Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 304, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 22, 2003Iredell County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 22, 2003, 4:44 PM EDT for Iredell County, North Carolina. It was in force for 46 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, 4:44 PM EDT (20:44 UTC)
Expired
Jul 22, 2003, 5:30 PM EDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Iredell County, NC

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 129 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:46 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, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 87 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 2003-07-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 323 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 2003-07-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -114 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
323 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-124 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1031 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-114 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-74 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.

958 
WUUS52 KGSP 222044
SVRGSP
NCC097-222130-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 530 PM EDT

* AT 443 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF TAYLORSVILLE...OR ABOUT OVER
  LOVE VALLEY...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  UNION GROVE AT 445 PM EDT.
  HARMONY AT 455 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 3593 8083 3591 8092 3591 8099 3606 8100
          3605 8070 3594 8069

$$

MOORE

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, 3:27 PM EDT, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 22, 3:27 PM EDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
327 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

LARGE MCS SUPPORTED BY STRONG CONVERGENCE ALONG APPROACHING FRONTAL
BOUNDARY...AND UPPER SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF APPROACHING MID LEVEL SW
TROUGH...AND UPPER DIVERGENCE IN RRQ OF 90+KT H2 JET...HAS PUSHED
INTO THE WESTERN 1/4 OF THE FORECAST AREA. COMBINATION OF MODERATELY
UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND STRENGTHENING SHEAR PROFILE IS RESULTING IN
ORGANIZED...INTENSE CONVECTION ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS
MCS...AND EXPECT THE SEVERE THREAT TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA
THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. WE WILL ADVERTISE CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS
THE WEST THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY
EVENING. THE AIRMASS HAS BECOME QUITE UNSTABLE ACROSS THE EASTERN
HALF OF THE CWFA...AND WITH THE STRONG FORCING AVAILABLE...
CONVECTION WILL HAVE NO PROBLEM SWEEPING TOWARD THE I-77 CORRIDOR
EARLY IN THE FIRST PERIOD...SO WILL ADVERTISE CATEGORICAL POPS
ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF DURING THE EARLY EVENING.

THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES WHETHER OR NOT ANOTHER MCS WILL DEVELOP
BEHIND THIS SYSTEM LATER TONIGHT. THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS THE REGION
WILL NO DOUBT BE EXTREMELY WORKED OVER BY THIS EVENINGS CONVECTION.
MEANWHILE...THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR NEW MCS DEVELOPMENT THIS
EVENING WOULD BE AHEAD OF THE FRONT ACROSS NORTH ALABAMA/NORTH
GEORGIA...WHERE THE BEST COMBO OF BL CONVERGENCE/UPPER JET
DIVERGENCE WILL BE CO-LOCATED. HOWEVER...THE AIRMASS IN THIS AREA IS
STRUGGLING TO RECOVER IN THE WAKE OF THE CURRENT ACTIVITY.
THEREFORE...CHANCES ARE IFFY THAT WE WILL SEE ANOTHER CONVECTIVE
SYSTEM TO MOVE INTO THE AREA LATER TONIGHT. WITH UNSEASONABLY STRONG
FORCING PERSISTING OVERNIGHT...WILL CONTINUE WITH HIGH CHANCE TO
LIKELY POPS AFTER MIDNIGHT...BUT FEEL THAT MOST OF THE EXCITEMENT
SHOULD BE OVER BY MID TO LATE EVENING.

THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO HANG UP IN THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PORTION
OF THE FORECAST AREA TOMORROW...WHICH IS ALSO WHERE THE BEST UPPER
FORCING WILL SHIFT. WE WILL HOLD ON TO A LIKELY POP ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN AND EASTERN TIER OF COUNTIES...MAINLY DURING THE MORNING
HOURS. POPS WILL BE TAPERED BACK TO A LOW CHANCE BY TOMORROW
AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WEST. THE FRONT REMAINS STALLED ACROSS THE AREA
THROUGH THURSDAY...BUT BECOMES MORE DIFFUSE...WHILE UPPER LEVEL
SUPPORT WILL SHIFT EAST OF THE REGION. WE WILL MAINTAIN MAINLY LOW
CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE AREA...WITH THE BEST CHANCE REMAINING IN THE
EAST AND SOUTH.

EASTERN TROUGH DEAMPLIFIES FOR THE WEEKEND...MAKING THE CURRENT DRY
FORECAST FOR FRI-SUN STILL SEEM REASONABLE. MEANWHILE...MEDIUM RANGE
MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A REAMPLIFICATION OF THE TROUGH EARLY
NEXT WEEK...SO POPS WILL RETURN TO THE FORECAST.

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

LANE
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 22, 6:07 AM EDT, 10 hours 37 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, 3:06 PM EDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
NCZ034>037-054>056-066>069-221915-

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

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO MOVE OFF THE BLUE RIDGE...

AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AND NORTHEAST OFF THE
BLUE RIDGE AND OUT ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON. SOME
OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND
SMALL HAIL. IF THE THUNDERSTORMS HOLD TOGETHER...THEY WILL MOVE
ACROSS THE PIEDMONT DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON.

A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP ENOUGH TO PRODUCE DAMAGING
WIND GUSTS. PEOPLE ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND NORTHWEST PIEDMONT OF
NORTH CAROLINA SHOULD MONITOR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS AND LISTEN FOR
LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.

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

MOORE
Local storm report, Jul 22, 3:33 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
333 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

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

300 PM     TOCCOA                    GA   WIND DAMAGE
07/22/03   STEPHENS                       EOC REPORTED DOWNED TREES
                                          ON HWY 17 ALONG WITH
                                          MARBLE SIZE HAIL.

315 PM     OAKWAY                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/22/03   OCONEE                         HAM REPORTED TREES DOWN
                                          ON HWY 182 AND 24.

330 PM     OAKWAY                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/22/03   OCONEE                         HAM REPORTED TREES DOWN
                                          ON SOUTH FRIENDSHIP RD.

LAMB
Local storm report, Jul 22, 4:00 PM EDT, 44 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
400 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

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

340 PM     TWIN LAKES                SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/22/03   PICKENS                        CAMPERS OVERTURNED AND
                                          TREES DOWN REPORTED BY
                                          COUNTY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS.

KRENTZ
Local storm report, Jul 22, 4:13 PM EDT, 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
413 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

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

340 PM     SENECA                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/22/03   OCONEE                         POWER LINES DOWN
                                          REPORTED BY HAM
                                          OPERATORS.

KRENTZ
Local storm report, Jul 22, 4:17 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
417 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

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

340 PM     2 S WELLS                 SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/22/03   OCONEE                         POWER LINES DOWN REPORTED
                                          BY HAM RADIO OPERATORS.

KRENTZ
Local storm report, Jul 22, 4:29 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
429 PM EDT TUE JUL 22 2003

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

305 PM     CARNESVILLE               GA   WIND DAMAGE
07/22/03   FRANKLIN                       TRESS DOWN IN 9 LOCATIONS
                                          AROUND COUNTY REPORTED BY
                                          911

DICARLO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 21, 8:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCabarrus56 min
Jul 21, 8:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPRowan52 min
Jul 22, 1:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPJackson, Macon25 min
Jul 22, 1:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPTransylvania31 min
Jul 22, 2:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe47 min
Jul 22, 3:36 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBuncombe, Yancey3 hr
Jul 22, 3:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCaldwell41 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.