Alert archive / North Carolina / Special Weather Statements in 2020

Special Weather Statement, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

August 8, 2020Caldwell County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this special weather statement at Aug 8, 2020, 5:13 PM EDT for Caldwell County, North Carolina. It was in force for 32 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
Aug 8, 2020, 5:13 PM EDT (21:13 UTC)
Expired
Aug 8, 2020, 5:45 PM EDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

County Caldwell County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 129 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:16 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 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 140 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 12:00Z on 2020-08-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 551 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2020-08-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 8 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
551 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-45 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
650 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
18 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

916 
WWUS82 KGSP 082113
SPSGSP

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
513 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2020
 
NCZ502-082145-
Greater Caldwell NC-
513 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2020

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN CALDWELL COUNTY
UNTIL 545 PM EDT...

At 512 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Lenoir, moving southeast at 10 mph.

Locations to be impacted include...
Lenoir, Sawmills, Granite Falls, Hudson, Cajah's Mountain, Rhodhiss,
Cedar Rock, Lake Hickory, Lake Rhodhiss and Gamewell.

Wind gusts up to 45 mph and pea size hail will be possible in these
areas.

LAT...LON 3596 8134 3592 8134 3589 8133 3582 8134
      3580 8133 3579 8135 3577 8135 3576 8138
      3577 8144 3579 8145 3578 8154 3579 8157
      3582 8160 3583 8162 3600 8149
TIME...MOT...LOC 2112Z 311DEG 9KT 3589 8149 

$$

RWH

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement 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 special weather statement went out at Aug 8, 2:43 PM EDT, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 8, 2:43 PM EDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
243 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2020

.SYNOPSIS...
A return to more typical isolated to scattered summertime
thunderstorm activity is expected over the weekend as modest
drying arrives from the west. Deeper moisture will gradually return
early in the week and support a more active pattern from Tuesday
onward.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/...
As of 240 PM EDT Saturday: Conditions have been fairly quiet
this afternoon with temperatures climbing well into the upper
80s given plenty of insolation. Temps are expected to rise a few
more degrees before capping off for the day. Even though
showers continue to develop across the FA but struggle to hold
together, do expect isolated showers and thunderstorms through
this evening with available moisture, little instability, and
weak troughing. Could not entirely rule out a strong/severe
storm, but confidence remains fairly low attm. Otherwise, quiet
conditions are expected tonight with fcst soundings indicating
the return of low stratus/fog early Sunday morning, mainly
across the mountain valleys. Min temps will fall to near normal.

With ridging aloft, weak sfc high pressure will continue to allow
for drier air to infiltrate into the area on Sunday. However, with
weak trough in place over the Piedmont, could not entirely rule out
isolated showers and thunderstorms east of the Blue Ridge given
limited available moisture and daytime heating. Max temps will climb
a few degrees above normal.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
As of 135 PM EDT Saturday: The short range begins with with an
ill-defined upper pattern and weak flow thru the column. This will
allow for persistent warm mid-levels Mon, which will help suppress
afternoon convection. Isolated to sct storms are probable across the
mtns as an h5 s/w ejects out of the Midwest and crosses the wrn
zones by the early evening. A quiet Mon night as soundings show
decoupling and virtually nil elCAPE. On Tue...another low flow day
as BL winds remain w/ly and aide in limiting convection outside the
mtns. There looks to be another round of vort energy crossing the
mtns by the late Tue afternoon...so relatively high chance PoPs will
be held across the wrn zones again. Soundings indicate limited
sbCAPE, yet a few storms may become stg/svr, while possible slow
moving or training cells across the high terrain could create hydro
issues. Overall...the suppressive environ will support abv normal
temps by a couple degrees, while mins are be maintained right arnd
normal levels.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
As of 155 PM EDT Saturday: Not much change made to the ext range
fcst. The guidance is still in decent agreement with the ulvl
pattern becoming a little more conducive to deep convec outside the
mtns each day...mainly aided by better llvl GOM moisture. There will
likely be an active sfc bndry to the east of the FA Wed afternoon,
yet better overall coverage is anticipated as instability increases
from earlier in the week. By Wed evening...a well defined h5 trof
will traverse the OH/TN valleys and push a cold front to the NC
mtns. This front looks to broaden out and stall across the FA Thu
thru the ext range and elevate PWATS to arnd 2 inches, while
increasing the potential for more widespread tstms each afternoon.
With increased deep-layered moisture and convec cloudiness, max
temps will revert back to normal levels each day, or arnd 90 F
across the non/mtns and m80s across the mtn valleys.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
At KCLT and Elsewhere: Aside from lingering MVFR cigs at KCLT which
are expected to improve over the next hour, VFR prevails at the TAF
sites this afternoon with isolated showers and thunderstorms
possible through tonight, as noted by VCSH/VCTS and/or TEMPO groups.
Fcst soundings continue to suggest fog and low stratus late
overnight and early Sunday morning, mainly confined to the mountain
valleys. Given lower confidence on any activity outside of the
mountains, have kept VFR at TAF sites for now, MVFR/IFR at KAVL.
Expect conditions to improve after daybreak.

Outlook: Isolated diurnal convection will persist through Monday
with increasing chances returning by mid-week. Morning fog/stratus
restrictions will also be possible each morning, especially over the
usual mountain valleys. Otherwise expect VFR.

Confidence Table...

            18-24Z        00-06Z        06-12Z        12-18Z
KCLT       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High  93%
KGSP       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KAVL       High 100%     High 100%     Med   61%     High  94%
KHKY       High 100%     High 100%     High  90%     High  88%
KGMU       High 100%     High 100%     High 100%     High 100%
KAND       High  87%     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 are available at
the following link:

www.weather.gov/gsp/aviation

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...DEO
NEAR TERM...12
SHORT TERM...SBK
LONG TERM...SBK
AVIATION...12
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 8, 5:51 AM EDT, 11 hours 22 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
551 AM EDT Sat Aug 8 2020

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-091000-
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-
551 AM EDT Sat Aug 8 2020

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

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to
develop across the region this afternoon and evening. Any of the
thunderstorms may produce cloud to ground lightning, heavy downpours,
and gusty winds. Isolated flash flooding may be possible if storms
train over specific locations.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

None.

JPT

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 8, 5:13 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
513 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2020

NCZ502-082145-
Greater Caldwell NC-
513 PM EDT Sat Aug 8 2020

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN CALDWELL COUNTY
UNTIL 545 PM EDT...

At 512 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Lenoir, moving southeast at 10 mph.

Locations to be impacted include...
Lenoir, Sawmills, Granite Falls, Hudson, Cajah's Mountain, Rhodhiss,
Cedar Rock, Lake Hickory, Lake Rhodhiss and Gamewell.

Wind gusts up to 45 mph and pea size hail will be possible in these
areas.

LAT...LON 3596 8134 3592 8134 3589 8133 3582 8134
      3580 8133 3579 8135 3577 8135 3576 8138
      3577 8144 3579 8145 3578 8154 3579 8157
      3582 8160 3583 8162 3600 8149
TIME...MOT...LOC 2112Z 311DEG 9KT 3589 8149

RWH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 7, 8:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland, Gaston, Lincoln39 min
Aug 8, 6:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPPolk31 min
Aug 8, 6:58 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPPolk32 min
Aug 7, 9:59 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPUnion31 min
Aug 7, 10:52 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAnderson38 min
Aug 7, 10:55 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAnderson50 min
Aug 8, 5:34 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPOconee26 min
Aug 8, 7:15 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPOconee30 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in North Carolina, 2020Every special weather statement in 2020

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.