Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 99, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 6, 2003York County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 6, 2003, 4:20 PM EDT for York County, South Carolina. It was in force for 25 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 6, 2003, 4:20 PM EDT (20:20 UTC)
Expired: May 6, 2003, 4:45 PM EDT
In force: 25 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County York County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 109 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:24 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 nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 159 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 824 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 135 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 182 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 062020
SVRGSP
SCC091-062045-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
420 PM EDT TUE MAY 6 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 445 PM EDT

* AT 420 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 4 MILES NORTH OF ROCK HILL TO 9 MILES
  SOUTH OF ROCK HILL...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  FORT MILL AT 425 PM EDT.
  CATAWBA AT 430 PM EDT.


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

LAT...LON 3508 8109 3482 8114 3481 8089 3510 8092

$$

PDM/NED

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 6, 3:50 PM EDT, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 6, 3:50 PM EDT, 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
350 PM EDT TUE MAY 6 2003

MCV INTERACTING WITH THE TMB HAS RESULTED IN A PAIR OF SUPERCELL
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH HAVE MOVED ACROSS THE SRN ZONES THROUGH MUCH OF
THE AFTN. THE MESOLOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE MCV ITSELF HAS RESULTED IN
THE LINEAR MCS BACK IN THE STABLE AIR OVER THE CENTRAL PART OF THE
UPSTATE. ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY WL CONTINUE TO MOVE ESE INTO THE EARLY
EVENING. THUS... WL RUN HIGH POPS SRN AND ERN ZONES AND LOWER
TO THE NORTH.

AFTER THIS COMPLEX EXITS THE REGION...THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES WHAT
HAPPENS LATER TNGT. THE ETA BRINGS ANOTHER CONVECTIVE VORT ACROSS
THE CWA FROM 3 TO 6 UTC...WHILE THE GFS HAS A VORT WHICH MISSES US
TO THE SOUTH. WE STILL HAVE WIDESPREAD FLOODING IN THE SW MTNS...AND
EVEN A CHANCE OF AN MCS LATER TNGT IS CERTAINLY ENUF TO KEEP THE
WATCH GOING. WL ALSO KEEP THE WATCH IN THE UPSTATE AS LOCATIONS
CLOSER TO THE TMB HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF SEEING REGENERATION LATER
TNGT.

WED WE AGAIN HAVE GOOD SHEAR ACROSS THE REGION W/0-6KM SHEAR IN
EXCESS OF 40 KTS IN THE AFTN. ETA BRINGS A VORT ACROSS THE CWA IN
THE AFTN COMPLETE W/DEEP MOISTURE AND A GOOD SHOT OF PVA. THE AVN IS
A LITTLE MORE NEBULOUS. WL RUN HIGH CHANCE POPS ERN ZONES FOR THE
THREAT OF CONVECTIVE INITIATION IN THE AFTN...AND LIKELY IN THE
MTNS.

BY THU...HGHTS RISE AND FLOW WEAKENS CONSIDERABLY THROUGH THE LAYER.
THIS SHOULD SPELL THE END OF ORGANIZED MCS AND SUPERCELL
THREAT...BUT OUR MORE TYPICAL AFTN CONVECTION WL STILL BE POSSIBLE.

FRI-SUN MCS TRACK LOOKS TO STAY N OF THE CWA. WL CONTINUE LOW POPS
IN THE NC ZONES...BUT KEEP THE UPSTATE AND NE GA DRY. FROPA SUN
NGHT...BUT WL KEEP POPS CONFINED TO THE NRN ZONES.

FCSTID =   14
GSP   64  82  62  83 /  60  50  40  30
AND   64  83  61  83 /  60  50  40  30
CLT   63  83  62  84 /  70  50  40  30
HKY   62  80  61  82 /  60  50  40  30
AVL   59  78  57  78 /  40  60  40  30

.GSP...

GA...FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES
GAZ010...GAZ017>018...GAZ026...GAZ028>029.

NC...FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES
NCZ048...NCZ051>053...NCZ058>059...NCZ062>065.

SC...FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES
SCZ001>007...SCZ010>012...SCZ019.

MCAVOY

Hazardous weather outlook, May 6, 4:40 AM EDT, 11 hours 40 minutes before

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-061100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
440 AM EDT TUE MAY 6 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY...SOME WITH
TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SOME MAY BECOME
SEVERE...ESPECIALLY LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH EVENING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY TODAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 6, 2:36 PM EDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
236 PM EDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

228 PM     5 S HARTWELL              GA   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/06/03   HART                           911 REPORTED GOLFBALL
                                          HAIL ON COKESBURY HWY IN
                                          SOUTHERN HART COUNTY.

JMP

Local storm report, May 6, 2:59 PM EDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
259 PM EDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

250 PM     CALHOUN FALLS             SC   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/06/03   ABBEVILLE                      911 CENTER REPORTED
                                          QUARTER SIZE HAIL IN
                                          CALHOUN FALLS

JMP

Local storm report, May 6, 3:08 PM EDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
308 PM EDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

235 PM     BOWMAN                    GA   TORNADO
05/06/03   ELBERT                         MOBILE HOME AND VEHICLES
                                          DAMAGED AND NUMEROUS
                                          TREES DOWN NEAR BOWMAN
                                          AND ON HOOT OWL ROAD.

TJB

Local storm report, May 6, 3:11 PM EDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
311 PM EDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

310 PM     ABBEVILLE                 SC   .75 INCH HAIL
05/06/03   ABBEVILLE                      EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
                                          REPORTED DIME SIZE HAIL
                                          IN ABBEVILLE.

TJB

Local storm report, May 6, 3:14 PM EDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
314 PM EDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

1250 AM    GREER                     SC   WIND DAMAGE
05/05/03   GREENVILLE                     TREES DOWN IN GREER ON
                                          VICTOR HILL ROAD REPORTED
                                          BY ROAD DEPARTMENT.

100 AM     INMAN                     SC   WIND DAMAGE
05/05/03   SPARTANBURG                    ROAD DEPARTMENT REPORTED
                                          SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN
                                          INMAN NEAR THE MILL.

TJB

Local storm report, May 6, 3:18 PM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
318 PM EDT TUE MAY 06 2003

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

250 PM     RUCKERSVILLE              GA   WIND DAMAGE
05/06/03   ELBERT                         HIGH WINDS DOWNED TREES
                                          AND POWERLINES DOWN IN
                                          RUCKERSVILLE REPORTED BY
                                          SPOTTER.

TJB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 5, 11:19 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Oconee	41 min
May 6, 12:33 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville, Spartanburg	42 min
May 6, 2:57 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	York	3 hr
May 6, 2:31 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Anderson	29 min
May 6, 2:35 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Abbeville	55 min
May 6, 3:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenwood	52 min
May 6, 3:21 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Laurens, Spartanburg	39 min
May 6, 3:35 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Union	40 min
May 6, 3:52 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Chester	53 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South 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.