Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 89, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 3, 2003Chester County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 2003, 10:29 PM EDT for Chester County, South 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
May 3, 2003, 10:29 PM EDT (02:29 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 2003, 11:15 PM EDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Chester County, SC

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 87 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:29 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
May 3, 6:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 2.5 hours before the alert went out and 178 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 00:00Z on 2003-05-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 280 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 00:00Z on 2003-05-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 171 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
280 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-82 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
859 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
171 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
274 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

354 
WUUS52 KGSP 040229
SVRGSP
SCC023-040315-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1029 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN CHESTER COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 1115 PM EDT

* AT 1029 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ROCK HILL...OR ABOUT 4 MILES
  NORTHEAST OF EDGEMOOR...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  EDGEMOOR AT 1030 PM EDT.
  FORT LAWN AT 1100 PM EDT.
  GREAT FALLS AT 1115 PM EDT.

HAIL TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE 
WITH THIS STORM. 

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR 
LARGE HAIL AND THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING WINDS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING 
AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CAN OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM.

LAT...LON 3469 8087 3454 8089 3482 8106 3482 8090

$$

JONES/LANE

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 May 3, 10:15 PM EDT, 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 10:15 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1015 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

UPDATED TO REMOVE WATCH FROM ALL BUT CLT AREA. WILL ISSUE AGAIN AT
11 PM ONCE CONVECTION HAS EXITED EAST.

FCSTID =   33
GSP   56  74  57  71 /  40  10  40  50
AND   56  75  59  73 /  30  10  40  50
CLT   54  74  54  69 /  40  10  40  40
HKY   51  72  53  64 /  50  10  30  40
AVL   49  70  56  67 /  40  10  30  40

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

HG
Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 5:30 AM EDT, 16 hours 59 minutes before
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-031130-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
530 AM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS...AND MOVE ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT
OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA DURING THE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. IN ASSOCIATION WITH THESE STORMS...ANOTHER OUTBREAK OF
SEVERE WEATHER IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA. PLEASE SEE CAESPSGSP FOR
DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON.

LANE

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 3, 8:28 PM EDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
828 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

825 PM     7 SE HICKORY              NC   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/03   CATAWBA                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          BY SKYWARN SPOTTER AT
                                          WITHERSPOON CROSSROADS.

BURRUS
Local storm report, May 3, 8:47 PM EDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
847 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

825 PM     10 E HICKORY              NC   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/03   CATAWBA                        EOC CENTER NOTED A
                                          MOTORIST REPORT OF
                                          GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          THE CATAWBA INTERCHANGE
                                          ON INTERSTATE 40.

BURRUS
Local storm report, May 3, 9:03 PM EDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
903 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

855 PM     3 NW MINT HILL            NC   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/03   MECKLENBURG                    SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTS
                                          DIME SIZE HAIL.

HG
Local storm report, May 3, 9:27 PM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
927 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

822 PM     CONOVER                   NC   WIND DAMAGE
05/03/03   CATAWBA                        COUNTY REPORTS TREES DOWN
                                          IN CONOVER

835 PM     CONOVER                   NC   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/03   CATAWBA                        COUNTY REPORTS PENNY SIZE
                                          HAIL.

854 PM     CONOVER                   NC   FLASH FLOOD
05/03/03   CATAWBA                        COUNTY REPORTS FLOODING
                                          ALONG COUNTY HOME ROAD
                                          NEAR INTERSTATE 40.

854 PM     CONOVER                   NC   FLASH FLOOD
05/03/03   CATAWBA                        COUNTY REPORTS FLOODING
                                          ON SIPE ROAD AT CREEKSIDE
                                          MOBILE HOME PARK.

HG
Local storm report, May 3, 9:37 PM EDT, 52 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
937 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

925 PM     6 N HARRISBURG            NC   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/03   CABARRUS                       SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTS
                                          DIME SIZE HAIL.

HG
Special weather statement, May 3, 10:04 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
NCZ066>070-SCZ001>008-010>013-019-040230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1004 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #225 HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTH CAROLINA...

POLK...RUTHERFORD...CLEVELAND...LINCOLN...GASTON.

AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA...

OCONEE...PICKENS...GREENVILLE...SPARTANBURG...CHEROKEE...UNION...
LAURENS...GREENWOOD...ABBEVILLE...ANDERSON.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #225 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT FOR
THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN NORTH CAROLINA...

MECKLENBURG...CABARRUS...UNION.

AND IN SOUTH CAROLINA...

YORK...CHESTER.

HG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 10:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPYork50 min
May 3, 10:49 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPChester41 min

Nearby

Severe 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.