Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 385, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

August 2, 2008McDowell County, Rutherford County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 2, 2008, 5:35 PM EDT for McDowell County, Rutherford County, North Carolina. It was in force for 55 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
Aug 2, 2008, 5:35 PM EDT (21:35 UTC)
Expired
Aug 2, 2008, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties McDowell County, NC, Rutherford County, NC

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Aug 2, 12:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 197 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 2008-08-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 617 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2008-08-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 47 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
617 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-84 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1463 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
102 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

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 Aug 2, 2:21 PM EDT, 3 hours 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 2, 2:21 PM EDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
221 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

.SYNOPSIS...
A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL SAG SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE NORTH TODAY
AND STALL OUT OVER CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA BEFORE
DISSIPATING. AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL THEN BUILD IN FROM THE WEST
EARLY IN THE WEEK. ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT WILL ARRIVE FROM THE
NORTH LATE THURSDAY.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 2 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WERE JUST BEGINNING TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE
NC MTNS AND FOOTHILLS. PERHAPS IT IS THE ABUNDANT AMOUNT OF MID
LEVEL DRY AIR PRESENT...BUT STORMS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE SLOW TO GET
THEIR ACT TOGETHER OTHER THAN UP OVER FAR NRN NC WHERE EXISTING COLD
POOLS HAVE BEEN DRIVING CONVECTION ALL DAY. A GOOD AMOUNT OF TSTM
COVERAGE STILL SEEMS LIKELY OVER THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT DURING
THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS PER THE INCREASING PVA
AND LLVL MASS CONVERGENCE. I/LL WAIT AS LONG AS I CAN ON THE
AFTERNOON ISSUANCE...AS I MAY HAVE TO BACK DOWN FROM MY LOW END
LIKELY POPS ALONG THE LEE. ANY STORMS THAT EXHIBIT A MODERATE AMOUNT
OF 60+ DBZ RETURNS AOA 20KFT WILL HAVE A HIGH CHANCE OF PRODUCING
DAMAGING WINDS.

A RATHER DIFFUSE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE FA TONIGHT AND
PRETTY MUCH DISSOLVE ON SUNDAY. MID LEVEL WARMING WILL CAP THE
ATMOSPHERE MUCH OF THE DAY...AND BETTER MOISTURE LOOKS TO POOL DOWN
ALONG THE COAST. THEREFORE...CONVECTIVE CHANCES WILL BE SMALL DURING
THE DAY. HOWEVER...AFTERNOON MOISTURE CONVERGENCE OVER THE HIGH
TERRAIN COULD STILL TRIGGER A FEW SHRA/TSTMS AND I HAVE INCLUDED
SLIGHT CHANCE POPS OVER THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AT 110 PM EDT SATURDAY...THE MAIN STORY FOR THE SHORT TERM PERIOD IS
THE HEAT...AS MID LVL RIDGING HOLDS ACRS THE SOUTHEAST STATES.
MONDAY WILL START OUT A LITTLE DRIER THANKS TO SOME DOWNSLOPE FLOW
AND RELATIVELY DEEP MIXING (DEWPTS IN THE MID 60S). AMONG THE
NAM/GFS/SREF/ECM...THERE IS SOME DISAGREEMENT ON WHERE A SFC TROF
WILL SET UP BETWEEN A HIGH OVR THE OH VLY AND A BERMUDA HIGH TO THE
SE. THE TROF WILL LIKELY BE A FOCUS FOR SOME CONVECTION...AS AREA TO
THE S WILL BE UNSTABLE...WHILE RELATIVELY STABLE AIR WILL FILTER IN
FROM THE N. FOR NOW...I JUST ADDED A SLGT CHC POP FOR THE HIGH
TERRAIN AND ALONG THE SRN FRINGE OF THE CWFA.

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE QUITE HOT...AS H85
THERMAL RIDGE AXIS REMAINS ACROSS THE CAROLINAS AND MID ATLC.
GUIDANCE SEEMS TO BE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT ON WEAK RETURN FLOW
STARTING LATE MONDAY...ALLOWING DEWPTS TO SLOLY CREEP UPWDS. MAX
TEMPS LOOK TO BE IN THE MID TO UPR 90S BOTH DAYS ACRS THE PIEDMONT.
CURRENT GRIDS HAVE HEAT INDEX VALUES IN THE 100-105 RANGE TUESDAY
AND 103-108 RANGE WEDNESDAY. THIS LINES UP WELL WITH HPC MEDIUM
RANGE HEAT INDEX GUIDANCE. SO WILL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT IN THE HWO.
POPS WILL STILL BE MEAGER BOTH DAYS...WITH SLGT CHC IN THE MTNS TUES
AFTN...AND ACRS ENTIRE CWFA WEDNESDAY AFTN.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AS OF 135 PM SATURDAY...ANOTHER UPR LOW IS EXPECTED TO DEEPEN AND
SLOWLY PROGRESS EWD ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION THURSDAY THRU
SATURDAY...ALLOWING FOR A L/W TROF ACRS THE EASTERN STATES. A COLD
FRONT SHUD ENTER OUR CWFA SOMETIME ON THURSDAY...THEN STALL OUT IN
OUR VICINITY THRU SATURDAY...AS UPR TROF PERSISTS. OVERALL GUIDANCE
IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT. THEREFORE...I BLENDED INHERITED GRIDS WITH
LATEST HPC GUIDANCE (RESULTING IN NO BIG CHANGES). WITH THIS
PATTERN...THERE SHUD BE A SLOW COOLING TREND IN TEMPS TO NEAR NORMAL
BY NEXT WEEKEND...WITH TYPICAL DIURNAL CHC POPS EACH AFTN.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
A FEW TSTMS HAVE MOVED INTO THE NC MTNS. ACTIVITY SHOULD QUICKLY
INCREASE OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. HAVE INCLUDED VCTS AT NC MTN AND
FOOTHILL TAF SITES AS WELL AS KGSP AND KGMU. THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTERNOON WILL LIKELY PRODUCE A LOT OF WIND...SOMETHING TO WATCH OUT
FOR AT LOCAL AIRFIELDS. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE OUT OF THE SW THIS
AFTERNOON...SAVE FOR KAVL AND KHKY WHICH ARE ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE
LEE TROUGH. INCLUDED MVFR FOG AT MANY SITES TONIGHT PER THE HIGHER
MOS PROBABILITIES. CHANCES WILL BE MUCH BETTER FOR FOG AT ANY SITES
THAT SEE SOME RAIN. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT OUT OF THE NORTH
TOMORROW...THOUGH THEY WILL PROBABLY TURN BACK OUT OF THE SOUTH
LATER IN THE AFTERNOON.

OUTLOOK...BELOW NORMAL CHANCES OF RAINFALL WILL LAST FROM SUNDAY
THROUGH TUESDAY. A LITTLE FOG AND HAZE IS LIKELY IN THE
MORNINGS...ESPECIALLY AT KAVL. CHANCES OF TSTMS WILL IMPROVE ON
WEDNESDAY.

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...PAT
NEAR TERM...MCAVOY
SHORT TERM...ARK
LONG TERM...ARK
AVIATION...MCAVOY
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 2, 3:34 PM EDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
334 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

GAZ010-017-NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065-SCZ001>003-031945-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-
GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-
HENDERSON-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-
334 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW OF
THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING HAIL TO THE SIZE OF
PENNIES AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NCZ501-503-505-507-509-031945-
CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-BURKE MOUNTAINS-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-
RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-POLK MOUNTAINS-
334 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 792 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

GAZ018-026-028-029-SCZ004>014-019-031945-
STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-
GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-
LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
334 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND UPSTATE
SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON
INTO THIS EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING
HAIL TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. THE POTENTIAL
EXISTS FOR PARTICULARLY STRONG MICROBURSTS...WITH ISOLATED WIND
GUSTS OVER 80 MPH POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT
WEEK...AS HIGH TEMPERATURES REACH THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 90S WITH
HEAT INDEX VALUES BETWEEN 100 AND 105 DEGREES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

NCZ035>037-056-057-068>072-082-502-504-506-508-510-031945-
ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-
MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC-GREATER CALDWELL-GREATER BURKE-
EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER RUTHERFORD-EASTERN POLK-
334 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 792 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA AND
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT
WEEK...AS HIGH TEMPERATURES REACH THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 90S WITH
HEAT INDEX VALUES BETWEEN 100 AND 105 DEGREES TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

ARK

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 2, 3:29 PM EDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
329 PM EDT SAT AUG 02 2008

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

0242 PM     HAIL             6 NNW TAYLORSVILLE      36.00N 81.22W
08/02/2008  E0.75 INCH       ALEXANDER          NC   PUBLIC

&&

MCAVOY
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 3:38 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
338 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

NCZ056-022030-
CATAWBA-
338 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CATAWBA COUNTY THROUGH 430 PM
EDT...

AT 334 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ST. STEPHENS...OR 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF
HICKORY...MOVING EAST AT 16 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  CONOVER BY 355 PM EDT.
  CLAREMONT BY 405 PM EDT.

SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.

LANE
Local storm report, Aug 2, 4:21 PM EDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
421 PM EDT SAT AUG 02 2008

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

0409 PM     HAIL             2 S TROUTMAN            35.68N 80.89W
08/02/2008  E0.75 INCH       IREDELL            NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PENNY HAIL REPORTED JUST SOUTH OF TROUTMAN.

&&

JPT
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 4:37 PM EDT, 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
437 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

NCZ068-508-022115-
CLEVELAND-GREATER RUTHERFORD-
437 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CLEVELAND AND EASTERN RUTHERFORD
COUNTIES THROUGH 515 PM EDT...

AT 435 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES WEST OF POLKVILLE...OR 13 MILES NORTHWEST
OF SHELBY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  POLKVILLE BY 445 PM EDT.
  SHELBY BY 510 PM EDT.

SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.

LANE
Local storm report, Aug 2, 5:32 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 2, 2:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander42 min
Aug 2, 3:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCatawba31 min
Aug 2, 4:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPIredell33 min
Aug 2, 4:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPRowan22 min
Aug 2, 4:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPDavie, Iredell, Rowan79 min
Aug 2, 4:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander36 min
Aug 2, 5:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland, Gaston, Lincoln59 min
Aug 2, 5:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMadison39 min
Aug 2, 5:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPUnion62 min
Aug 2, 5:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander, Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln62 min
Aug 2, 5:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHenderson67 min
Aug 2, 4:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPOconee55 min
Aug 2, 5:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson36 min
Aug 2, 6:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAnderson, Greenville, Laurens, Spartanburg84 min
Aug 2, 6:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee85 min
Aug 2, 7:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPSpartanburg65 min
Aug 2, 7:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCherokee, Union59 min
Aug 2, 7:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPChester, York81 min
Aug 2, 5:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPFranklin49 min
Aug 2, 6:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPElbert, Hart77 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 2008Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2008

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.