Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 354, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 5, 2012Greenville County, Spartanburg County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 5, 2012, 6:21 PM EDT for Greenville County, Spartanburg County, South Carolina. It was in force for 54 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: Jul 5, 2012, 6:21 PM EDT (22:21 UTC)
Expired: Jul 5, 2012, 7:15 PM EDT
In force: 54 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Greenville County, SC, Spartanburg County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 25 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:23 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
Jul 5, 6:50 PM EDT	HAIL 1.25	4 N Greer, SC	HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL REPORTED THROUGH DIAL IN PROGRAM.

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

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 29 minutes after it went out.

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 watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 5, 1:37 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 240 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: 1093 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -94 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1766 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 27 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 27 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.

558 
WUUS52 KGSP 052221
SVRGSP
SCC045-083-052315-
/O.NEW.KGSP.SV.W.0354.120705T2221Z-120705T2315Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
621 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN GREENVILLE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...
  NORTHWESTERN SPARTANBURG COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 715 PM EDT

* AT 615 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
  LAKE ROBINSON...OR 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE.  THIS
  STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF
  NORTHEASTERN GREENVILLE AND NORTHWESTERN SPARTANBURG COUNTIES.

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 3493 8237 3515 8252 3518 8237 3519 8235
      3519 8232 3520 8228 3519 8205 3511 8206
      3500 8204
TIME...MOT...LOC 2221Z 005DEG 2KT 3499 8227

$$

MCAVOY

What 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 Jul 5, 2:47 PM EDT, 3 hours 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 5, 2:47 PM EDT, 3 hours 34 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
247 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
A WEAK LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WILL GIVE WAY TO UPPER LEVEL RIDGING THIS
WEEKEND MAINTAINING THE HOT TEMPERATURES. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF
LOW PRESSURE ALONG WITH AN ENCROACHING FRONT WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE
REGION NEXT WEEK RESULTING IN DAILY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES AND STEADILY
LESS HOT CONDITIONS.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 215 PM...CONVECTION HAS BEEN FIRING UP OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF
HOURS AND WE ARE NOW UNDER A SVR THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR OUR ENTIRE
CWFA. DISCRETE CELLS HAVE BEEN FORMING MOSTLY OVER THE UPSTATE AND
THE NC FOOTHILLS THUS FAR. STILL EXPECTING MORE TO DEVELOP OVER THE
MTS AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON BUT AS OF 215PM...IT HAS BEEN QUITE
OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. CURRENT LAPSE SOUNDINGS MAINTAIN
CONSIDERABLE INSTABILITY AND DCAPE OVER THE CWFA WITH VERY MINIMAL
SHEAR. SO...I DONT EXPECT MUCH SUBSTANTIAL ORGANIZATION FROM ANY
CELLS THAT DEVELOP...HOWEVER A LINE OF TS COULD MAINTAIN ITSELF IS
TRIGGERED BY STRONG OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES. FREEZING LVLS ARE AROUND
15KFT MSL SO IT WILL TAKE SOME TALL CORES TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AT
THE SFC...BUT WITH THE RELATIVELY DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LVLS...THE
POTENTIAL FOR STRONG DOWNBURSTS IS GOOD. STILL EXPECT HIGH TEMPS
NEAR 100 OVER THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND MID TO UPPER 80S FOR THE MTS.
EXPECT THINGS TO QUITE DOWN LATER TONIGHT AND INTO THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS AS WE COOL. PATCHY TO AREAS OF FOG ARE POSSIBLE IN THE MT
VALLEYS FOR A FEW HOURS TOMORROW MORNING IF DEWPTS STAY UP.

TOMORROW...SHOULD BE SIMILAR TO TODAY WITH THE UPPER RIDGE DRIFTING
FARTHER EAST OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY AND ANOTHER HOT SUMMERTIME
DAY ON TAP. EXPECTING LESS UPPER SHORTWAVE ENERGY OVERALL...SO I
BROUGHT POPS DOWN TO JUST SOLID CHANCE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 240 PM THURSDAY...H5 HEIGHTS RISE ACROSS THE REGION SAT AS A
RIDGE AXIS BUILDS IN FROM THE W...WITH WEAK SHORTWAVES PUSHING DOWN
OVER THE AREA FROM THE N. WITH DEW POINTS AND PW STAYING RELATIVELY
HIGH EXPECT A CONTINUATION OF SCT DIURNAL CONVECTION...MAINLY OVER
THE MTNS WHERE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE WILL BE BEST. HIGHS REMAIN
ABOVE AVG AND HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 102-104 WILL BE LIKELY IN THE
AFTN AND A HEAT ADVSRY MAY BE NEEDED IF AREA WARMS A DEG OR SO
HIGHER. MODELS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT SHOWING THE RIDGE WEAKENING
SUN AS A TROF MOVES ACROSS THE NE US. SINCE BEST LOW LEVEL
CONVERGENCE REMAINS OVER THE W CWA WE KEPT SCT CONVECTION ACROSS THE
MTNS AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...MAINLY NORTH OF I-85...WITH ISOLATED
ELSEWHERE. HIGHS REMAIN ABOVE AVG SO EXPECT HEAT INDEX VALUES ABOVE
100 DEG E OF THE MTNS.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 100 PM THURSDAY...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE STILL ADVERTISING
THE ONSET OF EASTERN CONUS L/WV TROUGH AND THE ENCROACHMENT OF
ELONGATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY FOR THE START OF THE PERIOD. WITH
COMMENCEMENT OF PATTERN CHANGE...WILL NUDGE DIURNALLY ENHANCED TSTM
CHANCES UPWARD AND MAX TEMPS DOWNWARD FOR MONDAY. WITH BNDRY PROGGED
TO LINGER IN THE VICINITY THRU TUESDAY...ROBUST...SOLID TSTM CHANCES
WILL CONTINUE AND THE TREND FOR LESS WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE
AS WELL WITH MAX TEMPS PROGGED AROUND IF NOT A TAD BELOW CLIMO. BY
THE END OF PERIOD...MEAN L/WV TROFINESS FILLS JUST NOMINALLY...
AND WAVY LLVL BNDRY IS PROGGED TO LINGER SOMEWHERE ACRS THE SE
CONUS. BASED ON THIS SETUP...WOULD EXPECT DAILY TSTM CHANCES TO
REMAIN ABOVE CLIMO WHILE MAX TEMPS SHOULD AVERAGE A LITTLE BELOW
AVERAGE.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AT KCLT...CONVECTION IS RAMPING UP OVER THE AREA WITH A PRETTY GOOD
CLUSTER OF SEVERE TS MOVING SOUTHWARD TOWARDS MECKLENBURG COUNTY. AT
THEIR CURRENT SPEED THEY WILL LIKELY REACH KCLT AROUND 1530LT WITH
STRONG LOW LVL WINDS...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND REDUCED
VISBY. I HAVE INCLUDED A TEMPO GROUP VALID FROM 20 TO 24Z WITH MVFR
VISBY AND BKN CB. ONCE THE CONVECTION ENDS...I EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS
THRU THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD.

ELSEWHERE...A SIMILAR STORY FOR THE OTHER SITES EXCEPT THAT I HAVE
VCTS FOR THE FM GROUP THRU THE LATE NIGHT TO ACCOUNT FOR SCT
CONVECTION. ITS DIFFICULT TO SAY EXACTLY HOW LONG THE CONVECTION
WILL LAST...BUT I THINK IT SHOULD DIE OFF BY 3Z OR SO.
OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF
SOME PATCHY FOG OVER THE MT VALLEYS INCLUDING KAVL FROM ABOUT 9Z TO
12Z.

OUTLOOK...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED AFTN/EVE SHRA/TSRA EXPECTED EACH DAY
THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH AREAS OF MORNING FOG/STRATUS
POSSIBLE...ESP IN THE MTN VALLEYS.

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

&&

.CLIMATE...
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES THAT WILL BE APPROACHED AND POSSIBLY
EXCEEDED...

AVL
JULY 5TH  96 IN 1948
JULY 6TH  93 IN 1993
JULY 7TH  95 IN 1993

GSP
JULY 5TH   98 IN 1993
JULY 6TH  100 IN 1993
JULY 7TH  100 IN 1993

CLT
JULY 5TH  100 IN 1954
JULY 6TH   99 IN 1930
JULY 7TH  100 IN 1993

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...CSH
NEAR TERM...JPT
SHORT TERM...RB
LONG TERM...CSH
AVIATION...JPT
CLIMATE...

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 5, 2:08 PM EDT, 4 hours 13 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
208 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-061815-
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-
208 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 470 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT
NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

HEAT INDEX VALUES MAY REACH 105 ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA SOUTH
OF INTERSTATE 85 FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AFTERNOONS. A HEAT ADVISORY
WILL BE NEEDED IF THESE CONDITIONS DEVELOP.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 5, 5:46 PM EDT, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
546 PM EDT THU JUL 05 2012

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

0535 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FORT MILL               35.01N 80.94W
07/05/2012                   YORK               SC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            LARGE OAK LIMBS DOWN NEAR FORT MILL.

&&

RB

Local storm report, Jul 5, 5:54 PM EDT, 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
554 PM EDT THU JUL 05 2012

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

0445 PM     TSTM WND DMG     BREVARD                 35.24N 82.73W
07/05/2012                   TRANSYLVANIA       NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            LARGE LIMBS DOWN ON NORTH COUNTRY CLUB ROAD.

&&

RB

Local storm report, Jul 5, 6:06 PM EDT, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
606 PM EDT THU JUL 05 2012

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

0515 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NNE MARION            35.72N 81.99W
07/05/2012                   MCDOWELL           NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            LARGE LIMBS DOWN ON LAKE JAMES AND HANKINS ROADS.

&&

RB

Local storm report, Jul 5, 6:08 PM EDT, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
608 PM EDT THU JUL 05 2012

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

0540 PM     HAIL             4 N HIGHLANDS           35.11N 83.21W
07/05/2012  E1.00 INCH       MACON              NC   PUBLIC

            DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON LOST HORSE TRAIL.

&&

OUTLAW

Local storm report, Jul 5, 6:10 PM EDT, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
610 PM EDT THU JUL 05 2012

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

0454 PM     TSTM WND DMG     EARL                    35.19N 81.53W
07/05/2012                   CLEVELAND          NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SEVERAL TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN ALONG BLACKSBURG
            HIGHWAY.

&&

NED

Local storm report, Jul 5, 6:17 PM EDT, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
617 PM EDT THU JUL 05 2012

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

0515 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SMYRNA                  35.04N 81.41W
07/05/2012                   YORK               SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            MULTIPLE TREES DOWN AROUND TOWN.

&&

RB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 5, 12:48 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	GSP	Oconee	42 min
Jul 5, 1:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Oconee	45 min
Jul 5, 1:46 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Abbeville, Greenwood	33 min
Jul 5, 2:47 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville	28 min
Jul 5, 4:20 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville	55 min
Jul 5, 4:22 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Cherokee, Spartanburg	53 min
Jul 5, 4:55 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Cherokee, York	65 min
Jul 5, 5:05 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	York	55 min
Jul 5, 6:00 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Anderson, Pickens	60 min
Jul 5, 6:01 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville, Spartanburg	59 min
Jul 5, 6:03 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Chester, York	46 min
Jul 5, 6:48 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville, Laurens, Spartanburg	57 min
Jul 5, 6:55 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Oconee	80 min
Jul 5, 7:08 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville	52 min
Jul 5, 7:22 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenville, Pickens	53 min
Jul 5, 7:46 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	GSP	Spartanburg	29 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 2012 Every 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.