Alert archive / South Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 126, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

August 17, 2003Anderson County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Aug 17, 2003, 9:24 PM EDT for Anderson County, South Carolina. It was in force for 2 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Aug 17, 2003, 9:24 PM EDT (01:24 UTC)
Expired
Aug 17, 2003, 11:30 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Anderson County, SC

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood 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 nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 216 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 2003-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1192 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 2003-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 20 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1192 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-17 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1066 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
20 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-2 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS52 KGSP 180128
FFWGSP
SCC007-180330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
924 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  ANDERSON COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 1130 PM EDT

* AT 920 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY 
  HEAVY RAIN MOVING SOUTH THROUGH SOUTHERN ANDERSON COUNTY.
  THE ANDERSON AIRPORT RECEIVED 1.73 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS THAN   
  ONE HOUR. STREAMS AND CREEKS IN THE VICINITY OF ANDERSON WERE 
  RAPIDLY APPROACHING BANKFULL. ONE STREAM FLOODED  BROADWAY 
  LAKE ROAD. PART OF HIGHWAY 24 NEAR THE AIRPORT WAS ALSO COVERED BY 
  WATER.ADDITIONAL FLOODING OF STREAMS AND CREEKS MAY CLOSE ROADS 
  IN THE SOUTHERN ANDERSON COUNTY TOWNS OF STARR AND IVA.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE 
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS 
SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. 
MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. EVEN MODERN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES CANNOT BE 
SAFELY DRIVEN THROUGH FLOOD WATERS.

TO REPORT FLOODING HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY YOUR
REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN
GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG.


LAT...LON 3470 8249 3456 8243 3449 8235 3440 8243
          3421 8274 3437 8285 3454 8287 3466 8278

$$

BURRUS
1 follow-up statement
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 180331
FFSGSP
SCC007-180400-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1131 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WHICH WAS IN EFFECT FOR ANDERSON COUNTY
HAS EXPIRED AS OF 1130 PM EDT...

THE HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED OVER THE WARNED AREA. STREAMS AND CREEKS IN
THE WARNED AREA HAVE RECEDED OR WERE BEGINNING TO RECEDE...ENDING THE
FLASH FLOOD THREAT. EVEN THOUGH STREAMS AND CREEKS WERE RECEDING...
SOME ROADWAYS STILL MAY BE COVERED WITH WATER. MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED
TO AVOID DRIVING THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.

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.

$$
BURRUS

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 17, 8:05 PM EDT, 1 hour 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 17, 8:05 PM EDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
805 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

UPDATE FORTHCOMING TO REMOVE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HEADLINE FROM
ALL REMAINING ZONE GROUPINGS. WE WILL UPDATE ZONES ONE MORE TIME
AFTER UPPER AIR ANALYSIS HAS BEEN COMPLETED (WHICH WILL NOT BE UNTIL
STORMS EXIT THE INTERSTATE 77 CORRIDOR).

FCSTID =   44
GSP   70  89  68  88 /  60  30  30  20
AND   70  90  69  89 /  60  30  30  20
CLT   70  89  69  88 /  60  30  30  20
HKY   69  88  67  87 /  60  30  30  20
AVL   64  85  64  83 /  60  30  30  20

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

BURRUS
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 17, 5:45 AM EDT, 15 hours 39 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-171145-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
545 AM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SLOWLY TOWARD THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND
NORTHEAST GEORGIA TODAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY
THIS FRONT INTO THE AREA. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULE PRODUCE SEVERE
WEATHER AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. PLEASE SEE THE SEVERE WEATHER
OUTLOOK...CAESPSGSP FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ON MONDAY. A
FEW SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK IS
EXPECTED TO BE DRIER...WITH NO MORE THAN ISOLATED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY.

LANE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 17, 6:00 PM EDT, 3 hours 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
600 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

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

530 PM     GROVER                    NC   WIND DAMAGE
08/17/03   CLEVELAND                      COUNTY 911 REPORTED A
                                          TREE DOWN ON A HOUSE.
                                          ALSO WATERSON RD FLOODED.
                                          EVENT TIME ESTIMATED.

545 PM     2 N BLACKSBURG            SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/17/03   CHEROKEE                       911 CENTER REPORTED TREES
                                          DOWN.

LAMB
Local storm report, Aug 17, 6:06 PM EDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
606 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

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

550 PM     CORNELIA                  GA   WIND DAMAGE
08/17/03   HABERSHAM                      TREES AND POWER LINES
                                          DOWN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN
                                          PART OF THE COUNTY.
                                          REPORTED BY COUNTY COMMS
                                          CENTER.

MCAVOY
Local storm report, Aug 17, 6:34 PM EDT, 2 hours 50 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
634 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

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

605 PM     GAFFNEY                   SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/17/03   CHEROKEE                       COUNTY 911 REPORTED
                                          WINDOWS BLOWN OUT OF A
                                          BUILDING. ALSO CARS
                                          FLOODED IN A PARKING LOT.

630 PM     2 S ROCKWELL              NC   FLASH FLOOD
08/17/03   ROWAN                          SPOTTER REPORTED
                                          TRIBUTARY OF JENNIE WOLF
                                          CREEK OUT OF BANKS ONTO
                                          SHUPING MILL RD AT
                                          ROWAN-CABARRUS COUNTY
                                          LINE. ROAD IS IMPASSABLE.
                                          SEVERAL OTHER ROADS IN
                                          SOUTHERN ROWAN ARE
                                          COVERED IN WATER.

LAMB
Local storm report, Aug 17, 8:37 PM EDT, 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
837 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

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

824 PM     3 S MOCKSVILLE            NC   60 MPH TSTM GUST
08/17/03   DAVIE                          60 MPH WINDS ESTIMATED BY
                                          TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTER.

BURRUS
Local storm report, Aug 17, 8:38 PM EDT, 46 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
838 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

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

824 PM     3 S MOCKSVILLE            NC   .75 INCH HAIL
08/17/03   DAVIE                          SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTS
                                          DIME-SIZED HAIL SOUTH OF
                                          MOCKSVILLE.

BURRUS
Local storm report, Aug 17, 8:50 PM EDT, 34 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
850 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2003

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

825 PM     ANDERSON                  SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/17/03   ANDERSON                       TREE AND POWER LINE DOWN
                                          ON EAST ORR STREET.
                                          REPORTED BY COUNTY COMMS
                                          CENTER.

MCAVOY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 17, 8:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson56 min
Aug 17, 8:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAbbeville59 min
Aug 17, 9:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAbbeville, Greenwood60 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in South Carolina, 2003Every 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.