Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2005
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 69, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 20, 2005, 3:12 AM EDT for Buncombe County, Henderson County, North Carolina. It was in force for 47 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, 3:12 AM EDT (07:12 UTC)
- Expired
- May 20, 2005, 3:59 AM EDT
- In force
- 47 min
- Issued by
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
Counties Buncombe County, NC, Henderson County, NC
The radar
The Greer radar (KGSP), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:15 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2:00 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
| May 20, 2:30 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 8 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 7.2 hours before the alert went out and 239 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.
- 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WUUS52 KGSP 200712
SVRGSP
NCC021-089-200815-
/O.NEW.KGSP.SV.W.0069.050520T0712Z-050520T0815Z/
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
312 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
BUNCOMBE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
HENDERSON COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
* UNTIL 415 AM EDT
* AT 309 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING
FROM 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF BLACK MOUNTAIN TO BAT CAVE TO
HENDERSONVILLE...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES WEST OF
MARION TO 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF HENDERSONVILLE TO HENDERSONVILLE...
AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
TUXEDO...EAST FLAT ROCK AND DANA BY 325 AM EDT
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE
ALERT FOR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CAN OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM.
LAT...LON 3580 8243 3555 8262 3536 8272 3518 8247
3533 8229 3553 8218
$$
NED/HG2 follow-up statements
000
WWUS52 KGSP 200738
SVSGSP
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
334 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
NCC021-200744-
/O.CAN.KGSP.SV.W.0069.000000T0000Z-050520T0815Z/
BUNCOMBE NC-
334 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR BUNCOMBE COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
THE STORMS THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE
COUNTY...THEREFORE...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING HAS BEEN
CANCELLED. THROUGH 430 AM...WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED
ACROSS THE COUNTY. IN ADDITION...LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN WILL
CONTINUE TO FALL OVER THE REGION THROUGH 530 AM.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM EDT FRIDAY
MORNING FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE
SOUTH CAROLINA.
LAT...LON 3549 8226 3543 8275 3533 8272 3515 8248
3530 8230 3550 8218
$$
NCC089-200815-
/O.CON.KGSP.SV.W.0069.000000T0000Z-050520T0815Z/
HENDERSON NC-
334 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 415 AM EDT FOR
HENDERSON COUNTY...
AT 335 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM TUXEDO TO ETOWAH...MOVING SOUTH AT 15 MPH.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM EDT FRIDAY
MORNING FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE
SOUTH CAROLINA.
LAT...LON 3549 8226 3543 8275 3533 8272 3515 8248
3530 8230 3550 8218
$$
NED000
WWUS52 KGSP 200759
SVSGSP
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
358 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
NCC089-200808-
/O.CAN.KGSP.SV.W.0069.000000T0000Z-050520T0815Z/
HENDERSON NC-
358 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR HENDERSON COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
THE STORMS THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE
COUNTY...THEREFORE...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING HAS BEEN
CANCELLED. THROUGH 5 AM...WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED
ACROSS THE COUNTY. IN ADDITION...LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN WILL
CONTINUE TO FALL OVER THE REGION THROUGH 6 AM.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM EDT FRIDAY
MORNING FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE
SOUTH CAROLINA.
LAT...LON 3549 8226 3543 8275 3533 8272 3515 8248
3530 8230 3550 8218
$$
NEDWhat 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 May 20, 2:14 AM EDT, 58 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 20, 2:14 AM EDT, 58 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 214 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005 .SHORT TERM (REST OF TONIGHT)... UPDATED FORECAST TO ADDRESS CURRENT SVR TSTM WATCH IN EFFECT. MCS RACING INTO MOUNTAINS SHOULD OVERTAKE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SVR TSTMS IN PIEDMONT AS UPPER DIVERGENCE LOBE SETS UP AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING STRONG SHORTWAVE. MORE DETAILS WILL FOLLOW WITH REGULAR MORNING ISSUANCE. && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... (ISSUED 911 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2005) SHORT TERM (REST OF TONIGHT)... CWFA CURRENTLY IN A CONVECTIVE LULL...ONLY SCT CONVECTION OVER NC MTNS WITH ISOLATED ELSEWHERE. HAVE BACKED OFF ON EVENING POP TO COVER CURRENT TREND. EXPECT CONVECTION TO PICK UP LATER AS SHORT WAVE MOVES INTO THE AREA. 00Z RAOBS SHOW ATMOS BECOMING CONDITIONALLY UNSTABLE WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING. THE SHORT WAVE SHOULD PROVIDE ENOUGH LIFT FOR PARCELS TO REACH LFC. POP BECOMING CATEGORICAL BY MORNING AS MCS...OR ITS REMNANTS MOVE INTO THE AREA. RAOBS SHOW GOOD DIRECTIONAL SHEAR...BUT LOW SPEED SHEAR. AS THE WAVE MOVES CLOSER...WINDS BECOME MORE UNIDIRECTIONAL BUT SPEEDS INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY. ISOLATED SVR TSRA STILL POSSIBLE THIS EVENING...BUT CHANCES DIMINISHING WITH HEATING. MCS...OR REMNANTS...COULD PRODUCE ISOLATED SVR TSRA OVER NC MTNS LATE TONIGHT...BUT CHANCE WILL BE BETTER TO OUR WEST. MADE SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO TEMP...DEW POINTS AND WINDS AS WELL. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... (ISSUED 257 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2005) SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY)... SCT STRONG TSTMS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG THE LEE SLOPES THIS AFTN. THIS WAS EXPECTED...BUT THE STRENGTH OF SOME OF THE STORMS IS A LITTLE SURPRISING. MID 60 DWPTS AND A LIGHT UPSLOPE FLOW HAVE RESULTED IN SB-CAPE VALUES OF BETWEEN 2000-2500 IN MANY AREAS. STORMS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH SUNSET AS THEY DRIFT SOUTHEAST INTO THE AXIS OF THE WARM...MOIST AIR IN THE LEE. SHEAR WL REMAIN QUITE WEAK AND DO NOT EXPECT CONVECTION TO ACHIEVE AND DEGREE OF ORGANIZATION. SYNOPTIC SCALE FORCING...IN THE FORM OF PRONOUNCED UPPER DIVERGENCE...WL INCREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT AS UPPER LOW CURRENTLY OVER SRN WI DROPS SE UNDER AN MUCH LARGER UPPER LOW OVER NEW ENGLAND. GFS HAS COME AROUND TO A MORE NAM-LIKE SOLUTION AS BOTH MODELS OPEN THE CLOSED LOW AND BRING IT THROUGH THE WRN CAROLINAS AS AN ADVECTIVE SHORT WAVE FRI. AS DIFFLUENCE INCREASES...EXPECT CONVECTION TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AFTER MIDNIGHT. MOS REFLECTS THIS WITH CAT POPS AND HAVE FOLLOWED SUIT ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWFA. INSTABILITY IS QUITE LIMITED BY LATE TNGT...SO THINK THAT SEVERE THREAT WL BE LIMITED. WIDESPREAD PCPN WL CONTINUE FRI MORNING. BY FAR THE BEST DEEP LAYER SHEAR AND INSTABILITY WL MISS US WELL TO THE WEST AS MID LEVEL WINDS WL BE MUCH STRONGER ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE TROF AND LAPSE RATES WL BE STEEPER THERE. HOWEVER...DESPITE THE WEAK SHEAR AND MORE LIMITED INSTABILITY OVER THE WRN CAROLINAS AND NE GA...THE COMBINATION OF GOOD LLVL CONVERGENCE WITH THE SFC TRIPLE POINT WORKING THROUGH THE REGION...AND COOL TEMPERATURES ALOFT UNDER THE TROF...SHOULD BE GOOD FOR A RASH OF CONVECTION IN THE AFTN. SOME OF THESE WL PROBABLY PRODUCE SEVERE CRITERIA HAIL. CONVECTION MAY CONTINUE WELL INTO THE EVENING FRI AS SFC CONVERGENCE WL INCREASE BEHIND THE LOW AS A BACK DOOR FRONT DROPS ACROSS THE CWFA. MODELS PROJECT GOOD MOISTURE POOLING ALONG THE BNDRY. ANY PCPN SHOULD COME TO AN END EARLY SATURDAY WITH RAPID CLEARING AND A BRISK NE WIND. CONTINUED MILD AND DRY ON SUNDAY. LONG TERM (SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY)... MEDIUM RANGE MODELS HAVE TRENDED MORE TOWARD THE LAST FEW UKMET AND/OR ECMWF RUNS WITH DEEPER DEVELOPMENT OF MEAN EASTERN U.S. TROUGHING. OVERALL THIS LEAD TO A LOWERING OF DAILY MAXES FOR DAYS 4-7...AS CWFA SHOULD BE CAUGHT WITHIN CYCLONIC CIRCULATION AT LEAST INTO DAY 6...WITH TIMING OF ANY DEAMPLIFYING FLOW STILL UNCERTAIN TOWARD THE END OF THE PERIOD. WILL PLAN ON ROUGH TIMING OF IMPULSE AND ATTENDANT COLD FRONT SWINGING THRU ON MONDAY...WITH JUST SMALL OR SLIGHT CHANCES OF DEEP CONVECTION AT THAT TIME. AVIATION... AN EARLY START TO DEEP CONVECTIVE INITIATION ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE INDICATIVE OF OVERALL HIGHER RH & K INDEX VALUES ACRS THE CWFA. WEAKLY SHEARED ENVIRONMENT CONTRIBUTES TO DIFFICULTLY IN TIMING TSRA CHANCES INTO ANY ONE TERMINAL...BUT BASED ON EXPECTED EVENTUAL CVRG...FEEL THAT THERE IS 50/50 CHANCE FOR GREATER FOR TSRA TO OCCUR AT ANY ONE SITE AT SOME POINT THROUGH 00Z...SO CONTINUED TEMPOS AT ALL SITES THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. PROBABLY WILL WIND UP WITH JUST A MIX OF DEBRIS CLDS AS THE EVENING WEARS ON AFTER DEEP CONVECTION DISSIPATES WITH LOSS OF HTG. GENERAL AGREEMENT AMONG MODELS/NUMERICAL GUIDANCE IN REDEVELOPING AT LEAST MVFR LVL STRATCU AFTER MIDNIGHT WITHIN LLVL WAA IN ADVANCE OF NEXT SLUG OF DEEP FORCING AND RH...GENERALLY CENTERED AROUND DAYBREAK FRIDAY. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SHORT TERM...HG
Hazardous weather outlook, May 19, 3:52 AM EDT, 23 hours 20 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 352 AM EDT THU MAY 19 2005 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082- SCZ001>014-019-200800- 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- 352 AM EDT THU MAY 19 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA... MUCH OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA... AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS AN INCREASING CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...BECOMING LIKELY TO CATEGORICAL OVERNIGHT. SOME STORMS ARE LIKELY TO CONTAIN AT LEAST SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY...WITH A DECREASING CHANCE FRIDAY NIGHT. THERE IS ANOTHER CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. RB
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 19, 9:42 PM EDT, 5 hours 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
942 PM EDT THU MAY 19 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0915 PM TSTM WND DMG CANTON 35.55N 82.84W
05/19/2005 HAYWOOD NC COUNTY OFFICIAL
PORTIONS OF A TIN ROOF WAS DAMAGED ON A BARN ON HANNAH
COVE ROAD.
&&
NEDSpecial weather statement, May 19, 11:41 PM EDT, 3 hours 31 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, 2 hours 30 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.
&&
TJBLocal storm report, May 20, 12:47 AM EDT, 2 hours 25 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.
&&
TJBLocal storm report, May 20, 1:06 AM EDT, 2 hours 6 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.
&&
TJBThe office that day
Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 12:43 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln | 63 min |
| May 20, 1:35 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Yancey | 56 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North 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.