Alert archive / North Carolina / Special Weather Statements in 2011

Special Weather Statement, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 12, 2011McDowell County, Rutherford County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this special weather statement at May 12, 2011, 4:21 PM EDT for McDowell County, Rutherford County, North Carolina. It was in force for 39 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
May 12, 2011, 4:21 PM EDT (20:21 UTC)
Expired
May 12, 2011, 5:00 PM EDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

Counties McDowell County, NC, Rutherford County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:24 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 210 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 2011-05-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 182 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 2011-05-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 140 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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

744 
WWUS82 KGSP 122021
SPSGSP

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
421 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011

NCZ053-504>508-122100-
BUNCOMBE-EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER BURKE-GREATER RUTHERFORD-MCDOWELL
MOUNTAINS-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-
421 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT MCDOWELL...NORTHWESTERN
RUTHERFORD...SOUTHEASTERN BUNCOMBE AND SOUTHWESTERN BURKE COUNTIES
THROUGH 500 PM EDT...

AT 416 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTH OF LAKE LURE...OR 16 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF MARION...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  LAKE LURE...
  MARION...
  THERMAL CITY...

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

A SIMILAR STORM WAS ALSO LOCATED 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF OLD 
FORT...ALSO MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

LAT...LON 3574 8176 3531 8191 3536 8209 3541 8215
      3540 8221 3540 8227 3544 8228 3546 8227
      3549 8231 3568 8225 3577 8216

$$

MOORE

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement 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 special weather statement went out at May 12, 2:37 PM EDT, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 12, 2:37 PM EDT, 1 hour 44 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, 12 hours 20 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, 2 hours 6 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 8255
Special weather statement, May 12, 3:33 PM EDT, 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
333 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011

NCZ048-053-122015-
BUNCOMBE-MADISON-
333 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN BUNCOMBE AND SOUTHERN
MADISON COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM EDT...

AT 329 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CANTO...OR 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARSHALL...
MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

PEOPLE IN NORTHERN BUNCOMBE AND SOUTHERN MADISON COUNTIES...INCLUDING
THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

LEICESTER...WOODFIN...WEAVERVILLE...UNC ASHEVILLE AND SWANNANOA...

SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN.

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

LAT...LON 3579 8234 3575 8234 3571 8228 3569 8230
      3561 8227 3561 8228 3559 8229 3558 8226
      3553 8226 3556 8268 3564 8284 3580 8282

MOORE
Local storm report, May 12, 3:43 PM EDT, 38 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
343 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011

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

0636 PM     HAIL             LONG CREEK              34.77N 83.26W
05/11/2011  E2.75 INCH       OCONEE             SC   PUBLIC

            GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL AT THE INTERSECTION OF
            HIGHWAY 76 AND ACADEMY RD. WINDOWS BROKEN OUT OF
            VEHICLES.

&&

MCAVOY
Local storm report, May 12, 4:18 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
418 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011

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

0338 PM     HAIL             10 W FLETCHER           35.43N 82.68W
05/12/2011  E0.75 INCH       HENDERSON          NC   PUBLIC

            NORTH MILLS RIVER CAMPGROUND.

&&

BSH
Special weather statement, May 12, 4:21 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
421 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011

NCZ053-504>508-122100-
BUNCOMBE-EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER BURKE-GREATER RUTHERFORD-MCDOWELL
MOUNTAINS-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-
421 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2011

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT MCDOWELL...NORTHWESTERN
RUTHERFORD...SOUTHEASTERN BUNCOMBE AND SOUTHWESTERN BURKE COUNTIES
THROUGH 500 PM EDT...

AT 416 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTH OF LAKE LURE...OR 16 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF MARION...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  LAKE LURE...
  MARION...
  THERMAL CITY...

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

A SIMILAR STORM WAS ALSO LOCATED 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF OLD
FORT...ALSO MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

LAT...LON 3574 8176 3531 8191 3536 8209 3541 8215
      3540 8221 3540 8227 3544 8228 3546 8227
      3549 8231 3568 8225 3577 8216

MOORE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 11, 8:34 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPCleveland41 min
May 11, 9:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland, Rutherford37 min
May 11, 10:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPUnion52 min
May 11, 10:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPMecklenburg47 min
May 12, 2:15 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPHenderson45 min
May 12, 3:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe, Henderson64 min
May 12, 3:33 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPBuncombe42 min
May 12, 4:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHenderson, Transylvania56 min
May 12, 4:46 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPHaywood44 min
May 12, 5:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPTransylvania43 min
May 12, 5:23 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPTransylvania52 min
May 12, 5:32 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPHaywood43 min
May 12, 6:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPTransylvania50 min
May 12, 7:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPTransylvania56 min
May 12, 5:57 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPOconee48 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in North Carolina, 2011Every special weather statement 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.