Alert archive / South Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 18, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 6, 2003York County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at May 6, 2003, 2:57 AM EDT for York 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: May 6, 2003, 2:57 AM EDT (06:57 UTC)
Expired: May 6, 2003, 6:00 AM EDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Whole counties

County York County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 95 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:57 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

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 7.0 hours before the alert went out and 169 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 434 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 424 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 565 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.

000 
WGUS52 KGSP 060704
FFWGSP
SCC091-061000-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
257 AM EDT TUE MAY 6 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 600 AM EDT

* AT 257 AM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY       
  HEAVY RAIN OVER YORK COUNTY...ESPECIALLY EASTERN YORK COUNTY.
  AN AUTOMATED RAIN GAGE AT ROCK HILL REPORTED 1.32 INCHES OF RAIN 
  HAD FALLEN SINCE 1 AM. RADAR ESTIMATES THAT EVEN MORE HAD FALLEN
  JUST EAST OF ROCK HILL...IN THE VICINITY OF LAKE WYLIE.

* YORK COUNTY OFFICIALS REPORT MANY ROADS IN LOW LYING AREAS 
  INUNDATED BY WATER THAT WAS HAVING TROUBLE WORKING THROUGH 
  AVAILABLE DRAINAGE CULVERTS. CHERRY ROAD WAS COVERED BY WATER 
  FROM IN FRONT OF THE CHEROKEE BINGO DOWNSTREAM TO ELLIOT/S EXXON
  STATION. IN ADDITION...BOTH EDEN TERRACE EXTENSION AND RED RIVER   
  ROAD...WHICH NORMALLY DO NOT FLOOD...WERE BOTH CLOSED BECAUSE OF A 
  SWOLLEN CREEK THAT A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER CLAIMED WAS 100 YARDS 
  WIDE AND UP TO A FOOT DEEP.

HEAVY RAINFALL WILL EVENTUALLY TAPER OFF...BUT LIGHT RAIN WILL 
LIKELY LINGER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. ADDITIONAL FLOODING IS 
LIKELY UNTIL THE HEAVY RAIN HAS MOVED AWAY.

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.

$$
BURRUS

1 follow-up statement

000 
WGUS72 KGSP 060830
FFSGSP
SCC091-061000-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
428 AM EDT TUE MAY 6 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 600 AM EDT FOR YORK
COUNTY...

AT 428 AM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS OVER MAINLY EASTERN...AND 
SOUTHERN...YORK COUNTY. RAINFALL WAS LIGHT...NOT NEARLY AS HEAVY AS 
EARLIER THIS MORNING. SOME INCREASE IN INTENSITY MAY OCCUR THROUGH 
THE PREDAWN HOURS...BUT EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY HOLD OFF 
UNTIL AFTER DAYBREAK.

COUNTY OFFICIALS REPORT MUCH IMPROVEMENT IN THE FLOOD SITUATION AS 
THE INTENSITY OF THE RAINFALL HAS LIGHTENED. FLOOD WATERS ON EDEN 
TERRACE EXTENSION AND RED RIVER ROAD HAVE RECEDED. HOWEVER...CHERRY 
ROAD IS STILL CLOSED DUE TO WATER FROM THE CHEROKEE BINGO TO 
ELLIOT/S EXXON. AND HECKLE BOULEVARD REMAINS BLOCKED OFF DUE TO HIGH 
WATER. 

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 May 6, 2:25 AM EDT, 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 6, 2:25 AM EDT, 32 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
225 AM EDT TUE MAY 6 2003

UPDATING THE FORECAST TO INCLUDE TORNADO WATCH #261.

FCSTID = 4
GSP   64  80  64  82 /  90  70  30  40
AND   64  81  64  83 /  80  60  30  40
CLT   64  82  63  83 /  90  70  30  40
HKY   60  79  62  80 /  90  70  30  50
AVL   60  77  59  78 /  90  70  30  50

.GSP...
GA...FLOOD WATCH FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR ZONES
     GAZ010...GAZ017>018...GAZ026...GAZ028>029.

NC...FLOOD WATCH FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR ZONES
     NCZ033>037...NCZ048>059...NCZ062>072...NCZ082.
     TORNADO WATCH THROUGH 800 AM FOR ZONE NCZ082.

SC...FLOOD WATCH FOR LATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR ZONES
     SCZ001>014...SCZ019.
     TORNADO WATCH THROUGH 800 AM FOR ZONES SCZ011>014...SCZ047.

LANE

Hazardous weather outlook, May 5, 4:53 AM EDT, 22 hours 4 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
453 AM EDT MON MAY 5 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY...SOME WITH TORNADOES...LARGE
HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY.

RB

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 5, 9:56 PM EDT, 5 hours 1 minute before

NCZ058-062-060245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
956 PM EDT MON MAY 5 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS MONITORING A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM
IN SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.  THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING
SEVERE WEATHER.

WHILE THE STRONGEST PART OF THE STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH CHEROKEE AND
CLAY COUNTIES...PERSONS IN SOUTHERN GRAHAM AND MACON COUNTIES SHOULD
BE PREPARED FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HAIL.

LOCAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE IN HEAVIER DOWNPOURS.  MOTORISTS ARE
URGED TO USE EXTREME CARE.  MOST FLOOD FATALITIES OCCUR IN VEHICLES
DURING THE NIGHT.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF
THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

DICARLO

Special weather statement, May 5, 10:17 PM EDT, 4 hours 40 minutes before

GAZ010-060315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1015 PM EDT MON MAY 5

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS MONITORING A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM
IN SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.  THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING
SEVERE WEATHER.

AT 1015 PM RADAR INDICATED THE STORM WAS MOVING INTO CLAY COUNTY
NORTH CAROLINA.  IT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SOOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS
NORTHERN RABUN COUNTY BETWEEN 1030 AND 1100 PM.

THIS STORM IS SLOWLY WEAKENING BUT IT CAN STILL PRODUCE STRONG
GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.

MOTORISTS IN RABUN COUNTY ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION IN THIS STORM.
REMEMBER MOST FLOOD FATALITIES OCCUR IN VEHICLES AT NIGHT.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF
THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

DICARLO

Local storm report, May 6, 12:55 AM EDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
1255 AM EDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

1245 AM    1 S DUNCAN                SC   70 MPH TSTM GUST
05/06/03   SPARTANBURG                    AMATEUR RADIO REPORT
                                          ESTIMATED WIND TO 70 MPH

JONES

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 5, 11:19 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Oconee	41 min
May 6, 12:33 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville, Spartanburg	42 min
May 6, 2:31 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Anderson	29 min
May 6, 2:35 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Abbeville	55 min
May 6, 3:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenwood	52 min
May 6, 3:21 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Laurens, Spartanburg	39 min
May 6, 3:35 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Union	40 min
May 6, 3:52 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Chester	53 min
May 6, 4:20 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	York	25 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.