Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 293, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 22, 2003Franklin County, Hart County, Stephens County, Georgia

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 22, 2003, 2:35 PM EDT for Franklin County, Hart County, Stephens County, Georgia. It was in force for 40 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 22, 2003, 2:35 PM EDT (18:35 UTC)
Expired
Jul 22, 2003, 3:15 PM EDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Franklin County, GA, Hart County, GA, Stephens County, GA

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:35 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 22, 12:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 6.6 hours before the alert went out and 166 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2003-07-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 491 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2003-07-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -31 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
491 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-108 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
876 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-31 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-17 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.

906 
WUUS52 KGSP 221835
SVRGSP
GAC119-147-257-221915-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
234 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  STEPHENS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA
  FRANKLIN COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA
  HART COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA

* UNTIL 315 PM EDT

* AT 234 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF CLARKESVILLE TO 13
  MILES NORTHEAST OF GAINES SCHOOL...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  BOYDVILLE AT 245 PM EDT.
  CARNESVILLE AT 250 PM EDT.
  TOCCOA AT 255 PM EDT.
  ROYSTON AT 300 PM EDT.
  CANON AT 305 PM EDT.

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 3463 8339 3449 8344 3398 8321 3426 8308
          3434 8282 3469 8331

$$

RBN

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 22, 1:43 PM EDT, 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 22, 1:43 PM EDT, 52 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
143 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

FORECAST WILL BE UPDATED FOR NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 798. WILL
ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADD SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WORDING TO ALL
REMAINING ZONES NOT IN WW798 IN ANTICIPATION OF ANOTHER WATCH
FARTHER EAST IN SC/NC. A FEW TWEAKS WILL ALSO BE MADE BASED ON
TRENDS IN OBSERVATIONS...MAINLY TO BUMP UP POPS TO CATEGORICAL TO
THE WEST AND TO RAISE CLOUD COVER ACCORDINGLY. TEMPS WILL BE RAISED
A FEW DEGREES ACROSS THE NC PIEDMONT WHERE ADDITIONAL HEATING WILL
TAKE PLACE...AND LOWERED ACROSS THE SC LOWER PIEDMONT WHERE
CLOUDS/EARLIER PRECIP WILL KEEP TEMPS FROM RECOVERING ALL THE WAY.

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

MOORE

...PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ISSUED AT 1120 AM...
WILL ISSUE LATE MORNING UPDATE TO CLEAN UP WORDING... BUT FORECAST
FOR THE REST OF TODAY IS GOING TO REMAIN ESSENTIALLY UNCHANGED.
LIKELY AND HIGH CHANCE POPS WILL CONTINUE.  THUNDERSTORMS
APPROACHING WESTERN TIP OF OUR CWA NOW.  MODEL GUIDANCE INDICATES
FAIRLY WELL-DEFINED REGION OF SURFACE CONVERGENCE AND UPWARD MOTION
WILL AFFECT AREA... CERTAINLY BY LATE AFTERNOON.  LATEST LAPS AND
MSAS INDICATE MOST UNSTABLE AIR IS ACTUALLY JUST TO OUR EAST AND
SOUTHEAST. EARLIER RUC AND 12Z ETA FORECAST DOWNWARD MOTION OVER THE
MOUNTAINS DURING AFTERNOON... SO CURRENT STRONG CONVECTION JUST TO
OUR WEST WILL BE MOVING INTO A LESS FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR
SEVERE... AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM.

LGL
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 22, 6:07 AM EDT, 8 hours 28 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-221200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
607 AM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE ANTICIPATED FOR ALL OF THE FORECAST
AREA TODAY. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD REACH SEVERE LEVELS...WITH
DAMAGING WIND THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER THREAT DURING THE
AFTERNOON. MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED DURING THE
STRONGEST STORMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION AGAIN TONIGHT...AND
WEDNESDAY. THERE WILL STILL BE A CHANCE OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS
TONIGHT...AND THE THREAT OF LARGE HAIL IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE LATE
TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE
SCATTERED FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT.

BURRUS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 22, 11:27 AM EDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-222000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1127 AM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS ALL OF THE
WESTERN CAROLINAS AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA...

A LARGE AREA OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED ACROSS
NORTHERN ALABAMA...NORTHERN GEORGIA...AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE LATE
THIS MORNING. THIS AREA IS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY SHIFT EAST...AFFECTING
EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA...THE WESTERN UPSTATE...AND THE NC
MOUNTAINS BY MID AFTERNOON. THE NC FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT...ALONG
WITH THE REST OF THE UPSTATE COULD SEE STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

THESE STORMS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF TONIGHT...AS A STRONG
COLD FRONT MOVES INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES. SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCES WILL ALSO AFFECT THE REGION. ALL LOCATIONS IN THE
WESTERN CAROLINAS AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA COULD SEE SEVERE
WEATHER.

THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WILL BE
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO OVER 60 MPH. THERE COULD ALSO BE SOME HAIL
OF DIME-SIZE OR LARGER...ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY OF LARGE HAIL WILL
INCREASE LATER TONIGHT...AS SOMEWHAT COLDER AIR ALOFT MOVES INTO THE
REGION. IN ADDITION TO THE WIND AND HAIL POTENTIAL...THERE WILL ALSO
BE A THREAT FOR FLOODING OF LOW LYING OR POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THE
FLOODING THREAT WILL BE AMPLIFIED IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE SEVERAL
PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN.

THE COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO STALL OVER OUR AREA LATE TONIGHT AND
WEDNESDAY...AS A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS AND MOVES ALONG THE
BOUNDARY. THEREFORE...SEVERE WEATHER COULD ALSO OCCUR ON WEDNESDAY.

SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ACTIVATE QUICKLY LATE 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.

JRL
Special weather statement, Jul 22, 2:15 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-SCZ001-002-004-005-010-011-221915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
215 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING FROM NORTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...

A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS APPROACHING RAPIDLY FROM NORTH
CENTRAL GEORGIA. THIS LINE OF SEVERE STORMS HAS A HISTORY OF
PRODUCING WIND DAMAGE. IF THE LINE HOLDS TOGETHER...IT WILL REACH
THE COUNTIES OF RABUN...HABERSHAM...STEPHENS...AND HART BY 230 PM TO
245 PM. EVENTUALLY...THE LINE OF STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS ALL OF
EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND INTO WESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA BETWEEN
230 PM AND 3 PM.

RESIDENTS IN THESE LOCATIONS SHOULD MONITOR THE MEDIA FOR UPCOMING
WEATHER WARNINGS AND PREPARE TO TAKE SHELTER IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF
THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

MOORE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 22, 2:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHabersham, Rabun28 min
Jul 22, 2:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPElbert51 min
Jul 22, 2:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHabersham46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 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.