Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 63, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 31, 2004, 3:20 AM EDT for Swain County, North Carolina. It was in force for 40 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 31, 2004, 3:20 AM EDT (07:20 UTC)
- Expired
- May 31, 2004, 4:00 AM EDT
- In force
- 40 min
- Issued by
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Swain County, NC
The radar
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 70 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:24 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 1:40 AM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 264 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
- 1721 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -10 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1316 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 45 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 102 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.5
- Supercell composite
- 3.7
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WUUS52 KGSP 310720
SVRGSP
NCC173-310800-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
320 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
EASTERN SWAIN COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
* UNTIL 400 AM EDT
* AT 320 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF BRYSON CITY...OR ABOUT 3 MILES
NORTHWEST OF CHEROKEE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
SMOKEMONT AROUND 325 AM EDT.
ALTHOUGH TORNADOES HAVE NOT BEEN DETECTED WITH THIS SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP
WITHOUT WARNING FROM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
LAT...LON 3556 8346 3570 8321 3557 8317 3546 8334
3542 8338
$$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 31, 2:43 AM EDT, 37 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 31, 2:43 AM EDT, 37 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 243 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004 .SHORT TERM... CONVECTIVE LINE STRETCHES FROM JUST EAST OF OHX TO NEAR JKL THIS MORNING WITH TORNADO WATCH CURRENTLY IN PLACE ACROSS THE WESTERN CWFA. SHEAR PROFILES STEADILY INCREASE THIS MORNING WITH 850 MB WINDS PROGGED TO REACH 50 KT TOWARD 12Z AS FLOW GOES MORE UNIDIRECTIONAL. SLIGHT TIMING DIFFS CONT TO EXIST WITH MCS MOVING THROUGH REGION THIS MORNING...WITH THE GFS FEATURING FASTER TIMING. ETA FIELDS HAVE INITIALIZED FAIRLY WELL THIS MORNING...HOWEVER...AND SLIGHTLY SLOWER TIMING MEANS EASTERN PIEDMONT SECTIONS COULD REALIZE IMPROVED INSTABILITY BEFORE SURFACE COLD POOL MOVES THROUGH TODAY. WILL FEATURE HIGHEST POPS WEST EARLY TO LOWEST EAST AND THEN REVERSE THE PATTERN FOR THIS AFTERNOON. FAIRLY DEEP DRYING SHOULD THEN SET IN ACROSS THE WRN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA AS AREA IS CAUGHT BETWEEN DEEP ROTATING VORTEX ACROSS THE NRN CONUS AND MOIST BOUNDARY SOUTH OF THE REGION THROUGH TUE. MOISTURE WILL THEN STEADILY RECOVER THROUGH WED WITH ETA FEATURING NEXT SHOT OF UPPER DYNAMICS ROTATING IN FROM GREAT LAKES LOW BY LATE IN THE DAY. .LONG TERM... PATTERN REMAINS UNSETTLED THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK AS ERN TROUGH DEEPENS THROUGH FRI. NO CHANGES ARE ANTICIPATED TO THE REMAINDER OF THE MEDIUM RANGE AT THIS TIME. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GSP 83 62 86 63 / 60 20 10 10 AND 84 62 86 64 / 60 20 10 10 CLT 86 62 87 64 / 50 20 10 10 HKY 83 59 84 61 / 60 20 10 10 AVL 78 57 81 57 / 70 20 20 10 && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && HG
Hazardous weather outlook, May 30, 5:21 AM EDT, 21 hours 59 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 521 AM EDT SUN MAY 30 2004 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014- 019-310920- 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- 521 AM EDT SUN MAY 30 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA... UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA TODAY. COVERAGE OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE GREATEST IN THE WESTERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT OVER THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY LATE TODAY AND THEN SWEEP EAST ACROSS TENNESSEE OVERNIGHT. ANY REMNANTS FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY REACH THE APPALACHIANS AROUND DAYBREAK ON MEMORIAL DAY. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS COULD FORM EASTWARD ACROSS THE PIEDMONT DURING THE DAY MONDAY ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS DISTURBANCE. ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER...MAINLY IN THE FORM OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...COULD BE POSSIBLE MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS UNLIKELY TODAY...BUT MAY BE REQUIRED ON MEMORIAL DAY. HG
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 30, 11:01 PM EDT, 4 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1101 PM EDT SUN MAY 30 2004 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014- 019-311000- 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- 1101 PM EDT SUN MAY 30 2004 ...SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK... A STRONG STORM SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE PLAINS AND OHIO VALLEY REGIONS THIS WEEKEND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST OVERNIGHT. ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM...A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NORTHERN INDIANA TO EAST TEXAS LATE SUNDAY EVENING. TORNADO WATCHES EXTENDED AS FAR EAST AS EASTERN TENNESSEE AND KENTUCKY. THE LINE OF STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK EAST OVERNIGHT...REACHING THE MOUNTAINS OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA AROUND SUNRISE. AS THE LINE OF STORMS MOVES FURTHER EAST...IT IS EXPECTED TO ENCOUNTER INCREASINGLY STABLE AIR. THIS MAY RESULT IN SOME GRADUAL WEAKENING WITH TIME. NEVERTHELESS...THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MAINTAIN ENOUGH INTENSITY TO POSE A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT AS THEY MOVE OVER THE MOUNTAINS MONDAY MORNING. THE MOST LIKELY FORM OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. HOWEVER...AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE OFF THE BLUE RIDGE BY LATE MORNING... SHIFTING THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT DURING THE AFTERNOON. SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ACTIVATE QUICKLY ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS MONDAY MORNING. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT FROM LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. DISPATCHERS SHOULD ENSURE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS ARE AWARE OF THIS INFORMATION. LANE
The office that day
Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 2:55 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Haywood | 50 min |
| May 31, 3:11 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | GSP | Haywood | 34 min |
| May 31, 3:45 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Haywood | 45 min |
| May 31, 4:37 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Graham | 38 min |
| May 31, 4:46 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Swain | 59 min |
| May 31, 5:00 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Macon | 45 min |
| May 31, 5:08 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Mitchell, Yancey | 52 min |
| May 31, 5:26 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Buncombe | 49 min |
| May 31, 7:43 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Gaston, Mecklenburg | 47 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 2004Every 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.