Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 308, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 29, 2003Lincoln County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 29, 2003, 5:25 PM EDT for Lincoln County, North Carolina. It was in force for 65 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, 5:25 PM EDT (21:25 UTC)
Expired: Jul 29, 2003, 6:30 PM EDT
In force: 65 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Lincoln County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 116 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:28 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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 29, 3:00 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 9.4 hours before the alert went out and 133 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: 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.

657 
WUUS52 KGSP 292125
SVRGSP
NCC109-292230-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 630 PM EDT

* AT 524 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES WEST OF LINCOLNTON...OR ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF
  CROUSE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  CROUSE AT 530 PM EDT.
  LINCOLNTON AT 535 PM EDT.
  BOGER CITY AT 545 PM EDT.
  IRON STATION AT 600 PM EDT.
  LOWESVILLE AT 630 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 3540 8094 3541 8131 3541 8145 3554 8140
          3556 8117 3553 8094

$$
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, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 29, 4:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 5 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, 12 hours 27 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

Local storm report, Jul 29, 2:54 PM EDT, 2 hours 31 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, 1 hour 35 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, 1 hour 23 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

Special weather statement, Jul 29, 4:38 PM EDT, 47 minutes before

NCZ065-292115-

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

...HENDERSON COUNTY HAS BEEN CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NUMBER 812...

AT 438 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT
THE STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER THE WESTERN
CAROLINAS HAD MOVED EAST OF THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. WHILE A
FEW SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS MAY PERSIST ACROSS HENDERSON COUNTY
THIS EVENING...NO ADDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED. THE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE REST OF THE
WATCH AREA.

GERAPETRITIS

Local storm report, Jul 29, 4:41 PM EDT, 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
441 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

434 PM     VALDESE                   NC   .75 INCH HAIL
07/29/03   BURKE                          HAM REPORTED DIME SIZED
                                          HAIL.

441 PM     3 E BETHLEHEM             NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   ALEXANDER                      SPOTTER REPORTED 4-5
                                          LIMBS BLOWING OFF TREES
                                          AND PEA SIZE HAIL.

LAMB

Local storm report, Jul 29, 5:22 PM EDT, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
522 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2003

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

500 PM     SPARTANBURG               SC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   SPARTANBURG                    COUNTY 911 REPORTED TREES
                                          AND POWERLINES DOWN AT
                                          INTSCN OF CANNONS
                                          CAMPGROUND RD AND
                                          CONVERSE RD.

520 PM     0.5 S FALLSTON            NC   WIND DAMAGE
07/29/03   CLEVELAND                      HAM REPORTED 2 ROOFS
                                          BLOWN OFF MOBILE HOMES
                                          NEAR JIM CLINE RD AND HWY
                                          18.

LAMB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 29, 2:37 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Mecklenburg, Union	53 min
Jul 29, 2:46 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Mecklenburg	119 min
Jul 29, 4:26 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Alexander, Catawba	64 min
Jul 29, 5:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Iredell	47 min
Jul 29, 5:51 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Gaston	54 min
Jul 29, 6:16 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Davie, Rowan	3 hr
Jul 29, 6:19 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Mecklenburg	56 min
Jul 29, 6:32 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Rowan	58 min
Jul 29, 6:42 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Iredell	2 hr
Jul 29, 7:10 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Mecklenburg	110 min
Jul 29, 7:11 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Cabarrus	49 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.