Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003
Flash Flood Warning 24, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at May 7, 2003, 7:00 AM EDT for 4 counties in North Carolina. It was in force for 4 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 7, 2003, 7:00 AM EDT (11:00 UTC)
- Expired
- May 7, 2003, 11:00 AM EDT
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Graham County, NC, Jackson County, NC, Macon County, NC, Swain County, NC
The radar
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 95 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:59 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
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 11.0 hours before the alert went out and 236 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 876 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -110 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 742 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 53 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 41 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 83 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.2
- Supercell composite
- 4.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WGUS52 KGSP 071102 FFWGSP NCC075-099-113-173-071500- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 700 AM EDT WED MAY 7 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... SWAIN COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA GRAHAM COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA MACON COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA JACKSON COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA * UNTIL 1100 AM EDT * AT 655 AM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...MOVING ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. THIS AREA OF STORMS EXTENDED FAR WEST...INTO EAST TENNESSEE. STORMS WERE CONSTANTLY REDEVELOPING ALONG THE TENNESSEE ALABAMA BORDER...AND MOVING REPEATEDLY INTO THE WARNING AREA. * THIS WILL LIKELY BE ANOTHER VERY SERIOUS FLASH FLOOD EPISODE TODAY. MANY STREAMS WERE STILL IN FLOOD FROM YESTERDAYS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL...AND THERE HAVE SOME PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN OVERNIGHT. COUNTY OFFICIALS THIS MORNING THAT THE HEAVY RAIN HAS ALREADY CAUSED SOME ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS...MAINLY FROM MUD AND ROCK SLIDES. VERY RAPID RISES IN SMALL STREAMS COULD REACH VERY HIGH LEVELS. EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THESE STORMS WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS...ROADS AND ROADSIDE CULVERTS. THE HEAVY RAINS COULD ALSO TRIGGER ROCK AND MUDSLIDES IN STEEP TERRAIN. DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED AREAS...AND STAY AWAY FROM HIGH RUNNING MOUNTAIN STREAMS. $$ JONES
1 follow-up statement
000 WGUS72 KGSP 071358 FFSGSP GAC241-NCC075-099-113-173-071500- FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 955 AM EDT WED MAY 7 2003 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1100 AM EDT FOR RABUN... SWAIN...GRAHAM...MACON AND JACKSON COUNTIES... AT 955 AM...WIDESPREAD RAIN OVER THE WARNED AREA HAS TAPERED OFF TO SHOWERS. ANOTHER AREA OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE FROM CENTRAL TENNESSEE TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA AROUND NOON. RAIN WILL LIKELY CONTINUE OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS...RESULTING IN AN ADDITIONAL INCH TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN TODAY. WITH A SATURATED GROUND AND STREAMS AND RIVERS AT OR NEAR BANKFULL...ADDITIONAL FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES ARE LIKELY. THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS IF CONDITIONS WARRANT. DO NOT BECOME A FATALITY DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS...THE ROAD COULD BE WASHED OUT FROM THE FLOW OF THE WATER...AND YOUR CAR COULD BE SWEPT AWAY BY THE SWIFTLY MOVING WATER. $$ NED
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 7, 3:16 AM EDT, 3 hours 44 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 7, 3:16 AM EDT, 3 hours 44 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 316 AM EDT WED MAY 7 2003 ATMOSPHERE REMAINS MOIST AND UNSTABLE. LINE OF INSTABILITY IS SURGING BACK NORTHEAST...THRU TN AND GA. MCS/TSTMS FIRING ALONG THE TMB AND STRONG CONVECTION IS MOVING BACK INTO CWA FROM THE W. ON TOP OF THE THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS...SIGNIFICANT FLOODING SEEMS LIKELY OVER W ZONES AND HAVE EXTENDED THE FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TODAY. MODELS INCREASE CAPE TO ABOVE 2000 BY THIS AFTN WITH DEEP ASCENT INDICATED. EXPECT A CHANCE POP CONTINUING MUCH OF WEEK. NOT PLANNING ANY CHANGES TO EXTENDED. FCSTID = 77 GSP 80 62 83 62 / 70 40 30 30 AND 81 61 83 63 / 70 40 30 30 CLT 81 62 84 63 / 70 40 30 30 HKY 78 61 82 60 / 70 40 30 30 AVL 76 57 78 59 / 80 50 30 30 .GSP... GA...FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY FOR ZONES GAZ010...GAZ017>018...GAZ026... GAZ028>029. NC...FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY FOR ZONES NCZ048...NCZ051>053... NCZ058>059...NCZ062>067. SC...FLOOD WATCH FOR TODAY FOR ZONES SCZ001>007...SCZ010>012... SCZ019. RB
Hazardous weather outlook, May 7, 4:30 AM EDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014- 019-071100- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 430 AM EDT WED MAY 7 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA... UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN TODAY...SOME WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. FLOODING IS LIKELY TO BE A SERIOUS CONCERN ...ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE COUNTIES THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED HIGH WATER PROBLEMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. SOME MAY BECOME SEVERE...ESPECIALLY LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY. RB
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 7, 2:47 AM EDT, 4 hours 13 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014- 019-071500- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 247 AM EDT WED MAY 7 2003 ...SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE AGAIN TODAY ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA... THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN WARM AND UNSTABLE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. ONE OR TWO LARGE COMPLEXES OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE DAY...ONE EARLY THIS MORNING...AND ANOTHER DURING THE MID TO LATE MORNING. IN ADDITION...VARIOUS LOW LEVEL BOUNDARIES LEFT BEHIND BY EARLIER STORM SYSTEMS COULD PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. THE MAIN THREAT WITH ANY STORMS MOVING ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. HOWEVER...AS THE ATMOSPHERE DESTABILIZES LATER THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE AREA LATER TODAY ARE EXPECTED TO BE STRONGER...AND WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION...THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF ISOLATED TORNADOES...ESPECIALLY WITH STORMS DEVELOPING ALONG OR INTERACTING WITH LOW LEVEL BOUNDARIES. ALTHOUGH SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION THIS AFTERNOON...IT APPEARS THAT THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE WITHIN THE MORE UNSTABLE AIR ACROSS UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...NORTHEAST GEORGIA...AND THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA. SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ACTIVATE QUICKLY AT JUST ABOUT ANYTIME TODAY. DISPATCHERS SHOULD ENSURE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS ARE AWARE OF THIS INFORMATION. LANE
Special weather statement, May 7, 3:30 AM EDT, 3 hours 30 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-070815- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 330 AM EDT WED MAY 7 2003 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO MOVE BACK INTO RABUN...HABERSHAM AND STEPHENS COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA... THUNDERSTORMS WITH WITH HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL SPREAD BACK INTO EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA BETWEEN 4 AND 430 THIS MORNING. SOME OF THE STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 50 MPH. AVERAGE RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS...WITH LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS TO 3 INCHES...IF THE STORMS DO NOT WEAKEN IN THE MEANTIME. IF THIS MUCH RAINFALL IS REALIZED AS THE STORMS MOVE ACROSS RABUN...HABERSHAM AND STEPHENS COUNTIES...FLASH FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. ALSO THE WINDS GUSTS TO 50 MPH COULD TOPPLE TREES ANCHORED IN THE SATURATED GROUND. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS WEATHER SITUATION AS THE STORMS MOVE IN. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR THE LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION. RBN
Special weather statement, May 7, 4:41 AM EDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before
GAZ018-026-028-029-SCZ001>008-010>013-019-070945- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 441 AM EDT WED MAY 7 2003 STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA THIS MORNING. AT 535 AM...RADAR SHOWED STRONG STORMS...WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...FROM THE MOUNTAINS NORTH OF WALHALLA AND PICKENS...EXTENDING SOUTH TO ANDERSON...AND THEN TO WEST OF CARNESVILLE GEORGIA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS WEST OF CARNESVILLE...MOVING EAST TOWARD HARTWELL AND ANDERSON. STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SOME HAIL WILL BE THREATS WITH THESE STORMS...IN ADDITION TO CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. ALSO...THE STORMS BETWEEN CARNESVILLE AND ANDERSON COULD REPEAT OVER THE SAME AREAS FOR A WHILE...POSSIBLY CAUSING FLASH FLOODING TO DEVELOP. A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT...AND A FLASH FLOOD WARNING COULD BECOME NECESSARY IF THE HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES MUCH LONGER. JONES
Special weather statement, May 7, 5:41 AM EDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
SCZ012-019-071045- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 541 AM EDT WED MAY 7 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN GREENWOOD AND SOUTHERN LAURENS COUNTIES THIS MORNING... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT LOCATIONS FROM WARE SHOALS...TO LAURENS AND CLINTON THROUGH 630 AM. STRONG WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS STORM FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. LANE
Special weather statement, May 7, 5:50 AM EDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
GAZ017-018-071030- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 550 AM EDT WED MAY 7 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT HABERSHAM AND STEPHENS COUNTIES THIS MORNING... THROUGH 630 AM...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL... WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IN LOCATIONS FROM CLARKEVILLE AND CORNELIA TO TOCCOA. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS STORM FOR A POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. LANE
The office that day
Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 4:53 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | GSP | Swain | 3 hr |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in North 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.