Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 79, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

November 29, 2005Macon County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Nov 29, 2005, 5:15 AM EST for Macon 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
Nov 29, 2005, 5:15 AM EST (10:15 UTC)
Expired
Nov 29, 2005, 8:15 AM EST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Macon County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 115 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:16 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

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 217 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 00:00Z on 2005-11-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 28 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 00:00Z on 2005-11-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 371 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
28 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-125 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
519 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
371 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
382 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS52 KGSP 291017
FFWGSP
NCC113-291315-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
515 AM EST TUE NOV 29 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  MACON COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 815 AM EST

* AT 506 AM EST...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED FLASH     
  FLOODING OVER THE WARNED AREA NEAR THE CULLASAJA RIVER. THE LITTLE 
  TENNESSEE RIVER WAS CLOSE TO BANKFULL AS WELL.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO FRANKLIN.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT
QUICKLY. MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY
IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

LAT...LON 3500 8355 3502 8315 3531 8332 3526 8367

$$
07
1 follow-up statement
000 
WGUS72 KGSP 291213
FFSGSP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
708 AM EST TUE NOV 29 2005

NCC113-291315-
MACON NC-
713 AM EST TUE NOV 29 2005

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 815 AM EST FOR MACON
COUNTY...

AT 705 AM EST...LOCAL COUNTY OFFICIALS REPORTED RIVER ROAD ON THE 
CULLASAJA RIVER...HAD BEEN CLOSED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS DUE 
TO FLOODING. THE LATEST RADAR TRENDS SHOW MOST OF THE HEAVY 
PREICIPITATION HAS CEASED OVER THE WARNED AREA...HOWEVER THE 
CULLASAJA RIVER COULD STILL RISE OR REMAIN ELEVATED DUE TO RUNOFF 
FROM ADJACENT STREAMS AND HILLSIDES.    

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO FRANKLIN.

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 3500 8355 3502 8315 3531 8332 3526 8367

$$

KRENTZ

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 Nov 29, 2:52 AM EST, 2 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 29, 2:52 AM EST, 2 hours 23 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
252 AM EST TUE NOV 29 2005

.SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT)...
MOST OF THE CONCERNS WITH THE SHORT TERM ARE IMMEDIATE. KGSP RADAR
SHOWS DISORGANIZED FRONTAL BAND OF DEEP CONVECTION WORKING SLOWLY
EAST INTO THE FORECAST AREA...WITH LINGERING SHOWERS JUST BEHIND THE
POSITION OF THE FRONT ANALYZED AT 06Z ENTERING WESTERN NC.  THERE
REMAINS A DAMAGING WIND THREAT THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED...BUT
THE MOST LIKELY LOCATIONS WHERE HIGH WINDS WOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE
SURFACE ARE THE HIGH ELEVATIONS.  RADAR TRENDS SUGGEST THAT THE BULK
OF THE DEEP CONVECTION WILL BE JUST EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS BY 11Z.
MODELS SUGGEST THAT POST FRONTAL WINDS WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM...SO
THE WIND ADVISORY WILL NOT BE EXTENDED AT THIS TIME.

CATEGORICAL POP LOOKS LIKE A FOREGONE CONCLUSION FOR ENTIRE FORECAST
AREA...EVEN WITH THE EVIDENCE THAT FRONTAL CONVECTION MAY DECREASE
IN COVERAGE THIS MORNING. THE FORECAST GRIDS/ZFP WILL REFLECT
MARCHING THE CONVECTIVE BAND EASTWARD ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
THROUGH THE MIDDLE PART OF THE AFTERNOON...WHICH CAN BE FINE TUNED
WITH LATER UPDATES. AN EXTRAPOLATION OF SATELLITE/RADAR SUGGESTS THE
BACK EDGE OF THE PRECIP WILL REACH I-77 AT 19Z. MODELS SUGGEST THAT
THE FORCING WILL BE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 00Z WEDNESDAY. WITH
THAT IN MIND...A LOW CHANCE POP WILL BE KEPT JUST IN THE VERY
EASTERN ZONES FOR THE VERY LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING...
OTHERWISE THE ENTIRE AREA SHOULD BE DRY AFTER 01Z OR SO.

THE NON-DIURNAL NATURE OF THE TEMPERATURE TREND EARLY THIS MORNING
MEANS THAT OUR HIGH TEMP FORECAST TODAY IS PROBLEMATIC. SHORT TERM
TRENDS THROUGH SUNRISE WILL PROBABLY DICTATE THE MAX TEMP IN MANY
LOCATIONS...ESPECIALLY WEST. WHAT IS UNCLEAR IS IF TEMPS CAN REBOUND
IN THE AFTERNOON IN WESTERN LOCATIONS SINCE COOL AIR DOES NOT REALLY
COME IN BEHIND THE FRONT UNTIL VERY LATE IN THE DAY. HAVE GENERALLY
FOLLOWED THE MAV GUIDANCE HERE.

THE FORECAST GETS RELATIVELY BENIGN LATER TONIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS IN...BUT UPPER FLOW REMAINING SOUTHWESTERLY WILL PREVENT A
SIGNIFICANT COOL DOWN. HAVE GENERALLY NUDGED TEMP FORECAST TOWARD
NEW GUIDANCE.

THE ONLY OTHER SHORT RANGE ISSUE IS THE UPPER SYSTEM EXPECTED TO
SKIRT BY TO THE NORTH AND WEST THURSDAY. THIS ONE WILL LACK
DEEPER MOISTURE...BUT SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TO
ACCOUNT FOR SOME SMALL NW FLOW POTENTIAL LATE THURSDAY/OVERNIGHT.
FOR THAT REASON...A SLIGHT CHANCE HAS BEEN ADDED ALONG THE TN
BORDER...BUT THIS SHOULD BE NO BIG DEAL.

&&

.LONG TERM (FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY)...
EXTENDED FORECAST STARTS WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO REGION
FROM NW ON FRI. HIGH PRESSURE CROSSING AREA SAT. LOW PRESSURE
FORMS OVER THE SRN PLAINS SATURDAY AND MOVES INTO THE AREA
SUNDAY...DRAGGING A COLD FRONT WITH IT. COULD BE SOME COLD AIR
DAMMING SETTING UP WITH THIS SYSTEM...BUT HAVE PLAYED ALONG WITH THE
PROGRESSIVE SCENARIO FOR NOW. HIGH PRESSURE BEGINS TO BUILD IN FROM
THE WEST ON MONDAY. HAVE CHC POP SPREADING EAST ACROSS THE CWFA
SATURDAY THRU SUNDAY. IF THE DAMMING SCENARIO IS MORE
CORRECT...COULD BE SOME P-TYPE CONCERNS AT PRECIP ONSET. POP
DECREASES TO SLIGHT CHC AND ENDS SUNDAY NIGHT XCPT FOR NC MTNS. WRAP
AROUND MOISTURE AND NWLY UPSLOPE FLOW MOVES IN BY EARLY
MONDAY...HOWEVER TEMPS NOT VERY COLD WITH THIS SYSTEM. HAVE CHC POP
NC MTNS MONDAY...BUT ONLY MENTIONING SNOW FOR THE MORNING.

NEAR NORMAL TEMPS FRI/SAT...THEN ABOVE NORMAL MIN/BELOW NORMAL MAX
SUNDAY WITH PRECIP. BELOW NORMAL TEMPS FOR MONDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...
CAD ERODING AS STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHES AND SOUTHERLY SFC WINDS
DOMINATING THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. VIS AND CEILINGS SHOULD GRADUALLY
IMPROVE AHEAD OF FRONTAL CONVECTION. PLAN TO KEEP TERMINALS MVFR
AHEAD AND DURING FROPA...EXCEPT IN TEMPO AT KAVL WHERE LOW DECK JUST
ABOVE 1 K FT AT THIS TIME. COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO PASS THROUGH THE
REGION BETWEEN 15-19Z TUE. EXPECT CONDITIONS TO QUICKLY BECOME VFR
AFTER FROPA TUE AFTERNOON WITH WINDS VEERING SW TO W.

FRONTAL CONVECTION WILL REMAIN ONE OF THE PRIMARY CONCERNS THIS TAF
PACKAGE. LINEAR CONVECTION ALREADY SPREADING ACROSS THE NC MTNS.
WILL TIME SHRA AND TSRA ACROSS THE TERMINALS TONIGHT AND TUE AM.
WILL BASE DECISIONS ON LATEST RADAR TRENDS AND NAM.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...WIND ADVISORY FOR GAZ010 UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY.
NC...WIND ADVISORY FOR NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065 UNTIL 6 AM
     TUESDAY.
SC...WIND ADVISORY FOR SCZ001>003 UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY.
&&

SHORT TERM...MOORE
LONG TERM...JAT
AVIATION...JAT
Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 28, 6:01 AM EST, 23 hours 14 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
601 AM EST MON NOV 28 2005

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-
SCZ001>014-019-291115-
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 NC-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-
GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-
CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-
GREENWOOD-
601 AM EST MON NOV 28 2005

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL REDUCE THE VISIBILITY TO ONE QUARTER MILE
OR LESS ACROSS THE PIEDMONT OF THE CAROLINAS THIS MORNING. A DENSE
FOG ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT TO THE EAST OF A LINE FROM
TAYLORSVILLE TO HICKORY...SHELBY...GAFFNEY...AND CHESTER. FOR MORE
INFORMATION...SEE THE URGENT WEATHER MESSAGE ISSUED AT 344 AM.

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE WESTERN
CAROLINAS AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA...MAINLY TO THE WEST OF
MORGANTON...FOREST CITY...LAURENS...AND GREENWOOD LATE TONIGHT AND
EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ARE THE PRIMARY
THREAT...BUT A FEW TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS REGION HAS A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE TONIGHT PERIOD.
SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS COULD BRING VERY GUSTY WINDS DOWN TO
THE SURFACE ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS TONIGHT. FOR MORE
INFORMATION...SEE THE SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED AT 536 AM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
PIEDMONT OF THE CAROLINAS EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY.

MOORE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 28, 11:19 PM EST, 5 hours 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1119 PM EST MON NOV 28 2005

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-
SCZ001>014-019-290630-
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 NC-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-
GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-
CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-UNION SC-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
1119 PM EST MON NOV 28 2005

...WINDY WEATHER AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED IN SOME AREAS OVERNIGHT...

LATE THIS EVENING...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING NORTHEAST
ACROSS NORTH GEORGIA. ALTHOUGH THE LINE OF STORMS HAD WEAKENED
CONSIDERABLY SINCE PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER IN ALABAMA...SOME OF
THE STORMS IN THE LINE REMAINED VERY STRONG.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THREATS OVERNIGHT FOR EXTREME NORTHEAST
GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. FIRST...STRONG STORMS IN THE
NORTHERN PART OF THE LINE WILL MOVE INTO THE NORTH GEORGIA AND
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS...AT THE SAME TIME INCREASING
GRADIENT WINDS WILL INCREASE. THAT MEANS SOME OF THE STORMS COULD
MIX DOWN DAMAGING WINDS TO THE SURFACE...AND IT POSSIBLE WIND
DAMAGE COULD OCCUR FROM HABERSHAM AND RABUN COUNTIES NORTH INTO
THE FRANKLIN...SYLVA...BRYSON CITY...AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS.

SECOND...THE ATMOSPHERE WAS QUITE STABLE ACROSS THE CAROLINA AND
GEORGIA PIEDMONT AND FOOTHILLS. HOWEVER...DATA INDICATE THE LOWEST
PART OF THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME JUST UNSTABLE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT
ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. SEVERE WEATHER COULD OCCUR IN THE
FORM OF ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...OR POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED TORNADO.

ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED TONIGHT...YOU
SHOULD ENSURE YOUR NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS RECEIVER IS
PROPERLY SET IN THE EVENT A WARNING IS ISSUED. ALSO...MAKE A QUICK
CHECK OF YOUR SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY PLAN...TO ENSURE EVERYONE IN
THE FAMILY UNDERSTANDS ACTIONS TO TAKE IF SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPS.

JONES

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 29, 5:10 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGraham24 min
Nov 29, 5:51 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningGSPHaywood3 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.