Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2005

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 155, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 21, 2005Oconee County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 21, 2005, 2:59 PM EDT for Oconee County, South Carolina. It was in force for 62 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
Jul 21, 2005, 2:59 PM EDT (18:59 UTC)
Expired
Jul 21, 2005, 4:01 PM EDT
In force
62 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Oconee County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:59 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 severe thunderstorm 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 12:00Z, 7.0 hours before the alert went out and 200 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 12:00Z on 2005-07-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 299 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 12:00Z on 2005-07-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -4 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
299 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-129 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1251 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
1 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-4 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
5 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 
WUUS52 KGSP 211859
SVRGSP
SCC073-212000-
/O.NEW.KGSP.SV.W.0155.050721T1859Z-050721T2000Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
259 PM EDT THU JUL 21 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  OCONEE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 400 PM EDT

* AT 254 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR WALHALLA...AND
  MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  WESTMINSTER AROUND 350 PM EDT...
  7 MILES WEST OF SENECA AROUND 400 PM EDT...

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY
RAIN CAN OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM.

LAT...LON 3488 8308 3480 8328 3451 8316 3463 8287

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KGSP 211931
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
331 PM EDT THU JUL 21 2005

SCC073-212000-
/O.CON.KGSP.SV.W.0155.000000T0000Z-050721T2000Z/
OCONEE SC-
330 PM EDT THU JUL 21 2005

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 400 PM EDT FOR 
OCONEE COUNTY...

AT 324 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
WESTMINSTER...OR ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WALHALLA...MOVING SOUTH 
AT 5 MPH.  THE STORM HAD WEAKENED SOMEWHAT...BUT RADAR SHOWED STRONG 
THUNDERSTORMS GROWING IN STEPHENS COUNTY GEORGIA ALONG THE OCONEE 
LINE. ANOTHER STORM IN PICKENS COUNTY WAS MOVING SOUTH...AND COULD 
BUILD INTO SOUTHEAST OCONEE COUNTY.

LAT...LON 3479 8303 3472 8327 3448 8307 3461 8286

$$
JONES
000 
WWUS52 KGSP 212001
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
400 PM EDT THU JUL 21 2005

SCC073-212010-
/O.EXP.KGSP.SV.W.0155.000000T0000Z-050721T2000Z/
OCONEE SC-
400 PM EDT THU JUL 21 2005

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHERN OCONEE COUNTY 
EXPIRED AT 400 PM EDT...

HOWEVER...STRONG STORMS WERE STILL MOVING THROUGH THE WESTERN PART 
OF THE COUNTY...FROM WESMINSTER SOUTH.  STRONG WINDS...FREQUENT 
INTENSE LIGHTNING...AND LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL OCCUR.

LAT...LON 3479 8303 3472 8327 3448 8307 3461 8286

$$
JONES

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 21, 2:40 PM EDT, 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 2:40 PM EDT, 19 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
240 PM EDT THU JUL 21 2005

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)...
CONVECTION TAKING ON A DIFFERENT PATTERN THIS AFTERNOON. CELLS MORE
WIDESPREAD OVER GA/SC MTNS...WITH MUCH LESS COVERAGE ELSEWHERE.
EXPECT SCT COVERAGE ALL AREAS GIVEN THE INSTABILITY...BUT LESS
COVERAGE THAN PREVIOUS DAYS...ESP NC MTNS/FOOTHILLS. PWATS A LITTLE
LOWER AND STORM MOTION A LITTLE FASTER THAN PREVIOUS DAYS...BUT
ISOLATED FLASH FLOOD THREAT REMAINS. KEPT MAINLY DIURNAL CONVECTIVE
TIMING...BUT WEAK MID LEVEL WAVE SEEN IN SAT PIX MOVING SE OVER KY
COULD PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR CONVECTION OVERNIGHT. WILL KEEP ISOLATED
CONVECTION ALL NITE NC MTNS. PATCHY DENSE VALLEY FOG EXPECTED AGAIN
TONIGHT NC MTNS.

WE STILL NEED TO WORK OUT THE TIMING FOR FRIDAY/FRIDAY NIGHT...BUT
12 UTC SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE IN DECENT ENOUGH AGREEMENT IN THE
HANDLING OF A SHEARING S/WV MOVING ACROSS THE CWFA FRIDAY AFTERNOON
AND/OR EVENING. POTENTIAL FOR STORMS TO ORGANIZE WITHIN INCREASED
MID-LVL FLOW AND DEVELOPMENT ALONG EDGE OF DRYING ALOFT/COOL
POOL...COULD LEAD TO WIDESPREAD CVRG WITH LOCALLY STRONG STORMS
...BUT GIVEN TIMING/STRENGTH UNCERTAINTY...WILL KEEP CHANCES
SCATTERED UNTIL 06Z SATURDAY.
&&

.LONG TERM (SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)...
UPPER HEIGHTS BEGIN THEIR RISE ON SATURDAY AS LARGE ANTICYCLONE
BUILDS EASTWARD...EVENTUALLY PARKING ITSELF ATOP THE CWFA BY MONDAY.
WITHIN THIS VERY WEAKLY FORCED ENVIRONMENT...ANY ISOLATED DAILY
DEEP CONVECTIVE THREAT SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THE HIGHER TERRAIN IF
NOT COMPLETELY SUPPRESSED. IT SHOULD BE PROGRESSIVELY HOT EACH
DAY AS WELL WITH FTHL/PIEDMONT MAXES 90 TO 95 SATURDAY WARMING
TO A MORE SOLID MIDDLE 90S ON MONDAY. INTERESTING DEWPOINT TRENDS
NOTED ON THE 12 UTC MOS GUIDANCE WITH THE FWC/MET NUMBERS TUMBLING
SATURDAY AFTERNOON...BUT MAV GUIDANCE HANGING TOUGH IN THE LOWER
70S. GIVEN THE DRY AND SUBSIDING AIRMASS...HAVE TO GIVE AT LEAST
A PARTIAL NOD TO DEWPOINTS MIXING OUT SATURDAY AFTERNOON. HOPEFULLY
THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY AND MONDAY AS WELL...PERHAPS
KEEPING US JUST SHY OF HEAT INDEX CRITERIA...WE WILL SEE. FOR DAYS
5-7...UPPER RIDGING SHIFTS EAST AND GIVES WAY TO FALLING HEIGHTS AND
INCREASED RETURN FLOW ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO RETURN BACK TO AROUND
LATE JULY CLIMO AND INCREASING DAILY DEEP CONVECTIVE CHANCES.
&&

.AVIATION...
TODAY LOOKS LIKE A CARBON COPY OF THE PAST FEW DAYS. WILL TIME IN
VCTS AND LOW VFR CIGS WITH A MVFR TSRA TEMPO AT KAVL. VCTS ENDS
ABOUT 01Z THEN VFR UNTIL MVFR FOG DEVELOPS ABOUT 09Z. THE EXCEPTION
ONCE AGAIN IS KAVL WHERE DENSE VALLEY FOG DEVELOPS WITH IFR
VSBY/LIFR CIGS. VFR RETURNS ABOUT 13Z WITH CU...AND CB AT
KAVL...DEVELOPING BY 16Z. A POSSIBLE FLY IN THE OINTMENT IS A MID
LEVEL SWIRL SEEN IN SAT PIX MOVING SE THRU KY ATTM. THIS COULD
CREATE A MORE FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR ORGANIZED CONVECTION AND
KEEP TSRA AROUND LONGER THAN USUAL THIS EVENING. AS THIS IS NOT A
CERTAINTY WILL LET NEXT SHIFT EXTEND TSRA IF NECESSARY.
&&

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

SHORT TERM...RWH/CSH
LONG TERM...CSH
AVIATION...RWH
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 21, 6:47 AM EDT, 8 hours 12 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
647 AM EDT THU JUL 21 2005

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-
SCZ001>014-019-221100-
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-
647 AM EDT THU JUL 21 2005

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ONCE
AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE AREA. THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF
ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WITH THE
STRONGER STORMS. STORMS WILL BE MOST NUMEROUS ACROSS THE NORTH
CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. THUS THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING AND DAMAGING
WIND GUSTS WILL BE GREATEST THERE. IN ADDITION...HEAT INDEX VALUES
OF AROUND 100 WILL BE REALIZED FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS THIS
AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH
CAROLINA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA
AGAIN ON FRIDAY. THE THREAT FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WILL BE
SLIGHTLY HIGHER ON FRIDAY...WHILE THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING
WILL BE SLIGHTLY LOWER. COVERAGE OF AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DECREASE OVER THE WEEKEND. MEANWHILE...
TEMPERATURES WILL INCREASE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HEAT INDEX
VALUES WILL PROBABLY EXCEED 100 FOR SEVERAL HOURS ACROSS THE
PIEDMONT AND FOOTHILLS SUNDAY AND MONDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

LANE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 21, 4:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenville50 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 2005Every severe thunderstorm 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.