Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 71, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 31, 2004Abbeville County, Greenwood County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 31, 2004, 9:46 AM EDT for Abbeville County, Greenwood County, South Carolina. It was in force for 59 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, 9:46 AM EDT (13:46 UTC)
Expired
May 31, 2004, 10:45 AM EDT
In force
59 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Abbeville County, SC, Greenwood County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:50 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 31, 9:10 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 1.8 hours before the alert went out and 224 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 2004-05-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 858 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 2004-05-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 192 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
858 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-21 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
630 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
192 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
208 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.9
Supercell composite
3.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

388 
WUUS52 KGSP 311346
SVRGSP
SCC001-047-311445-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
945 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN ABBEVILLE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA
  GREENWOOD COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 1045 AM EDT

* AT 945 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM ABBEVILLE TO 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF
  WASHINGTON...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  HODGES AROUND 950 AM EDT.
  COKESBURY AROUND 955 AM EDT.
  TROY AROUND 1000 AM EDT.
  GREENWOOD AROUND 1005 AM EDT.
  NINETY SIX AROUND 1015 AM EDT.

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

LAT...LON 3426 8239 3380 8273 3400 8196 3419 8199
          3433 8212

$$

SAB/SBK

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, 6:02 AM EDT, 3 hours 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 31, 6:02 AM EDT, 3 hours 44 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
602 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

.UPDATE...
UPDATED ZONES FOR SEVERE TSTM WATCH AND TO PUSH POPS UP ACROSS ERN
PIEDMONT.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...
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.

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.
&&

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

HG
Hazardous weather outlook, May 31, 5:46 AM EDT, 4 hours before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
546 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-010946-
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-
546 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

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

.DAY ONE...
A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA EARLY
TODAY. WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSAGE OF
THESE THUNDERSTORMS. PLEASE SEE THE TORNADO AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCHES IN EFFECT THIS MORNING FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE MOST DAYS
THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED AND SPOTTERS SHOULD RELAY REPORTS OF
SEVERE WEATHER TODAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

HG

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 31, 4:01 AM EDT, 5 hours 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
401 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

GAZ010-017-NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065-SCZ001>003-310958-
AVERY NC-BUNCOMBE NC-GRAHAM NC-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS SC-HABERSHAM GA-
HAYWOOD NC-HENDERSON NC-MACON NC-MADISON NC-MITCHELL NC-
NORTHERN JACKSON NC-OCONEE MOUNTAINS SC-PICKENS MOUNTAINS SC-
RABUN GA-SOUTHERN JACKSON NC-SWAIN NC-TRANSYLVANIA NC-YANCEY NC-
401 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING THE MOUNTAINS OF THE
WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA...

AT 401 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH INTO THE SOUTHERN
APPALACHIANS. ANY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE AT ANY
MOMENT...AND A FEW COULD BECOME TORNADIC. MOST AFFECTED THROUGH 6 AM
WILL BE LOCATIONS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40...ESPECIALLY FROM THE
SMOKIES TO FRANKLIN TO CLAYTON. WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED
WITH NEARLY ANY THUNDERSTORM.

HG
Special weather statement, May 31, 6:14 AM EDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
614 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

GAZ018-026-028-029-NCZ034>037-054>057-066>072-082-SCZ001>014-019-
311300-
ABBEVILLE-ALEXANDER-ANDERSON-BURKE NC-CABARRUS-CALDWELL-CATAWBA-
CHEROKEE SC-CHESTER-CLEVELAND-DAVIE-ELBERT-FRANKLIN GA-GASTON-
GREATER GREENVILLE-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-
GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREENWOOD-HART-IREDELL-LAURENS SC-LINCOLN NC-
MCDOWELL-MECKLENBURG-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-POLK NC-
ROWAN-RUTHERFORD-SPARTANBURG-STEPHENS-UNION NC-UNION SC-YORK-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ABBEVILLE...ANDERSON...CHARLOTTE...
CHESTER...CONCORD...ELBERTON...GAFFNEY...GASTONIA...GREENVILLE...
GREENWOOD...HARTWELL...HICKORY...LAURENS...LINCOLNTON...MARION...
MOCKSVILLE...MONROE...MORGANTON...ROCK HILL...RUTHERFORDTON...
SALISBURY...SHELBY...SPARTANBURG...STATESVILLE...TOCCOA...TRYON...
UNION
614 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE FOOTHILLS AND
PIEDMONT OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA...

AT 610 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH OUT OF THE MOUNTAINS.
THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS
AND PIEDMONT THROUGH 9 AM. ANY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME
SEVERE THIS MORNING...WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS. WINDS OF 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH NEARLY ANY THUNDERSTORM.

CSH
Local storm report, May 31, 6:20 AM EDT, 3 hours 26 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
620 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

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

0531 AM     TSTM WND DMG     LEICESTER               35.65N 82.69W
05/31/2004                   BUNCOMBE           NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            COUNTY EOC REPORTS TREES DOWN.

&&

RB
Local storm report, May 31, 7:28 AM EDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
728 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

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

0452 AM     TSTM WND DMG     ROBBINSVILLE            35.32N 83.81W
05/31/2004                   GRAHAM             NC   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN COUNTYWIDE. REPORTS ALONG
            STATE HIGHWAY 28 AND 143 AND US HIGHWAY 129.

0537 AM     TSTM WND DMG     5 N FRANKLIN            35.25N 83.38W
05/31/2004                   MACON              NC   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS NORTH PART OF
            COUNTY. TREE ON HOUSE ON LYLE KNOB ROAD.

&&

MOORE
Local storm report, May 31, 8:38 AM EDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
838 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

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

0520 AM     TSTM WND DMG     7 S BRYSON CITY         35.33N 83.45W
05/31/2004                   SWAIN              NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            TREE DOWN NEAR COMMUNITY OF ALARKA. ALSO TREE DOWN ALONG
            HWY 28.

&&

MOORE
Special weather statement, May 31, 9:00 AM EDT, 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
900 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

GAZ026-028-029-SCZ004>007-010>014-019-311400-
ABBEVILLE SC-ANDERSON SC-CHESTER SC-ELBERT GA-FRANKLIN GA-
GREATER GREENVILLE SC-GREATER OCONEE SC-GREATER PICKENS SC-
GREENWOOD SC-HART GA-LAURENS SC-SPARTANBURG SC-UNION SC-
900 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004

...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND
PORTIONS OF THE UPSTATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA...

AT 900 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH FROM NORTHEAST GEORGIA. THESE
STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA
AND THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE UPSTATE THROUGH 10 AM. AS THE LINE
OF STORMS PASSES...WEST WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN AND WILL BECOME GUSTY.
SOME OF THESE STORMS EAST OF INTERSTATE 85 COULD BECOME STRONG ENOUGH
TO RESULT IN WIND GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 31, 10:01 AM EDTTornado WarningGSPGreenwood44 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South 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.