Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 10, 2005Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at May 10, 2005, 8:10 PM EDT for Mecklenburg 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
May 10, 2005, 8:10 PM EDT (00:10 UTC)
Expired
May 10, 2005, 11:15 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Mecklenburg County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 133 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:13 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

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 124 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2005-05-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1048 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2005-05-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 3 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
1048 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1519 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
3 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 110013
FFWGSP
NCC119-110315-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
810 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 1115 PM EDT

* AT 808 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED SEVERE 
  URBAN FLOODING DEVELOPING OVER CHARLOTTE...ESPECIALLY THE SOUTH 
  AND EAST SIDES OF THE CITY. SEVERAL CARS HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED
  BY WATER IN THE CITY. RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
  MOVING SLOWLY FROM SOUTH TO NORTH ACROSS MECKLENBURG COUNTY. 
  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN WILL ONLY 
  COMPLICATE THE DEVELOPING SITUATION...AND COULD LEAD TO 
  RISES ON SOME OF THE SHALLOWER FLASHY CREEKS AND STREAMS
  WITHIN THE CITY CREEK SYSTEM. ADDIITONAL URBAN FLOODING 
  COULD AFFECT MATTHEWS...MINT HILL AND POSSIBLY HUNTERSVILLE.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO UNC
  CHARLOTTE...SOUTHPARK MALL...PAW CREEK...MINT HILL...MATTHEWS...
  HUNTERSVILLE...EASTLAND MALL...DAVIDSON...CORNELIUS...CHARLOTTE
  DOUGLAS INTL AIRPORT AND CENTER CITY CHARLOTTE.

DURING HEAVY RAIN EVENTS...SEVERE URBAN FLOODING CAN OCCUR IN AREAS
SUCH AS UNDERPASSES AND LOW AREAS WHERE WATER TENDS TO COLLECT. DO
NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN PLAY NEAR SMALL STREAMS OR FLOODED DRAINAGE
DITCHES AND STORM SEWERS.

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 3509 8105 3502 8085 3521 8054 3526 8067
      3533 8067 3549 8079 3553 8092 3537 8096

$$

BURRUS
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 110139
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
938 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

NCC119-110315-
MECKLENBURG NC-
938 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1115 PM EDT FOR MECKLENBURG
COUNTY...

AT 930 PM EDT...RADAR SHOWED THAT THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE METRO 
AREA HAD WEAKENED CONSIDERABLY.  HOWEVER...ADDITIONAL STORMS TO THE 
SOUTH COULD MOVE IN A LITTLE LATER.

SOME FLASH FLOODING...IN THE FORM OF SEVERE URBAN 
FLOODING...OCCURRED BETWEEN ABOUT 8 PM AND 845 PM...AFTER SEVERAL 
INCHES OF RAIN HAD ACCUMULATED IN A SHORT TIME.  MOST OF THE 
PROBLEMS WERE IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE COUNTY...BETWEEN 
CHARLOTTE AND MATTHEWS.  LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORTED NO ADDITIONAL 
FLOODING PROBLEMS SINCE THAT TIME.  THE WARNING WILL CONTINUE UNTIL 
EXPIRATION SINCE RUNOFF WILL CONTINUE FOR A WHILE...AND NEW STORMS 
COULD BRING ADDITIONAL RAINFALL.

DURING HEAVY RAIN EVENTS...SEVERE URBAN FLOODING CAN OCCUR IN AREAS
SUCH AS UNDERPASSES...AND LOW AREAS WHERE WATER TENDS TO COLLECT. DO
NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN PLAY NEAR SMALL STREAMS OR FLOODED DRAINAGE
DITCHES AND STORM SEWERS.

LAT...LON 3509 8105 3502 8085 3521 8054 3526 8067
      3533 8067 3549 8079 3553 8092 3537 8096

$$
JONES
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 110311
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1111 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

NCC119-110321-
MECKLENBURG NC-
1111 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR MECKLENBURG COUNTY EXPIRES AT 1115 PM
EDT...

NO ADDITIONAL FLASH FLOOD REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.  ADDITIONAL 
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD AFFECT THE AREA OVERNIGHT.

LAT...LON 3509 8105 3502 8085 3521 8054 3526 8067
      3533 8067 3549 8079 3553 8092 3537 8096

$$
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 May 10, 3:00 PM EDT, 5 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 10, 3:00 PM EDT, 5 hours 10 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
300 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY)...
COVERAGE OF DEEP CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THRU LATE DAY
ALONG AND AHEAD OF EASTWARD WOBBLING MID-LVL S/WV...CURRENTLY
SPINNING TOWARD NE GA. POCKETS OF MODERATE INSTABILITY COMBINED WITH
JUST WITH ENUF SHEAR...ESPECIALLY IN THE PIEDMONT...TO SUPPORT SOME
MULTI-CELL CLUSTERS INTO THE EARLY EVENING. ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT WILL CONTINUE AS WELL WITH PRIMARY THREAT BEING LARGE HAIL
THANKS TO LOW WET BULB ZERO HEIGHTS. GIVEN THE COMBINATION OF
WEAKENING DEEP LAYER FORCING AND BLYR STABILIZATION THANKS TO
LOSS OF HEATING...CVRG EXPECTED TO WANE SLOWLY DURING THE EVENING
HOURS.

ON WEDNESDAY...IT CONTINUES TO LOOK LIKE WE WILL BE UNDER MEAN
NORTHERLY FLOW THROUGH A DEEP LAYER BETWEEN BUILDING UPPER RIDGE TO
OUR WEST AND UPPER LOW ALONG COAST. SOME DEGREE OF LLVL EASTERLY FLOW
DEVELOPS WITHIN WEAKLY FORCED ATMOSPHERE...SO COULD BE DIURNAL FOCUS
OF TSTMS NEAR THE HIGHER TERRAIN OR PERHAPS EAST OF THE CWFA WHERE
BETTER LLVL CONVERGENCE LOOKS TO SET UP. AT ANY RATE...A SHOTGUN
SLIGHT CHANCE FOR DIURNAL STORMS FOR ALL AREAS WILL CONTINUE.

STRENGTHENING UPPER RIDGE TO BUILD OVER THE CWFA THURSDAY...LEADING
TO WHAT LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY SUPPRESSED ATMOSPHERE...BUT NAM/GFS IN
GOOD AGREEMENT WITH ORIENTATION AND MAGNITUDE OF E-W ORIENTED
INSTABILITY AXIS ACRS NC...SO A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR AFT/EVE STORMS
WILL BE PLACED IN THIS AREA. TRICKY FCST SETTING UP FOR THU
NITE/FRIDAY AS UPPER RIDGE LINGERS BUT A BACKDOOR FRONT APRCHS.
THIS BNDRY COULD BE THE FOCUS FOR DEEP CONVECTION...PROBABLY
JUST DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS ON FRIDAY...AND HOW MUCH COOLER AIR
WORKS INTO CENTRAL/WESTERN NC BEHIND FRIDAY LEAVES MAXES
QUESTIONABLE AS WELL.
&&

.LONG TERM (FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)...
HAVE CLOSELY FOLLOWED HPC SCENARIO OF ECMWF THROUGH THE MEDIUM
RANGE. THIS SCENARIO WILL BRING A SURFACE FRONT IN FROM THE WEST ON
SUNDAY THAT WILL LAY DOWN ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA ON MONDAY. AS A
RESULT...A THREAT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST THROUGHOUT
THE MEDIUM RANGE PERIOD...PARTICULARLY SUNDAY AND MONDAY. WILL LIMIT
POP TO CHANCE AT THIS POINT. TEMPS WILL FOLLOW HPC GUIDANCE.
&&

.AVIATION...
PASSAGE OF UPPER LOW AND COLD AIR ALOFT WILL KEEP MODERATE
INSTABILITY ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS INTO THE EARLY EVENING.
EXPECT MOST TAF SITES TO EVENTUALLY HAVE A BRUSH WITH
THUNDERSTORMS...MOST LIKELY AT KAVL THROUGH THE MID AFTERNOON AND
KCLT DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON. WILL AMEND TAFS AS CONVECTIVE TRENDS
DICTATE. APART FROM CONVECTIVE STORMS...CLOUDS SHOULD REMAIN VFR.
CONVECTION SHOULD WANE IN THE MID TO LATE EVENING LEAVING A GREAT
DEAL OF CONVECTIVE DEBRIS OVERNIGHT. NEXT SET OF TAFS WILL MOST
LIKELY DEAL WITH FOG AT LOCATIONS THAT EXPERIENCE PRECIP. AFTER THE
FOG BURNS OFF...MAINLY CIRRUS WITH A LIGHT NE FLOW IN THE MORNING.
&&

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

SHORT TERM...CSH
LONG TERM...PM
AVIATION...PM
Hazardous weather outlook, May 10, 7:14 AM EDT, 12 hours 56 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
714 AM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-
SCZ001>014-019-111115-
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-
714 AM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP
ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON. ONE OR TWO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND PERHAPS A
DAMAGING WIND GUST OR TWO BEING THE PRIMARY THREATS. IN
ADDITION...STORMS DEVELOPING TODAY WILL MOVE VERY SLOWLY...
RESULTING IN LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND POSSIBLY ISOLATED FLASH
FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY
ISOLATED TO SCATTERED...MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS
ARE EXPECTED FOR MUCH OF THE PERIOD.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED.

LANE

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 10, 5:36 PM EDT, 2 hours 34 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
536 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

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

0534 PM     HAIL             13 N CHARLOTTE          35.39N 80.83W
05/10/2005  0.75 INCH        MECKLENBURG        NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            3/4 INCH HAIL FELL BRIEFLY NEAR EXIT 28 AT LAKE NORMAN.

&&

SBURRUS
Local storm report, May 10, 6:04 PM EDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
604 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

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

0557 PM     HAIL             10 N STATESVILLE        35.93N 80.89W
05/10/2005  0.75 INCH        IREDELL            NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED 3/4 INCH HAIL AT THE
            INTERSECTION OF JENNINGS AND SNOW CREEK ROADS.

&&

BURRUS
Local storm report, May 10, 6:15 PM EDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
615 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

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

0555 PM     HAIL             9 E LENOIR              35.91N 81.37W
05/10/2005  0.88 INCH        CALDWELL           NC   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            DIME TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL IN THE LITTLE RIVER AREA ALONG
            HWY 90 EAST OF LENOIR. TREES ALSO DOWN ON POWER LINES.

0555 PM     TSTM WND DMG     9 E LENOIR              35.91N 81.37W
05/10/2005                   CALDWELL           NC   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            FIRE DEPT DISPATCHED DUE TO TREES DOWN ON POWER LINES
            ALONG HWY 90 EAST OF LENOIR IN LITTLE RIVER AREA.

&&

TJB
Local storm report, May 10, 6:33 PM EDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
633 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

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

0545 PM     HAIL             4 S HICKORY             35.68N 81.33W
05/10/2005  0.88 INCH        CATAWBA            NC   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE REPORTED BY BANDY/S CROSSROADS
            VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

&&

BURRUS
Local storm report, May 10, 6:33 PM EDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
633 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

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

0545 PM     HAIL             4 S CATAWBA             35.68N 81.33W
05/10/2005  0.88 INCH        CATAWBA            NC   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE REPORTED BY BANDY/S CROSSROADS
            VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.

&&

BURRUS
Special weather statement, May 10, 7:46 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
746 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

NCZ036-037-057-071-072-082-110100-
CABARRUS-DAVIE-IREDELL-MECKLENBURG-ROWAN-UNION NC-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CHARLOTTE...CONCORD...MOCKSVILLE...
MONROE...SALISBURY...STATESVILLE
746 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2005

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STILL MOVING THROUGH THE PIEDMONT...

AT 740 PM EDT...RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS
CHARLOTTE...WITH SOME HAIL REPORTED CLOSE TO THE CENTER OF THE
CITY.  STORMS EXTENDED IN A SHORT LINE FROM NORTH OF THE CHARLOTTE
DOUGLAS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE CITY TO EAST
OF PINEVILLE.  ANOTHER STORM WAS NEAR MINT HILL. ANOTHER CLUSTER OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS SHOWN BETWEEN TAYLORSVILLE TO MOCKSVILLE.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 10 TO 15 MPH...AND IN SOME CASES
WERE DUMPING LOTS OF RAINFALL. PONDING OF WATER WAS OCCURRING ALONG
INTERSTATE 40 IN NORTHERN IREDELL COUNTY...AND ACROSS THE CHARLOTTE
METRO AREA.

JONES

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.