Alert archive / South Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 20, 2005Greenville County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at May 20, 2005, 5:17 AM EDT for Greenville County, South Carolina. It was in force for 118 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 20, 2005, 5:17 AM EDT (09:17 UTC)
Expired: May 20, 2005, 7:15 AM EDT
In force: 118 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Greenville County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 14 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:19 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, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 259 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1135 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 791 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 133 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 207 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.4
Supercell composite: 2.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS52 KGSP 200918
FFWGSP
SCC045-201115-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
517 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  GREENVILLE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 715 AM EDT

* AT 517 AM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
  MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH THROUGH GREENVILLE COUNTY. THESE
  THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING RAINFALL AT THE RATE OF 1 TO 2 INCHES
  PER HOUR. A LARGE AREA OF MODERATE RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
  7 AM AFTER THE LINE HAS PASSED.

* FLOODING HAS ALREADY BEEN REPORTED AT ROUTE 291 AND ROUTE 25 NEAR
  INTERSTATE 85. ADDITIONAL FLOODING WILL DEVELOP THROUGH 7 AM
  AROUND THE GREENVILLE METRO AREA...AS WELL AS SIMPSONVILLE.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. 
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. 
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE 
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS 
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY 
AUTOMOBILE. EVEN MODERN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES CANNOT BE SAFELY 
DRIVEN THROUGH FLOOD WATERS.

LAT...LON 3493 8253 3454 8232 3478 8216 3485 8223
      3516 8227 3514 8258

$$
HG

2 follow-up statements

000 
WGUS72 KGSP 201002
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
556 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

SCC045-201115-
GREENVILLE SC-
556 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 715 AM EDT FOR GREENVILLE
COUNTY...

AT 548 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A LARGE AREA OF HEAVY RAIN THAT IS MOVING INTO AREAS THAT 
ARE EXPERIENCING FLASH FLOODING NOW. 

HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL ACROSS THE COUNTY CAUSING AREAS OF DEEP 
WATER ON ROADWAYS ESPECIALLY ALONG HIGHWAY 291 AND 25 FROM THE 
MOONVILLE AREA TO INTERSTATE 85. 

IN ADDITION THE REEDY RIVER IS EXPECTED TO RISE TO NEAR 9 FEET AND 
BRUSHY CREEK IS ALSO EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO RISE AND WILL LIKELY 
FLOOD OLD BOILING SPRINGS AND HUDSON ROADS. 

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.

LAT...LON 3493 8251 3454 8232 3478 8216 3485 8223
      3516 8227 3514 8258

$$
PT

000 
WGUS72 KGSP 201116
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
715 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

SCC045-201125-
GREENVILLE SC-
715 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR GREENVILLE COUNTY EXPIRES AT 715 AM
EDT...

A FEW ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL CROSS THE COUNTY FROM THE WEST 
THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. NO SIGNIFICANT FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED 
THUS FAR...AND THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE ON SCHEDULE. 
LOCALIZED FLOODING REMAINS POSSIBLE...HOWEVER...IN THE VICINITY OF 
THE REEDY RIVER IN DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE...AND IN LOW SPOTS IN AREA 
ROADWAYS COUNTYWIDE. USE CAUTION IF DRIVING THIS MORNING...AND DO 
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS ANY FLOODED ROADWAYS.

LAT...LON 3493 8251 3454 8232 3478 8216 3485 8223
      3516 8227 3514 8258

$$
HG

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 20, 3:46 AM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 20, 3:46 AM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
346 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

.SHORT TERM (REST OF TODAY)...
UPDATED WWA SECTION FOR FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN THE SOUTHERN NC MTNS.
&&

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
(ISSUED 339 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005)

SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT)...
UPDATED TO INCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF A SHORT FUSE FLASH FLOOD WATCH
IN THE SOUTHERN NC MOUNTAINS. ADDITIONAL CONVECTION DEVELOPING NEAR
CROSSVILLE TN COULD CREATE HYDROLOGY PROBLEMS FROM HAYWOOD COUNTY
SOUTH EARLY TODAY.

UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE MAXIMIZES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AROUND
12Z THIS MORNING...WITH 500 MB SHORTWAVE SLATED TO ARRIVE 12 TO
18Z. LEADING EDGE OF MCS CURRENTLY IS CATCHING UP TO SCATTERED TO
NUMEROUS CONVECTIVE CELLS AHEAD OF THE QUASI LINEAR FEATURE.
WIDESPREAD STRONG TO SEVERE CONVECTION WILL THUS CONTINUE IN THE
WATCH AREA INTO THE MORNING HOURS. UPPER SUPPORT WITH THE
SHORTWAVE WILL FINALLY PULL EAST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING. AT THE
SURFACE...A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE CENTERS WILL TRANSIT EAST
ACROSS THE REGION TODAY AND EXIT THE COAST NEAR THE DELMARVA. HIGH
PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL THEN FINALLY
PUSH THE SURFACE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT WITH GRADUAL
CLEARING AND DRYING THROUGH SATURDAY.

THE NEXT SYSTEM DIVES SOUTHEAST LATE THIS WEEKEND...WITH ANOTHER
COMPLEX SURFACE PATTERN EVOLVING AS UPPER LOWS COMBINE INTO NEW
ENGLAND. THE LATE WEEKEND SYSTEM SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY SLIGHTLY
LESS INSTABILITY HOWEVER.

LONG TERM (MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)...
CONSENSUS REMAINS ON MEAN EASTERN TROUGHING THROUGH MUCH OF THE
PERIOD. NO CHANGES PLANNED TO CURRENT MEDIUM RANGE FORECAST.

AVIATION...
WILL START TAFS WITH TEMPO FOR CONVECTION...ASSOCIATED WITH PAIR OF
SHORTWAVES...NOW LEAVING OR ENTERING AREA...TIMING FIRST BAND AS IT
MOVES OUT OF KCLT AND KAND...AND SECOND BAND AS IT MOVES INTO KAVL
AND KGSP. MODELS HAVE BULK OF OMEGA OVERNIGHT...WITH MESOETA
DECREASING IT AROUND 09Z. BASED ON SPEED OF CONVECTION IN E
TN...WILL CARRY THUNDER THROUGH 09Z...AND JUST TEMPO SHOWERS TOWARD
DAWN. IN ADDITION TO CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY...MVFR THEN IFR CIGS AND
VSBY EXPECTED AS PRECIPITATION ADDS MOISTURE TO ALREADY MOIST
ATMOSPHERE.

WILL ALLOW MVFR VSBY AND CIGS TO LIFT MID MORNING IN WAKE OF
SHORTWAVES. WITH LIMITED LIFT BEHIND INITIAL SHORTWAVES...WILL DELAY
ONSET OF DAYTIME CONVECTION TIL AFTERNOON WHEN LIMITED HEATING
THROUGH LOW VFR CIGS BOOSTS ALREADY ELEVATED INSTABILITY. EXPECT
FROPA EARLY THIS EVENING...AND THOUGH FORCING WEAK...WITH PLENTY OF
MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY...EXPECT CONVECTION TO ACCOMPANY FRONT S
ACROSS TAF SITES. WIND VEERS TO NNE BEHIND FROPA LATE EVENING...WITH
LOW VFR CIGS IMPROVING SLIGHTLY.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NCZ051-052-058-059-062>064 UNTIL NOON
     FRIDAY.
SC...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...HG

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 19, 11:41 PM EDT, 5 hours 36 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1141 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2005

GAZ017-018-026-028-200430-
FRANKLIN GA-HABERSHAM-HART-STEPHENS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLARKESVILLE...HARTWELL...TOCCOA
1141 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2005

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO NORTHEAST GEORGIA BY MIDNIGHT...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND SHOULD
PASS SOUTH OF CORNELIA TO NEAR TOCCOA AND CARNESVILLE.  THE
STRONGEST STORM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO FRANKLIN COUNTY BEFORE
MIDNIGHT.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO 45
MPH...PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES.
BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND IN LOW
AREAS.

BENTHALL

Local storm report, May 20, 12:42 AM EDT, 4 hours 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1242 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

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

1237 AM     HAIL             REED CREEK              34.44N 82.92W
05/20/2005  1.00 INCH        HART               GA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HAIL THE SIZE OF QUARTERS 5 MILES NORTH OF HARTWELL IN
            REED CREEK COMMUNITY.

&&

TJB

Local storm report, May 20, 12:47 AM EDT, 4 hours 30 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1247 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

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

1243 AM     HAIL             8 N SHELBY              35.40N 81.54W
05/20/2005  0.88 INCH        CLEVELAND          NC   UNKNOWN

            PUBLIC REPORT OF NICKEL SIZE HAIL 8 MILES NORTH OF SHELBY
            ON HWY 226.

&&

TJB

Local storm report, May 20, 1:06 AM EDT, 4 hours 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
106 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

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

1200 AM     TSTM WND DMG     AVALON                  34.50N 83.19W
05/20/2005                   STEPHENS           GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            TREES DOWN IN AVALON AREA, ONE ON MARTIN DRIVE.

&&

TJB

Local storm report, May 20, 3:45 AM EDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
345 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005

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

0338 AM     TSTM WND DMG     10 NE HENDERSONVILLE    35.42N 82.34W
05/20/2005                   HENDERSON          NC   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN ON HWY 64 IN EDNEYVILLE

0338 AM     TSTM WND DMG     ETOWAH                  35.32N 82.60W
05/20/2005                   HENDERSON          NC   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN ON HWY 64 IN ETOWAH.

&&

TJB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 20, 12:31 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Anderson	60 min
May 20, 1:04 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville	51 min
May 20, 1:28 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Spartanburg	54 min
May 20, 1:52 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Cherokee	53 min
May 20, 6:15 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Anderson	3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in South Carolina, 2005 Every 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.