Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 306, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 29, 2003Alexander County, Catawba County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 29, 2003, 4:26 PM EDT for Alexander County, Catawba County, North Carolina. It was in force for 64 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 29, 2003, 4:26 PM EDT (20:26 UTC)
Expired
Jul 29, 2003, 5:30 PM EDT
In force
64 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Alexander County, NC, Catawba County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 137 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:28 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 29, 3:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 116 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 2003-07-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 681 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 2003-07-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -3 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
681 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-58 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1045 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

361 
WUUS52 KGSP 292026
SVRGSP
NCC003-035-292130-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
426 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 530 PM EDT

* AT 426 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTH OF HICKORY...OR ABOUT 2 MILES NORTH OF
  BETHLEHEM...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  ST. STEPHENS AT 430 PM EDT.
  CONOVER AT 445 PM EDT.
  CLAREMONT AT 450 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 3554 8097 3554 8107 3576 8135 3589 8134
          3595 8127 3582 8105 3578 8109 3572 8103
          3563 8093

$$
LANE/BPM

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 29, 4:20 PM EDT, 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 29, 4:20 PM EDT, 6 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
420 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

SPC HAS BOXED MOST OF THE CWA E OF THE MTNS AS AN MCV MOVES IN FROM
NRN GA. AT THE SFC...WEAK FRONT CURRENTLY EXTENDS FROM GSP TO CLT.
SCT STRONG CONVECTION IS FIRING ON THE BNDRY...WITH OTHER CONVECTION
FIRING OFF THE HIGHER TERRAIN. THE COMBINATION OF GOOD LLVL
CONVERGENCE...SBCAPES AOA 3000 AND THE SHORT WAVE WL RESULT IN GOOD
CONVECTIVE COVERAGE E OF THE MTNS THE REST OF THE AFTN AND THIS
EVENING.

ASIDE FROM SEVERE THREAT...WEAK ELY FLOW N OF THE FRONT...COUPLED
WITH FAIRLY LIGHT WLY FLOW ALOFT AS WELL AS HIGH PW/S AND HIGH WBZ/S
WL RESULT IN AN ENVIRONMENT FAVORABLE FOR LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING.
ATTM A WATCH IS NOT WARRANTED...BUT WL MONITOR AS A SHORT TERM WATCH
MAY BE NEEDED AT SOME POINT THIS EVENING.

NOT MUCH FORCING ON WED...THOUGH THE FRONT WL REMAIN IN THE AREA.
BEST LLVL CONVERGENCE ON THE MODELS DEVELOPS OVER THE SW MTNS. LAYER
DRIES OUT QUITE A BIT AS WELL. THEREFORE...WL HAVE ONLY SLGT CHANCE
POPS IN THE FAR NE ZONES...INCREASING TO AROUND 50 PERCENT INTO THE
SW MTNS. THERE WL BE LGT UPSLOPE FLOW AGAIN TMRW NGHT...AND THERE
MAY ONCE AGAIN BE A PROBLEM W/STATIONARY CELLS INTO THE HIGHER
TERRAIN WED NGHT.

LONG WAVE SHARPENS A LITTLE ON THU W/DEEP AND MOIST SWLY FLOW. ETA
HAS GOOD CONVERGENCE ALONG THE LEE AS WELL. WL GO W/A 50 POP ALL
ZONES. DEEPER FRONTAL BNDRY MOVES ACROSS THE CWA EARLY FRIDAY. LOOKS
LIKE A CONTINUED GOOD CHANCE OF RAIN.

FCSTID =   14
GSP   70  86  70  88 /  60  30  30  50
AND   71  87  71  89 /  50  40  40  50
CLT   70  84  71  89 /  60  30  30  50
HKY   68  82  69  86 /  60  20  30  50
AVL   66  81  67  83 /  30  30  30  50

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

MCAVOY
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 29, 4:58 AM EDT, 11 hours 28 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-291100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
458 AM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE
EXTENDED PERIOD.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED ATT HIS TIME.

RB

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 29, 1:08 PM EDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-300000-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
108 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA
AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS...

THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THROUGHOUT
THE AFTERNOON. A MOSTLY SUNNY START TO THE DAY HAS RESULTED IN A
VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE
NORTHWEST...AND A POTENT UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE ROTATES ACROSS
THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON...THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME OF
THE THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME SEVERE. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT
THROUGH EARLY EVENING WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 70 MPH.
THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD WEAKEN WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING.

WITH A WEAK WIND FLOW ALOFT...ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP ARE
EXPECTED TO MOVE SLOWLY...AND COULD PRODUCE AT LEAST A COUPLE OF
INCHES OF RAIN IN ANY ONE LOCATION. STANDING WATER ON ROADS...AND IN
POOR DRAINAGE AREAS IS LIKELY WHEREVER THUNDERSTORMS LINGER FOR LONG
PERIODS. STREAMS...CREEKS AND RIVERS COULD SEE QUICK RISES ACROSS
THE REGION...ENHANCING THE POSSIBILITY OF LOCALIZED FLOODING.

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.

BURRUS
Local storm report, Jul 29, 2:54 PM EDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
254 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

237 PM     MATTHEWS                  NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   MECKLENBURG                    SPOTTER REPORTED TREE
                                          DOWN ON CAR ON
                                          INDEPENDENCE BLVD NEAR
                                          MATTHEWS. 0.7 OF RAIN IN
                                          TEN MINUTES. TRASH CANS
                                          WASHING DOWN STREET.

LAMB
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 3:50 PM EDT, 36 minutes before
NCZ034-035-054>056-066>070-SCZ004>008-010-292045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
350 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING OFF OF THE BLUE RIDGE...

AT 344 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED ALONG THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE
MOUNTAINS AND IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. THIS LINE
OF STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DRIFT SOUTH AND EAST TOWARD THE I-85 AND
I-77 CORRIDORS THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED
TO INTENSIFY AS THEY MOVE INTO THE PIEDMONT...AND THEY WILL BE
CAPABLE OF INCREASING TO SEVERE LEVELS. WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH
WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT WITH ANY SEVERE STORMS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE AREA UNTIL
9 PM.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF
THESE STORMS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

LANE
Local storm report, Jul 29, 4:02 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
402 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

236 PM     1 W MATTHEWS              NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   MECKLENBURG                    ***INJURED 1, DEAD 3***
                                          LARGE TREE DOWN ON
                                          VEHICLE. OCCURRED ON
                                          MATTHEWS TOWNSHIP
                                          PARKWAY. REPORTED BY
                                          MECKLENBURG COUNTY
                                          COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

MOORE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 29, 2:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMecklenburg, Union53 min
Jul 29, 2:46 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg119 min
Jul 29, 5:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPLincoln65 min
Jul 29, 5:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPIredell47 min
Jul 29, 5:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGaston54 min
Jul 29, 6:16 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPDavie, Rowan3 hr
Jul 29, 6:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMecklenburg56 min
Jul 29, 6:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPRowan58 min
Jul 29, 6:42 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPIredell2 hr
Jul 29, 7:10 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMecklenburg110 min
Jul 29, 7:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCabarrus49 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.