Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 241, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 16, 2003, 4:08 PM EDT for Henderson County, North Carolina. It was in force for 37 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 16, 2003, 4:08 PM EDT (20:08 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 16, 2003, 4:45 PM EDT
- In force
- 37 min
- Issued by
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Henderson County, NC
The radar
The Greer radar (KGSP), 59 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:10 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.
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, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 244 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
- 161 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -157 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1179 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 6 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 12 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 70 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
338 WUUS52 KGSP 162008 SVRGSP NCC089-162045- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 407 PM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... HENDERSON COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA * UNTIL 445 PM EDT * AT 407 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF HENDERSONVILLE...OR ABOUT OVER MOUNTAIN HOME...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. * THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... HENDERSONVILLE AT 430 PM EDT. DANA AT 440 PM EDT. EAST FLAT ROCK AT 445 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 3548 8239 3540 8266 3521 8254 3530 8234 $$ NED/HG
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 16, 2:50 PM EDT, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 16, 2:50 PM EDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 250 PM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 18Z SFC ANALYSIS DEPICTS A WEAK FRONT STRETCHED FROM THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS TO THE MID MS RIVER VALLEY...WITH A SFC TROUGH OVER THE FOOTHILLS OF THE CAROLINAS JUST EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. RADAR SHOWS ISOLATED CONVECTION WHICH HAS FINALLY OVERCOME THE WARM TEMPERATURES ALOFT. AS THE BOUNDARY TO THE NW SLIPS SLOWLY TOWARD THE AREA...AND OUTFLOWS FROM THE ONGOING CONVECTION CONT...COVERAGE SHOULD SLOWLY INCREASE ACROSS THE WRN CAROLINAS AND NE GA THROUGH SUNSET AND THEN DISSIPATE BY MIDNIGHT. WILL THUS USE EVENING CHC POPS IN THE FORECAST. FRONT WASHES OUT UPON APPROACH TOMORROW WITH A RESIDUAL TROUGH AXIS THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. INSTABILITY POOLS ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE FRONT WITH ETA SUGGESTING 2500 TO 3000 J/KG CAPES BY AFTERNOON. A CAPPING INVERSION IS PRESENT IN MOST SOUNDINGS...WHICH SHOULD DELAY SIGNIFICANT CONVECTION UNTIL MID TO LATE AFTERNOON...BUT SCATTERED COVERAGE OF STRONG STORMS IS LIKELY AGAIN TOMORROW WITH MID LEVEL DRY PUNCH AND LOW WET BULB ZEROES. CHARACTER OF PRECIPITATION WILL REMAIN MAINLY DIURNAL IN NATURE FROM TOMORROW THROUGH NEXT MONDAY...WITH ANOTHER WEAK BOUNDARY WASHING OUT OVER THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS WEEKEND. MEDIUM RANGE CONSENSUS IS FOR A STRONGER SHORTWAVE TO LOAD UP OVER MANITOBA LATE IN THE WEEKEND AND CARVE OUT ANOTHER EASTERN TROUGH BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS SYSTEM SHOULD PUSH A STRONGER FRONT FROM THE GREAT LAKES TO THE FORECAST AREA BY TUESDAY...WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE. SOME DRYING IS LIKELY BEHIND THE SYSTEM STARTING WED. FCSTID = 33 GSP 70 90 70 89 / 40 30 30 30 AND 70 90 70 90 / 40 30 30 30 CLT 70 90 70 89 / 40 40 40 30 HKY 67 88 67 89 / 40 30 30 30 AVL 63 85 62 86 / 40 30 30 30 .GSP... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. HG
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 16, 6:00 AM EDT, 10 hours 8 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014- 019-161200- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 600 AM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA... UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY AND PERSIST INTO THE EVENING. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT A FEW COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...LARGE HAIL...OR LOCALIZED FLOODING. FOR MORE INFORMATION...SEE THE SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK (SPSGSP) ISSUED AT 410 AM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DEVELOP EVERY DAY THROUGH NEXT TUESDAY...MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ON ANY GIVEN DAY...ONE OR TWO COULD PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED. MOORE
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 10:27 AM EDT, 5 hours 41 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014- 019-162100- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1027 AM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 ...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE... TYPICAL MID-JULY HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL RESULT IN THE ATMOSPHERE BECOMING MODERATELY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON WITH THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED OVER THE MOUNTAINS BY EARLY AFTERNOON. DUE TO THE RATHER HIGH DEGREE OF DESTABILIZATION EXPECTED...SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. IN ADDITION...STORMS DEVELOPING TODAY WILL MOVE SLOWLY...SO THERE WILL ALSO BE A THREAT OF LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL AND POSSIBLY FLASH FLOODING. BY MID AFTERNOON...STORMS WILL BEGIN MOVING OFF THE HIGHER TERRAIN...INTO THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT. IN ADDITION...A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET...AND SHOULD DISSIPATE BY MIDNIGHT. SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ACTIVATE QUICKLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. DISPATCHERS SHOULD ENSURE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS ARE AWARE OF THIS INFORMATION. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR THE LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 3:30 PM EDT, 38 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014- 019-170300- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 330 PM EDT WED JUL 16 2003 ...ISOLATED FLOODING AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA THROUGH SUNSET. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL DRIFT SLOWLY SOUTHEAST...PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES OVER AFFECTED AREAS. THIS RAINFALL MAY BE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE LOCATIONS. IF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP REPEATEDLY IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA...STREAMS AND CREEKS WILL ALSO EXPERIENCE VERY RAPID RISES AND SOME COULD APPROACH BANKFULL. THE GREATEST THREAT OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL THIS EVENING WILL BE OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA FOOTHILLS...ESPECIALLY JUST EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. ANY LOCATION ACROSS THE REGION...HOWEVER...WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IF A THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPS. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY RAIN...ANY OF THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...GENERATING HAIL THE SIZE OF PENNIES OR NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE BY MIDNIGHT. SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO RELAY REPORTS OF FLOODING... WIND...OR HAIL TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. DISPATCHERS SHOULD ENSURE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS ARE AWARE OF THIS INFORMATION. HG
The office that day
Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 3:54 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Caldwell | 51 min |
| Jul 16, 3:54 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Davie, Rowan | 66 min |
| Jul 16, 5:04 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Burke, Catawba | 56 min |
| Jul 16, 5:54 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Rutherford | 36 min |
| Jul 16, 6:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Lincoln | 45 min |
| Jul 16, 6:25 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Transylvania | 65 min |
| Jul 16, 6:29 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Cleveland, Gaston | 61 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.