Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2006

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

November 15, 2006Union County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Nov 15, 2006, 9:27 PM EST for Union County, South Carolina. It was in force for 48 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
Nov 15, 2006, 9:27 PM EST (02:27 UTC)
Expired
Nov 15, 2006, 10:15 PM EST
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Union County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 52 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:29 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 tornado 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, 2.5 hours before the alert went out and 225 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 00:00Z on 2006-11-16Temperature 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°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2006-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 394 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1176 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
394 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
496 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 
WFUS52 KGSP 160227
TORGSP
SCC087-160315-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0009.061116T0227Z-061116T0315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
927 PM EST WED NOV 15 2006

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  UNION COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 1015 PM EST

* AT 925 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTH OF
  CROSS KEYS...OR ABOUT 13 MILES EAST OF LAURENS...MOVING NORTHEAST
  AT 55 MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  BUFFALO AND UNION AROUND 940 PM EST...
  JONESVILLE AROUND 950 PM EST...

MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR STURDIER SHELTER.
OTHERWISE...GO TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST LEVEL OF YOUR HOME
OR PLACE OF BUSINESS. MAKE SURE THERE ARE AS MANY WALLS AND FLOORS
BETWEEN YOU AND THE OUTSIDE AS POSSIBLE.

TO REPORT TORNADOES...DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...OR FLOODING...
THROUGH OUR AUTOMATED REPORTING SYSTEM...CALL OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER...
1 8 7 7...6 3 3...6 7 7 2.

LAT...LON 3459 8186 3453 8163 3483 8145 3492 8172

$$
MCAVOY
1 follow-up statement
000 
WWUS52 KGSP 160243
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
942 PM EST WED NOV 15 2006

SCC087-160315-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-061116T0315Z/
UNION SC-
942 PM EST WED NOV 15 2006

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 PM EST FOR UNION
COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...

AT 938 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED A MILES WEST OF  
BUFFALO...OR ABOUT 6 MILES WEST OF UNION...MOVING NORTH AT 55 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  JONESVILLE AROUND 950 PM EST...

THIS RAPIDLY MOVING TORNADO WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY HEAVY RAIN AND
VERY LITTLE OR NO LIGHTNING. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE THE TORNADO BEFORE
SEEKING SHELTER. IT WILL LIKELY BE TOO LATE MOBILE HOMES AND
VEHICLES SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR STURDIER SHELTER. OTHERWISE...GO TO
AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST LEVEL OF YOUR HOME OR PLACE OF
BUSINESS.

LAT...LON 3459 8186 3453 8163 3483 8145 3492 8172

$$
MCAVOY

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Nov 15, 2:13 PM EST, 7 hours 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 15, 2:13 PM EST, 7 hours 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
213 PM EST WED NOV 15 2006

.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
STRONG UPPER LOW OVER S PLAINS BEGINNING TO MOVE SLOWLY E WITH A
VIGOROUS FRONTAL SYSTEM AHEAD OF IT. DEEP GULF MOISTURE MOVING OVER
AREA WITH STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT IN WARM ADVECTION AHEAD OF COLD
FRONT AND GOOD SOUTHERLY UPSLOPE FLOW. LEANING A BIT MORE TOWARD GFS
SO BEST LIFT APPEARS TO BE FROM MID EVENING THROUGH EARLY MORNING
HOURS. WINDS INCREASE FROM THE SW THIS EVENING AND A HIGH WIND
WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NC AND GA MTNS...WIND ADVSRY FOR THE SC
MTNS AND NC FOOTHILLS...AND LAKE WIND ADVSRY FOR SC FOOTHILLS AND
PIEDMONT. WIND SHEAR ALOFT IS QUITE STRONG AND ALTHOUGH ATMOS
DOES NOT GET HIGHLY UNSTABLE THERE IS A THREAT OF SCT TSTMS ACROSS
S ZONES THIS EVE...WITH A THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS OVER SE ZONES
FOR A FEW HOURS FROM LATE EVE UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT. SEE CAESPSGSP
FOR MORE DETAILS CONCERNING SEVERE THREAT. A DRY SLOT APPROACHES
CWA AFTER DAYBREAK AND GRADUAL CLEARING FROM THE SW IS EXPECTED TO
BEGIN DURG MORNING HOURS.

THE UPPER LOW CENTER WILL LIFT THROUGH THE OH VALLEY THURSDAY AND
DRAG THE DEEP THERMAL TROUGH THROUGH THE MTNS THU NIGHT. COLD
ADVECTION WILL SPREAD OVER THE AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT THU
AFTERNOON...WITH 850 MB TEMPS AROUND MINUS 2 C WRAPPING BACK INTO
THE SMOKIES BY EVENING. A MOIST WESTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW COMBINED
WITH LINGERING 850 TO 500 MB DPVA SHOULD WRING OUT SCATTERED
SHOWERS IN THE MTNS THURSDAY NIGHT. PTYPE REMAINS PROBLEMATIC AS
THE POCKET OF COLDEST 850 TO 700 MB THICKNESSES JUST BRUSH THE NC
MTNS. WILL LIKELY ADVERTISE SOME MINOR HIGH ELEVATION SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE SMOKIES. NW FLOW MOISTURE WILL
SLOWLY DRY UP FROM S TO NORTH ALONG THE SPINE OF THE MTNS THROUGH
FRIDAY.

ADDITIONAL SHORTWAVES WILL MOVE THROUGH THE BROAD TROUGH LEFT IN
PLACE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...BUT WITH LIMITED MOISTURE.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
A BROAD TROUGH OVER THE REGION SUNDAY WILL EVOLVE INTO A
SHARPER...POSITIVELY TILTED TROUGH ON MONDAY. THE PROGRESSION OF
THIS SYSTEM HAS SLOWED SOMEWHAT FROM RUN TO RUN...BUT ANY
SIGNIFICANT DEEPENING IS EXPECTED TO TAKE PLACE OVER THE COASTAL
WATERS BY TUESDAY...WITH NARROW RIDGING PUSHING BACK INTO THE SRN
APPALACHIANS AT THE TIME. A BRIEF WINDOW OF SOME NW FLOW MOISTURE
IS ANTICIPATED SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY...WITH SLIGHT
CHANCES OF SNOW SHOWERS AT THE HIGHER TERRAIN AND NEAR THE
TENNESSEE BORDER.

&&

.AVIATION...
EXPECT MVFR VIS OVERNIGHT. OVERCAST LOW CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE TO GO
BELOW VFR THIS EVE...EVENTUALLY STAYING MVFR THROUGH THE NIGHT. OCNL
IFR CIGS ARE CERTAINLY POSSIBLE IN HEAVIER SHOWERS BUT DID NOT
INCLUDE TEMPO GROUPS FOR IT THIS FAR OUT. ISOLD TSTMS ARE PSBL
AROUND AND AFTER MIDNIGHT BUT NOT HIGH ENOUGH CHANCE TO INCLUDE
ATTM. AREA WUILL BEGING TO IMPROVE FROM THE SW AROUND
DAYBREAK...LINGERING OVER THE KCLT AREA THROUGH THE MORNING BEFORE
EXITING NE. EASTERLY WINDS WILL SWING MORE S AND INCREASE IN
SPEED...GUSTING THIS EVE AND OVERNIGHT TO AT LEAST 25KTS LOWER
ELEVS...35KTS AND HIGHER MTNS.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR GAZ010-017 UNTIL 4 AM THURSDAY.
  ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR GAZ010-017-018-026-028 UNTIL 7 AM
     THURSDAY.
  ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR GAZ018-026-028-029 UNTIL 4 AM THURSDAY.
NC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NCZ033>035-048>056-058-059-062>068-
     501>510 UNTIL 7 AM THURSDAY.
  ...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065 UNTIL 4
     AM THURSDAY.
  ...WIND ADVISORY FOR NCZ034-054-055-066-501-503-505-507-509 UNTIL
     4 AM THURSDAY.
SC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SCZ001>008-010 UNTIL 7 AM THURSDAY.
  ...WIND ADVISORY FOR SCZ001>003 UNTIL 4 AM THURSDAY.
  ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR SCZ004>014-019 UNTIL 4 AM THURSDAY.
&&

SHORT TERM...RB/HG
LONG TERM...HG
AVIATION...RB
Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 15, 2:35 PM EST, 6 hours 52 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
235 PM EST WED NOV 15 2006

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-161945-
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-
235 PM EST WED NOV 15 2006

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

.DAY ONE...REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. AHEAD OF
THE FRONT STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTH CAROLINA AND
GEORGIA MOUNTAINS. VERY WINDY TO WINDY CONDITIONS ARE ALSO
EXPECTED IN THE ADJACENT FOOTHILLS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS ON THE
WIND POTENTIAL...PLEASE SEE THE LATEST URGENT WEATHER
MESSAGE...CAENPWGSP.

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED
WITH THE COLD FRONT. HEAVY RAIN WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS
AND FOOTHILLS...WITH RAINFALL TOTALS UP TO 4 INCHES POSSIBLE.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN MANY
PIEDMONT LOCATIONS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES ACROSS THE
MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD WATCH
STATEMENT...CAEFFAGSP...FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

FINALLY...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR TONIGHT AS THE
FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST SEVERE
WEATHER OUTLOOK SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CAESPSGSP...FOR
ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS THURSDAY NIGHT. VERY LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS
ARE POSSIBLE AT THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS...BUT A RAIN OR SNOW MIX IS
MORE LIKELY ACROSS MOST OF THE MOUNTAIN TERRAIN.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT.

HG

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 15, 3:45 PM EST, 5 hours 42 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
345 PM EST WED NOV 15 2006

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-160500-
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-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLAYTON...CLARKESVILLE...TOCCOA...
HARTWELL...ELBERTON...NEWLAND...STATESVILLE...MOCKSVILLE...
SPRUCE PINE...CHEROKEE...WAYNESVILLE...ASHEVILLE...HICKORY...
SALISBURY...SYLVA...FRANKLIN...BREVARD...HENDERSONVILLE...
SHELBY...LINCOLNTON...GASTONIA...CHARLOTTE...CONCORD...MONROE...
LENOIR...MORGANTON...MARION...LAKE LURE...RUTHERFORD...COLUMBUS...
GREENVILLE...SPARTANBURG...GAFFNEY...ROCK HILL...ANDERSON...
ABBEVILLE...LAURENS...UNION...CHESTER...GREENWOOD
345 PM EST WED NOV 15 2006

...SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS...WITH EMBEDDED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...HAVE
ALREADY DEVELOPED FROM GEORGIA TO THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE LATE
TODAY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY SPREAD NORTHEAST INTO
PIEDMONT SECTIONS OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA
TONIGHT AS THE TRAILING COLD FRONT PUSHES EAST ACROSS THE DEEP
SOUTH. ALTHOUGH INSTABILITY IN THE AREA REMAINS LESS THAN IN GULF
COASTAL REGIONS LATE TODAY...INSTABILITY IS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE
GRADUALLY OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY FROM ELBERTON TO LAURENS TO THE
CHARLOTTE METRO AREA. THE SLOWLY IMPROVING INSTABILITY WILL
COMBINE WITH INCREASING WINDS IN THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE TO ENHANCE
THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT.

THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL INCREASE FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND
THE SOUTHERN UPSTATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA LATER THIS EVENING. THE
SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL WILL THEN SPREAD EAST INTO THE INTERSTATE
77 CORRIDOR DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS THURSDAY. ANY
THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP TONIGHT WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO
PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 60 MPH OR GREATER...AND POSSIBLY A
TORNADO. IN THESE LOW INSTABILITY BUT HIGH WIND SHEAR
ENVIRONMENTS...SEVERE WIND GUSTS AND TORNADOES CAN OCCUR WITH
LITTLE OR NO LIGHTNING OR THUNDER TO HERALD THE APPROACH OF THE
DAMAGING WINDS.

LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO LIKELY ACCOMPANY THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS NOT ANTICIPATED IN
PIEDMONT SECTIONS...LOCALIZED FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE UNDER THE
HEAVIEST DOWNPOURS. CONTINUE TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST SEVERE
WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...SINCE WATCHES OR
WARNINGS COULD BE NEEDED LATER TONIGHT. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST UPDATES.

GERAPETRITIS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 15, 9:08 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPLaurens31 min
Nov 15, 9:53 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee48 min
Nov 15, 9:59 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPChester, York61 min
Nov 16, 6:07 AM ESTLake Wind AdvisoryGSPAbbeville, Anderson, Cherokee, Chester, Greenwood, Laurens and 2 more12 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2006Every tornado warning in 2006Tornadoes 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.