Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 151, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

June 8, 2003Alexander County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 8, 2003, 7:35 PM EDT for Alexander County, North Carolina. It was in force for 55 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jun 8, 2003, 7:35 PM EDT (23:35 UTC)
Expired
Jun 8, 2003, 8:30 PM EDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Alexander County, NC

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm 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

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 118 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 2003-06-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 614 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 2003-06-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 50 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
614 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
487 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
62 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

682 
WUUS52 KGSP 082335
SVRGSP
NCC003-090030-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
735 PM EDT SUN JUN 8 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  ALEXANDER COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 830 PM EDT

* AT 735 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTH OF BOOMER...OR ABOUT 4 MILES NORTH OF
  ELLENDALE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  TAYLORSVILLE AT 750 PM EDT.
  MILLERSVILLE AT 755 PM EDT.
  HIDDENITE AT 810 PM EDT.
  STONY POINT AT 825 PM EDT.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY
RAIN CAN OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM.

LAT...LON 3609 8134 3591 8139 3578 8110 3591 8101
          3604 8102

$$

RWH

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jun 8, 2:02 PM EDT, 5 hours 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 8, 2:02 PM EDT, 5 hours 33 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
202 PM EDT SUN JUN 8 2003

SHORTWAVE ASSOCIATED WITH GREAT LAKES UPPER LOW TO MOVE BY TO N
TONIGHT. SURFACE FRONT STALLED NEAR AREA RIGHT NOW...WITH SECONDARY
FRONT MOVING THROUGH MS RIVER VALLEY. RADAR SHOWS CONVECTION
DEVELOPING MAINLY E OF I-85...THROUGH SECOND BAND DEVELOPING ALONG
BLUE RIDGE. WILL LEAVE SCATTERED CONVECTION IN FORECAST THIS
EVENING. STILL CONCERNED ABOUT FLOOD POTENTIAL IN CLT AREA THIS
EVENING...AND WILL ISSUE ANOTHER FLOOD WATCH. ATMOSPHERE DRIES AS
SECOND FRONT WEEPS ACROSS AREA LATE TONIGHT. GUIDANCE POPS VERY LOW
NEXT TWO DAYS...THOUGH AVN RETURNS MOISTURE FASTER ON TUE. FOR NOW
LEFT TUE DRY. NEXT COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM N WED. AVN MORE
AGRESSIVE IN BRINGING GULF MOISTURE N TO MEET FRONT. INCREASED POP
TO 30 WED AFTERNOON. DRIER AIR WILL ALLOW GREATER DIURNAL
TEMPERATURE RANGE...PARTICULARLY TUE WITH LOWER MININUM TEMPERATURES.

EXTENDED FORECAST FEATURES STALLED FRONT TO N...WITH OPEN GULF TO
W...AND AREA IN WARM SECTOR. BEST ACTIVITY MAY BE LIMITED TO N AND W
SECTIONS NEARES BEST DYNAMICS...OROGRAPHICS...AND MOISTURE SOURCE.
A LOT WILL DEPND ON WHERE EXACTLY FRONT STALLS. AT THIS TIME WILL
LEAVE 30 POPS THROUGHOUT EXTENDED...CONTINUING INTO SUN.
TEMPERATURES NEAR PERSISTENCE AND CLIMATOLOGY.

FCSTID =    7
GSP   64  87  63  87 /  30  10  10  10
AND   64  88  63  88 /  30  10  10  10
CLT   65  87  63  88 /  30  10  10  10
HKY   63  85  60  85 /  30  10  10  10
AVL   60  83  56  83 /  30  10  10  10

.GSP...
GA...NONE.
NC...FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS EVENING FOR ZONES NCZ069>072...NCZ082.

SC...FLOOD WATCH FOR THIS EVENING FOR ZONE SCZ009.

O7
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 8, 7:10 AM EDT, 12 hours 25 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-081300-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
710 AM EDT SUN JUN 8 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN AFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE PIEDMONT OF THE
WESTERN CAROLINAS THIS MORNING. SEE CAEFFAGSP AND CAEFLSGSP FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE VERY SLOWLY ACROSS THE
MOUNTAINS TODAY...AND SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE DURING THE AFTERNOON.
THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ISOLATED HEAVY RAINFALL...
AS WELL AS GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. HOWEVER...THESE
STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LEVELS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

LANE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 8, 6:19 PM EDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
GAZ010-017-NCZ033>035-048>056-058-059-062>068-SCZ001>003-082315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
619 PM EDT SUN JUN 8 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL TO AFFECT THE
MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH 8 PM...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT
WERE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA
MOUNTAINS SUNDAY EVENING. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECEIVED A
GENERAL PUBLIC REPORT OF NEARLY A HALF INCH OF RAIN IN THE VICINITY
OF SWANNANOA EARLIER. IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY
RAIN...SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE BRIEFLY SEVERE...RESULTING IN
WIND GUSTS AROUND 70 MPH...OR HAIL AS LARGE AS QUARTERS.

THE STORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE FOOTHILLS AS THE EVENING
PROGRESSES...THEN FINALLY INTO THE PIEDMONT...WHICH HAD EXCESSIVE
RAINFALL SATURDAY. ADDITIONAL STORMS COULD FIRE UP LATER...AS THE
ACTUAL COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THE MEDIA FOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

BURRUS
Local storm report, Jun 8, 6:50 PM EDT, 45 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
650 PM EDT SUN JUN 08 2003

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

634 PM     15 W MARION               NC   1.00 INCH HAIL
06/08/03   MCDOWELL                       MCDOWELL COUNTY 911
                                          REPORTS QUARTER-SIZED
                                          HAIL IN OLD FORT.

634 PM     15 W MARION               NC   WIND DAMAGE
06/08/03   MCDOWELL                       TREES DOWN...ONE ON
                                          INTERSTATE 40 BLOCKING
                                          ONE LANE OF TRAFFIC. THE
                                          OTHER TREE OFF OAKDALE
                                          AVENUE IN OLD FORT.
                                          GENERAL PUBLIC REPORT
                                          RELAYED BY COUNTU 911
                                          CENTER.

640 PM     5 S NEWLAND               NC   .88 INCH HAIL
06/08/03   AVERY                          911 CENTER REPORTED HAIL
                                          COVERED THE GROUND IN
                                          CROSSNORE.

BURRUS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 7, 8:40 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg3 hr
Jun 7, 11:30 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg3 hr
Jun 7, 11:35 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPCabarrus3 hr
Jun 8, 1:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe23 min
Jun 8, 1:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe, Henderson43 min
Jun 8, 2:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPRutherford48 min
Jun 8, 6:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAvery, Mitchell53 min
Jun 8, 6:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe43 min
Jun 8, 6:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMcDowell44 min
Jun 8, 7:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBurke, McDowell, Rutherford64 min
Jun 8, 7:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland41 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 2003Every severe thunderstorm 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.