Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

October 2, 2012Catawba County, Iredell County, Lincoln County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Oct 2, 2012, 10:59 AM EDT for Catawba County, Iredell County, Lincoln County, North Carolina. It was in force for 31 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: Oct 2, 2012, 10:59 AM EDT (14:59 UTC)
Expired: Oct 2, 2012, 11:30 AM EDT
In force: 31 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Catawba County, NC, Iredell County, NC, Lincoln County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 135 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:02 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
Oct 2, 11:15 AM EDT	FUNNEL CLOUD	Denver, NC	PUBLIC REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD IN THE DENVER AREA. ALSO...BROADCAST MEDIA RELAYED MULTIPLE REPORTS OF /ROARING/ WINDS NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 150 AND I-77 IN MOORESVILLE AROUND 1125 AM...BUT NO DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 3.0 hours before the alert went out and 114 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: 415 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -29 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 468 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 158 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 205 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

354 
WFUS52 KGSP 021459
TORGSP
NCC035-097-109-021530-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0016.121002T1459Z-121002T1530Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1059 AM EDT TUE OCT 2 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN CATAWBA COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL IREDELL COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...
  EASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY IN THE PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 1130 AM EDT

* AT 1058 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS STORM WAS
  LOCATED NEAR LOWESVILLE...OR 11 MILES EAST OF LINCOLNTON...AND
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
  DENVER.
  LAKE NORMAN.
  TERRELL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BRIEF...WEAK TORNADO IS LIKELY. MOBILE HOMES COULD BE FLIPPED.
FALLING TREES CAN CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY...AND MAJOR DAMAGE TO
HOUSES. SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST LEVEL OF A
HOUSE OR OFFICE BUILDING.

TO REPORT DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...OR FLOODING...CALL TOLL FREE...1...
800...2 6 7...8 1 0 1...AND LEAVE A MESSAGE EXPLAINING THE EVENT AND
THE APPROXIMATE ADDRESS WHERE IT OCCURRED.

&&

LAT...LON 3551 8089 3551 8091 3550 8094 3546 8095
      3541 8103 3544 8109 3562 8100 3557 8080
TIME...MOT...LOC 1459Z 222DEG 24KT 3544 8104

$$
LANE

3 follow-up statements

940 
WWUS52 KGSP 021516
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1116 AM EDT TUE OCT 2 2012

NCC035-021524-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-121002T1530Z/
CATAWBA NC-
1116 AM EDT TUE OCT 2 2012

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

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING IS PASSING SOUTH OF THIS AREA.

LAT...LON 3557 8080 3551 8089 3550 8094 3546 8096
      3552 8101 3555 8098 3555 8095 3558 8096
      3560 8093
TIME...MOT...LOC 1514Z 222DEG 24KT 3551 8096

$$

NCC097-109-021530-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-121002T1530Z/
IREDELL NC-LINCOLN NC-
1116 AM EDT TUE OCT 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL LINCOLN AND
SOUTH CENTRAL IREDELL COUNTIES UNTIL 1130 AM EDT...

AT 1113 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS STORM WAS
LOCATED NEAR LAKE NORMAN...OR 16 MILES EAST OF LINCOLNTON...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL MAINLY AFFECT AREAS OVER LAKE NORMAN AND VICINITY. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BRIEF...WEAK TORNADO IS LIKELY. MOBILE HOMES COULD BE FLIPPED.
FALLING TREES CAN CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY...AND MAJOR DAMAGE TO
HOUSES. SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST LEVEL OF A
HOUSE OR OFFICE BUILDING.

TO REPORT DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...OR FLOODING...CALL TOLL FREE...1...
800...2 6 7...8 1 0 1...AND LEAVE A MESSAGE EXPLAINING THE EVENT AND
THE APPROXIMATE ADDRESS WHERE IT OCCURRED.

&&

LAT...LON 3557 8080 3551 8089 3550 8094 3546 8096
      3552 8101 3555 8098 3555 8095 3558 8096
      3560 8093
TIME...MOT...LOC 1514Z 222DEG 24KT 3551 8096

$$
LANE

175 
WWUS52 KGSP 021522
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1122 AM EDT TUE OCT 2 2012

NCC109-021531-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-121002T1530Z/
LINCOLN NC-
1122 AM EDT TUE OCT 2 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THIS AREA.

LAT...LON 3553 8089 3552 8092 3554 8096 3558 8096
      3560 8093 3558 8085
TIME...MOT...LOC 1521Z 218DEG 25KT 3555 8093

$$

NCC097-021530-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-121002T1530Z/
IREDELL NC-
1122 AM EDT TUE OCT 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL IREDELL
COUNTY UNTIL 1130 AM EDT...

AT 1120 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS STORM WAS 
LOCATED OVER LAKE NORMAN...OR 17 MILES SOUTH OF STATESVILLE...MOVING 
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  AREAS NEAR LAKE NORMAN WEST OF MOORESVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BRIEF...WEAK TORNADO IS LIKELY. MOBILE HOMES COULD BE FLIPPED.
FALLING TREES CAN CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY...AND MAJOR DAMAGE TO
HOUSES. SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST LEVEL OF A
HOUSE OR OFFICE BUILDING.

TO REPORT DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...OR FLOODING...CALL TOLL FREE...1...
800...2 6 7...8 1 0 1...AND LEAVE A MESSAGE EXPLAINING THE EVENT AND
THE APPROXIMATE ADDRESS WHERE IT OCCURRED.

&&

LAT...LON 3553 8089 3552 8092 3554 8096 3558 8096
      3560 8093 3558 8085
TIME...MOT...LOC 1521Z 218DEG 25KT 3555 8093

$$
LANE

976 
WWUS52 KGSP 021531
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1131 AM EDT TUE OCT 2 2012

NCC097-021541-
/O.EXP.KGSP.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-121002T1530Z/
IREDELL NC-
1131 AM EDT TUE OCT 2 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL IREDELL COUNTY HAS
EXPIRED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED ACROSS THIS AREA.

LAT...LON 3553 8089 3552 8092 3554 8096 3558 8096
      3560 8093 3558 8085
TIME...MOT...LOC 1522Z 222DEG 24KT 3555 8092

$$
LANE

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Oct 2, 3:39 AM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	GSP	Macon	111 min
Oct 2, 6:32 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	GSP	Henderson, Transylvania	3 hr
Oct 2, 8:00 AM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	GSP	Henderson	3 hr
Oct 2, 9:17 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Cleveland	43 min
Oct 2, 10:04 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	GSP	Gaston, Lincoln	41 min
Oct 2, 10:45 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	GSP	Iredell, Mecklenburg	45 min
Oct 2, 11:15 AM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	GSP	Henderson, Transylvania	8 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2012 Every tornado warning in 2012 Tornadoes 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.