Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 42, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

August 17, 2021Alexander County, Caldwell County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at Aug 17, 2021, 3:06 PM EDT for Alexander County, Caldwell County, North Carolina. It was in force for 39 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 17, 2021, 3:06 PM EDT (19:06 UTC)
Expired
Aug 17, 2021, 3:45 PM EDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

Counties Alexander County, NC, Caldwell County, NC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 148 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:05 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
Aug 17, 10:42 AM EDTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 7.1 hours before the alert went out and 135 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°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 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.

412 
WFUS52 KGSP 171906
TORGSP
NCC003-027-171945-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0042.210817T1906Z-210817T1945Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
306 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Western Alexander County in the Piedmont of North Carolina...
  Northeastern Caldwell County in western North Carolina...

* Until 345 PM EDT.
    
* At 306 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 6 miles west of Taylorsville, moving northwest at 25
  mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Cedar Rock around 320 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this dangerous thunderstorm include
Patterson, Ellendale, Kings Creek and Little River In Alexander
County.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Please report damaging winds, hail, or flooding to the National
Weather Service by calling toll free, 1, 800, 2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by
posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet it using hashtag nwsgsp. Your
message should describe the event and the specific location where it
occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3610 8152 3610 8150 3609 8147 3609 8145
      3607 8144 3607 8141 3604 8140 3602 8135
      3600 8133 3603 8127 3604 8120 3594 8110
      3580 8132 3604 8165 3612 8154
TIME...MOT...LOC 1906Z 142DEG 23KT 3591 8130 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

RWH
2 follow-up statements
610 
WWUS52 KGSP 171926
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
326 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

NCC003-171936-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0042.000000T0000Z-210817T1945Z/
Alexander NC-
326 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WESTERN ALEXANDER COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

LAT...LON 3610 8152 3610 8150 3609 8147 3609 8145
      3607 8144 3607 8141 3604 8140 3602 8135
      3600 8133 3596 8133 3596 8134 3597 8155
      3604 8165 3612 8154
TIME...MOT...LOC 1926Z 142DEG 23KT 3601 8140 

$$

NCC027-171945-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0042.000000T0000Z-210817T1945Z/
Caldwell NC-
326 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN CALDWELL COUNTY...
    
At 326 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 9 miles southwest of Boomer, or 4 miles south of
Elkville, moving northwest at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
northeastern Caldwell County, including the following locations...
Kings Creek and Patterson.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3610 8152 3610 8150 3609 8147 3609 8145
      3607 8144 3607 8141 3604 8140 3602 8135
      3600 8133 3596 8133 3596 8134 3597 8155
      3604 8165 3612 8154
TIME...MOT...LOC 1926Z 142DEG 23KT 3601 8140 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

RWH
929 
WWUS52 KGSP 171940
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
340 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

NCC027-171950-
/O.EXP.KGSP.TO.W.0042.000000T0000Z-210817T1945Z/
Caldwell NC-
340 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN CALDWELL COUNTY WILL EXPIRE
AT 345 PM EDT...
        
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and has exited the warned area. Therefore, the warning will
be allowed to expire.

LAT...LON 3610 8152 3610 8150 3609 8147 3609 8145
      3607 8144 3607 8141 3604 8140 3602 8135
      3600 8133 3596 8133 3596 8134 3597 8155
      3604 8165 3612 8154
TIME...MOT...LOC 1940Z 142DEG 23KT 3608 8146 

$$

RWH

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, 3:12 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, 6:57 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBurke, McDowell6 hr
Aug 17, 7:59 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPCleveland46 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2021Every tornado warning in 2021Tornadoes 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.