Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 11, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

June 9, 2005Cabarrus County, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Jun 9, 2005, 6:25 PM EDT for Cabarrus County, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jun 9, 2005, 6:25 PM EDT (22:25 UTC)
Expired
Jun 9, 2005, 9:15 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Cabarrus County, NC, Mecklenburg County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 149 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:28 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 9, 6:40 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD3 W Concord, NCCOUNTY SD RELAYED UNCONFIRMED REPORT OF FLOODING...POSSIBLY A CREEK INVOLVED...ALONG POPLAR TENT ROAD. UNITS ENROUTE TO CHECK OUT.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this flash flood warning; the first came 15 minutes after it went out.

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

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 227 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, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2005-06-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 147 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, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2005-06-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 39 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
147 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
695 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
39 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
13 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 092225
FFWGSP
NCC025-119-100115-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
625 PM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
 MECKLENBURG COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA
 CABARRUS COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 915 PM EDT

* AT 625 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL THAT COULD
  LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. THE STORMS EXTENDED FROM CROFT AND
  HUNTERSVILLE...NORTH AND EAST TO COX MILL...AND KANNAPOLIS.
  THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTH AT AROUND 5 MPH. NEW STORMS
  DEVELOPING ACROSS CENTRAL MECKLENBURG COUNTY SUGGEST MOST
  OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL MOVE OVER THE SAME LOCATIONS...
  LEADING TO SEVERE URBAN FLOODING AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT
  SOME STREAMS AND CREEKS MAY COME OUT OF THEIR BANKS.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO KANNAPOLIS.
  CREEKS THAT COULD FLOOD INCLUDE STONY CREEK...AND CLARKS CREEK
  AND ITS ADJACENT TRIBUTARIES ACROSS NORTHERN MECKLENBURG COUNTY.
  IN CABARRUS COUNTY...RAPID RISES COULD BRING CODDLE CREEK TO
  NEAR BANKFULL...AND PRODUCE A STEADY RISE ON THE ROCKY RIVER.
   

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.

LAT...LON 3530 8092 3523 8095 3531 8059 3538 8047
      3547 8035 3550 8063 3551 8075 3556 8074
      3549 8083

$$

44
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 100004
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
758 PM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

NCC025-119-100115-
MECKLENBURG NC-CABARRUS NC-
758 PM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 915 PM EDT FOR MECKLENBURG 
AND CABARRUS COUNTIES...

AT 752 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE HEAVY RAIN OVER WESTERN MECKLENBURG COUNTY...ADJACENT TO 
ITS WESTERN BORDER WITH GASTON COUNTY. HEAVY RAIN HAD ENDED OVER 
CABARRUS COUNTY...ALTHOUGH SCATTERED SHOWERS REMAINED OVER THE 
NORTHERN END...NEAR KANNAPOLIS. RAINFALL OF OVER TWO INCHES HAS BEEN 
INDICATED BY RADAR BETWEEN PAW CREEK AND A LOCATION 3 MILES WEST OF 
HUNTERSVILLE.

NUMEROUS FLOODED STREETS WERE REPORTED BY BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND 
TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY...INCLUDING AROUND 
LAKEVIEW IN THE VICINITY OF BEATTIES FORD ROAD. URBAN FLOODING HAD 
BEEN REPORTED FROM HENDERSON CIRCLE IN CHARLOTTE...PERHAPS 
EXACERBATED BY STREAM FLOODING. IN CABARRUS COUNTY...FLOODING WAS 
REPORTED EARLIER FROM THE ODELL SCHOOL ROAD AREA OF POPLAR TENT.

HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WEAKENING THROUGH THE VALID TIME 
OF THIS WARNING...AS MOST OF THE HEAVIER RAINFALL SHIFTS WEST TOWARD 
THE FOOTHILLS. HOWEVER...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL REMAIN IN 
EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM.

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.

LAT...LON 3530 8092 3523 8095 3531 8059 3538 8047
      3547 8035 3550 8063 3551 8075 3556 8074
      3549 8083

$$
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 100115
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
913 PM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

NCC025-119-100123-
MECKLENBURG NC-CABARRUS NC-
915 PM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN CABARRUS AND NORTHERN
MECKLENBURG COUNTIES EXPIRES AT 915 PM EDT...

MOST HEAVY RAINFALL HAD ENDED ACROSS THE WARNING AREA...SO THE FLASH 
FLOOD WARNING WILL END.  HOWEVER...A NEW CELL WAS DEVELOPING WEST OF 
PAW CREEK...IN AN AREA WHICH HAS RECEIVED AS MUCH AS 3 INCHES OR 
MORE OF RAINFALL THIS EVENING.  A FLOOD WARNING MAY BE ISSUED IF 
THIS CELL PERSISTS.  HIGH WATER LINGERS IN SOME AREAS...DO NOT DRIVE 
INTO FLOODED PLACES.

LAT...LON 3530 8092 3523 8095 3531 8059 3538 8047
      3547 8035 3550 8063 3551 8075 3556 8074
      3549 8083

$$
JONES

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 Jun 9, 2:14 PM EDT, 4 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 9, 2:14 PM EDT, 4 hours 11 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
214 PM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

.SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT)...
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE TO REMAIN ALONG SE USA COAST...WITH TROUGH
UPSTREAM OVER GULF STATES. MOISTURE ON W SIDE OF RIDGE TO REMAIN
BANKED UP AGAINST S APPALACHIANS IN WEAK UPSLOPE COMPONENT THROUGH
FRI EVENING...SUPPORTING POPS RANGING FROM CHANCE E AND TN
LINE...TO LIKELY ALONG BLUE RIDGE ESCARPMENT. ON SAT MODELS TRY TO
BRING DRIER AIR INTO AREA FROM ATLANTIC. GFS SHOWING SWATH OF HIGH
RH WELL E OF TC ARLENE...WHILE ETA...THROUGH FARTHER E WITH
ARLENE...IS LESS AGREESIVE WITH MOISTURE. AT THIS TIME...PREFER
DRIER ETA SCENARIO AS ITS TRACK IS CLOSER TO TPC TRACK...THOUGH
FASTER. ALSO BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A SHARP GRADIENT TO CONVECTION
BETWEEN MOIST INFLOW E SIDE OF ARLENE AND DRIER ATLANTIC AIR. WILL
LIMIT CHANCE POPS SAT TO MTS AND UPPER SAVANAH RIVER VALLEY.
MODELS CONTINUE TO DIFFER WITH MOISTURE SPREADING N AND E INTO
AREA SUN AS DRIER ATLANTIC AIR RETREATS...AND HAVE COMPROMISED
WITH CHANCE POPS SUN...AGAIN FAVORING BLUE RIDGE IN UPSLOPE
COMPONENT.

MAX TEMPERATURES TO REMAIN RATHER LIMITED IN CLOUD COVER...EXCEPT
IN DRIER AIR ON SAT WHERE FORECAST TRENDS TOWARD HIGH SIDE OF
GUIDANCE. MINIMUM TMEPERATURES TO REAMIN UP IN MOIST AIR MASS.
WIND GENERALLY FROM SE EARLY...SLOWLY VEERING TO S. LIMITED GUSTS
TO LATE SAT AND SUN WHEN GRADIENT TIGHTENS BETWEEN RIDGE AND ARLENE.

&&

.LONG TERM (MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...
MEDIUM RANGE FCST LITTLE CHANGED FROM GOING FCST. UPPER RIDGE OVER
THE AREA AT THE START OF THE PERIOD WEAKENS AND GIVES WAY TO A
SERIES OF SHORT WAVES ON WED WHICH CARVE A TROF OVER THE EAST COAST
THURSDAY. SLY FLOW AND DEEP MOISTURE CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA THRU
WED WHEN A COLD FRONT MOVES IN. CHC...MAINLY DIURNAL...POP CONTINUES
THRU THEN. DRIER AIR MOVES IN BEHIND THE FRONT FOR THU...BUT ENOUGH
MOISTURE REMAINS ACROSS THE MTNS FOR CHC POP. SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS
TO TEMPS...BUT VALUES REMAIN CLOSE TO PREV FCST.

&&

.AVIATION...
AS WE MOVE THROUGH ANOTHER DAY OF WITH THE SAME AIR MASS IN
PLACE...FCST IS LITTLE CHANGED FROM PREV FEW. COULD BE SOME BRIEF
MVFR CIGS THE NEXT TWO HOURS...BUT VFR WILL PREVAIL...XCPT WHERE
TSRA MOVE OVER TAF SITES. AS IN PAST DAYS...VCTS ALL SITES THRU THE
EVENING AND WILL AMEND AS NECESSARY. ABOUT MIDNIGHT...MVFR VSBY/CIGS
RETURN. HAVE TEMPO FOR IFR VSBY/CIGS MOST LOCATIONS IN LINE WITH
THIS MORNINGS OBS. VFR VSBY BY 15Z...BUT MVFR CIGS CONTINUE AS LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE AND WEAK UPGLIDE CONTINUE.

&&

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

SHORT TERM...JAT
LONG TERM...RWH
AVIATION...RWH
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 9, 5:45 AM EDT, 12 hours 40 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
545 AM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-
SCZ001>014-019-101000-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-CALDWELL-
ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-
BUNCOMBE-MCDOWELL-BURKE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-
MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-POLK-RUTHERFORD-
CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-
GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-
CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
545 AM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THE VERY MOIST AIR MASS ACROSS THE REGION WILL PROMOTE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THE
DAY AND INTO TONIGHT.  LIGHT WINDS THROUGH A DEEP LAYER OF THE
ATMOSPHERE WILL RESULT IN SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS. THIS
WILL CAUSE LOCALLY EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN SOME LOCATIONS.
PEOPLE IN FLOOD PRONE AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
THE POSSIBILITY OF HIGH WATER LEVELS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PRIMARILY DURING
THE AFTERNOONS AND AT NIGHT. THE POSSIBILITY OF LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL EXISTS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY... ESPECIALLY IN THE
MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MIGHT BE REQUESTED IF FLOODING DEVELOPS.

LGL

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 9, 6:09 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
609 PM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-
SCZ001>014-019-100015-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-CALDWELL-
ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-
BUNCOMBE-MCDOWELL-BURKE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-
MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-POLK-RUTHERFORD-
CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-
GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-
CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLAYTON...CLARKESVILLE...TOCCOA...
HARTWELL...ELBERTON...NEWLAND...STATESVILLE...MOCKSVILLE...
SPRUCE PINE...CHEROKEE...WAYNESVILLE...ASHEVILLE...MARION...
MORGANTON...HICKORY...SALISBURY...SYLVA...FRANKLIN...BREVARD...
HENDERSONVILLE...COLUMBUS...RUTHERFORDTON...SHELBY...LINCOLNTON...
GASTONIA...CHARLOTTE...CONCORD...MONROE...GREENVILLE...
SPARTANBURG...GAFFNEY...ROCK HILL...ANDERSON...ABBEVILLE...
LAURENS...UNION...CHESTER...GREENWOOD
609 PM EDT THU JUN 9 2005

...SLOW MOVING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAUSING SOME PROBLEMS...

JUST BEFORE 6 PM EDT...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED ISOLATED TO SCATTERED
SHOWERS ACROSS UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA AND EXTREME NORTHEAST
GEORGIA...WITH MORE COVERAGE ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA. IN THE RICH
TROPICAL AIR MASS...THE SHOWERS AND STORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING
LOCALLY HEAVY...AND EVEN EXCESSIVE...RAINFALL.

A FLASH FLOOD HAS OCCURRED IN EXTREME SOUTHWEST SWAIN
COUNTY...AROUND WESSER. THE WESSER CREEK WAS REPORTED OUT OF ITS
BANKS CLOSING ROADS AND POSSIBLY DAMAGING SOME HOMES. THIS FLASH
FLOOD DEVELOPED FROM A VERY SMALL RAIN STORM THAT BECAME
STATIONARY IN THE MOUNTAINS. OTHER SHOWERS TONIGHT MAY DO THE SAME
THING...SO ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING MAY BE A THREAT IN OTHER LOCATIONS.

AROUND CHARLOTTE...A LARGER COMPLEX OF SHOWERS AND STORMS EXTENDED
FROM KANNAPOLIS SOUTH TO THE CITY. OFFICIALS AT MILLER CREEK AND
INTERSTATE 85...AND AROUND UNCC...REPORTED SOME FUNNEL CLOUDS
AROUND 545 PM...BUT NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. THE FUNNELS COULD BE A
RAIN SHAFT...OR PERHAPS VAPOR FROM COLDER AIR ALOFT MIXING DOWN
THROUGH THE MOIST TROPICAL AIR. THIS COMPLEX OF STORMS HAD BECOME
NEARLY STATIONARY...AND A FLASH FLOOD THREAT COULD DEVELOP
QUICKLY. THESE STORMS WILL BE MONITORED CLOSELY FOR THE
POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER AND FLASH FLOODING.

THE WEATHER COULD QUICKLY CHANGE MOST ANYWHERE IN THE FORECAST
AREA TONIGHT...SO PEOPLE SHOULD REMAIN ALERT...AND LISTEN FOR
LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLY A FEW WARNINGS OF SEVERE WEATHER OR
FLASH FLOODING.

JONES

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 9, 5:36 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPSwain3 hr
Jun 9, 6:46 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPRowan3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 2005Every flash flood warning in 2005

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.