Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 54, NWS Wilmington, NC

May 4, 2003Florence County, South Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 4, 2003, 2:07 AM EDT for Florence County, South Carolina. It was in force for 53 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 4, 2003, 2:07 AM EDT (06:07 UTC)
Expired: May 4, 2003, 3:00 AM EDT
In force: 53 min
Issued by: NWS Wilmington, NC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Florence County, SC

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 119 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:07 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

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 00:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 139 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: 1869 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 764 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -21 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -67 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: -0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

679 
WUUS52 KILM 040607
SVRILM
SCC041-040700-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
207 AM EDT SUN MAY 4 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  FLORENCE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 300 AM EDT

* AT 202 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH LARGE HAIL 5 MILES WEST OF FLORENCE...
  MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
   FLORENCE AT 220 AM
   MARS BLUFF AT 235 AM
   EVERGREEN AT 245 AM
   CLAUSSEN AT 250 AM
   PAMPLICO AT 300 AM

MORE DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AND AFFECT OTHER COMMUNITIES
IN THE WARNED AREA.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND ASK
THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN WILMINGTON NC.

LAT...LON 3425 7979 3415 7998 3388 7955 3405 7956
          3419 7956

TRA

$$

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 Wilmington, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 3, 9:58 PM EDT, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 9:58 PM EDT, 4 hours 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
958 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

UPDATE TO PUBLIC PACKAGE WILL COME AFTER WATCH EXPIRES AT 11 PM.
FINAL NUMBERS TO BE DETERMINED THEN.

MARINE: GOING CWF LOOKS GOOD WITH TWEAKS TO REFLECT CURRENT
CONDITIONS.

.ILM...
.NC...NONE.
.SC...NONE.

RAN
----------------------PREVIOUS DISCUSSION 300 PM---------------------
SHORT WAVES PASSING N AND JUST S OF AREA OVERNIGHT. AT THE
SURFACE...WEDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING DOWN THE COAST. WENT WITH
HIGH CHANCE N FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDER TO LIKELY SC PORTION OF CWA.

WENT WITH GFS MODEL FOR SUN...GIVEN STRENGTH OF WEDGE...EXPECT A DRY
DAY. ETA TOO QUICK IN BREAKING DOWN THIS FEATURE.

HIGH PRES ALOFT BUILDING ACROSS THE AREA SUN NIGHT INTO MON WHILE
SFC HIGH REMAINS IN PLACE. HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OUT TO SEA ON MON AND
BY AFTN AND ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT ONSHORE FLOW AND APPROACH OF STRONG
SHORT WAVE/WARM FRONT WILL BE ENOUGH FOR AT LEAST SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS.

AREA WILL BE IN THE WARM SECTOR TUE AND WED SO ANY SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE SCATTERED. A FOCUSING MECHANISM COMING IN
THE FORM OF A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT FROM NW GETTING CLOSE ENOUGH
LATE WED AND SO INCREASED POPS SLIGHTLY BEGINNING WED NIGHT. FRONT
WILL ORIENT ITSELF W TO E AS IT STRUGGLES TO MOVE THROUGH AND S OF
THE AREA ON FRI...BEFORE DISSIPATING. KEPT SAT DRY WITH HIGH PRES
SITUATED ACROSS NORTHEAST AND RIDGING DOWN THE EAST COAST.

PRELIMINARY NUMBERS...
ILM 059/072 051/075 5112
LBT 056/073 050/076 5112
FLO 058/074 052/076 6113
MYR 060/073 054/074 6112

MARINE: COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO BE SOUTH OF THE WATERS TONIGHT...
SIMILAR TO THE ETA/S POSITION. THINK THE NORTHERN WATERS WILL SEE
SOME OF THE SURGE BEHIND THE FRONT CURRENTLY SPREADING OVER EASTERN
NC. WEDGE BEGINS TO SET UP LATE SUN AND CONTINUES INTO EARLY MON
RESULTING IN NE WINDS ACROSS THE WATERS. AS THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRES
SHIFTS OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST MON AND A WARM FRONT LIFTS NE
ACROSS THE AREA...WINDS WILL VEER AROUND TO THE SE. RATHER STRONG
SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THU WITH SOME STRONG LOW LEVELS
WINDS IN PLACE AND A TIGHTENING SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT AHEAD OF
NEXT COLD FRONT (EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH EARLY FRI). HOWEVER...PLAN
ON KEEPING WINDS BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS THROUGH THE
FORECAST PERIOD.

.ILM...
.NC...NONE.
.SC...NONE.

PUBLIC: DIGIORGI
MARINE: JAQ

Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 4:30 AM EDT, 21 hours 37 minutes before

NCZ087-096-099-100-SCZ017-023-024-032>034-039-046-031200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
430 AM EDT SAT MAY 3 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND
NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA.

.TODAY AND TONIGHT...

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK THAT SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
BECOME SEVERE...WITH THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.

.SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

KREITNER

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 3, 11:18 PM EDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1118 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

1115 PM    NICHOLS                   SC   0.88 IN HAIL
05/03/03   MARION                         SPOTTER REPORT OF DIME TO
                                          NICKEL SIZED HAIL.

RAN

Local storm report, May 3, 11:53 PM EDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1153 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 2003

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

1139 PM    3 W GREEN SEA             SC   1.25 IN HAIL
05/03/03   HORRY                          911 CENTER RELAYED PUBLIC
                                          REPORT OF HALF DOLLAR SIZED
                                          HAIL IN MOUNT OLIVE.

RAN

Local storm report, May 4, 12:15 AM EDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1215 AM EDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

1155 PM    DUFORD                    SC   1.25 IN HAIL
05/03/03   HORRY                          REPORT RELAYED THROUGH
                                          HORRY COUNTY 911

1155 PM    LORIS                     SC   1.25 IN HAIL
05/03/03   HORRY                          REPORT RELAYED THROUGH
                                          HORRY COUNTY 911

TRA

Local storm report, May 4, 12:34 AM EDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1234 AM EDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

1231 AM    LONGS                     SC   1.25 IN HAIL
05/04/03   HORRY                          REPORTED BY A TRAINED
                                          WEATHER SPOTTER.

TRA

Local storm report, May 4, 12:49 AM EDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON, NC
1249 AM EDT SUN MAY 4 2003

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

1247 AM    NORTH MYRTLE BEACH        SC   .88 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   HORRY                          DIME TO OCCASIONAL NICKEL
                                          SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN LAKE
                                          ARROWWOOD AREA

CH

Local storm report, May 4, 1:05 AM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON, NC
105 AM EDT SUN MAY 4 2003

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

0103 AM    NORTH MYRTLE BEACH        SC   1.00 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   HORRY                          CRESENT BEACH AREA.

CH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 3, 9:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Marlboro	82 min
May 3, 10:00 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Dillon	45 min
May 3, 10:41 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Dillon	59 min
May 3, 11:13 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Horry	92 min
May 4, 12:39 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Horry	36 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.