Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2006

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 178, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 20, 2006Cherokee County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 20, 2006, 4:30 PM EDT for Cherokee County, South Carolina. It was in force for 60 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 20, 2006, 4:30 PM EDT (20:30 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 2006, 5:30 PM EDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Cherokee County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:31 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 20, 1:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 193 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 12:00Z on 2006-05-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 12:00Z on 2006-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 86 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
923 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
66 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
86 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
185 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 May 20, 3:24 PM EDT, 1 hour 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 20, 3:24 PM EDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
324 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
CONVECTION HAS BLOSSOMED RAPIDLY OVER THE SOUTHWEST CWFA IN
MODERATELY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER THE AREA. LOW LEVEL WIND HAS
YET TO MAKE THE TURN TO A WESTERLY DIRECTION...SO MIXING WAS
MINIMIZED IN THE SOUTH DESPITE NEARLY FULL SUN AND LAPSE RATES HAVE
BECOME QUITE STEEP. WIND SHEAR STILL SUFFICIENT FOR SUPERCELLS
THROUGH 21Z OR SO...THEN FORECAST DATA SUGGESTS WEAKENING SHEAR BUT
STILL A HAIL THREAT. UPSTREAM...A CONVECTIVE COMPLEX HAS DEVELOPED
OVER SOUTHERN TENNESSEE...AHEAD OF A VORT CENTER. THIS COMPLEX
SHOULD OVERSPREAD THE FAR WESTERN MOUNTAINS...NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND
THE WESTERN HALF OF THE UPSTATE THROUGH THROUGH EARLY EVENING...THEN
PERHAPS TREK A BIT TO THE EAST. NAM AND GFS BOTH BREAK UP THE PRECIP
FIELD IN FAVORED-DOWNSLOPE LOCATIONS...THEN ORGANIZE ANOTHER
CONVECTIVE CLUSTER OVER THE EASTERN ZONES AS THE COLD FRONT FROM UP
NORTH SAGS SOUTH. WE WILL FEATURE HIGH CHANCE TO LIKELY POPS IN THE
SOUTH...TRENDING TO ISOLATED NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40.

UPPER AIR ANALYSIS THIS MORNING SHOWED A TROF UPSTREAM THAT IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE IN OUR DIRECTION OVERNIGHT AND SUNDAY. AT THE SAME
TIME...MODELS SUGGEST A SECONDARY FRONT OR SURFACE BOUNDARY WILL
BACK DOOR FROM THE MID ATLANTIC STATES AS ANOTHER LOBE OF DPVA
AFFECTS THE REGION WITH SHORTWAVE. AGAIN...IT APPEARS THE SOUTHWEST
MOUNTAINS...NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE UPSTATE WILL HAVE GREATEST
COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION. AT THE SAME TIME...FRONT CURRENTLY
ATTEMPTING TO DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION WILL BE STATIONARY JUST
TO OUR SOUTH. ANY OSCILLATION OF THE FEATURE BACK NORTHWARD COULD
RESULT IN SLIGHTLY BETTER COVERAGE OVER THE SOUTHERN CWFA. WE WILL
PLAN CHANCE POPS FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS...AND LIMIT TO
ISOLATED OR LESS FOR THE MORE NORTHERN AREAS...WHERE RETURN FLOW
MAY NOT BE AS GREAT.

ANOTHER REINFORCING COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD INTO NORTH
CAROLINA SUNDAY NIGHT...AS DIVERGENCE IN THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION
OF THE UPPER JETLET CROSSES THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. TIMING OF
H5 SHORTWAVES VARIES WIDELY FROM MODEL TO MODEL FOR THE SUN NIGHT
THROUGH MON PERIOD...BUT CONSENSUS BRINGS THE BEST UPPER SUPPORT
TO THE SRN APPALACHIANS AROUND 12Z MONDAY. THE COLD FRONT WILL
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR SCATTERED CONVECTION
AS IT MOVES SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION ON MONDAY...THEN SLIP SOUTH OF
THE AREA ON TUESDAY.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRES SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE MIDWEST
ON THURSDAY...AND SWING SLOWLY THROUGH THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS
THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL RAMP UP ACCORDINGLY
THU THROUGH SAT...AS A SURFACE FRONT REMAINS STALLED ACROSS THE
REGION.

&&

.AVIATION...
DELAY OF SURFACE FRONT PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA HAS RESULTED
IN SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST SURFACE WINDS IN THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT.
WIND SHOULD VEER TO MORE OF A WESTERLY DIRECTION AS THE FRONT SAGS
SOUTH PAST KHKY LATE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT MAY MAINTAIN SOME
SEMBLENCE OF SOUTHWEST CHARACTERISTICS AS SHORTWAVE ENERGY
APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. TSRA ORGANIZING NOW OFF TO THE WEST. WE
INCLUDED A TEMPO GROUP AT KAND FOR MVFR VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS IN
THE 20Z TO 23Z TIME FRAME...WITH VCSH INCLUDED FROM LATE AFTERNOON
TO 00Z AT ALL OTHER SITES EXCEPT FOR KHKY. AFTER THIS EVENING...A
GENERAL LIGHT WEST WIND SHOULD DOMINATE. THERE WILL LIKELY BE A
PERIOD OF VARIABLE WIND DIRECTION WITH LIGHT SPEEDS LATE TONIGHT
THROUGH THE EARLY OUTLOOK PERIOD. THE FINAL HOURS OF THE OUTLOOK
PERIOD AGAIN FEATURE WEST WINDS AROUND 6 TO 8 KTS...WITH VFR
CEILINGS.

&&

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

SHORT TERM...HG/SAB
LONG TERM...HG
AVIATION...SAB
Hazardous weather outlook, May 20, 6:00 AM EDT, 10 hours 30 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
600 AM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-211000-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-ALEXANDER-
IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-
CATAWBA-ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-
TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-
CABARRUS-UNION NC-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER CALDWELL-
BURKE MOUNTAINS-GREATER BURKE-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-
RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-GREATER RUTHERFORD-POLK MOUNTAINS-
EASTERN POLK-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-
GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-
GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-
LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
600 AM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

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

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER
MUCH OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA...WITH THE
BEST CHANCE ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM ASHEVILLE TO GREENVILLE
AND ROCK HILL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE OVER THE WESTERN CAROLINAS
AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. A FEW OF THESE COULD
PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

MCAVOY

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 20, 2:36 PM EDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
236 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

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

0230 PM     HAIL             CLEMSON                 34.68N 82.81W
05/20/2006  E1.00 INCH       PICKENS            SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER REPORTS NICKEL TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL

&&

HG
Local storm report, May 20, 3:08 PM EDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
308 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

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

0244 PM     HAIL             4 W ANDERSON            34.52N 82.72W
05/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       ANDERSON           SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NICKLE SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY SPOTTER 4 MILES WEST OF EXIT
            19 ON INTERSTATE 85.

0228 PM     HAIL             CLEMSON                 34.68N 82.81W
05/20/2006  E1.00 INCH       PICKENS            SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NICKLE TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY SPOTTER.

0244 PM     HAIL             3 NE ANDERSON           34.55N 82.61W
05/20/2006  E1.75 INCH       ANDERSON           SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY SPOTTER.

0246 PM     HAIL             ANDERSON                34.52N 82.65W
05/20/2006  E1.00 INCH       ANDERSON           SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY SPOTTER.

0250 PM     HAIL             ANDERSON                34.52N 82.65W
05/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       ANDERSON           SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER REPORTS PENNY SIZE HAIL.

0255 PM     HAIL             PELZER                  34.64N 82.46W
05/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       ANDERSON           SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER REPORTS NICKLE SIZE HAIL.

&&

SBK
Local storm report, May 20, 3:51 PM EDT, 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
351 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

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

0329 PM     HAIL             GROVER                  35.20N 81.48W
05/20/2006  U1.75 INCH       CLEVELAND          NC   PUBLIC

&&

LANE
Local storm report, May 20, 4:01 PM EDT, 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
401 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

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

0250 PM     HAIL             ANDERSON                34.52N 82.65W
05/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       ANDERSON           SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME SIZED HAIL NEAR BELVIEW AVENUE IN ANDERSON

0332 PM     HAIL             N ENOREE                34.66N 81.97W
05/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       SPARTANBURG        SC   AMATEUR RADIO

            NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED 3 MILES NORTH OF ENOREE

0348 PM     HAIL             GREENWOOD               34.19N 82.15W
05/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       GREENWOOD          SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME TO NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED ALONG FLORIDA AVENUE
            IN GREENWOOD.

0350 PM     HAIL             3 NE BLACKSBURG         35.15N 81.48W
05/20/2006  E1.00 INCH       CHEROKEE           SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL AS WELL AS TREES DOWN 3 MILES
            NE OF THE CITY OF BLACKSBURG.

&&

BSH
Local storm report, May 20, 4:11 PM EDT, 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
411 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

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

0405 PM     HAIL             5 SE SALEM              34.84N 82.92W
05/20/2006  E1.75 INCH       OCONEE             SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

HG
Local storm report, May 20, 4:12 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
412 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

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

0408 PM     HAIL             5 E LONG CREEK          34.77N 83.17W
05/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       OCONEE             SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER REPORTED DIME SIZED HAIL 5 MILES EAST OF LONG
            CREEK.

&&

BSH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 20, 2:12 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHaywood, Madison54 min
May 20, 3:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland46 min
May 20, 4:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPolk, Rutherford38 min
May 20, 4:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPSwain34 min
May 20, 4:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland61 min
May 20, 5:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGaston53 min
May 20, 5:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPRutherford44 min
May 20, 5:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland45 min
May 20, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMecklenburg60 min
May 20, 6:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGaston49 min
May 20, 6:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPJackson, Transylvania34 min
May 20, 6:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPRowan63 min
May 20, 7:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCatawba19 min
May 20, 7:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPIredell35 min
May 20, 2:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson, Oconee65 min
May 20, 2:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPickens44 min
May 20, 2:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenville60 min
May 20, 3:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPLaurens60 min
May 20, 3:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAbbeville33 min
May 20, 3:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPSpartanburg23 min
May 20, 3:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee, York56 min
May 20, 3:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPUnion36 min
May 20, 3:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPOconee54 min
May 20, 3:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenwood67 min
May 20, 4:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson, Pickens57 min
May 20, 4:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPYork62 min
May 20, 4:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenville59 min
May 20, 4:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPOconee53 min
May 20, 4:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenwood53 min
May 20, 4:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPSpartanburg52 min
May 20, 5:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson60 min
May 20, 5:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAbbeville, Laurens40 min
May 20, 5:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPYork73 min
May 20, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGreenwood41 min
May 20, 6:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPickens41 min
May 20, 7:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAbbeville31 min
May 20, 2:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPStephens15 min
May 20, 2:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHart14 min
May 20, 3:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPRabun56 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 2006Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2006

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.