Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

March 2, 2012Habersham County, Rabun County, Georgia; Oconee County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 2, 2012, 3:35 PM EST for Habersham County, Rabun County, Georgia; Oconee County, South Carolina. It was in force for 40 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Mar 2, 2012, 3:35 PM EST (20:35 UTC)
Expired
Mar 2, 2012, 4:15 PM EST
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Habersham County, GA, Rabun County, GA, Oconee County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:36 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 2, 3:19 PM ESTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 214 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2012-03-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 55 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2012-03-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 206 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
55 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-255 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
788 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
206 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
268 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.

054 
WFUS52 KGSP 022035
TORGSP
GAC137-241-SCC073-022115-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0005.120302T2035Z-120302T2115Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
335 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN HABERSHAM COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA...
  SOUTHERN RABUN COUNTY IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF CLAYTON...
  NORTHERN OCONEE COUNTY IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 415 PM EST

* AT 335 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 3 MILES SOUTH OF
  NACOOHE LAKE...OR 8 MILES NORTH OF CLARKESVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST
  AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  LAKE RABUN AND TURNERVILLE...
  LAKEMONT...TALLULAH FALLS...TIGER AND CLAYTON...
  LONG CREEK...
  MOUNTAIN REST AND PINE MOUNTAIN...
  SALEM...

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 3478 8365 3500 8312 3505 8291 3502 8292
      3501 8292 3500 8294 3499 8294 3497 8292
      3494 8290 3483 8290 3461 8356
TIME...MOT...LOC 2035Z 246DEG 36KT 3474 8349

$$

HG
2 follow-up statements
891 
WWUS52 KGSP 022051
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
351 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

GAC137-022059-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120302T2115Z/
HABERSHAM GA-
351 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHERN HABERSHAM COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

AT 349 PM...THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM HAD MOVED NORTHEAST HABERSHAM 
COUNTY. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EST FRIDAY 
EVENING FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL 
SOUTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3500 8312 3505 8291 3499 8294 3494 8290
      3492 8291 3483 8290 3469 8334 3473 8337
      3474 8345 3484 8348
TIME...MOT...LOC 2049Z 250DEG 33KT 3477 8336

$$

GAC241-SCC073-022115-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120302T2115Z/
RABUN GA-OCONEE SC-
351 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM EST FOR NORTHERN
OCONEE AND SOUTHEASTERN RABUN COUNTIES...

AT 349 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
LAKEMONT...OR 8 MILES SOUTH OF CLAYTON...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

THE AREA FROM LAKEMONT TO LONG CREEK TO MOUNTAIN REST WILL BE 
DIRECTLY IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO. OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING 
INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PINE MOUNTAIN...MOUNTAIN REST...LAKE 
KEOWEE AND SALEM.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO THREAT...DAMAGING HAIL TO THE SIZE OF 
GOLFBALLS WILL PRECEDE THE TORNADO. WIND DRIVEN HAIL OF THIS SIZE 
POSES A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INJURY AND DAMAGE. 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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EST FRIDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL SOUTH
CAROLINA.

&&

LAT...LON 3500 8312 3505 8291 3499 8294 3494 8290
      3492 8291 3483 8290 3469 8334 3473 8337
      3474 8345 3484 8348
TIME...MOT...LOC 2049Z 250DEG 33KT 3477 8336

$$

HG
378 
WWUS52 KGSP 022104
SVSGSP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
404 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

GAC241-022112-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120302T2115Z/
RABUN GA-
404 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

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

AT 402 PM...THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM HAD MOVED EAST OF RABUN 
COUNTY. HOWEVER...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM 
EST FRIDAY EVENING FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA 
AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3475 8332 3482 8331 3481 8327 3484 8327
      3488 8323 3488 8320 3493 8315 3494 8312
      3500 8311 3505 8291 3499 8294 3494 8290
      3483 8290 3469 8334 3473 8335
TIME...MOT...LOC 2102Z 254DEG 35KT 3481 8321

$$

SCC073-022115-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120302T2115Z/
OCONEE SC-
404 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM EST FOR NORTHERN
OCONEE COUNTY...

AT 402 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR LONG CREEK...OR 10 
MILES SOUTHEAST OF CLAYTON...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. THE AREA FROM 
MOUNTAIN REST TO JUST NORTH OF WALHALLA IS IN THE PATH OF THIS 
TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM. IN ADDITION...GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL 
WILL BE POSSIBLE AHEAD OF THE TORNADO. OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE 
WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO LAKE KEOWEE AND SALEM.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES SHOULD BE ABANDONED IMMEDIATELY FOR 
STURDIER SHELTER. OTHERWISE...GO TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST 
LEVEL OF YOUR HOME OR PLACE OF BUSINESS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EST FRIDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL SOUTH
CAROLINA.

&&

LAT...LON 3475 8332 3482 8331 3481 8327 3484 8327
      3488 8323 3488 8320 3493 8315 3494 8312
      3500 8311 3505 8291 3499 8294 3494 8290
      3483 8290 3469 8334 3473 8335
TIME...MOT...LOC 2102Z 254DEG 35KT 3481 8321

$$

HG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 2, 4:25 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementGSPStephens35 min
Mar 2, 3:40 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAbbeville35 min
Mar 2, 4:54 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementGSPLaurens36 min
Mar 2, 5:26 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementGSPUnion34 min
Mar 2, 5:41 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPChester, Union38 min
Mar 2, 6:05 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementGSPCherokee40 min
Mar 2, 6:43 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementGSPCherokee32 min
Mar 2, 7:49 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementGSPCherokee41 min
Mar 2, 8:52 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementGSPCherokee38 min
Mar 2, 4:14 PM ESTTornado WarningGSPOconee, Pickens46 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2012Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.