Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 233, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 13, 2003Abbeville County, Greenwood County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 13, 2003, 5:46 PM EDT for Abbeville County, Greenwood County, South Carolina. It was in force for 59 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: Jul 13, 2003, 5:46 PM EDT (21:46 UTC)
Expired: Jul 13, 2003, 6:45 PM EDT
In force: 59 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Abbeville County, SC, Greenwood County, SC

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

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 222 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: 1654 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -41 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 744 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 8 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 
WUUS52 KGSP 132146
SVRGSP
SCC001-047-132245-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
544 PM EDT SUN JUL 13 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN ABBEVILLE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA
  GREENWOOD COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 645 PM EDT

* AT 544 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 12 MILES NORTH OF GREENWOOD TO 14 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF ABBEVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  ABBEVILLE AT 550 PM EDT.
  COKESBURY AT 555 PM EDT.
  GREENWOOD AT 615 PM EDT.
  VERDERY AT 620 PM EDT.
  NINETY SIX AT 640 PM EDT.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 60 TO 70 MPH WINDS AND 
HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS.

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

LAT...LON 3407 8257 3396 8212 3420 8196 3438 8222

$$
MCAVOY

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 Jul 13, 3:31 PM EDT, 2 hours 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 13, 3:31 PM EDT, 2 hours 15 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 56 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, 4:15 PM EDT, 1 hour 31 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, 1 hour 9 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, 40 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, 38 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, 25 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

Local storm report, Jul 13, 5:37 PM EDT, 9 minutes before

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

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

525 PM     2 NW ASHEVILLE            NC   FLASH FLOOD
07/13/03   BUNCOMBE                       EOC REPORTED NUMEROUS
                                          ROADS FLOODED AND
                                          IMPASSABLE. TURKEY CREEK
                                          RD AT NC-63...HILLCREST
                                          DR...BEARCREEK RD. CREEKS
                                          OUT OF THEIR BANKS.

520 PM     FOUNTAIN INN              SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/13/03   GREENVILLE                     EOC REPORTED TREES DOWN.
                                          FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED
                                          FROM HWY 39.

JRL

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 12, 11:31 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville, Spartanburg	59 min
Jul 13, 12:36 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Spartanburg	39 min
Jul 13, 1:09 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Chester	66 min
Jul 13, 2:43 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenwood	47 min
Jul 13, 2:38 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Pickens	52 min
Jul 13, 3:20 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Anderson, Pickens	40 min
Jul 13, 3:50 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville	40 min
Jul 13, 4:00 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Anderson	45 min
Jul 13, 4:31 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville	44 min
Jul 13, 4:43 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Laurens	62 min
Jul 13, 4:58 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	York	47 min
Jul 13, 5:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Chester	52 min
Jul 13, 5:49 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Laurens	41 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 2003 Every 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.