Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 36, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 6, 2008Catawba County, Lincoln County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Jul 6, 2008, 1:33 PM EDT for Catawba County, Lincoln County, North Carolina. It was in force for 42 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jul 6, 2008, 1:33 PM EDT (17:33 UTC)
Expired
Jul 6, 2008, 2:15 PM EDT
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Catawba County, NC, Lincoln County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 122 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:36 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 6, 1:45 PM EDTHAIL 16 Nw Lincolnton, NC
Jul 6, 2:00 PM EDTTORNADO2 Sw Newton, NCHAM RADIO OPERATOR RELAYED REPORT OF FUNNEL CLOUD ON THE GROUND.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this tornado warning; the first came 27 minutes after it went out.

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 12:00Z, 5.6 hours before the alert went out and 130 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 2008-07-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 831 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 2008-07-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 9 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
831 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
474 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
9 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
15 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 061733
TORGSP
NCC035-109-061815-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0036.080706T1733Z-080706T1815Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
133 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN LINCOLN COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA
  CATAWBA COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 215 PM EDT

* AT 132 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF LINCOLNTON...OR ABOUT 3 MILES EAST OF VALE...MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 9 MPH.

* THE TORNADO EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  MAIDEN AND NEWTON AROUND 215 PM EDT...

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 3579 8115 3556 8098 3541 8138 3557 8150
TIME...MOT...LOC 1733Z 239DEG 8KT 3554 8135

$$
DICARLO
1 follow-up statement
000 
WWUS52 KGSP 061801
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
200 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

NCC035-109-061815-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0036.000000T0000Z-080706T1815Z/
LINCOLN NC-CATAWBA NC-
200 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM EDT FOR SOUTHERN
CATAWBA AND NORTH CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTIES...

AT 158 PM EDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD
AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 321 AND HIGHWAY 9 IN CATABA COUNTY. 
THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 5 MILES WEST OF MAIDEN...OR ABOUT 7 MILES 
NORTH OF LINCOLNTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 9 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  MAIDEN AND NEWTON BY 215 PM EDT...

LAT...LON 3571 8110 3556 8098 3548 8140 3561 8144
TIME...MOT...LOC 1800Z 239DEG 8KT 3557 8129

$$

DICARLO

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 Jul 6, 1:28 PM EDT, 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 6, 1:28 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
128 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

.SYNOPSIS...
A WEAK STATIONARY FRONT WILL REMAIN JUST NORTH AND WEST OF THE
FORECAST AREA BEFORE DISSIPATING EARLY IN THE WORK WEEK. HIGH
PRESSURE WILL STRENGTHEN OFF THE ATLANTIC COAST THROUGH THE MIDDLE
OF NEXT WEEK. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE CAROLINAS FROM THE
NORTHWEST BY LATE IN THE WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
EXPECT SHWRS/TSTMS TO REDEVELOP THIS AFTN AND BECOME MORE NUMEROUS
THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AS BETTER UPPER FORCING MOVES ACROSS AREA.
CHANCE POPS WILL LINGER OVERNIGHT. THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS SLIGHTLY
HIGHER THAN YESTERDAY...ESP OVER W CWA WHERE MODELS SHOW DRIER AIR
WORKING IN AT THE MID LEVELS. WILL STILL NEED SOME PRETTY BIG CORES
OF 50-55DBZ UP AROUND 28-30KFT...WITH WIND DAMAGE THE MAIN CONCERN.
TWEAKED GRIDS TO REFLECT LATEST TRENDS/GUIDANCE BUT NO MAJOR
ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED WITH THIS UPDATE. LOWS TONIGHT GENERALLY IN THE
60S WITH SOME 50S IN THE MTNS.

&&

.SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 240 AM SUNDAY...THE OPERATIONAL MODELS APPEAR TO BE CONVERGING
TOWARD A SOLUTION OF PROGRESSING THE TROUGH EAST OF THE AREA BY
MONDAY AFTERNOON...WITH DRYING OCCURRING THROUGH A DEEP LAYER.
DESPITE THIS...THE NAM BLOWS UP QUITE A BIT OF CONVECTION IN THE LEE
MON AFTERNOON WITHIN AN AXIS OF STRONG CONVERGENCE. IT/S INTERESTING
THAT THE GFS HAS THIS AREA OF CONVERGENCE AS WELL...BUT DOES NOT
INITIATE ANY CONVECTION DUE TO DRY AIR/WEAK INSTABILITY. WE HAVE
OPTED TO INCLUDE LOW CHANCE POPS IN AREAS FROM THE BLUE RIDGE EAST
MON AFTERNOON/EVENING.

TUESDAY APPEARS TO BE A CARBON COPY OF MONDAY FROM THE MODELS
PERSPECTIVE...WITH THE NAM ONCE AGAIN BLOWING UP CONVECTION IN THE
LEE...WHILE THE GFS IS DRIER. SLIGHT TO LOW CHANCE POPS WILL BE
FEATURED ACROSS THE AREA ONCE AGAIN TUE AFTERNOON/EVENING.
TEMPERATURES WILL GENERALLY BE WITHIN A CATEGORY OF CLIMATOLOGY
THROUGH THE PERIOD.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 250 AM SUNDAY...A RATHER TYPICAL SUMMER PATTERN IS EXPECTED
THROUGH MUCH OF THE EXTENDED...AS THE SUB-TROPICAL RIDGE/BERMUDA
HIGH NOSES INTO THE SOUTHEAST BY MID-WEEK. THIS WILL RESULT IN
MAINLY DIURAL/WIDELY SCATTERED CONVECTION...MAX TEMPS IN THE 90S AND
LOWS FROM THE MID 60S TO AROUND 70. COVERAGE OF CONVECTION MAY INCR
BY LATE WEEK...AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE OHIO VALLEY.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
TSTMS ARE THE MAIN THREAT AND WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE E
ACROSS THE CWA THRU THIS EVE. UPPER FORCING COULD KEEP IT GOING INTO
THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SO HAVE VCTS AND CB CLOUDS CONTINUING UNTIL
AT LEAST 06Z ALL SITES. EXPECT MORE MVFR FOG/STRATUS EARLY MONDAY
WITH PATCHY IFR PSBL AROUND DAYBREAK.

OUTLOOK...LITTLE OVERALL CHANGE THRU DAY FIVE. AS SFC RIDGE REMAINS
OFFSHORE BRINGING MOISTURE UP OVER REGION EXPECT MAINLY DIURNAL
CONVECTION WITH ASSOC HAZARDS.

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...JDL
NEAR TERM...RB
SHORT TERM...JDL
LONG TERM...JDL
AVIATION...RB
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 6, 6:09 AM EDT, 7 hours 24 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
609 AM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-071015-
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-
609 AM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND
NORTHEAST GEORGIA AGAIN TODAY. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THESE STORMS
WILL BE FROM FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL. HOWEVER...ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE IN
THE FORM OF DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN ON MONDAY. A FEW SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

LANE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 6, 7:45 AM EDT, 5 hours 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
745 AM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

SCZ003-005>007-061245-
GREATER GREENVILLE-GREATER PICKENS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-SPARTANBURG-
745 AM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL GREENVILLE...EASTERN
PICKENS AND WESTERN SPARTANBURG COUNTIES THROUGH 845 AM EDT...

AT 736 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FURMAN UNIVERSITY...OR 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF
GREENVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  TAYLORS BY 805 AM EDT.
  LAKE ROBINSON BY 815 AM EDT.
  GREER BY 825 AM EDT.

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

KRENTZ
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 1:32 PM EDT, 1 minute before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
132 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

NCZ071-082-SCZ009-061830-
MECKLENBURG-UNION-YORK-
132 PM EDT SUN JUL 6 2008

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN YORK...MECKLENBURG AND
NORTHWESTERN UNION COUNTIES THROUGH 230 PM EDT...

AT 128 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FORT MILL...OR 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF ROCK
HILL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 18 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO I-77 AT
  I-85...CAROWINDS...UNIONVILLE...CENTER CITY CHARLOTTE...SOUTHPARK
  MALL...EASTLAND MALL...UNC CHARLOTTE...WEDDINGTON...WAXHAW...
  STALLINGS...PINEVILLE...MINT HILL...MATTHEWS...INDIAN TRAIL...
  FAIRVIEW...CROFT...TEGA CAY AND FORT MILL.

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

LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY
AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF
POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID
USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG
UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.

07

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 6, 1:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCatawba, Lincoln56 min
Jul 6, 1:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMecklenburg, Union64 min
Jul 6, 2:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCatawba, Lincoln58 min
Jul 6, 3:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGaston, Lincoln33 min
Jul 6, 3:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford53 min
Jul 6, 3:57 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPUnion2 hr
Jul 6, 4:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCabarrus, Rowan57 min
Jul 6, 4:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPolk, Rutherford55 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2008Every tornado warning in 2008Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.