Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

April 5, 2011Catawba County, Lincoln County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Apr 5, 2011, 1:29 AM EDT for Catawba County, Lincoln County, North Carolina. It was in force for 27 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
Apr 5, 2011, 1:29 AM EDT (05:29 UTC)
Expired
Apr 5, 2011, 1:56 AM EDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Catawba County, NC, Lincoln County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 125 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:33 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
Apr 5, 1:45 AM EDTTSTM WND DMG2 W Lincolnton, NCNUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNS...SEVERAL ON STRUCTURES.
Apr 5, 1:45 AM EDTTSTM WND DMGMaiden, NCNUMEROUS TREES DOWN

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

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 4, 9:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 124 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 00:00Z on 2011-04-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 2011-04-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 144 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
2364 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
144 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
291 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.

289 
WFUS52 KGSP 050529
TORGSP
NCC035-109-050615-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0010.110405T0529Z-110405T0615Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
129 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN CATAWBA COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...
  LINCOLN COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF LINCOLNTON...

* UNTIL 215 AM EDT

* AT 128 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 4 MILES NORTH OF
  CROUSE...OR 4 MILES WEST OF LINCOLNTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60
  MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BOGER CITY AND MAIDEN...
  DENVER...
  TERRELL AND LAKE NORMAN...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

TORNADOES WHICH OCCUR AFTER DARK ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. PEOPLE IN
THE WARNED AREA SHOULD PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR THIS TORNADO. 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.

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 3559 8093 3558 8095 3553 8094 3541 8132
      3542 8135 3554 8142 3568 8102
TIME...MOT...LOC 0529Z 244DEG 51KT 3548 8130

$$
MCAVOY
2 follow-up statements
695 
WWUS52 KGSP 050539
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
139 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

NCC035-109-050615-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-110405T0615Z/
CATAWBA NC-LINCOLN NC-
139 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 AM EDT FOR EASTERN
LINCOLN AND SOUTHEASTERN CATAWBA COUNTIES...

AT 133 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
STRONGLY INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 3 MILES NORTH 
OF LINCOLNTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
DENVER...LAKE NORMAN AND TERRELL

THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF A TORNADO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. 
TAKE SHELTER NOW!

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORNADOES WHICH OCCUR AFTER DARK ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. PEOPLE IN
THE WARNED AREA SHOULD PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR THIS TORNADO. 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.

&&

LAT...LON 3559 8093 3558 8095 3553 8094 3543 8126
      3546 8126 3557 8133 3568 8102
TIME...MOT...LOC 0539Z 244DEG 51KT 3555 8114

$$
MCAVOY
431 
WWUS52 KGSP 050556
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
156 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

NCC035-109-050605-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-110405T0615Z/
CATAWBA NC-LINCOLN NC-
156 AM EDT TUE APR 5 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EASTERN LINCOLN AND SOUTHEASTERN CATAWBA
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TORNADO WARNING IS NO LONGER SHOWING 
STRONG ROTATION. HOWEVER...IT IS STILL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL AS IT MOVES ACROSS 
IREDELL COUNTY WHERE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT.

LAT...LON 3559 8093 3558 8095 3553 8094 3543 8126
      3546 8126 3557 8133 3568 8102
TIME...MOT...LOC 0555Z 244DEG 51KT 3565 8089

$$
MCAVOY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 4, 9:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGraham, Swain55 min
Apr 4, 9:55 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPGraham4 hr
Apr 4, 10:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPJackson, Macon61 min
Apr 4, 10:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe, Haywood, Madison, Swain63 min
Apr 4, 11:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHenderson, Jackson, Macon, Transylvania54 min
Apr 4, 11:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAvery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Madison and 2 more65 min
Apr 4, 11:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Henderson, McDowell, Polk and 1 more62 min
Apr 4, 11:52 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPBuncombe, Henderson, McDowell, Rutherford38 min
Apr 4, 11:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPPolk46 min
Apr 5, 12:22 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba53 min
Apr 5, 12:28 AM EDTTornado WarningGSPBurke, Cleveland, Rutherford32 min
Apr 5, 12:46 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland, Gaston, Polk, Rutherford59 min
Apr 5, 1:12 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBurke, Catawba, Cleveland, Iredell, Lincoln63 min
Apr 5, 1:14 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander, Davie, Iredell61 min
Apr 5, 1:21 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg54 min
Apr 5, 1:44 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCatawba, Davie, Iredell, Rowan61 min
Apr 5, 1:53 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCabarrus, Mecklenburg, Union67 min
Apr 5, 4:08 AM EDTFrost AdvisoryGSPAlexander, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland and 10 more29 hr
Apr 5, 4:08 AM EDTFreeze WarningGSPAvery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Graham, Haywood and 11 more29 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes 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.