Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004
Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at May 8, 2004, 5:48 PM EDT for Haywood County, North Carolina. 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
- May 8, 2004, 5:48 PM EDT (21:48 UTC)
- Expired
- May 8, 2004, 8:30 PM EDT
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Haywood County, NC
The radar
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 84 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:47 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, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 276 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1995 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 11 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -40 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 53 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WGUS52 KGSP 082149
FFWGSP
NCC087-090030-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
548 PM EDT SAT MAY 8 2004
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A
* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
HAYWOOD COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
* UNTIL 830 PM EDT
* AT 545 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR TORRENTIAL RAIN
ALONG A LINE RUNNING FROM CANTON SOUTHWEST TO NEAR SUNBURST. RADAR
ESTIMATED THAT OVER 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN ACROSS THE UPPER
REACHES OF THE WEST FORK OF THE PIGEON RIVER. FLOODING OF STREAMS
THAT FEED INTO THE RIVER IS LIKELY TO BEGIN AT ANY TIME. THIS COULD
ALSO AFFECT STATE ROUTE 215 AND HIGHWAY 276.
* RADAR ALSO INDICATED TORRENTIAL RAIN FALLING ACROSS THE NORTHWEST
PART OF THE COUNTY IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK...ALONG BIG
CREEK. RADAR ESTIMATED THAT OVER 5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN
THIS AREA...AND CAMPERS ALONG BIG CREEK SHOULD HEAD TO HIGHER
GROUND NOW.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THESE STORMS WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF
CREEKS AND STREAMS...ROADS AND ROADSIDE CULVERTS. THE HEAVY RAINS
COULD ALSO TRIGGER ROCK AND MUDSLIDES IN STEEP TERRAIN.
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT. IT IS
IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR
CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS. CAMPERS SHOULD AVOID
CAMPING ALONG STREAMS OR CREEKS DURING THREATENING RAINS.
LAT...LON 3536 8298 3531 8289 3541 8274 3559 8282
3579 8295 3573 8325 3549 8313
$$
MCAVOY2 follow-up statements
000 WGUS72 KGSP 082241 FFSGSP NCC087-090030- FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 641 PM EDT SAT MAY 8 2004 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 830 PM EDT FOR HAYWOOD COUNTY... AT 635 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED ONLY LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN REMAINED OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF HAYWOOD COUNTY. NO REPORTS OF FLOODING HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE COUNTY NO FAR. HOWEVER...AREAS ALONG BIG CREEK AND THE WEST FORK OF THE PIGEON RIVER MAY STILL FLOOD AS RUNOFF FROM THE EARLIER HEAVY RAIN OCCURS. DO NOT BECOME A FATALITY DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS...THE ROAD COULD BE WASHED OUT FROM THE FLOW OF THE WATER...AND YOUR CAR COULD BE SWEPT AWAY BY THE SWIFTLY MOVING WATER. $$ MCAVOY
000 WGUS72 KGSP 082337 FFSGSP NCC087-090030- FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 735 PM EDT SAT MAY 8 2004 ...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WHICH WAS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM EDT FOR HAYWOOD COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELED... NO REPORTS OF FLOODING HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE COUNTY...AND IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN AN HOUR SINCE HEAVY RAIN HAS FALLEN ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY...THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELED. $$ MCAVOY
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 May 8, 2:05 PM EDT, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 8, 2:05 PM EDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 205 PM EDT SAT MAY 8 2004 .SHORT TERM... UPPER RIDGE REMAINS STRONG OVER SE US NEXT COUPLE DAYS. HOWEVER...BACKDOOR FRONT EGDING DOWN INTO CWA FROM THE NE...POSSIBLY INITIATING CONVECTION. GFS APPEARS OVERDONE WITH QPF WHILE ETA AND GFS DEVELOP CAPE VALUES OVER 3000 THIS AFTN. RUC IS NOT AS HIGH...WITH CLT AND HKY CAPE COMING IN AT ABOUT 2300. LAPS SOUNDINGS SHOW BULLSEYE OVER GSP DUE TO HIGHER DPS. IN ANY CASE THERE IS A CHANCE OF LATE DAY TSTMS...ESPECIALLY VCNTY OF WEAK SFC BOUNDARY THAT IS CURRENTLY DIPPING S OF VA-NC BORDER. RUC ALSO BRINGS WEAK PVA INTO CWA FROM THE SW THIS EVE...SO WITH SFC HEATING AND DP VALS EXPECTED IN THE LOW-MID 60S...SCATTERED TSTMS LOOK REASONABLE. PATTERN DOES NOT SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE THROUGH TUE AND ALTHOUGH UPPER RIDGE REMAINS OVER REGION...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED LATE DAY TSTMS REMAIN A POSSIBILITY...MAINLY OVER THE MTNS WHERE WEAK UPSLOPE IS EXPECTED TO BE A FACTOR. TEMPS WILL COOL SLOWLY NEXT FEW DAYS AS THKNS IS FCST TO DECREASE. .LONG TERM... LOW PRESSURE SHOULD BEGIN TO TAKE SHAPE OVER THE FOUR CORNERS EARLY WED AS L/W TROUGH SWEEPS EAST ACROSS THE WESTERN ROCKIES. LOW WILL DEEPEN OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND WILL QUICKLY MOVE TO THE GREAT LAKES BY FRI AM. THE COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW WILL MOVE EAST...REACHING THE LOWER APPALACHIANS BY SAT. IN THE MEANTIME...SOUTH FLOW IN BETWEEN THE FRONT AND BERMUDA HIGH WILL MAINTAIN A WARM AND MOIST FLOW OVER THE SE US. GFS LIS CONTINUE TO SHOW UNSTABLE AIR MASS OVER THE REGION...WITH QUESTIONABLE FEATURES ALOFT I CONTINUED TO SHOW FAVOR TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN FOR POPS/WX. WILL INTRODUCE POPS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA SAT A FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE REGION. COOLED DAYTIME TEMPS A FEW DEGREES TO ACCOUNT FOR INCREASE IN CLOUDS...IN LINE WITH HPC/MEX GUIDANCE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GSP 63 87 62 85 / 30 10 10 10 AND 61 89 61 85 / 20 10 10 10 CLT 62 87 62 86 / 30 10 10 10 HKY 63 86 61 85 / 30 20 10 10 AVL 56 83 55 81 / 30 30 10 20 && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && RB/NED
Hazardous weather outlook, May 8, 5:52 AM EDT, 11 hours 56 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 552 AM EDT SAT MAY 8 2004 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014- 019-081200- 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- 552 AM EDT SAT MAY 8 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA... UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG A COLD FRONT. A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...MAINLY OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT. FOR MORE INFORMATION...SEE THE SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED AT 358 AM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH CAROLINA LATE TODAY. MOORE
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 8, 2:52 PM EDT, 2 hours 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 252 PM EDT SAT MAY 8 2004 GAZ010-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>010-012>014-090200- ALEXANDER NC-ANDERSON SC-AVERY NC-BUNCOMBE NC-BURKE NC-CABARRUS NC- CALDWELL NC-CATAWBA NC-CHEROKEE SC-CHESTER SC-CLEVELAND NC-DAVIE NC- GASTON NC-GRAHAM NC-GREATER GREENVILLE SC-GREATER OCONEE SC- GREATER PICKENS SC-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS SC-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-SWAIN NC-TRANSYLVANIA NC-UNION SC- UNION NC-YANCEY NC-YORK SC- 252 PM EDT SAT MAY 8 2004 A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL STALL OUT ACROSS THE CENTRAL PORTIONS OF NORTH CAROLINA THIS AFTERNOON. SURFACE HEATING AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL INTERACT TO PRODUCE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...FOR MUCH OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. ONE OR TWO STORMS COULD APPROACH SEVERE LEVELS. THE MOST LIKELY AND EARLIEST LOCATIONS TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING INCLUDE THE MOUNTAINS...FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...ESPECIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE STALLED FRONT. THE CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER DROPS OFF RAPIDLY TO THE SOUTH...ACROSS UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...AND THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA. ONE OTHER CONCERN REGARDING AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING. ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP ARE EXPECTED TO BE SLOW MOVING...MEANING THEY COULD PRODUCE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AT ANY ONE LOCATION. IF CAUGHT IN THUNDERSTORMS LATER TODAY...KEEP IN MIND THAT WATER LEVELS COULD RISE RAPIDLY IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA SOURCE FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. KRENTZ
Local storm report, May 8, 5:17 PM EDT, 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
517 PM EDT SAT MAY 08 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0440 PM TSTM WND GST 2 E WAYNESVILLE 35.48N 82.96W
05/08/2004 60 MPH HAYWOOD NC PUBLIC
EDGE OF WAYNESVILLE TOWARD HOSPITAL
0435 PM HAIL CLYDE 35.53N 82.91W
05/08/2004 0.88 INCH HAYWOOD NC PUBLIC
FOLLOWED BY PENNY HAIL 10 MINUTES LATER
&&
JONESLocal storm report, May 8, 5:41 PM EDT, 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
541 PM EDT SAT MAY 08 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0537 PM HAIL CANTON 35.55N 82.84W
05/08/2004 1.00 INCH HAYWOOD NC PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORT VIA CELL PHONE OF LOTS OF PENNY TO QUARTER
SIZE HAIL BEATING UP CARS. ALSO LOCAL FLOODING OF ROADS
AND TERRIBLE LIGHTNING.
&&
JONESThe office that day
Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 3:52 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Haywood | 53 min |
| May 8, 5:23 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Haywood | 37 min |
| May 8, 6:11 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Jackson | 49 min |
| May 8, 7:20 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | GSP | Jackson | 115 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 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.