Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2011
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 153, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 12, 2011, 3:26 PM EDT for Buncombe County, Henderson County, North Carolina. It was in force for 64 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
- May 12, 2011, 3:26 PM EDT (19:26 UTC)
- Expired
- May 12, 2011, 4:30 PM EDT
- In force
- 64 min
- Issued by
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Buncombe County, NC, Henderson County, NC
The radar
The Greer radar (KGSP), 59 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:29 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 3:35 PM EDT | HAIL 0.75 | 7 Wnw Fletcher, NC | NUMEROUS REPORTS OF PENNY SIZED HAIL ALONG AVERY CREEK ROAD. |
| May 12, 3:38 PM EDT | HAIL 0.75 | 10 W Fletcher, NC | NORTH MILLS RIVER CAMPGROUND. |
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 severe thunderstorm 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, 7.4 hours before the alert went out and 234 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
- 182 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -75 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 491 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 43 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 140 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 292 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 3.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
174
WUUS52 KGSP 121926
SVRGSP
NCC021-089-122030-
/O.NEW.KGSP.SV.W.0153.110512T1926Z-110512T2030Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
326 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
SOUTHERN BUNCOMBE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
HENDERSON COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
* UNTIL 430 PM EDT
* AT 325 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
AVERY CREEK...OR 11 MILES SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE...MOVING EAST
AT 15 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
AVERY CREEK...
BILTMORE FOREST...
MILLS RIVER AND ETOWAH...
SKYLAND...
FLETCHER...
MOUNTAIN HOME...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY
RAIN CAN OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS AWAY FROM
WINDOWS AND DOORS UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.
TO REPORT 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 3553 8219 3551 8223 3547 8224 3547 8226
3544 8228 3539 8226 3531 8231 3528 8235
3525 8235 3524 8237 3531 8263 3539 8272
3556 8268
TIME...MOT...LOC 1927Z 285DEG 11KT 3544 8260
$$
MOORE2 follow-up statements
242
WWUS52 KGSP 121948
SVSGSP
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
348 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011
NCC021-089-122030-
/O.CON.KGSP.SV.W.0153.000000T0000Z-110512T2030Z/
BUNCOMBE NC-HENDERSON NC-
348 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 PM EDT
FOR HENDERSON AND SOUTHERN BUNCOMBE COUNTIES...
AT 342 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS
LOCATED NEAR AVERY CREEK...OR 11 MILES SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE...
MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
ANOTHER SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CELL WAS LOCATED WEST OF MILLS RIVER AND
ETOWAH...ALSO MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. THIS STORM MAY REQUIRE A NEW
WARNING FOR A LARGER PART OF HENDERSON COUNTY AND PART OF
TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MILLS RIVER AND ETOWAH...
SKYLAND...
FLETCHER...
MOUNTAIN HOME...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CAN OCCUR
WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND
DOORS UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.
&&
LAT...LON 3553 8219 3551 8223 3547 8224 3547 8226
3544 8228 3539 8226 3531 8231 3528 8235
3525 8235 3524 8237 3531 8263 3539 8272
3556 8268
TIME...MOT...LOC 1947Z 287DEG 7KT 3544 8257
$$
MOORE332
WWUS52 KGSP 122016
SVSGSP
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
416 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011
NCC021-089-122030-
/O.CON.KGSP.SV.W.0153.000000T0000Z-110512T2030Z/
BUNCOMBE NC-HENDERSON NC-
416 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 PM EDT
FOR HENDERSON AND SOUTHEASTERN BUNCOMBE COUNTIES...
AT 412 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS
OF 50 TO 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FLETCHER...OR 9 MILES
NORTH OF HENDERSONVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
MOUNTAIN HOME...EDNEYVILLE...AND BAT CAVE
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM SHOULD BE ALERT FOR LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CAN OCCUR
WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND
DOORS UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.
&&
LAT...LON 3550 8233 3547 8226 3544 8228 3539 8226
3531 8231 3528 8235 3525 8235 3524 8237
3531 8263 3538 8270 3541 8261 3550 8255
TIME...MOT...LOC 2015Z 287DEG 7KT 3545 8250
$$
MOOREWhat 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 12, 2:37 PM EDT, 49 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 12, 2:37 PM EDT, 49 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 237 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE SOUTHEAST WILL KEEP A WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY JUST TO THE WEST OF THE AREA TODAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. MEANWHILE A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST LATE FRIDAY THEN MOVE THROUGH THE AREA ON SATURDAY. THIS LOW WILL LINGER ALONG THE COAST THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... HIGHER ELEVATION DEEP CONVECTION JUST GETTING UNDERWAY AS OF 2 PM AND WILL STEADILY EXPAND IN CVRG AND MAGNITUDE INTO THIS EVENING. ACRS THE NORTHERN/NORTHEASTERN HALF OF THE CWFA...FURTHEST AWAY FROM UPPER RIDGE AXIS...STANDS THE BEST CHANCE OF SEEING TSTMS EXCEED SVR LIMITS. UPPER HEIGHTS ATOP THE SE CONUS TONIGHT EXPECTED TO FALL STEADILY AS ENERGY EJECTS ENEWARD FROM DIGGING PLAINS CLOSED LOW. IN CONJUNCTION WITH ENCROACHING LLVL CONVERGENCE AXIS/SFC TROUGH WILL PLAN ON LINGERING CHANCE POP INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. FRIDAY MORNING MIN TEMPS WILL BE MILD ONCE AGAIN...ABOUT 10 DEG F ABOVE THE MID-MAY NORMAL. AFOREMENTIONED PLAINS LOW WILL CONTINUE TRANSLATING SEWARD FRIDAY...EVENTUALLY PLACING THE CWFA UNDER MID/UPPER DIFFLUENT FLOW. WOULD EXPECT DIURNALLY ENHANCED DEEP CONVECTIVE CVRG ALONG AND NORTH OF LINGERING LLVL CONVERGENCE/SFC TROUGH TO BECOME NUMEROUS AS MAX TEMPS WARM TO WITHIN A CATEGORY OF PERSISTENCE. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 230 PM THU...THE GFS WAS FAVORED OVER THE NAM FOR THE FRI NGHT THROUGH SUN PERIOD AS THE NAM CUTS OFF TOO MUCH ENERGY JUST NORTH OF THE REGION AT THE END OF THE PERIOD. THE GFS IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY THE 12 UTC UKMET AND THE 00 UTC EC. FOR FRIDAY NIGHT THE REGION WILL BE UNDER A MOIST SWLY FLOW AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING UPPER LOW. SOME MODELS...INCLUDING THE GFS...BRING PCPN INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT AS A COUPLE WEAK LEAD SHORT WAVES CROSS THE REGION. THIS SEEMS REASONABLE...AND I/VE KEPT CHANCE POPS IN THROUGH FRI NIGHT...WITH THE HIGHEST POPS ACROSS THE MTNS. THE MODELS BRING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE DAY ON SATURDAY. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND TSTMS ARE EXPECTED IN THE MOIST AIRMASS AHEAD OF THE FRONT ALONG WITH THE SYNOPTIC SCALE SUPPORT PROVIDED BY UPPER LOW. WITH GENERALLY MOIST ADIABATIC LAPSE RATES...MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD STAY BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. HOWEVER...A WIND OR HAIL THREAT IS POSSIBLE IN THE AFTN DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH HEATING WE RECEIVE. THE FRONT CROSSES THE FA SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE UPPER LOW LIFTS UP INTO SRN OH. THIS WILL PUT THE REGION UNDER NVA AND A WEAK SHORT WAVE RIDGE LATE SAT NIGHT AND SUN. THERE MAY BE A LITTLE MORE FORCING THAN INDICATED BY THE GFS AS IT PROBABLY HAS TOO STRONG OF A SHORT WAVE RIDGE OVER THE REGION...BUT THERE WON/T BE LOW. LOW CHANCE POPS OVER THE NORTH AND SLIGHT CHANCE OVER THE SOUTH AS A RESULT. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 100 PM THURSDAY...A HIGH AMPLITUDE UPPER RIDGE WILL SLOWLY MOVE FROM TO ROCKIES TO THE WESTERN HIGH PLAINS DURING THE EXTENDED PART OF THE FORECAST. DOWNSTREAM OF THE RIDGE...A COMPLEX TROUGH...WITH SEVERAL EMBEDDED SHORT WAVES...WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH THE PERIOD. THE GFS MAY BE CUTTING OFF AN UPPER LOW TOO FAR TO THE WEST LATE SUNDAY. THE FEATURE CROSSES THE FA ON MONDAY...ACCOMPANIED BY GOOD INSTABILITY AND FORCING...RESULTING IN QUITE A BIT OF PCPN. THE CANADIAN AND EC...AND EVEN THE NAM THROUGH 84 HOURS...ARE NOT AS CUT OFF WITH THIS ENERGY. THAT/S NOT TO SAY THAT THE GFS IS WRONG...BUT IT/S PROBABLY NOT THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO. HPC/S GUIDANCE GRIDS STILL HAVE LIKELY POPS OVER THE WEST ON MONDAY. I/VE KEPT THIS AS EVEN THE WEAKER EC HAS A GOOD AMOUNT OF DEEP MOISTURE OVER THE FA. FOR TUE THE GFS WOULD STILL HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF RAIN OVER THE FA...WHILE THE EC AND CANADIAN BRING THE ENERGY FAR ENOUGH NORTH THAT THE FA IS LARGELY UNDER A COOL...RATHER CLOUDY BUY MAINLY DRY PATTERN. THIS IS BASICALLY REFLECTED IN THE GRIDS. THE UPPER LOW SHOULD STRENGTHEN ON WED AS MORE ENERGY DROPS INTO THE TROUGH. AGAIN THE EC IS FARTHER NORTH...BUT EVEN THE GFS/S LOW POSITION...OVER SRN WV...WOULD LIMIT SHRA TO THE MTNS AND KEEP THE FA QUITE A BIT COOLER THAN NORMAL. THE LOW CONTINUES TO DRIFT TO NORTH ON THURSDAY WITH DRY AND COOL CONDITIONS. && .AVIATION /19Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AT KCLT...THE LONGER THAN EXPECTED LINGERING OF MVFR CIGS SHOULD QUICKLY GIVE WAY TO SCT-BKN VFR LVL CU BY MID-AFTERNOON. SCATTERED TSTMS COULD ENCROACH FROM THE NW BY EARLY EVENING. THE NC PIEDMONT IS ON THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE VERY MOIST BLYR OVERNIGHT...AND MVFR CLOUDS COULD REDEVELOP DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. ELSEWHERE...THE GREATER AFTERNOON/EVENING TSTM PROBABILITY WILL BE ACRS NC AND HAVE KEPT CB MENTION FOR KAVL/KHKY. OTHER CONCERNS FOR THE PERIOD WILL CENTER AROUND THE POSSIBILITY OF MVFR BR AND NC PIEDMONT LOW CLOUDS DEVELOPING DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. OUTLOOK...SCATTERED CEILING AND VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS IN THUNDERSTORMS MOST NUMEROUS OVER MOUNTAINS AND DURING AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS THROUGH END OF WEEK. MORNING MVFR FOG POSSIBLE WHERE RAIN FELL THE NIGHT BEFORE. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...PAT NEAR TERM...CSH SHORT TERM...MCAVOY LONG TERM...MCAVOY AVIATION...CSH/SBK
Hazardous weather outlook, May 12, 4:01 AM EDT, 11 hours 25 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 401 AM EDT THU MAY 12 2011 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-130815- 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- 401 AM EDT THU MAY 12 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. A FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. ARK
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 12, 2:15 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
215 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011
NCZ065-121900-
HENDERSON-
215 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL HENDERSON COUNTY THROUGH
300 PM EDT...
AT 208 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ETOWAH...OR 7 MILES WEST OF
HENDERSONVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
HENDERSONVILLE...
MOTHBALL SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3533 8236 3517 8247 3529 8262 3535 8265
3538 8255The office that day
Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 8:34 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Cleveland | 41 min |
| May 11, 9:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Cleveland, Rutherford | 37 min |
| May 11, 10:08 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Union | 52 min |
| May 11, 10:13 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Mecklenburg | 47 min |
| May 12, 2:15 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Henderson | 45 min |
| May 12, 3:33 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Buncombe | 42 min |
| May 12, 4:04 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Henderson, Transylvania | 56 min |
| May 12, 4:21 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | McDowell, Rutherford | 39 min |
| May 12, 4:46 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Haywood | 44 min |
| May 12, 5:02 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Transylvania | 43 min |
| May 12, 5:23 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Transylvania | 52 min |
| May 12, 5:32 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Haywood | 43 min |
| May 12, 6:10 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Transylvania | 50 min |
| May 12, 7:04 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Transylvania | 56 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 2011Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2011
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.