Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 30, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 10, 2004Haywood County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Jul 10, 2004, 10:38 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
Jul 10, 2004, 10:38 PM EDT (02:38 UTC)
Expired
Jul 11, 2004, 1:30 AM 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), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:41 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 00:00Z, 2.6 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 00:00Z on 2004-07-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1037 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 00:00Z on 2004-07-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 11 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1037 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1524 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
2 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
22 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 
WGUS52 KGSP 110238
FFWGSP
NCC087-110530-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1038 PM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  HAYWOOD COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 130 AM EDT

* AT 1035 PM EDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED FLASH 
  FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM NEAR WAYNESVILLE. RAINFALL OF BETWEEN
  A HALF INCH AND AN INCH HAS RESULTED IN HYATT CREEK        
  ESCAPING ITS BANKS FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE EVENING IN THE 
  VICINITY OF SWIFT CURVE. RADAR TRENDS SUGGEST ADDITIONAL
  STORMS COULD ALSO AFFECT THE AREA BETWEEN WAYNESVILLE AND CANTON...
  AS THE STORMS CURRENTLY AFFECTING THIS AREA DRIFT ONLY SLOWLY
  TO THE SOUTH.

* OTHER CREEKS THAT MAY RECIEVE ENOUGH RAIN TO BRING THEM OUT 
  OF THEIR BANKS INCLUDE RICHLAND...AND RACOON CREEKS.

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. EVEN MODERN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES CANNOT BE 
SAFELY DRIVEN THROUGH FLOOD WATERS.

TO REPORT FLOODING... HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN
GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG.

LAT...LON 3563 8300 3546 8312 3532 8295 3551 8278

$$

BURRUS
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 110353
FFSGSP
NCC087-110530-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1153 PM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 130 AM EDT FOR HAYWOOD 
COUNTY...

AT 1150 PM EDT...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER 
SOUTHERN AND EASTERN HAYWOOD COUNTY. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS OVER
SUNBURST...BUT A WIDE SWATH OF 1 TO 2 INCH RAINFALL AMOUNTS HAD
AFFECTED THE WAYNESVILLE VICINITY. THROUGH 130 AM...A CONTINUED 
WEAKENING OF RAINFALL IS EXPECTED BUT ADDITIONAL STREAMS AND CREEKS 
BETWEEN WAYNESVILLE AND CANTON...AS WELL AS SOUTH TO SUNBURST AND 
CRUSO...MAY OCCUR.

A TRAINED SPOTTER IN WAYNESVILLE REPORTED HYATT CREEK WAS OUT OF ITS 
BANKS JUST WEST OF WAYNESVILLE...AND WAS AGAIN THREATENING THE GREEN 
VALLEY MOBILE HOME PARK. FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONELL WERE REPORTED TO 
BE ON THE SCENE...ASSESSING WHETHER VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS WERE 
NECESSARY.

IN HAZELWOOD...ALLEN CREEK HAD ESCAPED ITS BANKS AND WAS FLOODING 
PART OF SKATE STREET. THE CREEK WAS OUT OF ITS BANKS IN SEVERAL 
LOCATIONS...AFFECTING MOSTLY PARKING LOTS AND SOME SIDE ROADS. THE 
CREEK MAY RISE A BIT MORE BEFORE WATER LEVELS RECEDE THROUGH THE 
PREDAWN HOURS.

THE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 130 AM EDT.

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.

TO REPORT FLOODING...HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN
GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG.

LAT...LON 3563 8300 3546 8312 3532 8295 3551 8278

$$

BURRUS
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 110515
FFSGSP
NCC087-110530-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
115 AM EDT SUN JUL 11 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 130 AM EDT FOR SOUTHERN 
HAYWOOD COUNTY AND WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE ON SCHEDULE...

AT 1247 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THE STORMS THAT PRODUCED FLASH FLOOD CONDITIONS ACROSS CENTRAL AND 
SOUTHERN HAYWOOD COUNTY HAVE WEAKENED AND WERE MOVING OUT OF THE 
COUNTY.

LOCAL COUNTY OFFICIALS REPORTED NO NEW INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE 
CONCERNING FLOODING IN AND AROUND THE HYATT CREEK AREA. IN 
FACT...REPORTS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS STATED HYATT CREEK WAS 
WITHIN ITS BANKS AND NOT CREATING ANY HAZARDS. 

IN HAZLEWOOD...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS OBSERVED GENERAL URBAN 
FLOODING. SOME SMALL STREAMS LEADING INTO ALLEN CREEK WERE REPORTED 
OUT OF THEIR BANKS...BUT WERE THOUGHT TO BE CAUSED BY BACKED UP 
SEWAGE DRAINS AND ELEVATED CULVERTS.      

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT ONLY TAKES A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

LAT...LON 3563 8300 3546 8312 3532 8295 3551 8278

$$

KRENTZ

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 Jul 10, 2:42 PM EDT, 7 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 10, 2:42 PM EDT, 7 hours 56 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
242 PM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)...
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE RETROGRADES ACROSS SE USA THROUGH SUN...FOLLOWED
BY UPPER LEVEL TROUGH DIGGING ALONG EAST COAST. MODELS CONTINUE TO
SHOW MOISTURE SPREADING E ACROSS AREA...ESPECIALLY ALONG I-40
CORRIDOR. CONVECTION ALREADY ONGOING IN NC MTS...AND WILL FAVOR THIS
AREA WITH SLIGHTLY BETTER POPS THIS EVENING...THOUGH STILL SMALL
CHANCE.

EVEN THOUGH SUNDAY FEATURES LITTLE IN THE WAY OF AN UPPER LEVEL
TRIGGER...GUIDANCE RUNNING 40 POPS MOST OF AREA. WILL TREND IN THAT
DIRECTION FOR AFTERNOON AND EVENING POPS...PARTICULARLY N TIER...
WHERE ANY WEAK IMPULSE WOULD TRACK.

ON MON UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SUFFICIENTLY IN PLACE TO ALLOW IMPULSES TO
REACH AREA...AND AGAIN MODEL GUIDANCE HAS 40 POPS...AND THIS TIME
MODELS BRING AN IMPULSE SE TOWARD AREA. GFS STRONGER WITH THIS
IMPULSE... POSSIBLY SUPPORTING EVEN HIGHER POPS...BUT WILL STAY WITH
40 POP FOR NOW....CONTINUING THROUGH EVENING.

ANOTHER IMPULSE ARRIVES TUE...SUPPORTING CHANCE POPS...AGAIN HIGHEST
ALONG N TIER...WHICH REAMINS CLOSER TO TRACK OF UPPER LEVEL ENERGY
AND UNDER BEST MOISTURE.

MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES TO GRADUALLY COOL AS HEIGHTS FALL AND
MOISTURE/CLOUD COVER INCREASE. MINIMUM TEMPERATURES GENERALLY HELD
UP BY MOISTURE AND EVENTUALLY CLOUD COVER.

&&

.LONG TERM (TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY)...
UPPER RIDGE AXIS REMAINS E OF REGION THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD.
THIS WILL ALLOW OCCASIONAL WEAK SHORTWAVE ENERGY TO AFFECT THE CWA
AS UPPER DISTURBANCES PASS MAINLY N AND E OF THE AREA. LIGHT W TO NW
LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK. DAYTIME HIGHS SHOULD
REACH THE LOW 90S ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT WITH LOWS NEAR
70. ALTHOUGH DEEPER MOISTURE IS FORECAST TO BE SOMEWHAT
LIMITED...SUFFICIENT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS EXPECTED FOR SCT AFTN-EVE
CONVECTION EACH DAY.

&&

.AVIATION...
TSTMS WL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE MTNS DURING THE AFTN
HOURS. HAVE INCLUDE A 2 HR TEMPO GROUP AT THE AVL AIRPORT FROM 18 TO
20 UTC. ALL OTHER TAFS CLOSE TO THE FOOTHILLS HAVE BEEN GIVEN A VCTS
INTO THE EARLY EVENING. CLT ONLY HAS A CB LISTED AS BEST CONVECTIVE
COVERAGE SHOULD BE WELL EAST AND WEST OF THE AIRPORT. LOOKS LIKE
PATCHY MVFR FOG AGAIN TNGT. HAVE GONE WITH PREVAILING MVFR FOG AT
ANDERSON...HKY AND AVL...THE USUAL SUSPECTS WHEN IT COMES TO
FOG...LGT WNDS AND A HUMID AIRMASS. NO RESTRICTIONS ANYWHERE
ELSE...THOUGH THAT COULD CHANGE IF ANY TAF SITES SEE RAIN THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...JAT
LONG TERM...BPM
AVIATION...BPM
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 10, 5:44 AM EDT, 16 hours 54 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
544 AM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-110945-
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-
544 AM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

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

.DAY ONE...
ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP
ONCE AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE AREA. THE MAIN
THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE IN THE FORM OF FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING. SLOW STORM MOVEMENT WILL ALSO CREATE A THREAT OF
LOCALLY EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AND ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING. AN ISOLATED
SEVERE STORM...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF PERIODS OF LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED EACH
AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF
ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING AND/OR ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS EACH DAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

LANE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 10, 6:56 PM EDT, 3 hours 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
656 PM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

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

0554 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 E LAKE LURE           35.44N 82.15W
07/10/2004                   RUTHERFORD         NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN AND AROUND BILLS CREEK ROAD.

&&

SBK
Local storm report, Jul 10, 7:53 PM EDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
753 PM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

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

0710 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 WNW MOCKSVILLE        35.92N 80.62W
07/10/2004                   DAVIE              NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SEVERAL TREES DOWN NEAR THE TOWN OF CENTER AND HWY 64.

&&

SBK
Local storm report, Jul 10, 7:58 PM EDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
758 PM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

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

0710 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 WNW MOCKSVILLE        35.92N 80.62W
07/10/2004                   DAVIE              NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SEVERAL SMALL TREE LIMBS DOWN NEAR THE TOWN OF CENTER AND HWY 64.

&&

SBK
Local storm report, Jul 10, 8:08 PM EDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
808 PM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

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

0745 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 NE MOCKSVILLE         35.95N 80.49W
07/10/2004                   DAVIE              NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            SEVERAL TREES DOWN NEAR SMITH GROVE.

&&

SBK
Special weather statement, Jul 10, 8:08 PM EDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
808 PM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

NCZ035>037-056-057-069>072-082-110702-
ALEXANDER NC-CABARRUS NC-CATAWBA NC-DAVIE NC-GASTON NC-IREDELL NC-
LINCOLN NC-MECKLENBURG NC-ROWAN NC-UNION NC-
808 PM EDT SAT JUL 10 2004

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA PIEDMONT THIS
EVENING...

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS PARTS OF THE NORTH
CAROLINA PIEDMONT THROUGH THE MIDDLE PART OF THE EVENING. THE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOST NUMEROUS IN THE AREA FROM TAYLORSVILLE TO
STATESVILLE...MOORESVILLE...AND CONCORD THROUGH 9 PM. SOME OF THE
STORMS WILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 MPH...THAT COULD
KNOCK DOWN TREE LIMBS. THE STORMS WILL GENERALLY MOVE TO THE
SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL
RESULT IN ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE TO THREE INCHES IN SOME LOCATIONS.
THIS COULD BE ENOUGH TO RESULT IN CREEKS APPROACHING BANKFULL.

IF THE STORMS HOLD TOGETHER...THEY WILL MOVE INTO THE LAKE NORMAN AND
CHARLOTTE METRO AREA BETWEEN 9 AND 10 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THE MEDIA FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION.

MOORE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 10, 8:17 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPDavie3 hr
Jul 10, 8:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander70 min
Jul 11, 5:47 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPYancey3 hr
Jul 11, 6:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMecklenburg62 min
Jul 11, 7:32 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPUnion3 hr

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.