Alert archive / North Carolina / Wind Advisories in 2018

Wind Advisory 8, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

March 22, 20187 counties in North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this wind advisory at Mar 22, 2018, 1:14 AM EDT for 7 counties in North Carolina. It was in force for 10 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 22, 2018, 1:14 AM EDT (05:14 UTC)
Expired
Mar 22, 2018, 11:00 AM EDT
In force
10 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

Counties Avery County, NC, Buncombe County, NC, Haywood County, NC, Madison County, NC, McDowell County, NC, Mitchell County, NC, Yancey County, NC

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 100 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:12 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 nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 5.2 hours before the alert went out and 225 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2018-03-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2018-03-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 138 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1039 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
138 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
158 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

843 
WWUS72 KGSP 220514
NPWGSP

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
114 AM EDT Thu Mar 22 2018

...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH LATE MORNING...

.Gusty northwest winds will continue to create very windy
conditions along the higher ridges of the northern mountains
through later this morning, with occasional strong gusts 
developing down into the lower valleys as well.

NCZ033-049-050-221315-
/O.NEW.KGSP.WI.Y.0008.180322T0514Z-180322T1500Z/
Avery-Yancey-Mitchell-
Including the cities of Ingalls, Banner Elk, Newland, Swiss, 
Burnsville, Celo, Micaville, Ramseytown, Busick, Spruce Pine, 
and Poplar
114 AM EDT Thu Mar 22 2018

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING...

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued
a Wind Advisory, which is in effect until 11 AM EDT this morning.

* LOCATIONS...The northern mountains of North Carolina. 

* HAZARDS...Strong winds.

* TIMING...Winds are expected to maximize over the next few 
  hours, as they gradually diminish through the late morning 
  hours.

* WINDS...Northwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.

* IMPACTS...Strong winds may blow down limbs, trees, and power 
  lines. Scattered power outages are expected. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Advisory means that winds of 35 mph are expected. Winds
this strong can make driving difficult...especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.

Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your favorite source of
weather information for the latest updates. Additional details
can be found at www.weather.gov/gsp.

&&

$$

NCZ048-052-053-505-221315-
/O.NEW.KGSP.WI.Y.0008.180322T0514Z-180322T1500Z/
Madison-Haywood-Buncombe-McDowell Mountains-
Including the cities of Luck and Waynesville
114 AM EDT Thu Mar 22 2018

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING ABOVE
3500 FEET...

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued
a Wind Advisory ABOVE 3500 FEET, which is in effect until 11 AM
EDT this morning.

* LOCATIONS...Elevations above 3500 feet across the northern Blue
  Ridge and central mountains of western North Carolina. 

* HAZARDS...Gusty winds.

* TIMING...Winds are expected to maximize over the next few 
  hours, as they gradually diminish through the late morning 
  hours.

* WINDS...Northwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.

* IMPACTS...Strong winds may blow down limbs, trees, and power 
  lines. Scattered power outages are expected. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Wind Advisory means that winds of 35 mph are expected. Winds
this strong can make driving difficult...especially for high
profile vehicles. Use extra caution.

Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your favorite source of
weather information for the latest updates. Additional details
can be found at www.weather.gov/gsp.

&&

$$

SGL

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this wind advisory 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 wind advisory went out at Mar 21, 9:54 PM EDT, 3 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 21, 9:54 PM EDT, 3 hours 20 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
954 PM EDT Wed Mar 21 2018

.SYNOPSIS...
Mountain snowfall will gradually end through Thursday morning as a
deep low-pressure system departs the East Coast. Dry and
unseasonably cool high pressure dominates the weather through
Friday. The next low-pressure system arrives for the weekend with
light precipitation and even cooler temperatures.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
945 PM Update...Diminishing radar returns are noted across the NC
mtns as large scale lift decreases on the back side of the upper
low. There remains decent upstream moisture and nw/ly llvl winds are
continuing quite strong. However with moisture waning overnight and
a s/w ridge working in from the northwest...snowfall rates will
continue to drop and expect arnd an inch additional accum thru
the overnight...mainly across the Smokies. A mtn wave has developed
evident in a standing Ci on GOES-16 and a gap wind could develop
overnight bringing gusty conds back over the Upstate.

730 PM Update...No major changes needed to the grids outside of
minor tweaks to hr/ly temps. Light snow continues to fall across the
NC/TN spine region with good ulvl forcing and a llvl moisture
supply. Have noticed a lowering trend in intensity on the 88D...but
still expect light accumulating snowfall thru the evening. It/s hard
to get observed snowfall amts for the far wrn high elevation
portions of these counties...but a a county canvass is now being
conducted...which will be included in the next PNS. Still seeing
isol light returns across the adv areas so this will be allowed to
continue. The HWO snow mention may be dropped due to lack of
snowfall seen across the far ern mtn zones.

As of 245 PM...latest RADAR and satellite imagery are showing good
snowfall returns across the NC/TENN Border region as deep moisture
and strong NW flow winds persist over the area. We're also still
seeing some light returns across parts of the NC Foothills and
Piedmont, however much of this appears to be virga. NWLY winds
will remain vigorous well into the evening with winds tapering off
later tonight as the main sfc low lifts farther NE and the pressure
gradient weakens across the fcst area. Winds will pick up again
tomorrow afternoon as we mix out, but they should not be as strong
as today, especially wrt to gust values. Otherwise, the upper trof
axis will mix east of the fcst area later tonight and lift offshore
early tomorrow. At the sfc, the main low will lift farther northward
and up the Atlantic Coast tonight and tomorrow. As it does, broad
sfc high pressure will gradually overspread the region and dry out
the profiles. After roughly 12z or so, most of the snow showers
should be ending across the higher terrain.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 220 pm Wednesday: Heights will be on the rise across the area
through at least the first half of the short term, as upper low/
trough axis pull away from the East Coast, and a high-amplitude,
albeit dampening ridge builds in from the west. The ridge will
continue to dampen toward the end of the period, as a mid-level
speed max rides the top of the ridge, shearing out as it moves into
the Ohio Valley and surrounding areas by the end of Saturday.

In terms of sensible weather, the period will begin dry and
unseasonably cool, with temps expected to average around 10 degrees
below climo Thu night and Fri. Precip chances will then increase
late Fri into Fri night, as warm front activates to the E/SE of
weakening cyclone (associated with aforementioned dampening short
wave). By Sat morning, pops range from a slight chance across the
Piedmont, to solid chances near the TN border. If precip does
develop during this time, forecast soundings suggest light snow, or
at least a rain/snow mix would be possible for all areas roughly
north of the French Broad Valley and mainly across the high
elevations south of there, with light accums possible across the
northern mtns. However, warm advection flow would likely allow for a
transition to rain during the day Saturday, at which time a
Miller-B scenario would likely be unfolding across the Southeast.

The highest pops for Saturday (likely) will be favored across the
western mountains with the approach of the dissipating inland
surface low, and across the I-40 corridor in the Piedmont/foothills,
where low level convergence and isentropic lift will develop along
and above an advancing back door cold front/developing surface
wedge. Uncertainty regarding the timing of this back door front
makes for a problematic temp forecast for Saturday, but for now,
maxes are expected to range from the 40s across the northern tier of
zones, to the lower/mid 60s across the upper Savannah River Valley/
Lakelands areas of the Upstate and northeast GA.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 235 PM Wednesday: Seeing a bit more clarity with regard to
the fcst early next week. The model guidance is fairly consistent
with the approach and passage of a Miller Type-B sfc low on Saturday
night and Sunday. The forcing and deep moisture generally support
the idea that precip will be likely overnight and during the morning
hours. The main concern is the shallow cold air the models show
diving southward to the east of the Blue Ridge as the secondary
low forms off the Carolina coast early Sunday. The models suggest
low level thickness supportive of mixed precip types (read: sleet
or freezing rain) but that would be way out of season east of the
mtns. Fortunately, guidance also suggests that temps will only
make it down to the upper 30s outside the mtns, so only rain will
be fcst. Not so at the really high elevations, where it seems like
winter does not want to give up, as profiles show the potential
for snow above about 5k feet. Precip should slowly diminish on
Sunday as the sfc low pulls away rapidly and the moisture dries
up, while a classic cold air damming wedge develops by the end of
the day. Temps are kind of tricky for Sunday and will depend on
how quickly the precip ends. Either way, they will be well below
normal. From that point onward, the guidance shows the cool and
dry air mass to be quite expansive as it is driven all the way
down to N Florida and westward into Alabama on Sunday night and
Monday. The trend in the models is for the dry air mass to win
out and both models have what amounts to a dry wedge for that
period. This far out, confidence is usually better on temps than on
precip chances, so this trend plays well into my fcst preference,
which is to eliminate any small chance of precip (and thus any
small chance of wintry precip east of the mtns) for Sunday night
and early Monday. The rest of the period remains dry and cool
thru Tuesday night as a chunk of the sfc high moves down off the
southeast coast by Wednesday morning. The wedge will get some weak
periodic reinforcement from weak warm advection and isentropic lift,
but it will stick around thru Tuesday not so much because of that,
but because there won't be much to destroy it, and the edges will
be so far away that it won't be able to mix out up into our region
until after Tuesday. The high center being off the southeast coast
on Wednesday should finally allow that to happen, so a big warm
rebound is planned for that day. Precip chances will begin to
work their way back in from the west over the mtns in the warm
advection pattern out ahead of the next system in the afternoon.

&&

.AVIATION /02Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
At CLT and elsewhere: No flight restrictions thru the TAF period
across all sites. The atmos will continue to dry thru the mid-levels
overnight and leave generally FEW/SCT Ci during the daytime Thursday.
Winds will remain strong as a reinforcing sfc high builds across the
Deep South and maintains a rather tight p/grad over the area. Expect
gusts to be maintained overnight at KAVL and possibly across the
Upstate terminals as a gap wind looks to develop. Good mixing
tomorrow afternoon will again allow nw/ly moderate gusts at KAVL and
lower-end gusts elsewhere.

Outlook: VFR conditions expected through Friday, with increasing
precipitation chances and possible flight restrictions this weekend.

Confidence Table...

            02-08Z        08-14Z        14-20Z        20-00Z
KCLT       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KGSP       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KAVL       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KHKY       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KGMU       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KAND       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%

The percentage reflects the number of guidance members agreeing
with the scheduled TAF issuance flight rule category. Complete hourly
experimental aviation forecast consistency tables and ensemble forecasts
are available at the following link:

www.weather.gov/gsp/aviation

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...None.
NC...Winter Weather Advisory until 8 AM EDT Thursday for NCZ053-059-
     062-063-501-503-505.
     Winter Storm Warning until 8 AM EDT Thursday for NCZ033-
     048>052-058.
SC...None.

&&

SYNOPSIS...JMP
NEAR TERM...JPT/SBK
SHORT TERM...JDL
LONG TERM...PM
AVIATION...SBK
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 21, 8:38 PM EDT, 4 hours 36 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
838 PM EDT Wed Mar 21 2018

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ035>037-056-057-064-065-068>072-082-
502-504-506>510-SCZ001>014-019-230045-
Rabun-Habersham-Stephens-Franklin-Hart-Elbert-Alexander-Iredell-
Davie-Catawba-Rowan-Transylvania-Henderson-Cleveland-Lincoln-Gaston-
Mecklenburg-Cabarrus-Union-Greater Caldwell-Greater Burke-
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-Chester-Greenwood-
838 PM EDT Wed Mar 21 2018

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Georgia, piedmont
North Carolina, western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

..Thursday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Friday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Saturday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Sunday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Monday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Tuesday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

None.

NCZ033-048>052-058-230045-
Avery-Madison-Yancey-Mitchell-Swain-Haywood-Graham-
838 PM EDT Wed Mar 21 2018

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EDT THURSDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for western North Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Storm Warning.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

..Thursday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Friday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Saturday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Sunday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Monday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Tuesday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

None.

NCZ053-059-062-063-501-503-505-230045-
Buncombe-Northern Jackson-Macon-Southern Jackson-Caldwell Mountains-
Burke Mountains-McDowell Mountains-
838 PM EDT Wed Mar 21 2018

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EDT THURSDAY...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for western North Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the
Internet for more information about the following hazards.

   Winter Weather Advisory.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

..Thursday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Friday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Saturday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Sunday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Monday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
..Tuesday...No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

None.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 21, 7:28 PM EDT, 5 hours 46 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
728 PM EDT WED MAR 21 2018

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

0726 PM     SNOW             5 NW MARSHALL           35.85N  82.75W
03/21/2018  E3.0 INCH        MADISON            NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            3 INCHES OF SNOW IN THE LAUREL AREA.

&&

OUTLAW
Local storm report, Mar 21, 7:54 PM EDT, 5 hours 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
754 PM EDT WED MAR 21 2018

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

0750 PM     SNOW             2 WNW LUCK              35.75N  82.90W
03/21/2018  E8.0 INCH        MADISON            NC   PUBLIC

            ELEVATION 4000 FEET. 21 DEGREES. A DRY BLOWING SNOW
            WITH MANY DRIFTS OF AROUND 2 FEET AND SOME AREAS WITH
            ONLY ABOUT 2 INCHES.

&&

OUTLAW
Local storm report, Mar 21, 8:15 PM EDT, 4 hours 59 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
815 PM EDT WED MAR 21 2018

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

0812 PM     SNOW             2 NNE WOLF LAUREL       35.98N  82.50W
03/21/2018  M9.0 INCH        YANCEY             NC   PUBLIC

            ELEVATION 3000 FEET.

&&

OUTLAW
Local storm report, Mar 21, 8:20 PM EDT, 4 hours 54 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
820 PM EDT WED MAR 21 2018

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

0545 PM     SNOW             2 SW ALARKA             35.33N  83.46W
03/21/2018  M7.5 INCH        SWAIN              NC   PUBLIC

            ELEVATION 3000 FEET.

&&

OUTLAW
Local storm report, Mar 21, 8:24 PM EDT, 4 hours 50 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
824 PM EDT WED MAR 21 2018

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

0820 PM     SNOW             2 S COVE CREEK          35.58N  83.02W
03/21/2018  E4.0 INCH        HAYWOOD            NC   PUBLIC

            ELEVATION 2580 FEET.

&&

OUTLAW
Local storm report, Mar 21, 8:45 PM EDT, 4 hours 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
845 PM EDT WED MAR 21 2018

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

0844 PM     SNOW             2 NW BRYSON CITY        35.45N  83.47W
03/21/2018  M6.5 INCH        SWAIN              NC   CO-OP OBSERVER

            ELEVATION 2200 FEET.

&&

OUTLAW

Nearby

Wind Advisories in North Carolina, 2018Every wind advisory in 2018

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.