Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 324, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

August 4, 2003Franklin County, Stephens County, Georgia; Oconee County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 4, 2003, 9:19 PM EDT for Franklin County, Stephens County, Georgia; Oconee County, South Carolina. It was in force for 56 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
Aug 4, 2003, 9:19 PM EDT (01:19 UTC)
Expired
Aug 4, 2003, 10:15 PM EDT
In force
56 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Franklin County, GA, Stephens County, GA, Oconee County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:22 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
Aug 4, 7:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 1.3 hours before the alert went out and 177 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 00:00Z on 2003-08-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2177 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 00:00Z on 2003-08-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 47 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
2177 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
868 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.7
Supercell composite
3.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

236 
WUUS52 KGSP 050119
SVRGSP
GAC119-257-SCC073-050215-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
917 PM EDT MON AUG 4 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
  SOUTHERN OCONEE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 1015 PM EDT

* AT 917 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SEVERE    
  THUNDERSTORMS 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TOCCOA...AND 10 MILES WEST OF 
  CARNESVILLE......MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  AVALON AT 920 PM EDT.
  LAVONIA AT 925 PM EDT.
  WHITWORTH AT 930 PM EDT.
  OAKWAY AT 945 PM EDT.
  TOWNVILLE AT 955 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 3438 8357 3424 8316 3450 8305 3455 8288
          3468 8285 3483 8307

$$
BURRUS

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 Aug 4, 2:23 PM EDT, 6 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 4, 2:23 PM EDT, 6 hours 56 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
223 PM EDT MON AUG 4 2003

UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS TO REMAIN W OF AREA. REMNANTS OF WEAK
SURFACE BOUNDARY APPEAR TO REACH AREA LATE TUE...STALLING OVER
AREA....WITH SURFACE WAVE MOVING INTO AREA FROM W WED. FIRST OF
SEVERALE VORT LOBES MOVES ACROSS AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
LEFT POPS AT LIKELY NE THIS EVENING...WHERE GREATEST INSTABILITY
EXPECTED...WITH HIGH CHANCE REST OF AREA. ANOTHER VORT LOBE TO PASS
TO SW OF AREA LATE TUE. CARRIED CHANCE POPS...BEST IN WHERE VORT
LOBE COMES CLOSEST. THIRD VORT MAX APPROACHES WED...AND CARRIED
CHANCE POP ACROSS AREA. WITH VERY MOIST AIR MASS AND POSSIBLE
BOUNDARY...LEFT SLIGHT CHANCE POPS LATE EACH NIGHT. WEAK COLD FRONT
TO CROSS AREA EARLY THU...SUPPORTING ANOTHER DAY OF CHACNE POPS.
TEMPERATURES NEAR PERSISTENCE EACH DAY...GENERALLY LOW TO MID 80S
OVER MID TO UPPER 60S.

POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER TO EXIST THROUGH EARLY PART OF
PACKAGE. ALTHOUGH LARGE SCALE QPF NOT EXPECTED TO VERY GREAT ON ANY
GIVEN DAY...CUMULATIVE EFFECT ON ALREADY SOAKED SOIL COULD LEAD TO
FLOODING BY MID WEEK. WILL ISSUE FLOOD POTENTIAL OUTLOOK.

EXTENDED FORECAST FEATURES WEAK STATIONARY FRONT STALLED ACROSS
CENTRAL CAROLINAS. CARRIED CHANCE POPS EACH AFTERNOON/EVENING
WITH SLIGHT CHANCE LATE EACH NIGHT. TEMPERATURES AGAIN NEAR
PERSISTENCE.

FCSTID =    7
GSP   68  87  69  85 /  50  30  30  40
AND   68  88  69  85 /  50  30  30  40
CLT   68  88  70  85 /  60  30  30  40
HKY   65  85  67  83 /  60  30  30  40
AVL   62  83  64  81 /  50  40  40  40

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

O7
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 4, 5:17 AM EDT, 16 hours 2 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-041115-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
517 AM EDT MON AUG 4 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME NUMEROUS
TODAY...ESPECIALLY FROM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT. SOME OF THESE
STORMS COULD BECOME QUITE STRONG AND A FEW COULD REACH SEVERE
LEVELS. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL CAN ALSO BE ANTICIPATED. SEE THE
LATEST SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK (CAESPSGSP) FOR MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE WEEK. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL WILL AUGMENT ONGOING ELEVATED
WATER LEVELS...INCREASING THE CHANCES FOR FLOODING. IN
ADDITION...THESE STORMS COULD ALSO BECOME QUITE STRONG AND A FEW
COULD REACH SEVERE LEVELS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

NED

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 4, 6:19 PM EDT, 3 hours before
NCZ070-071-SCZ009-042315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
619 PM EDT MON AUG 4 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD THE CHARLOTTE METRO AREA...

AT 612 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM LOCATED ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GASTONIA...MOVING
EAST AT AROUND 20 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY
WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...AND HOURLY RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES PER
HOUR AS IT TRACKS NEAR THE GASTON AND YORK COUNTY LINE THROUGH 7
PM. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS STORM COULD BRIEFLY INTENSIFY TO SEVERE
LEVELS...AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THIS STORM CLOSELY FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

THIS STORM IS EXPECTED TO REACH MECKLENBURG COUNTY BETWEEN 7 AND 730
PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE
LATEST INFORMATION REGARDING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.

LANE
Special weather statement, Aug 4, 7:10 PM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
NCZ070>072-SCZ009-050000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
710 PM EDT MON AUG 4 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE CHARLOTTE METRO AREA THROUGH 8
PM...

AT 705 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO WESTERN MECKLENBURG COUNTY. THESE
STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50
MPH...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR...AND
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AS THEY MOVE ACROSS THE METRO
AREA. PONDING OF WATER WILL LIKELY OCCUR ON STREETS AND HIGHWAYS
ACROSS THE AREA...AND FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS
WILL BE POSSIBLE. THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY
FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

LANE
Local storm report, Aug 4, 7:19 PM EDT, 2 hours before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
719 PM EDT MON AUG 04 2003

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

710 PM     ASHEVILLE                 NC   WIND DAMAGE
08/04/03   BUNCOMBE                       BUNCOMBE 911 REPORTED
                                          EXTENSIVE WIND DAMAGE
                                          FROM ENKA THROUGH
                                          ASHEVILLE TO WOODFIN.
                                          NUMEROUS TREES AND
                                          POWERLINES DOWN.

710 PM     3 W ASHEVILLE             NC   1.75 INCH HAIL
08/04/03   BUNCOMBE                       BUNCOMBE 911 REPORTED
                                          GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. PEA
                                          SIZE HAIL WAS OCCURRING
                                          IN DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE AT
                                          911 CENTER.

LAMB
Local storm report, Aug 4, 8:28 PM EDT, 51 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
828 PM EDT MON AUG 04 2003

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

805 PM     MILLS RIVER               NC   WIND DAMAGE
08/04/03   HENDERSON                      MILLS RIVER F.D. REPORTED
                                          ONE TREE DOWN IN MILLS
                                          RIVER AND A LOT OF 0.5
                                          HAIL.

LAMB
Special weather statement, Aug 4, 8:36 PM EDT, 43 minutes before
GAZ018-026-050110-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
836 PM EDT MON AUG 4 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING STEPHENS AND
FRANKLIN COUNTIES...

STRONG STORMS WILL CONTINUE MOVING IN FROM BANKS COUNTY
INTO STEPHENS AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES THROUGH 930 PM. INTERESTS
ACROSS THESE COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THESE
STORMS AND BE READY FOR VERY HEAVY RAIN...CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS.

55
Special weather statement, Aug 4, 8:57 PM EDT, 22 minutes before
NCZ071-082-SCZ009-050145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
857 PM EDT MON AUG 4 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CHARLOTTE
METRO AND SURROUNDING AREAS...

AT 845 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED NUMEROUS
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EASTERN YORK...SOUTHERN MECKLENBURG...AND UNION
COUNTIES. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL...AND AS MUCH AS 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR IS POSSIBLE
WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. THIS AMOUNT OF RAIN WILL LIKELY PRODUCE
FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...ESPECIALLY IN MONROE
AND PINEVILLE AND OTHER URBAN AREAS. PONDING OF WATER WILL ALSO
OCCUR ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS ACROSS THE AREA...AS WELL AS SIDE ROADS. IN
ADDITION TO TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY.
MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

LANE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 4, 8:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPRabun57 min
Aug 4, 9:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenville, Spartanburg48 min
Aug 4, 9:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPickens28 min
Aug 4, 10:36 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPGreenville3 hr
Aug 5, 2:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPLaurens38 min
Aug 5, 3:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee, York62 min
Aug 5, 7:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPSpartanburg44 min
Aug 5, 7:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPUnion64 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 2003Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South 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.