Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 38, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

November 16, 20115 counties in South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Nov 16, 2011, 3:55 PM EST for 5 counties in South Carolina. It was in force for 50 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: Nov 16, 2011, 3:55 PM EST (20:55 UTC)
Expired: Nov 16, 2011, 4:45 PM EST
In force: 50 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Abbeville County, SC, Anderson County, SC, Greenville County, SC, Greenwood County, SC, Laurens County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 41 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:58 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
Nov 16, 4:21 PM EST	TORNADO	5 W Laurens, SC	LAURENS COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPUTY OBSERVED A FUNNEL CLOUD WITH POSSIBLE DEBRIS.

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Nov 16, 1:35 PM EST	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 256 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 116 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 472 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 98 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 129 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

380 
WFUS52 KGSP 162055
TORGSP
SCC001-007-045-047-059-162145-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0038.111116T2055Z-111116T2145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
355 PM EST WED NOV 16 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN ABBEVILLE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...
  EAST CENTRAL ANDERSON COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...
  SOUTHEASTERN GREENVILLE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...
  EXTREME NORTHWESTERN GREENWOOD COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...
  NORTHERN LAURENS COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF LAURENS...

* UNTIL 445 PM EST

* AT 354 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 3 MILES SOUTH OF
  HONEA PATH...OR 16 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ANDERSON...MOVING NORTHEAST
  AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  PRINCETON AND WARE SHOALS...
  BOYD MILL POND...
  HICKORY TAVERN...
  GRAY COURT...
  LAURENS...
  ORA...

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.

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 3446 8254 3460 8227 3468 8204 3466 8200
      3465 8195 3461 8192 3458 8187 3460 8185
      3455 8173 3456 8168 3453 8164 3450 8166
      3429 8246
TIME...MOT...LOC 2055Z 246DEG 38KT 3441 8239

$$
07

2 follow-up statements

029 
WWUS52 KGSP 162110
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
410 PM EST WED NOV 16 2011

SCC001-007-047-162119-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0038.000000T0000Z-111116T2145Z/
ABBEVILLE SC-ANDERSON SC-GREENWOOD SC-
410 PM EST WED NOV 16 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EXTREME NORTHWESTERN GREENWOOD...EAST
CENTRAL ANDERSON AND NORTHEASTERN ABBEVILLE COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST AND AWAY FROM GREENWOOD...ANDERSON... 
AND ABBEVILLE COUNTIES.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EST WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3454 8238 3460 8227 3468 8204 3465 8195
      3461 8192 3458 8187 3460 8185 3455 8173
      3456 8168 3453 8164 3450 8166 3436 8218
TIME...MOT...LOC 2109Z 243DEG 39KT 3450 8222

$$

SCC045-059-162145-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0038.000000T0000Z-111116T2145Z/
LAURENS SC-GREENVILLE SC-
410 PM EST WED NOV 16 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM EST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN GREENVILLE AND NORTHERN LAURENS COUNTIES...

AT 407 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF
BOYD MILL POND...OR 12 MILES WEST OF LAURENS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45
MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO HICKORY
TAVERN...GRAY COURT...ORA AND CLINTON

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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EST WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA.

&&

LAT...LON 3454 8238 3460 8227 3468 8204 3465 8195
      3461 8192 3458 8187 3460 8185 3455 8173
      3456 8168 3453 8164 3450 8166 3436 8218
TIME...MOT...LOC 2109Z 243DEG 39KT 3450 8222

$$

07

016 
WWUS52 KGSP 162117
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
417 PM EST WED NOV 16 2011

SCC045-162127-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0038.000000T0000Z-111116T2145Z/
GREENVILLE SC-
417 PM EST WED NOV 16 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN GREENVILLE COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST AND AWAY FROM SOUTHERN GREENVILLE COUNTY.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EST WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3436 8218 3462 8220 3468 8204 3465 8195
      3461 8192 3458 8187 3460 8185 3455 8173
      3456 8168 3453 8164 3450 8166
TIME...MOT...LOC 2117Z 243DEG 39KT 3454 8211

$$

SCC059-162145-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0038.000000T0000Z-111116T2145Z/
LAURENS SC-
417 PM EST WED NOV 16 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM EST FOR LAURENS
COUNTY...

AT 415 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 3 MILES EAST OF HICKORY
TAVERN...OR 6 MILES WEST OF LAURENS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO GRAY
COURT...ORA AND CLINTON

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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EST WEDNESDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA.

&&

LAT...LON 3436 8218 3462 8220 3468 8204 3465 8195
      3461 8192 3458 8187 3460 8185 3455 8173
      3456 8168 3453 8164 3450 8166
TIME...MOT...LOC 2117Z 243DEG 39KT 3454 8211

$$

07

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Nov 16, 2:50 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	GSP	Oconee, Pickens	40 min
Nov 16, 3:07 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	GSP	Greenville, Spartanburg	38 min
Nov 16, 3:45 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	GSP	Laurens	45 min
Nov 16, 4:36 PM EST	Tornado Warning	GSP	Laurens, Spartanburg, Union	39 min
Nov 16, 5:05 PM EST	Tornado Warning	GSP	Chester, Union, York	40 min

Nearby

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