Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 87, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 29, 2003Iredell County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Jul 29, 2003, 6:42 PM EDT for Iredell County, North 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 counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 29, 2003, 6:42 PM EDT (22:42 UTC)
Expired
Jul 29, 2003, 8:45 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Iredell County, NC

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 146 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:45 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 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 93 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2003-07-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 681 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2003-07-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -3 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
681 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-58 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1045 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS52 KGSP 292241
FFWGSP
NCC097-300045-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
642 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL IREDELL COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 845 PM EDT

* AT 640 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SHOWERS    
  AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL IREDELL COUNTY...FROM 
  SHARON...THROUGH STATESVILLE TO ELMWOOD AND COOL SPRINGS.
  UP TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN SINCE 4 PM IN 
  STATESVILLE...RESULTING IN NUMEROUS ROAD CLOSURES. ADDITIONAL
  RAINFALL OF AN INCH OR MORE COULD FALL THROUGH LATE 
  EVENING...INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL URBAN...AND 
  STREAM...FLOODING. 

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 FLOODED STORM 
DRAINS.

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
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 292351
FFSGSP
NCC097-300045-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
752 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 845 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
IREDELL COUNTY...

AT 750 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN CONTINUING 
OVER MOST OF IREDELL COUNTY. THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAD FALLEN IN CENTRAL 
IREDELL...IN AREAS ALONG AND CLOSE TO INTERSTATE 40. SEVERE URBAN 
FLOODING DEVELOPED EARLIER AS A RESULT OF THE TORRENTIAL 
DOWNPOURS...BUT COUNTY OFFICIALS REPORT CONDITIONS HAD GREATLY 
IMPROVED. OFFICIALS DID REPORT THAT DEPOT HILL ROAD WAS STILL CLOSED 
BECAUSE OF HIGH WATER. NO STREAM OR CREEK FLOODING HAD YET BEEN 
REPORTED.

THROUGH 845 PM...THERE IS STILL A CHANCE THAT SOME FLOODING OF 
SHALLOW STREAMS AND CREEKS COULD STILL OCCUR...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE 
FOURTH AND FIFTH CREEKS BETWEEN ELMWOOD AND COOL SPRINGS. BE ALERT 
ALSO FOR RISES ON THE YADKIN RIVER AS RUNOFF FROM THE AFTERNOON 
STORMS FILTERS THROUGH COUNTY CREEK BASINS.

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.

$$
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 300049
FFSGSP
NCC097-300100-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
845 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WHICH WAS IN EFFECT FOR IREDELL COUNTY HAS
EXPIRED AS OF 845 PM EDT...

AT 845 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT 
THE AREA OF HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA HAD 
SHIFTED EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 77 CORRIDOR. THE WARNING HAS THUS 
BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

OTHER THAN URBAN DRAINAGE PROBLEMS...NO REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT 
FLOODING HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. HOWEVER...CONTINUE TO USE CAUTION IF 
YOU MUST DRIVE THIS EVENING SINCE CONSIDERABLE STANDING WATER MAY 
HAVE COLLECTED IN LOW SPOTS.
$$
HG

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 29, 6:08 PM EDT, 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 29, 6:08 PM EDT, 34 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
608 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

AFTER COORDINATION WITH SPC...WILL UPDATE TO CLEAR THE NORTH
CAROLINA FOOTHILLS AND THE WESTERN UPSTATE...INCLUDING GREENVILLE
AND SPARTANBURG FROM THE CURRENT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. LAPS
ANALYSIS SHOWS LITTLE RESIDUAL INSTABILITY IN WORKED OVER AIRMASS
AND VAD WIND PROFILE SHOWS LITTLE SHEAR REMAINING WITH 15 KT
WESTERLY FLOW UP THE COLUMN.

FCSTID =   33

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

HG
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 29, 4:58 AM EDT, 13 hours 44 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-291100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
458 AM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE
EXTENDED PERIOD.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED ATT HIS TIME.

RB

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 29, 4:41 PM EDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
441 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

434 PM     VALDESE                   NC   .75 INCH HAIL
07/29/03   BURKE                          HAM REPORTED DIME SIZED
                                          HAIL.

441 PM     3 E BETHLEHEM             NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   ALEXANDER                      SPOTTER REPORTED 4-5
                                          LIMBS BLOWING OFF TREES
                                          AND PEA SIZE HAIL.

LAMB
Local storm report, Jul 29, 5:22 PM EDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
522 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

500 PM     SPARTANBURG               SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   SPARTANBURG                    COUNTY 911 REPORTED TREES
                                          AND POWERLINES DOWN AT
                                          INTSCN OF CANNONS
                                          CAMPGROUND RD AND
                                          CONVERSE RD.

520 PM     0.5 S FALLSTON            NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   CLEVELAND                      HAM REPORTED 2 ROOFS
                                          BLOWN OFF MOBILE HOMES
                                          NEAR JIM CLINE RD AND HWY
                                          18.

LAMB
Local storm report, Jul 29, 5:46 PM EDT, 56 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
546 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

522 PM     WOODLEAF                  NC   .75 INCH HAIL
07/29/03   ROWAN                          WOODLEAF F.D. REPORTED
                                          DIME SIZE HAIL AND GUSTY
                                          WIND.

LAMB
Local storm report, Jul 29, 5:53 PM EDT, 49 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
553 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

520 PM     FALLSTON                  NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   CLEVELAND                      UPDATE TO PREVOUS LSR.
                                          NUMEROUS TREES UPROOTED
                                          OR SNAPPED OFF HALFWAYUP.
                                          OUTBUILDINGS BLOWN INTO
                                          THE HIGHWAY. ONE MOBILE
                                          HOME LOST ROOF WHILE MAN
                                          WAS INSIDE. NO INJURIES.
                                          REPORTED BY COUNTY 911
                                          CENTER.

LAMB
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 6:15 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
NCZ034-054-055-066-067-SCZ002-003-005>007-010>012-019-292245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
615 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

THE NORTH CAROLINA FOOTHILLS AND THE WESTERN UPSTATE OF SOUTH
CAROLINA HAVE BEEN CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH # 812.
THIS CLEARANCE AFFECTS THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA...

CALDWELL...BURKE...MCDOWELL...RUTHERFORD...AND POLK.

AND THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA...

PICKENS...GREENVILLE...SPARTANBURG...LAURENS...ANDERSON...ABBEVILLE.
...AND GREENWOOD.

THE STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS MOVED EAST OF THE
AREA. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY STILL DEVELOP ACROSS
THE REGION THIS EVENING...BUT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW
SEVERE LEVELS.

HG
Local storm report, Jul 29, 6:29 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
629 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

610 PM     BELMONT                   NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   GASTON                         TREES DOWN...INCLUDING
                                          ONE THAT DAMAGED A POOL
                                          AT A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.

MCAVOY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 29, 2:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMecklenburg, Union53 min
Jul 29, 2:46 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg119 min
Jul 29, 4:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander, Catawba64 min
Jul 29, 5:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPLincoln65 min
Jul 29, 5:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPIredell47 min
Jul 29, 5:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGaston54 min
Jul 29, 6:16 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPDavie, Rowan3 hr
Jul 29, 6:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMecklenburg56 min
Jul 29, 6:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPRowan58 min
Jul 29, 7:10 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg110 min
Jul 29, 7:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCabarrus49 min

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.