Alert archive / Georgia / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

June 25, 2004Habersham County, Georgia

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Jun 25, 2004, 7:44 PM EDT for Habersham County, Georgia. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jun 25, 2004, 7:44 PM EDT (23:44 UTC)
Expired
Jun 25, 2004, 10:30 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Habersham County, GA

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 126 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:45 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 flash flood 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

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 164 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 12:00Z on 2004-06-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 728 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 12:00Z on 2004-06-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 79 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
728 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-26 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
655 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
79 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
122 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
2.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS52 KGSP 252344
FFWGSP
GAC137-260230-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
744 PM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  HABERSHAM COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA

* UNTIL 1030 PM EDT

* AT 725 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED AT LEAST 
ONE CREEK WAS OUT OF ITS BANKS...COVERING A ROADWAY IN CLARKESVILLE. 
OTHER CREEKS AND STREAMS IN THE COUNTY ARE LIKELY RUNNING HIGH AND 
COULD LEAVE THEIR BANKS IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  TURNERVILLE...DEMOREST...CORNELIA...BATESVILLE AND BALDWIN.

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS LOCATED IN NORTHERN AND CENTRAL GEORGIA 
WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 25 MPH. THIS RAIN WILL BE AFFECTING 
NORTHEAST GEORGIA...INCLUDING HABERSHAM COUNTY...IN THE NEXT SEVERAL 
HOURS. WITH THE GROUND ALREADY SATURATED...ADDITIONAL FLOODING OF 
ROADS NEAR CREEKS IS LIKELY THIS EVENING. ALSO...URBAN FLOODING 
PROBLEMS COULD BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS 
IMMINENT. MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT 
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR OTHER LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS 
THE ROADWAY. THE ROAD COULD BE WASHED OUT FROM THE FLOW OF 
WATER...AND YOUR CAR COULD EASILY BE SWEPT AWAY BY THE SWIFTLY 
MOVING WATER.

LAT...LON 3465 8367 3446 8362 3449 8346 3469 8335
      3481 8362

$$

LAMB
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 260040
FFSGSP
GAC137-260230-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
841 PM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1030 PM EDT FOR HABERSHAM
COUNTY...

AT 826 PM EDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED A CREEK NEAR 
FAIRVIEW WAS OUT OF ITS BANKS. FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED ON HIGHWAY 
115 ASSOCIATED WITH THIS OVERFLOWING CREEK. OTHER CREEKS IN 
HABERSHAM COUNTY ARE LIKELY RUNNING VERY HIGH AND COULD FLOOD AT ANY 
TIME. 

ALTHOUGH A LULL IN THE HEAVY RAIN HAS TEMPORARILY OCCURRED...ANOTHER 
ROUND OF HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED STORMS IS MOVING TOWARD THE 
NORTHEASTERN GEORGIA COUNTIES. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 
ONE TO TWO INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED AREA.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE TURNERVILLE... DEMOREST... 
CORNELIA...BATESVILLE AND BALDWIN.

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. BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT DUSK WHEN WATER IN 
THE ROAD CAN BE DIFFICULT TO SEE FROM A DISTANCE.

LAT...LON 3465 8367 3446 8362 3449 8346 3469 8335
      3481 8362

$$

LAMB
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 260224
FFSGSP
GAC137-260235-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1019 PM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR HABERSHAM COUNTY WILL BE ALLOWED TO 
EXPIRE AT 1030 PM...

AT 1015 PM EDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT PARDUE ROAD 
NEAR CLARKESVILLE WAS CLOSED DUE TO CREEK FLOODING. NO UPDATE WAS 
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON THE EARLIER FLOODING OF HIGHWAY 115. THE RAIN 
THAT HAS CAUSED THIS FLOODING HAS NEARLY ENDED ACROSS THE COUNTY. 
THERE IS CURRENTLY NO INDICATION OF ANY HEAVY RAINS UPSTREAM OF 
HABERSHAM COUNTY THAT WOULD AGGRAVATE CURRENT FLOODING.

ALTHOUGH THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE...MANY CREEKS AND 
STREAMS ARE LIKELY RUNNING AT BANKFULL. THE OVERALL FLOODING THREAT 
WILL NOT END FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS. HOWEVER...NEW FLOODING PROBLEMS 
ARE NOT LIKELY TO DEVELOP.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

LAT...LON 3465 8367 3446 8362 3449 8346 3469 8335
      3481 8362

$$

LAMB

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Jun 25, 3:20 PM EDT, 4 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 25, 3:20 PM EDT, 4 hours 24 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
320 PM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

.SHORT TERM...
STRONG CONVECTION CONTINUES TO FIRE ALONG DIFFERENTIAL HEATING
BOUNDARY/CONVERGENT AXIS ALONG THE I-85 CORRIDOR. THE ATMOSPHERE HAS
BECOME QUITE UNSTABLE SOUTH OF THIS BOUNDARY...WHERE CAPES NOW
EXCEED 2500 J/KG. MEANWHILE...FORECAST SOUNDINGS NORTH OF THE
BOUNDARY INDICATE 0-3 KM HELICITY IN EXCESS OF 100 M2/S2. THIS HAS
RESULTED IN MODERATE ROTATION IN STORMS WITH THE STRONGEST UPDRAFTS.
ONE OF THE INTITIAL STORMS THAT DEVELOPED THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH WAS
ONE OF THE WEAKER ROTATING STORMS OF THE DAY...MAY HAVE PRODUCED A
WEAK TORNADO IN SOUTHERN ANDERSON COUNTY...SO ANY STORMS EXHIBITING
MODERATE ROTATION WILL CONTINUE TO PEAK OUR INTEREST THIS
EVENING.

OTHERWISE...SURFACE FRONT IS PUSHING INTO EAST TENN AT THIS TIME...
WITH WEAK SURFACE WAVE NOTED ALONG THE NORTHERN BORDER OF AL AND GA.
THE HEAVIEST WARM CONVEYOR BELT PRECIP CONTINUES TO AFFECT MAINLY
EAST TENN...AND THIS IS ACTUALLY BEGINNING TO SHIFT SLIGHTLY TO THE
NORTH...AS COVERAGE HAS BEGUN TO DECLINE OVER SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE.
THE MAIN AXIS OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO DRIFT SLOWLY NORTH
WITH THE FRONTAL WAVE THIS EVENING. MEANWHILE...SCATTERED TO
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN THE
UNSTABLE AIR ACROSS THE PIEDMONT AND FOOTHILLS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO
CARRY CATEGORICAL POPS ACROSS ALL BUT THE SOUTHERN TIER OF
COUNTIES...WHERE HIGH LIKELIES SHOULD SUFFICE. AS FAR AS THE FLOOD
WATCH...ALTHOUGH THE WATCH AREA MAY BE BETWEEN MAXIMA IN RAINFALL...
WITH HEAVIER CONVEYOR BELT PRECIP TO OUR WEST...AND CONVECTIVE
RAINFALL EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...RAIN RATES MAY ACTUALLY INCREASE
IN THE WATCH AREA AS THE WEAKENING SURFACE WAVE RIDES UP THE WESTERN
SLOPES. CONSIDERING THE LOW FFG VALUES...WILL LEAVE THE WATCH IN
PLACE THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

THE FRONT WILL MOVE SLOWLY INTO THE AREA TONIGHT...AND WILL RETAIN
CHANCE POPS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT. TOMORROW...THE FRONT IS EXPECTED
TO HANG UP JUST SOUTH OF THE AREA...AND WILL CARRY CHANCE POPS
ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWFA...WITH SILENT 20S NORTH. THE
FRONT IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN NEAR OR JUST SOUTH OF THE AREA THROUGH
EARLY NEXT WEEK...POSSIBLY OSCILLATING NORTH AND SOUTH FROM TIME TO
TIME...SO WILL MAINTAIN CHANCE POPS THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH
HIGHEST POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CWFA.

LANE
&&

.LONG TERM...
WED-FRI...ACTIVE AND MOIST WEATHER PATTERN LOOKS TO CONTINUE THROUGH
LATE NEXT WEEK. STUBBORN AND STRONG WESTERN BLOCKING RIDGE SHOULD
REMAIN THROUGH THE PERIOD AND ALLOW AN UNSEASONABLY COOL HUDSON LOW
TO REINFORCE ITSELF. BASED ON LATEST GFS...BERMUDA HIGH IS EXPECTED
TO REMAIN IN ITS USUAL POSITION...ALBEIT WEAKER THAN NORMAL. THIS
SHOULD PERMIT A COUPLE COLD FRONTS TO PUSH INTO THE REGION AND
BECOME STATIONARY SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. SO...WITH A
SUMMERTIME MOISTURE FEED CONTINUING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AND LOW
LEVEL FORCING REMAINING HIGH...WILL FORECAST POPS EACH DAY. KEPT MAX
TEMPS AT OR A LITTLE BELOW CLIMO...BASED ON CONTINUOUS CLOUD COVER
AND SLIGHT AIR MASS MIXING EXPECTED.

SBK
&&

.AVIATION...
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE PIEDMONT
AND FOOTHILLS WILL REQUIRE COMBINATION OF TEMPO GROUPS FOR TSRA AND
VCTS TO HANDLE TIMING OF MORE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER. LOW CLOUD
CEILINGS SHOULD BE VFR EXCEPT IN THUNDERSTORMS. CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY
MAY NOT DIMINISH UNTIL MIDNIGHT OR THEREABOUTS...AFTER WHICH MVFR
VISIBILITY AND CEILING SHOULD DEVELOP WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE IN
PLACE ALONG AND TO THE SOUTH OF NEARLY STATIONARY FRONT...WHICH
SHOULD MOVE SOUTH OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE REGION. VISIBILITY SHOULD
IMPROVE IN THE 12Z-15Z TIME FRAME AS WINDS COME AROUND TO N OR NE
DIRECTION BEHIND FRONT...BUT WILL RETAIN MVFR CEILING THROUGH THE
REMAINDER OF THE TAF PERIOD OWING TO EXTENSIVE CLOUDINESS SEEN NEAR
BOUNDARY.

MOORE
&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GSP  68  85  67  84 /  60  30  30  30
AND  69  86  68  85 /  60  30  30  40
CLT  69  85  66  83 /  60  30  30  30
HKY  67  83  62  80 /  60  30  20  20
AVL  64  81  61  78 /  60  30  20  30
&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT GAZ010-017.

NC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT
NCZ033>034-048>055-058>059-062>067.

SC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT SCZ001>003.
&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 25, 5:41 AM EDT, 14 hours 3 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
541 AM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-260939-
ABBEVILLE SC-ALEXANDER NC-ANDERSON SC-AVERY NC-BUNCOMBE NC-BURKE NC-
CABARRUS NC-CALDWELL NC-CATAWBA NC-CHEROKEE SC-CHESTER SC-
CLEVELAND NC-DAVIE NC-ELBERT GA-FRANKLIN GA-GASTON NC-GRAHAM NC-
GREATER GREENVILLE SC-GREATER OCONEE SC-GREATER PICKENS SC-
GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS SC-GREENWOOD SC-HABERSHAM GA-HART GA-HAYWOOD NC-
HENDERSON NC-IREDELL NC-LAURENS SC-LINCOLN NC-MACON NC-MADISON NC-
MCDOWELL NC-MECKLENBURG NC-MITCHELL NC-NORTHERN JACKSON NC-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS SC-PICKENS MOUNTAINS SC-POLK NC-RABUN GA-ROWAN NC-
RUTHERFORD NC-SOUTHERN JACKSON NC-SPARTANBURG SC-STEPHENS GA-
SWAIN NC-TRANSYLVANIA NC-UNION SC-UNION NC-YANCEY NC-YORK SC-
541 AM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

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

.DAY ONE...

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY
RAINFALL TO NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. RAINFALL
TOTALS ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE FROM 1 INCH OVER THE PIEDMONT TO
LOCATION OF 3 TO 4 INCHES OVER THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS.
PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD WATCH (CAEFFAGSP) FOR ADDITIONAL
DETAILS. IN ADDITION...SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
(CAESPSGSP) FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER THROUGH THE REST OF
THE FORECAST PERIOD...ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

NED

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 25, 3:41 PM EDT, 4 hours 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
341 PM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0234 PM     TSTM WND DMG     HUNTERSVILLE            35.42N 80.85W
06/25/2004                   MECKLENBURG        NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            POWER LINES DOWN NEAR KERNS ROAD.

&&

SBK
Local storm report, Jun 25, 5:53 PM EDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
553 PM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0547 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 S GAFFNEY             35.04N 81.66W
06/25/2004                   CHEROKEE           SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            COUNTY OFFICIALS REPORTED TREES DOWN NEAR THICKETY CREEK
            SOUTH OF GAFFNEY.

&&

SBK
Local storm report, Jun 25, 6:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
620 PM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0613 PM     TORNADO          ANDERSON                34.52N 82.65W
06/25/2004                   ANDERSON           SC   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE RELAYED A PUBLIC REPORT OF A
            POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN ON ROUTE 76.

&&

HG
Local storm report, Jun 25, 7:36 PM EDT, 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
736 PM EDT FRI JUN 25 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0725 PM     FLASH FLOOD      CLARKESVILLE            34.61N 83.52W
06/25/2004                   HABERSHAM          GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            COUNTY 911 REPORTS SEVERAL CREEKS OVERFLOWING THEIR BANKS
            AND ONE OVER A ROADWAY IN THE CITY LIMITS.

&&

HG

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Georgia, 2004Every flash flood warning in 2004

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.