Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2008
Tornado Warning 37, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Jul 7, 2008, 5:16 PM EDT for Burke County, Cleveland County, Rutherford County, North Carolina. It was in force for 44 min. 1 report 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 7, 2008, 5:16 PM EDT (21:16 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 7, 2008, 6:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 44 min
- Issued by
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Burke County, NC, Cleveland County, NC, Rutherford County, NC
The radar
The Greer radar (KGSP), 88 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:18 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 5:20 PM EDT | HAIL 1.75 | 5 Sw Morganton, NC | HAIL COVERED THE GROUND |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
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 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 178 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
- 238 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -149 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 887 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 18 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 92 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 64 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WFUS52 KGSP 072116
TORGSP
NCC023-045-161-072200-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0037.080707T2116Z-080707T2200Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
516 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHWESTERN CLEVELAND COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA
SOUTHERN BURKE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
NORTHEASTERN RUTHERFORD COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
* UNTIL 600 PM EDT
* AT 514 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES SOUTH OF
MORGANTON...MOVING SOUTH AT 11 MPH.
* THE TORNADO EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
RURAL SOUTHERN BURKE COUNTY AT 530 PM EDT...
RURAL NORTHEASTERN RUTHERFORD COUNTY AT 540 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 3567 8164 3547 8164 3549 8186 3554 8184
3556 8184 3558 8182 3559 8182 3559 8183
3570 8180
TIME...MOT...LOC 2116Z 015DEG 10KT 3565 8172
$$
MCAVOY2 follow-up statements
000
WWUS52 KGSP 072130
SVSGSP
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
527 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008
NCC023-045-161-072200-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0037.000000T0000Z-080707T2200Z/
CLEVELAND NC-BURKE NC-RUTHERFORD NC-
527 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN RUTHERFORD...SOUTHERN BURKE AND NORTHWESTERN CLEVELAND
COUNTIES...
AT 522 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL
BURKE COUNTY...OR ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTH OF MORGANTON...MOVING SOUTH AT
14 MPH.
THIS STORM IS ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND 70
MPH WINDS.
THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
SOUTH MOUNTAIN STATE PARK THROUGH 540 PM EDT...
LAT...LON 3567 8164 3547 8164 3549 8186 3554 8184
3556 8184 3558 8182 3559 8182 3559 8183
3570 8180
TIME...MOT...LOC 2127Z 008DEG 12KT 3560 8171
$$
MCAVOY000
WWUS52 KGSP 072149
SVSGSP
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
547 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008
NCC023-045-161-072200-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0037.000000T0000Z-080707T2200Z/
CLEVELAND NC-BURKE NC-RUTHERFORD NC-
547 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN RUTHERFORD...SOUTHERN BURKE AND NORTHWESTERN
CLEVELAND COUNTIES...
AT 544 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO. THIS POSSIBLE
TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL BURKE COUNTY...ABOUT 10 MILES
SOUTH OF MORGANTON...MOVING SOUTH AT 8 MPH. THIS RADAR INDICATED
TORNADO WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT HAD
DEVELOPED NORTH OF THE EARLIER STORMS. THOSE STORMS HAVE SENSE
WEAKENED.
THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
SOUTH MOUNTAIN STATE PARK THROUGH 555 PM EDT...
LAT...LON 3565 8164 3555 8164 3554 8164 3553 8164
3551 8164 3547 8165 3554 8181 3566 8175
TIME...MOT...LOC 2147Z 007DEG 7KT 3559 8171
$$
MCAVOYWhat 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 7, 2:28 PM EDT, 2 hours 48 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 7, 2:28 PM EDT, 2 hours 48 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 228 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 .SYNOPSIS... THE BERMUDA HIGH WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION INTO MID WEEK. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION ON THURSDAY AND SETTLE SOUTH OF THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT WHERE IT WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN THROUGH SATURDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... ERODING LOW CLOUDS HAS KEPT PIEDMONT DESTABILIZATION AT BAY THROUGH 18 UTC WITH CONVECTIVE CLOUDS REMAINING SHALLOW ELSEWHERE...POSSIBLY DUE TO BEING IN NVA REGIME. AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON...WITH VORTICITY ADVECTION BECOME MORE NEUTRAL AND THE APPROACH OF WEAK ENERGY FROM ERN TENN...SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET SOME TSTMS GOING. STILL WOULD EXPECT ACTIVITY TO BE STRONGEST AND MOST NUMEROUS OVER THE NC PIEDMONT WHICH IS CLOSEST TO THE DEEP RH...COOLER TEMPS ALOFT AND VORT ENERGY ROUNDING BASE OF S/WV. JUST ISOLATED CHANCES WILL BE CARRIED ELSEWHERE GIVEN RATHER DRY AIRMASS IN PLACE INTO THE EVENING. OVERNIGHT...IT REMAINS INCONCLUSIVE WHETHER AFOREMENTIONED ERN TENN VORT WILL BE ABLE TO TRIGGER ANY ACTIVITY AS IT MOVES EAST OF THE MTNS OVERNIGHT...SO WILL ADVERTISE JUST DEBRIS CLOUDS... AREAS OF FOG AND SOME LOW CLOUDINESS ALONG WITH MIN TEMPS WITHIN A CATEGORY OF EARLY JULY NORMALS. DIFFICULT TO TIME ANY ADDITIONAL ENERGY ROTATING INTO THE REGION ON TUESDAY...BUT WITH CYCLONIC CURVATURE ALOFT ADVERTISED...ESPECIALLY ACRS NC MTNS...THE ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN CONDUCIVE FOR SCATTERED TSTMS. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 145 PM MONDAY...LOOKS LIKE FAIRLY TYPICAL JULY WEATHER IS IN STORE THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. FLAT UPPER RIDGE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH WITH THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS AND CAROLINAS ON THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE WESTERLIES. THIS WILL ALLOW WEAK UPPER DISTURBANCES TO TRAVERSE THE AREA. ALSO...BOTH THE NAM AND GFS BRING A WEAK SFC BOUNDARY INTO THE REGION BY LATE WEEK WITH THE NAM ABOUT 12-18HRS FASTER THAN THE GFS. WITH NEGLIGIBLE UPPER SUPPORT WILL FAVOR THE SLOWER GFS WHICH BRINGS THE BOUNDARY INTO THE MOUNTAINS DURING THU AND THEN ALLOWS IT TO SETTLE S OF THE FORECAST AREA THU NIGHT WHERE IT BECOMES QUASI-STATIONARY THROUGH FRI NIGHT. IN REGARD TO SENSIBLE WEATHER...WIDELY SCATTERED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD OCCUR WED AND THU WITH THE BEST COVERAGE OVER THE MOUNTAINS ON WED AND OVER THE FOOTHILLS/PIEDMONT AREAS ON THU. FRI SHOULD SEE SOMEWHAT OF A LULL IN CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY....BUT CANT RULE OUT AT LEAST WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS...SO WILL HAVE TO MAINTAIN SOME SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FRI AS WELL IN THE GRIDS. USED A MOS BLEND FOR MAX/MIN TEMPS TUE NIGHT THROUGHT WED NIGHT AND THEN GMOS/HPC. TEMPS LOOK TO BE AT OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES THROUGHT THE PERIOD. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AS OF 215 PM MONDAY...NEARLY ZONAL FLOW THROUGH THE DEEP SOUTH WITH BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOWING SOME INTENSIFICATION OF THE UPPER RIDGE CENTERED GENERALLY AROUND THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AT THE END OF THIS MEDIUM RANGE FORECAST. A FEW MINOR WAVES ARE FORECAST TO PASS WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE UPPER SOUTH SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...THEN THE RIDGE BUILDS AND LOWERS THE CONVECTION. THE BEST CHANCE OF HAVING CONVECTION EACH DAY WILL BE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN WHERE DIFFERENTIAL HEATING WILL RESULT IN LATE DAY SHOWERS AND STORMS. THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR EVEN HIGHER TEMPERATURES GOING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...BUT THE GFS WAS TRYING TO SQUEEZE A TROUGH DOWN OVER THE UPPER SOUTHEAST. THEREFORE...DECIDED TO STICK WITH GUIDANCE. && .AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... WILL LIMIT TSTM CHANCES...IN THE FORM OF VCTS...TO JUST KCLT/KHKY THIS AFTERNOON AS THESE TERMINALS WILL BE CLOSEST TO THE UPPER SUPPORT AND BETTER MOISTURE. OTHERWISE...VFR LVL CU FIELD WILL BE THE MAIN SKY CONDITION ACRS THE CWFA. OVERNIGHT...VBSY RESTRICTIONS LOOK PROBABLE ONCE AGAIN ACRS MUCH OF THE FA AND WILL INTRODUCE MVFR AT ALL TERMINALS. WEAK SW FLOW WITHIN MOIST BLYR COULD ALLOW IFR LOW CLOUDS TO REDEVELOP BY DAYBREAK TUESDAY...BUT FOR NOW HAVE INTRODUCED ONLY FEW-SCT WHERE APPLICABLE. OUTLOOK...LITTLE OVERALL CHANGE THRU FRIDAY...AS SFC RIDGE REMAINS OFFSHORE BRINGING MOISTURE UP OVER OUR REGION. EXPECT MAINLY DIURNAL CONVECTION WITH ASSOC HAZARDS. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...LG NEAR TERM...CSH SHORT TERM...LG LONG TERM...DEO AVIATION...CSH
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 7, 5:51 AM EDT, 11 hours 25 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 551 AM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-081000- 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- 551 AM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA. ALTHOUGH THE STORMS WILL NOT BE QUITE AS NUMEROUS AS THE LAST FEW DAYS...THOSE STORMS THAT MANAGE TO DEVELOP WILL HAVE A GREATER POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER...MAINLY IN THE FORM OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND PERHAPS LARGE HAIL. THE PIEDMONT OF THE CAROLINAS HAS THE BEST CHANCE TO SEE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SCATTERED MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN ON TUESDAY WITH A FEW SEVERE THUNDERRSTORMS POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED TO HELP VERIFY WARNINGS AGAIN TODAY. MOORE
In the hours before
Local storm report, Jul 7, 12:30 PM EDT, 4 hours 46 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1230 PM EDT MON JUL 07 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0524 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 ENE WOODRUFF 34.77N 81.94W
07/06/2008 SPARTANBURG SC PUBLIC
A CUSTOMER AT THE PAULINE POST OFFICE SAID SHE HAD TREES
DOWN IN HER AREA NOT FAR FROM INTERSTATE 26 IN SOUTHERN
SPARTANBURG COUNTY.
0445 PM HAIL 6 NE COLUMBUS 35.31N 82.13W
07/06/2008 E0.75 INCH POLK NC PUBLIC
BRIEF PENNY SIZED HAIL FELL ON TONEY ROAD TO THE EAST OF
MILL SPRING. ALSO REPORTS OF SCATTERED LIMBS OR EVEN
SMALL TREES DOWN IN THE AREA.
&&
OUTLAWLocal storm report, Jul 7, 4:58 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
458 PM EDT MON JUL 07 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0435 PM HAIL VALDESE 35.75N 81.56W
07/07/2008 E0.88 INCH BURKE NC FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
FIREMAN AT THE VALDESE FD REPORTS NICKEL SIZED HAIL.
0453 PM HAIL 2 N EAST FLAT ROCK 35.31N 82.42W
07/07/2008 E0.75 INCH HENDERSON NC TRAINED SPOTTER
SPOTTER AT BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE REPORTS PENNY
SIZED HAIL.
0435 PM HAIL VALDESE 35.75N 81.56W
07/07/2008 E1.00 INCH BURKE NC PUBLIC
&&
BSHLocal storm report, Jul 7, 5:04 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
504 PM EDT MON JUL 07 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0453 PM HAIL 2 N EAST FLAT ROCK 35.31N 82.42W
07/07/2008 E0.88 INCH HENDERSON NC PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORTS HAIL AS LARGE AS NICKELS IN THE BLUE RIDGE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE AREA NEAR I-26 IN HENDERSON COUNTY.
&&
BSHLocal storm report, Jul 7, 5:06 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
506 PM EDT MON JUL 07 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0455 PM HAIL EAST FLAT ROCK 35.28N 82.42W
07/07/2008 E1.00 INCH HENDERSON NC PUBLIC
&&
BSHThe office that day
Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 7, 4:14 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Burke, Caldwell | 48 min |
| Jul 7, 4:27 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Henderson, Polk | 63 min |
| Jul 7, 4:40 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Burke | 65 min |
| Jul 7, 5:37 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | GSP | Burke | 113 min |
| Jul 7, 5:58 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Polk | 39 min |
| Jul 7, 5:59 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Burke, Cleveland, Rutherford | 33 min |
| Jul 7, 7:00 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Alexander, Caldwell | 32 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.