Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 74, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 13, 2003Buncombe County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Jul 13, 2003, 5:28 PM EDT for Buncombe County, North 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: Jul 13, 2003, 5:28 PM EDT (21:28 UTC)
Expired: Jul 13, 2003, 8:30 PM EDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Whole counties

County Buncombe County, NC

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 243 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: 160 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -142 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1169 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 35 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 69 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 132130
FFWGSP
NCC021-140030-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
528 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  BUNCOMBE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 830 PM EDT

* AT 526 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY   
RAIN MOVING EAST AND OUT OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY. ADDITIONAL SCATTERED 
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS FROM 
TENNESSEE.

* RUNOFF FROM EARLIER RAINFALL WILL CAUSE STREAMS AND CREEKS TO 
LEAVE THEIR BANKS INTO THE EARLY EVENING. SEVERAL ROADS IN THE 
COUNTY HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPORTED TO BE FLOWING OUT OF THEIR BANKS.

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.

STAY TUNED TO THE MEDIA OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST 
INFORMATION.
$$
07

2 follow-up statements

000 
WGUS72 KGSP 132301
FFSGSP
NCC021-140030-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
658 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 830 PM EDT FOR BUNCOMBE 
COUNTY...

RAINFALL HAS DIMINISHED OVER BUNCOMBE COUNTY. STREAMS AND CREEKS IN 
THE NORTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY ARE REPORTED TO BE OUT OF THEIR 
BANKS AND STILL RISING...ESPECIALLY AROUND LEICESTER. RUNOFF FROM 
EARLIER RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE...AND ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN 
POSSIBLE.

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.

STAY TUNED TO THE MEDIA OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST 
INFORMATION.
$$
07

000 
WGUS72 KGSP 140030
FFSGSP
NCC021-140130-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
830 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WHICH WAS IN EFFECT FOR BUNCOMBE COUNTY
HAS EXPIRED AS OF 830 PM EDT...

AT 830 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING 
OUT OF EASTERN TENNESSEE AND FAR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE STORMS 
ARE EXPECTED TO SLOWLY WEAKEN AS THEY APPROACH THE SOUTHERN 
MOUNTAINS AND THE FOOTHILLS...AND COULD BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY 
RAIN TO BUNCOMBE COUNTY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL LATER THIS EVENING 
COULD RESULT IN ADDITIONAL URBAN FLOODING...AND COULD CAUSE ONE OR 
TWO SMALL CREEKS TO COME OUT OF THEIR BANKS. IT IS POSSIBLE 
ADDITIONAL WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED LATER.

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 Jul 13, 3:31 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 13, 3:31 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
331 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

FOR THE SHORT TERM...MULTICELLULAR CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL
CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE EAST ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS WELL
INTO THE EVENING HOURS. EXPECT A FEW MORE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS GIVEN
A FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT OF COOL TROF AT MID LEVELS AND LOW LEVEL
CONVERGENCE ALONG AND SOUTH OF SURFACE BOUNDARY CUTTING EAST TO WEST
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THE CONVECTION MAY PERSIST THROUGH THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS AS IT SHIFTS OFF TO THE EAST AS THE SYNOPTIC
ENVIRONMENT SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT IT...WITH SHORT WAVE ROTATING
AROUND BOTTOM OF UPPER TROF AND UPPER DIVERGENCE IN RIGHT ENTRANCE
REGION OF UPPER JET.

ON MONDAY...THE BEST FORCING SHIFTS OFF TO THE EAST...PUTTING THE
PIEDMONT IN THE GRADIENT OF PRECIP PROBABILITY WITH CHANCE ACROSS
THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS AND LIKELY TO OUR EAST. THE FORCING
SHOULD DIMINISH LATE IN THE DAY AS ENERGY PULLS OUT OF THE UPPER
TROF. AS A RESULT...CONVECTION SHOULD ALSO BE MORE DIURNAL IN
NATURE. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY SHOULD ALSO FEATURE TYPICAL DIURNAL
CONVECTION. HAVE STAYED RELATIVELY CLOSE TO TEMP GUIDANCE
THROUGHOUT.

FOR THE MEDIUM RANGE...HAVE FOLLOWED HPC SCENARIO AND GUIDANCE
FAIRLY CLOSELY...WHICH FAVORS THE ENSEMBLE GFS/ECMWF. THIS SCENARIO
KEEPS PRECIP PROBABILITY AND TEMPS CLOSE TO CLIMATOLOGY. SEE LITTLE
REASON TO CHANGE MUCH OF WHAT WE HAVE IN THE ONGOING FORECAST...WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF HIGH TEMPS ON SATURDAY...WHICH WILL BE RAISED A FEW
DEGREES TO COME INTO LINE WITH ENSEMBLE MOS GUIDANCE UNDER THE
ASSUMPTION THAT ANY FRONT THAT MIGHT MOVE THROUGH WILL BE WEAK.

FCSTID =   10
GSP   67  86  68  88 /  60  40  40  30
AND   68  86  69  88 /  60  40  40  30
CLT   67  85  68  88 /  60  50  50  40
HKY   66  84  67  87 /  60  40  40  30
AVL   63  82  63  84 /  60  40  30  30

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

MOORE

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 13, 4:50 AM EDT, 12 hours 38 minutes before

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-131100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
450 AM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND ORGANIZE
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA IN RESPONSE TO AN UPPER LEVEL TROF MOVING
EAST TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST U.S.. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE
DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

SCATTERD...MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE POSSIBLE MOST DAYS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

RB

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 13, 3:56 PM EDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
356 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

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

347 PM     10 NE ANDERSON            SC   1.75 INCH HAIL
07/13/03   ANDERSON                       SPOTTER REPORT OF
                                          GOLFBALL-SIZED HAIL ON
                                          WREN SCHOOL ROAD IN WEST
                                          PELZER.

347 PM     10 NE ANDERSON            SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/13/03   ANDERSON                       TREES DOWN ON WREN SCHOOL
                                          ROAD IN WEST PELZER.
                                          SPOTTER REPORT.

345 PM     15 NE ANDERSON            SC   .75 INCH HAIL
07/13/03   ANDERSON                       DIME-SIZED HAIL IN THE
                                          WREN COMMUNITY. SPOTTER
                                          REPORT.

BURRUS

NWUS52 KGSP 131959
LSRGSP

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
354 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

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

326 PM     5 S EASLEY                SC   1.75 INCH HAIL
07/13/03   PICKENS                        HAM REPORT.

340 PM     SIX MILE                  SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/13/03   PICKENS                        HAM REPORTED ONE FOOT
                                          DIAMETER TREES DOWN.

335 PM     PIEDMONT                  SC   1.75 INCH HAIL
07/13/03   ANDERSON                       SPOTTER REPORT.

JRL

SCHOOL
                                          ROAD IN WEST PELZER.
                                          SPOTTER REPORT.

345 PM     15 NE ANDERSON            SC   .75 INCH HAIL
07/13/03   ANDERSON                       DIME-SIZED HAIL IN THE
                                          WREN COMMUNITY. SPOTTER
                                          REPORT.

BURRUS

Local storm report, Jul 13, 4:15 PM EDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
415 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

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

402 PM     3 E MORGANTON             NC   1.75 INCH HAIL
07/13/03   BURKE                          EOC REPORT.

JAT

Local storm report, Jul 13, 4:37 PM EDT, 51 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
437 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

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

325 PM     13 SW PICKENS             SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/13/03   PICKENS                        AT LEAST THREE TREES DOWN
                                          BETWEEN SOUTHERN WESLEYAN
                                          UNIVERSITY AND CENTRAL.
                                          SPOTTER REPORT.

BURRUS

Local storm report, Jul 13, 5:06 PM EDT, 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
506 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

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

450 PM     10 NW ASHEVILLE           NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/13/03   BUNCOMBE                       COUNTY 911 REPORTS TREES
                                          DOWN IN LEICESTER.

BURRUS

Local storm report, Jul 13, 5:08 PM EDT, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
508 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

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

441 PM     16 W LAURENS              SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/13/03   LAURENS                        TREES DOWN IN PRINCETON.
                                          LAURENS 911 REPORT.

441 PM     16 W LAURENS              SC   .75 INCH HAIL
07/13/03   LAURENS                        DIME-SIZED HAIL IN
                                          PRINCETON. COUNTY 911
                                          REPORT.

BURRUS

Local storm report, Jul 13, 5:21 PM EDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
521 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

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

510 PM     3 S CHESTER               SC   1.25 INCH HAIL
07/13/03   CHESTER                        HAM REPORT.

JRL

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 12, 8:30 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Cleveland	45 min
Jul 12, 8:36 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Rutherford	39 min
Jul 12, 8:48 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Gaston	42 min
Jul 12, 9:43 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	McDowell	2 hr
Jul 12, 9:44 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Gaston	46 min
Jul 12, 9:55 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	McDowell, Rutherford	65 min
Jul 12, 10:02 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Mecklenburg	58 min
Jul 12, 10:16 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Lincoln	59 min
Jul 12, 10:27 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Rutherford	3 hr
Jul 12, 10:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Cleveland	48 min
Jul 12, 11:00 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Cleveland, Lincoln	3 hr
Jul 12, 11:05 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Gaston	40 min
Jul 12, 11:35 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Mecklenburg	40 min
Jul 13, 12:01 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Burke	44 min
Jul 13, 1:35 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Union	3 hr
Jul 13, 1:46 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Union	3 hr
Jul 13, 3:43 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Burke, Caldwell	47 min
Jul 13, 4:44 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Union	3 hr
Jul 13, 5:14 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Burke	3 hr
Jul 13, 5:19 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Mecklenburg, Union	56 min
Jul 13, 7:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Graham	48 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North 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.