Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 34, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

August 17, 2021Burke County, McDowell County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Aug 17, 2021, 6:57 PM EDT for Burke County, McDowell County, North Carolina. It was in force for 6 hr. 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
Aug 17, 2021, 6:57 PM EDT (22:57 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 2021, 12:49 AM EDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Burke County, NC, McDowell County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:00 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 17, 8:37 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD3 Nne Thermal City, NCFLASH FLOODING IN PROGRESS ALONG BAKERS CREEK

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, 11.0 hours before the alert went out and 177 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 2021-08-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 522 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 12:00Z on 2021-08-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 77 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
522 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
593 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
77 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

045 
WGUS52 KGSP 172257
FFWGSP
NCC023-111-180200-
/O.NEW.KGSP.FF.W.0034.210817T2257Z-210818T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
657 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southern Burke County in western North Carolina...
  Southeastern McDowell County in western North Carolina...

* Until 1000 PM EDT.

* At 657 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  excessive rain poised to overspread locales from around Greater 
  Marion to Morganton. This will result in developing urban flooding 
  throughout the highway 70 corridor and flooding of streams across 
  various tributaries of the Catawba river this evening.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Morganton, Marion, Longview, Valdese, Salem, Icard, Drexel, 
  Hildebran, Connelly Springs, Rutherford College, Glen Alpine, 
  Rhodhiss, South Mountains State Park, Lake James State Park, Lake 
  James, Lake Rhodhiss, Hickory Regional Airport, Oak Hill, 
  Dysartsville and Nebo.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 3553 8213 3566 8203 3572 8195 3575 8196
      3574 8189 3576 8177 3580 8168 3584 8165
      3582 8162 3578 8163 3578 8145 3576 8138
      3569 8144 3562 8163 3562 8175 3558 8182
      3554 8185 3553 8198 3555 8200 3554 8203

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$
2 follow-up statements
505 
WGUS52 KGSP 180154
FFWGSP
NCC023-111-180500-
/O.EXT.KGSP.FF.W.0034.000000T0000Z-210818T0500Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
954 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has extended 
the

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southern Burke County in western North Carolina...
  Southeastern McDowell County in western North Carolina...

* Until 100 AM EDT.

* At 954 PM EDT, Heavy rainfall has ended across Burke and McDowell 
  counties. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen, but very 
  little additional rainfall is expected.  However, it will take 
  several hours for excessive runoff to subside and for area streams 
  to crest and recede.  Therefore, please do not let your guard down 
  and avoid all low-lying areas adjacent to streams.  Do NOT cross 
  flooded roadways as those roadways may have been damaged by swift 
  currents.  Avoid all low-water crossings as flood waters can rise 
  quickly and without warning.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that may continue to experience flooding include...
  Morganton, Marion, Longview, Valdese, Salem, Icard, Drexel, 
  Hildebran, Connelly Springs, Rutherford College, Glen Alpine, 
  Rhodhiss, South Mountains State Park, Lake James State Park, Lake 
  James, Lake Rhodhiss, Hickory Regional Airport, Oak Hill, 
  Dysartsville and Nebo.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 3553 8213 3566 8203 3572 8195 3575 8196
      3574 8189 3576 8177 3580 8168 3584 8165
      3582 8162 3578 8163 3578 8145 3576 8138
      3569 8144 3562 8163 3562 8175 3558 8182
      3554 8185 3553 8198 3555 8200 3554 8203

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

JMP
396 
WGUS72 KGSP 180449
FFSGSP

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1249 AM EDT Wed Aug 18 2021

NCC023-111-180459-
/O.CAN.KGSP.FF.W.0034.000000T0000Z-210818T0500Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Burke NC-McDowell NC-
1249 AM EDT Wed Aug 18 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHERN BURKE AND 
SOUTHEASTERN MCDOWELL COUNTIES...

The heavy rain has ended across southern Burke and southeastern 
McDowell Counties and small streams across the area have crested and 
receded below critical levels.  However, additional rises along the 
Catawba River are likely overnight into Wednesday afternoon and new 
areas of river and reservoir flooding may develop.  Residents along 
or downstream of Catawba River lakes should pay close attention to 
lake levels through Wednesday.

LAT...LON 3553 8213 3566 8203 3572 8195 3575 8196
      3574 8189 3576 8177 3580 8168 3584 8165
      3582 8162 3578 8163 3578 8145 3576 8138
      3569 8144 3562 8163 3562 8175 3558 8182
      3554 8185 3553 8198 3555 8200 3554 8203

$$

JMP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 17, 2:22 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningGSPHenderson, Transylvania4 days
Aug 17, 3:01 AM EDTRiver Flood AdvisoryGSPBuncombe, Henderson79 min
Aug 17, 3:27 AM EDTRiver Flood AdvisoryGSPBuncombe26 hr
Aug 17, 3:59 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningGSPMadison40 hr
Aug 17, 4:12 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningGSPBuncombe31 hr
Aug 17, 4:20 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningGSPBuncombe, Henderson4 days
Aug 17, 11:36 AM EDTTornado Warning Tornado observedGSPAlexander, Iredell39 min
Aug 17, 12:05 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPIredell25 min
Aug 17, 12:06 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPIredell39 min
Aug 17, 12:33 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAlexander12 min
Aug 17, 12:42 PM EDTTornado Warning Tornado observedGSPIredell18 min
Aug 17, 1:09 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPJackson, Macon, Transylvania5 hr
Aug 17, 1:25 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPTransylvania4 hr
Aug 17, 1:56 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPTransylvania34 min
Aug 17, 2:01 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPCatawba, Lincoln29 min
Aug 17, 2:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPIredell28 min
Aug 17, 2:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAlexander28 min
Aug 17, 2:31 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPBurke, Caldwell44 min
Aug 17, 2:31 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPMacon19 min
Aug 17, 3:02 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPCaldwell43 min
Aug 17, 3:06 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAlexander, Caldwell39 min
Aug 17, 3:12 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPHaywood3 hr
Aug 17, 3:41 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBuncombe5 hr
Aug 17, 3:48 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAlexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba42 min
Aug 17, 4:07 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAvery, Burke, McDowell, Mitchell53 min
Aug 17, 4:08 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMadison9 hr
Aug 17, 4:16 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBuncombe, Henderson5 hr
Aug 17, 4:17 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAvery, Burke, Caldwell43 min
Aug 17, 4:20 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPHenderson, Polk, Rutherford12 min
Aug 17, 4:24 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatGSPHaywood4 hr
Aug 17, 4:35 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBuncombe, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford8 hr
Aug 17, 4:50 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMcDowell9 hr
Aug 17, 4:58 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPYancey4 hr
Aug 17, 4:59 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAvery, Burke, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey46 min
Aug 17, 5:14 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatGSPTransylvania4 hr
Aug 17, 5:17 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningGSPHaywood12 hr
Aug 17, 5:26 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAvery, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford, Yancey49 min
Aug 17, 5:28 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAvery, Burke, Caldwell47 min
Aug 17, 5:32 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPMitchell4 hr
Aug 17, 5:48 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningGSPBuncombe26 hr
Aug 17, 6:00 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPAvery, Burke, Caldwell9 hr
Aug 17, 6:16 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPHenderson, Polk, Rutherford3 hr
Aug 17, 6:42 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPPolk, Rutherford48 min
Aug 17, 7:59 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPCleveland46 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 2021Every flash flood warning in 2021

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.