE WERE STILL SOME SMALL CELLS WITH HEAVY RAIN NEAR 
FOUNTAIN INN AND NEAR WARE SHOALS.  RAIN WAS MOVING OUT OF 
SPARTANBURG COUNTY INTO UNION COUNTY.

FLOODING WAS REPORTED EARLIER ALONG PARTS OF INTERSTATE 385 BETWEEN 
FOUNTAIN INN AND LAURENS.  QUICK RISES ON STREAMS LIKELY OCCURRED AS 
WELL AROUND WOODRUFF AND ENOREE.  BRIDGES WERE WASHED OUT IN EARLIER 
FLOODING IN PARTS OF SPARTANBURG COUNTY. THE WARNINGS WILL REMAIN IN 
EFFECT UNTIL EXPIRATION SINCE SOME ROADS AND BRIDGES LIKELY REMAIN 
FLOODED.

DO NOT BECOME A FATALITY DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS...THE ROAD COULD
BE WASHED OUT FROM THE FLOW OF THE WATER...AND YOUR CAR COULD BE
SWEPT AWAY BY THE SWIFTLY MOVING WATER.

$$
JONES

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 Aug 5, 9:40 PM EDT, 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 5, 9:40 PM EDT, 28 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
940 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2003

VERY BUSY WATCHING STORMS AROUND GSP METRO AND POINTS SE ATTM...BUT
FEEL CWFA AS WHOLE IN GOOD SHAPE ZFPWISE WITH EARLIER UPDATE OF CHC
POPS FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. WILL TRY AND FIND TIME DURING LATE
EVENING TO FRESHEN UP GRIDS AND POSSIBLY SNEAK OUT A QUICK ZFP
UPDATE.

FCSTID = 55
GSP   68  86  69  86 /  60  40  40  40
AND   69  88  69  88 /  40  40  40  40
CLT   68  87  69  87 /  60  40  40  40
HKY   65  85  67  84 /  40  40  40  40
AVL   62  82  64  81 /  40  40  40  40

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

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 5, 5:05 AM EDT, 17 hours 3 minutes before

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-051100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
505 AM EDT TUE AUG 5 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE WESTERN CAROLINAS
AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA TODAY. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD REACH
SEVERE LEVELS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL
CAN ALSO BE ANTICIPATED. SEE THE LATEST SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
(CAESPSGSP) FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE PERIOD...MAINLY
IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WITH THE GROUND NEARLY SATURATED
RAINFALL WILL RUNOFF INTO NEARBY STREAMS AND CREEKS. IF THESE HEAVY
RAIN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AS
EXPECTED...FLOODING MAY RESULT. SEE THE LATEST FLOOD POTENTIAL
OUTLOOK (ESFGSP) FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

NED

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 5, 5:21 PM EDT, 4 hours 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
521 PM EDT TUE AUG 05 2003

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

515 PM     MOUNT HOLLY               NC   .75 INCH HAIL
08/05/03   GASTON                         DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          BY DUKE POWER COMPANY
                                          METEOROLOGIST.

KRENTZ

Local storm report, Aug 5, 5:32 PM EDT, 4 hours 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
532 PM EDT TUE AUG 05 2003

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

525 PM     UNION GROVE               NC   .75 INCH HAIL
08/05/03   IREDELL                        3/4 INCH HAIL REPORTED BY
                                          SKYWARN SPOTTER NEAR
                                          HARMONY AND UNION GROVE.

KRENTZ

Local storm report, Aug 5, 5:46 PM EDT, 4 hours 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
546 PM EDT TUE AUG 05 2003

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

528 PM     WEST CHARLOTTE            NC   WIND DAMAGE
08/05/03   MECKLENBURG                    COUNTY 911 OFFICIALS
                                          REPORTED TREE DOWN ON
                                          HOUSE.

537 PM     3 E UNION GROVE           NC   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/05/03   IREDELL                        GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED BY HAM RADIO
                                          SPOTTER.

KRENTZ

Local storm report, Aug 5, 8:15 PM EDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
815 PM EDT TUE AUG 05 2003

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

756 PM     JONESVILLE                SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/05/03   UNION                          COUNTY 911 OFFICALS
                                          REPORTED ROOF BLOWN OFF
                                          MOBILE HOME.

KRENTZ

Local storm report, Aug 5, 8:56 PM EDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
856 PM EDT TUE AUG 05 2003

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

820 PM     UNION                     SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/05/03   UNION                          COUNTY 911 OFFICIALS
                                          REPORTED NUMEROUS TREES
                                          DOWN AND POWER OUTAGES
                                          ALL AROUND TOWN.

KRENTZ

Special weather statement, Aug 5, 9:21 PM EDT, 47 minutes before

SCZ012-060230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
921 PM EDT TUE AUG 5 2003

...THUNDERSTORMS STRENGTHENING ACROSS NORTHERN LAURENS COUNTY...

AT 915 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPING WESTWARD ACROSS THE ENOREE RIVER IN NORTHERN LAURENS
COUNTY. THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE
ACROSS THE AREA AND MOVE SOUTH ACROSS THE COUNTY THROUGH LATE
EVENING. INTERESTS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE READY
FOR VERY HEAVY RAIN...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLY
SOME HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS.

55

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 5, 8:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Union	45 min
Aug 5, 8:33 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Union	117 min
Aug 5, 8:33 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Cherokee, Union	117 min
Aug 5, 9:48 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Laurens	57 min
Aug 5, 11:17 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Greenville, Spartanburg	118 min
Aug 6, 4:59 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Spartanburg	46 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in South Carolina, 2003 Every flash flood warning in 2003

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.