Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 36, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 22, 2004Buncombe County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 22, 2004, 8:21 PM EDT for Buncombe County, North Carolina. It was in force for 54 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 22, 2004, 8:21 PM EDT (00:21 UTC)
Expired: May 22, 2004, 9:15 PM EDT
In force: 54 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Buncombe County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:10 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

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 309 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: 425 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -113 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1196 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -36 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.

697 
WUUS52 KGSP 230021
SVRGSP
NCC021-230115-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
820 PM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  BUNCOMBE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 915 PM EDT

* AT 820 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES WEST OF ASHEVILLE...OR ABOUT 5 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF CANDLER...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  CANDLER AROUND 825 PM EDT.
  LEICESTER AROUND 830 PM EDT.
  WOODFIN AROUND 840 PM EDT.
  ASHEVILLE AROUND 845 PM EDT.
  WEAVERVILLE AROUND 850 PM EDT.

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

INTENSE LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. STAY
INDOORS AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 3571 8265 3578 8241 3577 8232 3561 8227
          3556 8231 3552 8257 3550 8278 3560 8279
          3564 8286

$$

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 22, 1:10 PM EDT, 7 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 22, 1:10 PM EDT, 7 hours 11 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
110 PM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

.SHORT TERM...
RELATIVELY STRONG RIDGE SET UP OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. WITH
ZONAL FLOW TO THE NORTH OF CWA.  DURING THE NEXT WEEK WE ARE LOOKING
AT A SERIES OF SHORT WAVES MOVING OVER THE RIDGE...PROVIDING A
LITTLE EXTRA FORCING TO THE SUMMERTIME PATTERN.  BEST CHANCE OF
CONVECTION APPEARS TO BE TOMORROW.

.LONG TERM...
THE RIDGE CONTINUES TO WEAKEN A LITTLE AND GET PUSHED TO THE SOUTH.
LOOKING AT SLIGHTLY HIGHER POPS ON THURSDAY IN ADVANCE OF A WEAK
FRONT...BUT MODELS ARE TOO INCONSISTENT TO ADVERTISE AN INCREASE IN
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.  MAV IS DRY...ETA MOS IS DRIER.  SO WILL KEEP
ISOLATED WORDING APPROPRIATE FORECASTS.

GFS ADVERTISES STRONG SHORT WAVE FOR NEXT SATURDAY THAT MAY DEPRESS
RIDGE FAR ENOUGH SOUTH TO TRIGGER MORE SHOWERS BY NEXT WEEKEND.
THIS TROUGH LOOKS WAY TO STRONG AND THE TIMING IN SUSPECT...SO
AGAIN WILL STICK WITH ISOLATED WORDING.

TEMPS REMAIN ABOUT THE SAME AS RIDGE DOMINATES WEATHER. GRIDS
CONTAIN ADDITIONAL MESOSCALE FEATURES LIKE CLT URBAN HEAT ISLAND AND
LOCAL MORNING COOLS SPOTS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GSP  66  89  66  90 /  20  30  20  20
AND  66  89  65  91 /  20  30  20  20
CLT  68  89  66  90 /  20  30  20  20
HKY  66  88  65  88 /  20  30  20  20
AVL  59  84  61  85 /  20  30  20  20
&&

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

DICARLO

Hazardous weather outlook, May 22, 4:59 AM EDT, 15 hours 22 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
459 AM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-230900-
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-
502 AM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

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

.DAY ONE...

SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE
FORECAST AREA...ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

SCATTERED LATE DAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MONDAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

RB

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 22, 3:50 PM EDT, 4 hours 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
350 PM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

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

0345 PM     FLASH FLOOD      CASHIERS                35.11N 83.10W
05/22/2004                   JACKSON            NC   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            COUNTY FIRE MARSHALL REPORTED WATER FLOWING ACROSS
            SEVERAL ROADS IN SOUTHERN JACKSON COUNTY. OFFICIALS HAVE
            BEGUN BARRICADING. ALSO PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS
            40-45 MPH.

0245 PM     HAIL             2 SW BLOWING ROCK       36.11N 81.70W
05/22/2004  1.00 INCH        CALDWELL           NC   AMATEUR RADIO

            REPORTED QUARTER SIZED HAIL AT ONE POINT...CONTINUING NOW
            AS PEA TO DIME SIZED. WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 45 AND 50 MPH.
            HAIL ACCUMULATING ON GROUND. LIGHTNING STRUCK TREE 25
            FEET FROM SPOTTER WHILE ON PHONE.

&&

LAMB

Local storm report, May 22, 5:26 PM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
526 PM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

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

0300 PM     FLASH FLOOD      CASHIERS                35.11N 83.10W
05/22/2004                   JACKSON            NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            4 BUSINESSES RECEIVED FLOOD DAMAGE IN CASHIERS. POWER
            CURRENTLY OUT TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. ONE TREE BROUGHT DOWN
            A POWER LINE EARLIER CAUSING PART OF THE OUTAGE.

&&

LAMB

Local storm report, May 22, 5:42 PM EDT, 2 hours 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
542 PM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

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

0525 PM     HAIL             4 NNE DALLAS            35.37N 81.15W
05/22/2004  0.75 INCH        GASTON             NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER REPORTS BRIEF HAIL APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF
            DIMES AND GUSTY WINDS KNOCKING DOWN SMALL BRANCHES AND
            LEAVES.

&&

HG

Local storm report, May 22, 6:54 PM EDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
654 PM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

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

0625 PM     HAIL             BUFFALO                 34.72N 81.68W
05/22/2004  0.75 INCH        UNION              SC   EMERGENCY MNGR

            COUNTY EOC REPORTS DIME SIZE HAIL.

0625 PM     HAIL             1 NNE BUFFALO           34.74N 81.68W
05/22/2004  0.75 INCH        UNION              SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS 3/4 INCH HAIL.

&&

HG

Local storm report, May 22, 7:41 PM EDT, 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
741 PM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

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

0730 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 N SHELBY              35.35N 81.54W
05/22/2004  0 MPH            CLEVELAND          NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            A REACT SPOTTER REPORTED ESTIMATED THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST
            AROUND 60 MPH AT THE INTERSECTION ON HIGHWAY 226 AND
            DOUBLE SPRINGS ROAD.

&&

DEO

Local storm report, May 22, 7:41 PM EDT, 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED WIND GUST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
741 PM EDT SAT MAY 22 2004

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

0730 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 N SHELBY              35.35N 81.54W
05/22/2004  60 MPH           CLEVELAND          NC   SPOTTER

            A REACT SPOTTER REPORTED ESTIMATED THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST
            AROUND 60 MPH AT THE INTERSECTION ON HIGHWAY 226 AND
            DOUBLE SPRINGS ROAD.

&&

DEO

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 23, 1:25 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Caldwell	65 min
May 23, 2:18 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	McDowell	42 min
May 23, 3:23 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Madison	52 min
May 23, 5:30 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Gaston	45 min
May 23, 5:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Davie	42 min
May 23, 5:49 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Mecklenburg	56 min
May 23, 7:05 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Union	40 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 2004 Every severe thunderstorm 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.