Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 176, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 17, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT for Chester County, South Carolina. It was in force for 49 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
- May 17, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT (15:57 UTC)
- Expired
- May 17, 2012, 12:46 PM EDT
- In force
- 49 min
- Issued by
- NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
County Chester County, SC
The radar
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:58 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 12:02 PM EDT | HAIL 0.88 | 2 Nnw Blackstock, SC | NICKEL SIZED HAIL BETWEEN BLACKSTOCK AND CORNWELL. ENOUGH WIND TO BLOW DOWN SMALL LIMBS. |
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, 4.0 hours before the alert went out and 200 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1894 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 5 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -6 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 3 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
442
WUUS52 KGSP 171557
SVRGSP
SCC023-171700-
/O.NEW.KGSP.SV.W.0176.120517T1557Z-120517T1700Z/
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1157 AM EDT THU MAY 17 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
SOUTH CENTRAL CHESTER COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...
* UNTIL 100 PM EDT
* AT 1152 AM 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
BLACKSTOCK...OR 11 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CHESTER...AND MOVING SOUTH AT
10 MPH.
* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF SOUTH
CENTRAL CHESTER COUNTY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF BLOWING DOWN SCATTERED TREES AND POWER
LINES. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE AN INTERIOR ROOM.
TO REPORT DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...OR FLOODING THROUGH OUR AUTOMATED
REPORTING SYSTEM...CALL TOLL FREE...1 8 7 7...6 3 3...6 7 7 2.
&&
LAT...LON 3455 8106 3455 8117 3456 8127 3467 8119
3461 8099 3454 8101 3454 8105
TIME...MOT...LOC 1557Z 021DEG 10KT 3455 8113
$$
072 follow-up statements
552
WWUS52 KGSP 171608
SVSGSP
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1208 PM EDT THU MAY 17 2012
SCC023-171700-
/O.CON.KGSP.SV.W.0176.000000T0000Z-120517T1700Z/
CHESTER SC-
1208 PM EDT THU MAY 17 2012
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL
CHESTER COUNTY UNTIL 100 PM EDT...
AT 1204 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
BLACKSTOCK...OR 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CHESTER...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10
MPH.
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
BLACKSTOCK.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF BLOWING DOWN SCATTERED TREES AND POWER
LINES. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE AN INTERIOR ROOM.
TO REPORT DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...OR FLOODING THROUGH OUR AUTOMATED
REPORTING SYSTEM...CALL TOLL FREE...1 8 7 7...6 3 3...6 7 7 2.
&&
LAT...LON 3455 8106 3455 8117 3456 8127 3467 8119
3461 8099 3454 8101 3454 8105
TIME...MOT...LOC 1608Z 028DEG 7KT 3461 8117
$$
NED877
WWUS52 KGSP 171646
SVSGSP
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1246 PM EDT THU MAY 17 2012
SCC023-171655-
/O.CAN.KGSP.SV.W.0176.000000T0000Z-120517T1700Z/
CHESTER SC-
1246 PM EDT THU MAY 17 2012
...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL CHESTER COUNTY
IS CANCELLED...
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THIS AREA.
REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN CHESTER AND SOUTHEASTERN UNION UNTIL 145 PM.
LAT...LON 3455 8106 3455 8117 3456 8127 3467 8119
3461 8099 3454 8101 3454 8105
TIME...MOT...LOC 1645Z 028DEG 7KT 3455 8121
$$
NEDWhat 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 17, 11:10 AM EDT, 47 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 17, 11:10 AM EDT, 47 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1110 AM EDT THU MAY 17 2012 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL TROF OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD IN FROM THE NORTH AND REMAIN THROUGH MONDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST ON TUESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 1105 AM...MESOSCALE MODELS AND AN IMPROVED SATELLITE PRESENTATION INDICATE THAT THE UPPER LOW DOWN ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND NE GA HAS BECOME A LITTLE STRONGER THIS MORNING. THE NAM HAS A GOOD UPPER DIVERGENCE MAX DOWN ACROSS THE MIDLANDS THIS AFTN. THE NAM ALSO HAS SB-CAPE VALUES BETWEEN 1000-2000 J/KG OVER A GOOD BIT OF THE FA THIS AFTN. THEREFORE...I/VE RAISED POPS INTO THE CHANCE CATEGORY ACROSS MOST OF THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS WHERE INCREASING ESE UPSLOPE FLOW WILL POOL MOISTURE AND PROVIDE SUFFICIENT ASCENT FOR CONVECTION. POPS HAVE ALSO BEEN RAISED INTO THE CHANCE RANGE ACROSS THE SE TIER OF COUNTIES WHERE THE BACK EDGE OF DEFORMATION ZONE ENHANCED PCPN WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTN. POPS HAVE ALSO BEEN INCREASED WELL INTO THE LATE EVENING HOURS...TO MATCH A PERIOD OF INCREASED CONVECTIVE COVERAGE SEEN ACROSS THE BLUE RIDGE ON THE NAM AND THE HRRR. AS OF 0650 AM...ENOUGH MOISTURE AND LOW LVL CONVERGENCE REMAIN OVER THE FAR S CWA TO MAINTAIN SLIGHT CHC POPS FOR A COUPLE MORE HOURS AND CURRENT GRIDDED FIELDS HAVE THIS COVERED. MAINLY TWEAKED HOURLY TEMP/DP/RH WITH LATEST TRENDS FOR THIS UPDATE. WEAK UPPER TROF WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA THIS MRNG WITH A CLOSED UPPER LOW DEVELOPING OVER THE MIDLANDS THIS AFTN-TONIGHT. LOOKS LIKE THIS SHOULD STILL PUT THE CWA UNDER WEAK NVA ALOFT. AT THE SAME TIME A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL BEGIN TO PUSH IN FROM THE NE. IT STILL APPEARS THAT MAINLY THE MTNS AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS WILL SEE LLVL MOISTURE POOLING...WITH A SLIGHT CHC OF SHWRS/TSTMS THIS AFTN...BUT NEWER NAM RUN INDICATES SOME MOISTURE WRAPPING AROUND THE 850MB LOW SO ISOLD CONVECTION COULD FAN OUT ACROSS THE PIEDMONT AS WELL... MAINLY OUR W AND S SECTIONS. TEMPS WILL WARM TO ABOVE AVG BY MID DAY. THE UPPER LOW WILL TRACK SLOWLY E TOWARD THE COAST TONIGHT. THE NAM CONTINUES TO WRAP MOISTURE AROUND THE LOW LVL CIRCULATION WHILE THE GFS KEEPS AREA DRY. DECIDED TO LEAN TOWARD THE DRYER GFS WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE ECMWF. MRNG LOWS WILL BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVG. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 320 AM THURSDAY...AN INTERESTING PATTERN IS SHAPING UP FOR THE SHORT RANGE. THE PERSISTENT AND BROAD UPPER TROF WILL LINGER OVER THE SE/RN CONUS WHILE A FAIRLY STRONG RIDGE BUILDS AND MOVES EAST ATOP THE TROF ACROSS THE HIGHER LATITUDES. THE TROF AXIS WILL GENERALLY MOVE SLOWLY EAST AND PROBABLY EVOLVE INTO A WEAK BUT NOTICEABLE CUTOFF LOW. THE TROF IS THEN EXPECTED TO RETROGRADE BY LATE SUN. FOR THE SENSIBLE CWFA WX HOWEVER...THE LLVL WINDS WILL REMAIN NE/LY TO E/LY AS THE UPPER RIDGE DOMINATES AND WEDGES A 1024 MB HIGH DOWN THE EAST COAST. THIS WILL MAINTAIN A RATHER STABLE AND DRY ATMOS OUTSIDE THE HIGHER TERRAIN BOTH FRI AND SAT. BUFR SOUNDINGS SHOW VERY WEAK SFC/BASED INSTABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOISTURE FLUX ACROSS THE NC MTNS. THE H85 FLOW BRINGS IN MODEST AMOUNTS OF ATL MOISTURE TO THE MTNS BY FRI AFTERNOON AND THIS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO DEVELOP ISOL/SCT -SHRA/TSTMS FRI AFTERNOON AND MOST LIKELY LESS COVERAGE AND SAT AFTERNOON. THE MTN TSTMS THAT MAY DEVELOP WILL BE DIURNALLY DRIVEN AND RELATIVELY WEAK PULSE TYPE. A GOOD INSOLATION ENVIRONMENT IS EXPECTED BOTH DAYS...SO MAX TEMPS SHOULD REACH A CAT OR SO ABOVE NORMAL EACH AFTERNOON. GOOD RADIATIONAL COOL CONDS ARE EXPECTED TOO...SO MINS SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM DROPPING TO NEAR NORMAL...IF NOT A COUPLE DEGREES F BELOW NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 330 AM THURSDAY...NO CHANGES WERE NEEDED TO THE EXT RANGE. THE UPPER PATTERN HAS THE DOMINANT NRN RIDGE KEEPING THINGS MAINLY DRY THROUGH SUN WITH AN ADVANCING MOISTURE SUPPLY FROM THE EAST EARLY MON AS THE UPPER LOW RETROGRADES. THIS LOW IS THEN EXPECTED TO BE ABSORBED BY THE WESTERLIES...BEFORE ANOTHER L/W TROF MOVES TOWARD THE MS VALLEY MON NIGHT AND THUS MAINTAINS A MEAN AND BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROF OVER THE SE CONUS THROUGH THE PERIOD. A COLD FRONT AHEAD OF THE INCOMING TROF WILL SLOW DOWN AND BECOME STATIONARY MOST LIKELY JUST SOUTH OF THE CWFA LATE TUE. WITH ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS AND FAIRLY HIGH TD/S EXPECTED THIS FRONT WILL INSTIGATE A DECENT CHANCE SHRA/TSTMS MON THROUGH WED. THE GOING GRIDS HAVE THIS SCENARIO WELL IN HAND WITH THE CHANCE POPS AND WARM TEMPS. && .AVIATION /15Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AT KCLT AND ELSEWHERE...OTHER THAN PATCHY MVFR FOG FIRST HOUR OR SO...EXPECT WEAK HI PRES BUILDING IN FROM THE NE TO KEEP THINGS QUIET ALL TERMINALS THIS MRNG. THERE WILL BE ENOUGH MOISTURE AND LOW LVL CONVERGENCE FOR SLIGHT CHC SHWRS/TSTMS...MAINLY MTNS AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...THIS AFTN. LGT N WINDS WILL VEER NE BY THIS AFTN...SE KAVL. THERE COULD BE ISOLD G16KT EARLY BUT WINDS SHUD STAY 10KT OR LESS. OUTLOOK...EXPECT ISOLD LATE DAY SHOWERS AND TSTMS FRI...ESP MTNS. THEN DRYING OVER THE WEEKEND. MRNG FOG WILL BE PSBL...ESP MTN VALLEYS AND NEAR LAKES/RIVERS. AN EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLE SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING WITH THE SCHEDULED ISSUANCE CATEGORY IS AVAILABLE AT FOLLOWING LINK (USE LOWER CASE)... WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION/TABLES.HTM && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...SBK NEAR TERM...MCAVOY SHORT TERM...SBK LONG TERM...SBK AVIATION...RB
Hazardous weather outlook, May 17, 5:18 AM EDT, 6 hours 39 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 518 AM EDT THU MAY 17 2012 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-180930- 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- 518 AM EDT THU MAY 17 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS THIS AFTERNOON. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. KRENTZ
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 17, 10:20 AM EDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1020 AM EDT THU MAY 17 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1150 PM HAIL ROEBUCK 34.88N 81.96W
05/16/2012 E0.75 INCH SPARTANBURG SC PUBLIC
DIME SIZE HAIL AND SMALL BRANCHES BLOWN DOWN.
&&
MCAVOYLocal storm report, May 17, 11:11 AM EDT, 46 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1111 AM EDT THU MAY 17 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1208 AM HAIL 2 SE ROEBUCK 34.85N 81.93W
05/17/2012 E1.00 INCH SPARTANBURG SC PUBLIC
QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON TEMPLETON DRIVE. TIME ESTIMATED BY
RADAR.
1208 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 SE ROEBUCK 34.86N 81.94W
05/17/2012 SPARTANBURG SC PUBLIC
SEVERAL TREES DOWN ON TEMPLETON DRIVE. TIME ESTIMATED BY
RADAR.
&&
OUTLAWThe office that day
Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 9:37 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Cherokee, York | 53 min |
| May 16, 9:43 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Oconee | 47 min |
| May 16, 10:15 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Cherokee | 45 min |
| May 16, 10:30 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | GSP | Cherokee | 3 hr |
| May 16, 10:36 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Cherokee, Spartanburg, Union | 54 min |
| May 16, 10:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Anderson, Oconee, Pickens | 34 min |
| May 16, 11:14 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Greenville, Spartanburg | 46 min |
| May 16, 11:34 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Laurens | 41 min |
| May 16, 11:38 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Greenville, Laurens | 67 min |
| May 17, 12:10 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | GSP | Greenville, Laurens, Spartanburg | 4 hr |
| May 17, 12:23 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Anderson | 52 min |
| May 17, 1:16 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Laurens | 44 min |
| May 17, 1:38 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Greenwood | 52 min |
| May 17, 1:56 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Greenwood | 64 min |
| May 17, 12:29 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Chester, Union | 55 min |
| May 17, 1:14 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Laurens | 31 min |
| May 17, 1:15 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Chester | 30 min |
| May 17, 1:20 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens | 55 min |
| May 17, 2:13 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens | 61 min |
| May 17, 2:41 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Abbeville, Greenwood | 51 min |
| May 17, 3:04 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Chester | 41 min |
| May 17, 3:56 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Abbeville | 32 min |
| May 17, 4:25 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | GSP | Chester | 50 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 2012Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2012
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.