Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 355, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

August 16, 2003Union County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 16, 2003, 5:29 PM EDT for Union 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: Aug 16, 2003, 5:29 PM EDT (21:29 UTC)
Expired: Aug 16, 2003, 6:15 PM EDT
In force: 46 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Union County, NC

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, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 137 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: 1094 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -41 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 880 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 2 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -33 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.

000 
WUUS52 KGSP 162129
SVRGSP
NCC179-162215-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
529 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 615 PM EDT

* AT 529 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES WEST OF MONROE...OR ABOUT 5 MILES EAST OF
  WAXHAW...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  MONROE AT 600 PM EDT.
  WINGATE AT 615 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 3498 8081 3483 8069 3499 8032 3519 8049

$$
07

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 16, 1:45 PM EDT, 3 hours 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 16, 1:45 PM EDT, 3 hours 44 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
145 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

UPPER TROF APPROACHING FROM THE NW WILL MOVE THRU BY LATE THIS EVE
AND CONVECTION WILL MOVE E WITH IT. WITH WEAK RIDGE BUILDING
OVERNIGHT EXPECT PATCHY FOG EARLY SUN MORNING. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE
TROF FCST TO MOVE THRU THE AREA TOMORROW. EXPECT STRONGEST PVA/BEST
LIFT IN THE AFTN-EARLY EVE PERIODS. ON MON AFTN GFS SHOWS ANOTHER
SHRTWV APPROACHING AND ALTHOUGH DEEPER MOISTURE MOVES SE...WILL HOLD
ON TO AT LEAST SLIGHT CHANCE POPS. SURFACE RIDGE BUILDS OVER AREA
TUE-FRI AND HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE LATE DAY POPS IN THE GRIDS. A SFC
BOUNDARY IS PROGGED TO MOVE IN SAT...BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF
CONVECTION TO THE AREA.

FCSTID = 77
GSP   71  88  69  88 /  40  40  40  20
AND   71  88  70  89 /  40  40  40  20
CLT   71  88  69  88 /  40  40  40  20
HKY   69  87  68  87 /  40  40  40  20
AVL   65  84  64  84 /  40  40  40  20

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

RB

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 16, 6:10 AM EDT, 11 hours 19 minutes before

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-161200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
610 AM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION
THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND EVENING. THERE IS A CHANCE THAT A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL OR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS FOR A
BRIEF TIME. THERE IS ALSO THE POSSIBILITY THAT A FEW OF THE STORMS
COULD PRODUCE ENOUGH RAIN TO CAUSE FLOODING OF URBAN AND POOR
DRAINAGE AREAS IN LOCATIONS THAT HAVE RECEIVED EXCESSIVE RAIN IN THE
LAST FEW WEEKS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

ANOTHER ROUND OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED SUNDAY AND
SUNDAY EVENING. THERE IS A SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER
LATE IN THE DAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED MONDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED ON SUNDAY.

MOORE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 16, 1:33 PM EDT, 3 hours 56 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
133 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

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

900 AM     5-10 SE SALISBURY         NC   FLASH FLOOD
08/16/03   ROWAN                          SPOTTER REPORTED FLASH
                                          FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS
                                          AROUND GRANITE QUARRY AND
                                          ROCKWELL RESULTED IN
                                          FLOODED ROADS...HOUSES...
                                          APARTMENTS...AND CARS.
                                          UNTIL 11 AM...BUT SOME
                                          ROADS STILL FLOODED AFTER
                                          NOON.

JONES

Local storm report, Aug 16, 2:09 PM EDT, 3 hours 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
209 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

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

145 PM     2 W PAULINE               SC   .75 INCH HAIL
08/16/03   SPARTANBURG                    PUBLIC/SPOTTER REPORT.
                                          ALSO LOTS OF LIGHTNING.

JONES

Special weather statement, Aug 16, 4:52 PM EDT, 37 minutes before

NCZ068-162200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
452 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN TO AFFECT SOUTHERN
CLEVELAND COUNTY THROUGH 6 PM...

AT 450 PM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN CLEVELAND COUNTY...SOUTH OF LINE FROM
SHELBY TO MOORESBORO. THESE STORMS WERE SLIDING SLOWLY TO THE
SOUTH...AND WERE ASSOCIATED WITH FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN.

RADAR ESTIMATED BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN SINCE MID
AFTERNOON IN THE VICINITY OF PATTERSON SPRINGS. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL
WILL RESULT IN PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND IN POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS...OF SOUTHERN CLEVELAND COUNTY. SIGNIFICANT RISES ON SHALLOWER
STREAMS AND CREEKS CAN BE EXPECTED AS WELL...ESPECIALLY FROM
PATTERSON SPRINGS TO EARL AND KINGS MOUNTAIN.

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

NEVER DRIVE THROUGH AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. IF
STANDING WATER IS ENCOUNTERED...STOP TURN AROUND AND FIND ANOTHER
ROUTE TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION SAFELY.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING...NOTIFY YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND ASK THEM TO FORWARD THE REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG.

BURRUS

Local storm report, Aug 16, 5:10 PM EDT, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
510 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

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

500 PM     BELTON                    SC   FLASH FLOOD
08/16/03   ANDERSON                       BELTON F.D. REPORTED
                                          SEVERAL FLOODED STREETS
                                          IN BELTON...INCLUDING N
                                          MAIN...S MAIN...AND
                                          MYRTLE AVE. WATER VARIES
                                          FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES DEEP.

345 PM     SENECA                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   OCONEE                         OCONEE 911 REPORTED
                                          SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN
                                          SENECA AND CROSSROADS.

400 PM     EASLEY                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   PICKENS                        EASLEY PD REPORTED TREES
                                          AND POWERLINES DOWN
                                          EVERYWHERE. MAJOR POWER
                                          OUTAGE.

403 PM     EASLEY                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   PICKENS                        PICKENS 911 REPORTED 1-2
                                          TREES DOWN.

355 PM     GREENVILLE                SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   GREENVILLE                     GMU TOWER REPORTED 40 KT
                                          MICROBURST. DAMAGED 7
                                          AIRPLANES...SEVERAL
                                          HANGARS...AND BLEW OVER A
                                          BRICK WALL.

445 PM     PELZER                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   ANDERSON                       ANDERSON 911 REPORTED 1
                                          TREE DOWN. SEVERAL
                                          POWERLINES DOWNED AT 457
                                          PM IN BELTON.

LAMB

Special weather statement, Aug 16, 5:27 PM EDT, 2 minutes before

NCZ036-056-069>071-162300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
527 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL TO AFFECT THE CHARLOTTE
METRO AREA THROUGH 7 PM...

AT 525 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
STRETCHING FROM STATESVILLE...WEST TO HICKORY. RADAR ALSO SHOWED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHING FROM WEDDINGTON AND
WAXHAW...NORTHEAST THROUGH MONROE TO NEW SALEM. THE STORMS WERE
SLIDING SLOWLY SOUTHWARD...AND WERE ASSOCIATED WITH RAINFALL RATES
OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR.

THROUGH 7 PM...STORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE CHARLOTTE METROPOLITAN AREA
FROM THE NORTH AND AFFECT LOCATIONS FROM CHARLOTTE AND
HUNTERSVILLE...WEST TO LINCOLNTON...MOUNT HOLLY AND GASTONIA...AND
WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTH OVER UNION COUNTY. FLOODING OF STREETS
AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS COULD OCCUR IN THE LARGER CITIES...SUCH AS
CHARLOTTE...GASTONIA AND MONROE...AND COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT
RISES ON STREAMS AND CREEKS ACROSS PART OF THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT OF
NORTH CAROLINA.

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

BURRUS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 16, 9:32 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Rowan	3 hr
Aug 16, 5:38 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Union	3 hr

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.