Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 34, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 3, 2005Rowan County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Jul 3, 2005, 9:24 PM EDT for Rowan 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
Jul 3, 2005, 9:24 PM EDT (01:24 UTC)
Expired
Jul 4, 2005, 12:15 AM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Rowan County, NC

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 156 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:26 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
Jul 3, 9:45 PM EDTFLASH FLOODChina Grove, NCCOUNTY COMMS REPORTED THAT SEVERAL ROADS WERE UNDER WATER IN THE LANDIS AND CHINA GROVE AREAS.

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 21 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

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 78 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 2005-07-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1058 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2005-07-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -34 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
1058 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
926 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
9 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.1
Supercell composite
-0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS52 KGSP 040124
FFWGSP
NCC159-040415-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
924 PM EDT SUN JUL 3 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 1215 AM EDT

* AT 919 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  FLASH FLOODING BECOMING IMMINENT...ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHWEST     
  PART OF THE COUNTY AROUND CHINA GROVE.  SOME SIGNIFICANT PONDING   
  OF WATER HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO            
  SPENCER...  SALISBURY...GRANITE QUARRY...CLEVELAND...AND CHINA     
  GROVE.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY
ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS AND OTHER
LOW LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLASH FLOODING.

LAT...LON 3575 8075 3549 8072 3551 8025 3572 8043

$$
JONES
3 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 040237
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1035 PM EDT SUN JUL 3 2005

NCC159-040415-
ROWAN NC-
1037 PM EDT SUN JUL 3 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1215 AM EDT FOR ROWAN 
COUNTY...

AT 1031 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT AS MUCH AS 4 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER PARTS OF 
SOUTHERN ROWAN COUNTY...ESPECIALLY AROUND THE CHINA GROVE AREA.  
FLASH FLOODING WAS OCCURRING BETWEEN ENOCHVILLE AND CHINA 
GROVE...AND PERHAPS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.  THE 
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER REPORTED THAT FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN 
DISPATCHED TO FLASH FLOOD SITES...AND THAT MAINLY ROADS WERE 
INVOLVED AT THIS TIME.  CREEKS IN THE WARNING AREA WILL CONTINUE TO 
RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE.

LAT...LON 3566 8074 3549 8072 3551 8025 3565 8032

$$
JONES
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 040313
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1113 PM EDT SUN JUL 3 2005

NCC159-040415-
ROWAN NC-
1113 PM EDT SUN JUL 3 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1215 AM EDT FOR ROWAN 
COUNTY...

AT 1101 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE HEAVY RAINFALL OVER PARTS OF ROWAN COUNTY.  THE HEAVIEST 
RAIN WAS CENTERED AROUND ENOCHVILLE...IN THE SOUTHWESTERN CORNER.  
SOME OF THE HEAVY RAIN AROUND CHINA GROVE HAD TAPERED OFF...BUT 
RADAR ESTIMATED THAT AS MUCH AS 4 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN FELL THERE 
TODAY AND TONIGHT.  RADAR ALSO SHOWED HEAVY RAIN INCREASING IN THE 
EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY...AROUND HIGH ROCK. THIS RAIN WAS 
BUILDING TO THE WEST...AND COULD MOVE INTO THE ROCKWELL AND GRANITE 
QUARRY AREAS...INCREASING THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING THERE.

FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN RESPONDING TO SOME FLASH FLOODING IN THE 
SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY.  AT THIS HOUR...IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER 
CREEKS ARE FLOODING ROADS IN SOME PLACES...OR IF DEEP WATER IS 
PONDING IN LOW PLACES ON THE ROADS.  MOST LIKELY...SOME OF EACH TYPE 
OF FLOODING HAS OCCURRED.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE DRIVE INTO FLOODED AREAS...OR 
DRIVE ACROSS FLOODED BRIDGES OR THOSE WHICH HAVE BEEN WEAKENED BY 
HIGH WATER...OR WHEN VEHICLES ARE CAUGHT IN RAPDILY RISING WATER.  
TRAVEL ACROSS SOUTHERN ROWAN COUNTY TONIGHT WILL BE EXTREMELY 
HAZARDOUS.

LAT...LON 3566 8074 3549 8072 3551 8025 3565 8032

$$
JONES
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 040412
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1211 AM EDT MON JUL 4 2005

NCC159-040421-
ROWAN NC-
1211 AM EDT MON JUL 4 2005

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR ROWAN COUNTY EXPIRES AT 1215 AM EDT...

HOWEVER...IT HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A FLOOD WARNING FOR THE 
COUNTY...WHICH IS VALID UNTIL 4 AM EDT.  SOME SERIOUS FLOODING IS 
IMMINENT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE COUNTY OVERNIGHT.  THERE 
HAVE BEEN RECENT REPORTS OF EVACUATIONS AROUND KANNAPOLIS.

LAT...LON 3566 8074 3549 8072 3551 8025 3565 8032

$$
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 Jul 3, 3:27 PM EDT, 5 hours 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 3, 3:27 PM EDT, 5 hours 57 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
327 PM EDT SUN JUL 3 2005

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT)...
CONVERGENCE ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE COLD AIR DAMMING IS RESULTING IN
A RING OF CONVECTION FROM THE MIDLANDS TO NORTHERN GA THEN NORTH
INTO ERN TN. DEEPER INTO THE CAD THERE HAS ALSO BEEN QUITE A BIT OF
CONVECTION...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE LEE SLOPES AND ACROSS A SOMEWHAT
WEAKER TMB ACROSS THE SRN UPSTATE AND NE GA. HOWEVER...THE ACTIVITY
HAS DECREASED IN INTENSITY AND AREAL COVERAGE THE PAST HOUR OR TWO.

PLAN TO CONTINUE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT. WITH THE
SHORT WAVE YET TO CROSS THE MTNS AND LOW 70 DWPTS AND UPSLOPE
FLOW...THERE IS PLENTY OF TIME FOR ADDITIONAL CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT
JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ACROSS THE CWFA. LAPS SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO SHOW
PWATS OVER 2 INCHES...AND 0-6KM BULK SHEAR IS ON THE ORDER OF 30 TO
35 KTS. THERE HAS BEEN CLEARING AND TEMPERATURE RECOVERY ACROSS THE
SRN AND SW MTNS AS WELL...AND EXPECT THAT SOME OF THE STRONGER  NEW
STORMS MAY FIRE OUT THAT WAY. WL CUT POPS BACK TO CHANCE AFTER
MIDNIGHT...BUT WITH LINGERING UPSLOPE FLOW...WL NOT REMOVE THEM
COMPLETELY.

&&

.LONG TERM (MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)...
MID/UPPER HEIGHTS PROGGED TO RISE ON MONDAY...AS UPPER RIDGE BUILDS
NORTHWARD FROM THE FLORIDA COAST. ASSOCIATED WARMING MID LEVEL TEMPS
AND MID/UPPER DRYING SHOULD REDUCE COVERAGE OF CONVECTION ACROSS THE
CWFA ON MONDAY...ALTHOUGH WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR CONVECTION BECMG
SOMEWHAT ORGANIZED ALONG ANY COLD POOLS (BUT SHEAR APPEARS TO BE TOO
WEAK FOR THAT ATTM.) IN ADDITION...WEAK CAP INDICATED ON NAM
FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATES CONVECTION MAY NOT REALLY GET GOING
UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON. WILL RETAIN PREVIOUS FORECAST OF 40 POP MNTNS
AND 30 POP EAST. THE BETTER CHANCE FOR CONVECTION MAY ACTUALLY BE
TOMORROW EVENING...AS NAM DEPICTS SW TROUGH RIDING OVER THE UPPER
RIDGE BY LATE IN THE DAY. THIS RESULTS IN A SLIGHT INCREASE IN SHEAR
AND COOLING AT CAP LEVEL...SO WILL RETAIN CHANCE POPS THROUGH THE
OVERNIGHT.

FOR TUESDAY...FLOW BEGINS TO FLATTEN IN RESPONSE TO A FAIRLY
SIGNIFICANT TROUGH DIGGING INTO THE MISS VALLEY...WITH ATM LESS
CAPPED AND MORE SHEARED...ALTHOUGH INSTABILITY IS LESS IMPRESSIVE.
WILL FEATURE POPS SIMILAR TO THAT OF MONDAY. ONCE AGAIN...WILL
EXTEND POPS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS INTO WED...AS SW TROUGH AND
SURFACE FRONT MOVE ACROSS THE AREA.

TYPICAL UNCERTAINTY EXISTS IN THE EXTENDED...AS MUCH WILL DEPEND ON
FUTURE EVOLUTION OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. IF THE GFS VERIFIES...WE
MAY EXPERIENCE A RARE RESPITE FROM JULY CONVECTION LATE THIS
WEEK...AS THE GFS DEPICTS UNSEASONABLY DRY AIR FILTERING INTO THE
AREA. FOR NOW...WILL FEATURE POPS AROUND CLIMO...GENERALLY 20 TO 30%
ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA.

&&

.AVIATION...
LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN AND A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL KEEP
CIGS AND VSBYS LOW FOR A WHILE ACROSS THE UPSTATE. WL ALSO TEMP IN
SOME LOWER CIGS AND VSBYS AT KHKY AND KAVL WHERE UPSLOPE SHOULD HELP
REDEVELOP CONVECTION IN THESE AREAS THE NEXT FEW HRS. WL IMPROVE
CONDITIONS FOR A WHILE LATE THIS AFTN AND EVENING...BUT WL KEEP LGT
PREVAILING SHRA IN AS UPSLOPE SHOULD KEEP QUITE A BIT OF SHRA
ACTIVITY IN THE AREA. WL TAKE CIGS AND VSBYS DOWN TO LOW END MVFR
LATER TNGT...EXCEPT AT KAVL AND KAND WHERE I WENT IFR. WITH HIGH
DEWPOINTS...WIDESPREAD RAIN AND HIGH DEWPOINTS WE SHOULD SEE
WIDESPREAD LOW CLOUDS AND FOG.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR GAZ010-017-018-026-028 UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
NC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NCZ033-034-049-050-053>055-062>068
     MIDNIGHT.
SC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SCZ001>007-010 UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

&&

SHORT TERM/AVIATION...MCAVOY
LONG TERM...LANE
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 3, 5:42 AM EDT, 15 hours 42 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
542 AM EDT SUN JUL 3 2005

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-
SCZ001>014-019-040945-
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-
542 AM EDT SUN JUL 3 2005

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NUMEROUS TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE
UNTIL MIDNIGHT. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE SLOWLY TO THE
NORTH AT 5 TO 10 MPH. THESE STORMS COULD RESULT IN AREAS OF
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. THE ATMOSPHERE OVER THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER
VALLEY AND UPSTATE MAY SUPPORT ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED EACH DAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 3, 4:10 PM EDT, 5 hours 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
410 PM EDT SUN JUL 03 2005

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

0342 AM     TSTM WND DMG     5 S CLINTON             34.41N 81.87W
07/03/2005                   LAURENS            SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            SEVERAL TREES DOWN ON HWY 56 SOUTH AND WHITMIRE RD.

&&

SBK
Local storm report, Jul 3, 4:10 PM EDT, 5 hours 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED EVENT TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
410 PM EDT SUN JUL 03 2005

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

0342 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 S CLINTON             34.41N 81.87W
07/03/2005                   LAURENS            SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            SEVERAL TREES DOWN ON HWY 56 SOUTH AND WHITMIRE RD.

&&

SBK
Local storm report, Jul 3, 7:56 PM EDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
756 PM EDT SUN JUL 03 2005

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

0125 PM     TSTM WND DMG     12 SE ANDERSON          34.40N 82.50W
07/03/2005                   ANDERSON           SC   NWS STORM SURVEY

            NWS SURVEY FOUND GUSTS TO 70 MPH KNOCKED DOWN NUMEROUS
            TREES AND POWER LINES WHICH CAUSED SOME DAMAGE WHEN THEY
            FELL. ALSO...ADDITIONAL REPORTS OF SOME STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
            NEARBY WHICH WAS NOT SURVEYED. MUCH OF THE DAMAGE ALONG
            JONES CHAPEL ROAD.

0125 PM     HAIL             12 SE ANDERSON          34.40N 82.50W
07/03/2005  2.75 INCH        ANDERSON           SC   NWS STORM SURVEY

            DURING SURVEY THERE WAS ONE REPORT FROM PUBLIC OF
            BASEBALL HAIL...TWO REPORTS OF HEN EGG HAIL...AND
            NUMEROUS REPORTS OF GOLF BALL HAIL IN THE AREA BOUNDED BY
            HIGHWAYS 28/413/284/185/20 IN SOUTHERN ANDERSON COUNTY.

0140 PM     TORNADO          5 NNW DUE WEST          34.40N 82.42W
07/03/2005                   ABBEVILLE          SC   NWS STORM SURVEY

            NWS SURVEY FOUND F0 TO F1 TORNADO TRACK OF 3/4 MILE TO 1
            MILE ALONG HIGHWAY 185 NORTH OF DUE WEST. MOST DEBRIS
            BLOWN TO THE EAST OR SOUTHEAST...BUT CONVERGING DAMAGE
            PATTERN NOTED ALONG NORTH SIDE OF TRACK WHERE DEBRIS WAS
            BLOWN BACK TO THE WEST OR NORTHWEST.

0140 PM     HAIL             5 NNW DUE WEST          34.40N 82.42W
07/03/2005  1.00 INCH        ABBEVILLE          SC   NWS STORM SURVEY

            PUBLIC RELAYED REPORT IN AREA OF TORNADO TRACK

0155 PM     HAIL             DONALDS                 34.38N 82.35W
07/03/2005  1.00 INCH        ABBEVILLE          SC   NWS STORM SURVEY

            PUBLIC RELAYED REPORT. SURVEY NOTED DENTED VEHICLES FROM
            THE HAIL.

&&

JONES

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 3, 9:40 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPLincoln3 hr
Jul 3, 10:29 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPIredell3 hr
Jul 4, 12:07 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPCaldwell4 hr
Jul 4, 3:40 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPHenderson4 hr
Jul 4, 7:28 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.