Alert archive / North Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2022

Flash Flood Warning 28, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

September 5, 2022Henderson County, Polk County, Transylvania County, North Carolina; Greenville County, Pickens County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this flash flood warning at Sep 5, 2022, 11:12 AM EDT for Henderson County, Polk County, Transylvania County, North Carolina; Greenville County, Pickens County, South Carolina. It was in force for 4 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
Sep 5, 2022, 11:12 AM EDT (15:12 UTC)
Expired
Sep 5, 2022, 3:15 PM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Henderson County, NC, Polk County, NC, Transylvania County, NC, Greenville County, SC, Pickens County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 49 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:13 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
Sep 5, 11:50 AM EDTFLASH FLOODBrevard, NCWILSON ROAD AND HANNAH FORD ROAD AS WELL AS A FEW OTHER ROADS WITH LOW PROXIMITY TO THE FRENCH BROAD RIVER IN THE VICINITY OF BREVARD AND PISGAH FOREST ARE FLOODED.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this flash flood warning; the first came 38 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 3.2 hours before the alert went out and 258 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 2022-09-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 62 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 2022-09-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 40 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
62 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
593 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
20 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

720 
WGUS52 KGSP 051512
FFWGSP
NCC089-149-175-SCC045-077-051915-
/O.NEW.KGSP.FF.W.0028.220905T1512Z-220905T1915Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1112 AM EDT Mon Sep 5 2022

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Henderson County in western North Carolina...
  Western Polk County in western North Carolina...
  Southern Transylvania County in western North Carolina...
  Northwestern Greenville County in upstate South Carolina...
  Northwestern Pickens County in upstate South Carolina...

* Until 315 PM EDT.

* At 1112 AM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
  repeated showers and embedded thunderstorms producing heavy rain 
  across the warned area. Between 2 and 3 inches of rain have fallen 
  over the past six hours. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 
  inches are possible in the warned area through early afternoon. 
  Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by showers and thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

  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...
  Hendersonville, Brevard, Columbus, Flat Rock, Etowah, Mountain 
  Home, Laurel Park, Tryon, Lake Lure, Saluda, Rosman, Dupont State 
  Forest, Jones Gap State Park, Pleasant Ridge State Park, Caesars 
  Head State Park, Table Rock State Park, Bat Cave, Chimney Rock 
  State Park, Jocassee Gorges and Gorges State Park.

Flooding is most likely along Little River, Carson Creek, Laurel 
Creek and tributaries to the French Broad River.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Heavy rain is increasing the risk of landslides, especially in areas 
where slides have occurred in the past. Be especially alert if you 
are near a stream, especially at the base of a mountain or in a 
cove. Watch for loose-moving soil and rocks or a sudden increase in 
streamflow. Leave the area quickly if this is observed. When driving 
along roads where the terrain is steep or rocky, watch and listen 
for falling rocks, mud, trees and other debris.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3505 8291 3512 8298 3518 8294 3526 8275
      3530 8263 3545 8236 3549 8232 3547 8227
      3544 8228 3539 8226 3541 8216 3537 8210
      3529 8215 3520 8223 3514 8227 3507 8258
      3501 8273 3498 8291 3504 8291 3506 8290

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED

$$

HG
1 follow-up statement
951 
WGUS72 KGSP 051914
FFSGSP

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
314 PM EDT Mon Sep 5 2022

NCC089-149-175-SCC045-077-051924-
/O.EXP.KGSP.FF.W.0028.000000T0000Z-220905T1915Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Henderson NC-Polk NC-Transylvania NC-Greenville SC-Pickens SC-
314 PM EDT Mon Sep 5 2022

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 315 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR 
HENDERSON, WESTERN POLK, SOUTHERN TRANSYLVANIA, NORTHWESTERN 
GREENVILLE AND NORTHWESTERN PICKENS COUNTIES...

The heavy rain has ended and additional flooding is not expected to 
develop. However, elevated water conditions will continue along many 
streams and creeks through the afternoon. A Flood Advisory is in 
effect through 715 PM. Please continue to heed remaining road 
closures.


LAT...LON 3505 8291 3512 8298 3518 8294 3526 8275
      3530 8263 3545 8236 3549 8232 3547 8227
      3544 8228 3539 8226 3541 8216 3537 8210
      3529 8215 3520 8223 3514 8227 3507 8258
      3501 8273 3498 8291 3504 8291 3506 8290

$$

Lane

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning 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 flash flood warning went out at Sep 5, 10:21 AM EDT, 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 5, 10:21 AM EDT, 51 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
1021 AM EDT Mon Sep 5 2022

.SYNOPSIS...
Deep moisture will continue across the area before a weak cold front
drops south by mid week. On Thursday, low pressure sets up over
Louisiana and channels deep moisture and possibly heavy rainfall out
of the Gulf toward the region which will help temperatures below
normal.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
As of 955 AM: Deep and moist southerly flow continues into
the area. A veering trend on KGSP/TCLT VAD profiles has been
evident over the last several hours, more or less as expected in
response to pivoting trough axis over the inland East. Upslope
flow along the Blue Ridge Escarpment, and continued development of
rainfall in that area, remains the primary forecast concern thru
the remainder of the day. As flow continues to veer, the upslope
component still looks to weaken by mid-afternoon, and CAM consensus
remains that the rainfall will become less focused and in general
more intermittent by late day. Models continue to show wide spread
in their depiction of diurnal instability; cloud cover should thin
enough to allow at least a few hundred joules of SBCAPE to develop
by peak heating. Loosely defined shortwave to our northwest may give
a little boost to forcing although the best DPVA will miss us to the
north. While this setup may not be sufficient for more than a token
chance of thunder, it could allow redevelopment of showers. With 2"
or more of PWAT and largely unidirectional profiles, heavy rainfall
and/or training could result. That said, current thinking is that
the Flood Watch is well placed and the 8 pm EDT expiration is
appropriate. By evening, the setup for heavy rain should be more
comfortably in a diminishing trend. Muggy conditions will persist
into evening due to abundant moisture, but temps look on track to
remain below normal because of the widespread precip and clouds.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
As of 205 AM EDT Monday...The weather remains unsettled over the
short range period, yet the chance for heavy rainfall and flooding
will go down. A complicated pattern will continue to evolve as the
models show a transition from subTrop ridge dominance to more of a
weak sfc trof and broad frontal zone into the area Tue thru Wed. The
flow off the sfc veers w/ly which will lower mlvl moisture and dry
out the sfc layer in the lee, thus not expecting easily produced
rain showers as has been the case recently the past few days. With
the downslope drying, have kept the better PoPs across the mtns
where tstm development will be more likely as well. The NAM
soundings show low to moderate sbCAPE available, yet shear remains
low-end, likely leading to pulse-type storms or multicell clusters
during max heating. The llvl flow shifts more nw/ly to ne/ly as a
sfc high pushes south behind a weak back-door cold front Thu, yet
sfc td/s remain elevated keeping rather humid conds as max temps
rise a a little abv normal in better insol. Mins shud also remain
elevated by a few degrees due to Ci blow off from the west.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
As of 250 AM EDT Monday...A progressive patten continues thru the
ext range as an upper low closes off across the srn MS Valley and
begins to bring in a good amt of moisture flux along with a stream
of h5 vort energy. The models have varying ideas with the placement
of heavy rainfall, with the ECMWF higlighting the NC mtns and
escarpment regions with arnd 2-3 inches Thu night thru Sat. The GFS
is less sure and keeps the best precip along a more srn cvnvg zone
in a developing sfc wedge, while the CMC indicates a rather dry and
supressed pattern with a 1024 mb sfc high centered over PA by Sat.
So, confidence is a little lagging with the prospects of sigfnt
flooding issues for now, yet this overall setup can certainly make
for a couple days of hydro concerns depending on the alignment of
the upper low and how it eventually gets picked up by the
westerlies. Still expect high cloud cover keeping max temps down and
thunder chances on the low end each day, yet if a CMC type soln pans
out, the wedge bndry would make for a good focusing zone for deep
strong convection each afternoon across the srn and wrn zones.
Confidence will likely increase as we near this event and figure out
the most likely interactions btw the nrn and srn stream systems.

&&

.AVIATION /15Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
At KCLT and elsewhere: Looking grim for Aviation weather over the
next 18 hours or so as a deep and very moist S/SE upslope flow
forces widespread showers that will form at any time. It will
be a mess out there through the morning hours with widespread
inconsistent MVFR/IFR/LIFR ceilings moving across the terminals
as an upper wave carries precip across the region. We will be
in-and-out of showers and light/moderate rain that will likely keep
the vis oscillating between VFR and MVFR for the better part of the
morning at least. This first wave of precip may lift north across
the region by midday. Will spend our TEMPO group this morning to
account for IFR/LIFR restrictions. Unfortunately, there will be
holes in this ceiling...some VFR. The ceiling should rise to MVFR
by midday. The next round as indicated by the CAMS will be in the
late afternoon and early eve, which will be handled with PROB30s. A
brief period of improvement to VFR is possible late in the day or
in the evening, but guidance suggests the ceiling will crash back
down toward IFR late Monday night. Wind will remain light SE to
S through the period.

Outlook: Moisture will remain high as an unsettled pattern appears
likely thru most of the week. There is a decent chance of a lull
in precip with fewer restrictions on Tues and Wed, however moisture
ramps up again by Thurs.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...Flood Watch until 8 PM EDT this evening for GAZ010-017-018-026-
     028.
NC...Flood Watch until 8 PM EDT this evening for NCZ033-035-048>053-
     058-059-062>065-501>510.
SC...Flood Watch until 8 PM EDT this evening for SCZ101>106-108.

&&

SYNOPSIS...SBK
NEAR TERM...PM/Wimberley
SHORT TERM...SBK
LONG TERM...SBK
AVIATION...PM
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 4, 5:10 PM EDT, 18 hours 2 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
510 PM EDT Sun Sep 4 2022

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-NCZ051-052-058-059-062>065-507-509-SCZ101>106-
052115-
Rabun-Habersham-Stephens-Franklin-Hart-Swain-Haywood-Graham-
Northern Jackson-Macon-Southern Jackson-Transylvania-Henderson-
Rutherford Mountains-Polk Mountains-Oconee Mountains-
Pickens Mountains-Greenville Mountains-Greater Oconee-
Greater Pickens-Central Greenville-
510 PM EDT Sun Sep 4 2022

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

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

   Flood Watch.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

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

   Flood Watch.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed. Please relay any information about
observed severe weather to the NWS while following all local, state,
and CDC guidelines.

GAZ029-NCZ033-048>050-053-501>506-508-510-SCZ010-107>109-052115-
Elbert-Avery-Madison-Yancey-Mitchell-Buncombe-Caldwell Mountains-
Greater Caldwell-Burke Mountains-Greater Burke-McDowell Mountains-
Eastern McDowell-Greater Rutherford-Eastern Polk-Anderson-
Southern Greenville-Northern Spartanburg-Southern Spartanburg-
510 PM EDT Sun Sep 4 2022

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Scattered showers with embedded thunder will develop across the
mountains and foothills of North Carolina this evening. Some of
these storms may produce torrential rainfall possibly leading to
localized flooding. Gusty winds and cloud to ground lightning are the
main potential impacts with this activity.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Scattered showers with embedded thunder will develop across the
mountains and foothills of North Carolina again on Monday. Some of
these storms may produce torrential rainfall possibly leading to
localized flooding. Gusty winds and cloud to ground lightning are
the main potential impacts with this activity.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

None.

NCZ035>037-056-057-068>072-082-SCZ008-009-011>014-019-052115-
Alexander-Iredell-Davie-Catawba-Rowan-Cleveland-Lincoln-Gaston-
Mecklenburg-Cabarrus-Union NC-Cherokee-York-Abbeville-Laurens-
Union SC-Chester-Greenwood-
510 PM EDT Sun Sep 4 2022

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for piedmont North Carolina and
upstate South Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will develop across the Piedmont
of the Carolinas and northeast Georgia this evening. The main hazard
with any of these storms will be cloud to ground lightning and gusty
outflow winds.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

Scattered thunderstorms will develop across the Piedmont of the
Carolinas and northeast Georgia again on Monday. The main hazard
with any of these storms will be cloud to ground lightning, gusty
outflow winds, and minor localized flooding from heavy downpours.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

None.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 5, 10:52 AM EDT, 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1052 AM EDT MON SEP 5 2022

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

1045 AM     FLASH FLOOD      1 NW LAKEMONT           34.79N 83.43W
09/05/2022                   RABUN              GA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            WATER FROM CREEK FLOWING OVER ROADWAY ON
            RAMEY ROAD.

&&

HG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 5, 7:37 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPTransylvania12 hr
Sep 5, 8:06 AM EDTRiver Flood AdvisoryGSPHenderson, Transylvania2 hr
Sep 5, 8:44 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPBuncombe, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford8 hr
Sep 5, 9:05 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPJackson, Macon8 hr
Sep 5, 9:43 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPAvery, Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford and 1 more6 hr
Sep 5, 10:01 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningGSPHenderson, Transylvania67 hr
Sep 5, 10:10 AM EDTRiver Flood AdvisoryGSPBuncombe, Henderson40 hr
Sep 5, 11:02 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBuncombe, McDowell, Rutherford4 hr
Sep 5, 11:37 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPJackson, Transylvania4 hr
Sep 5, 11:53 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPBurke, Caldwell, Cleveland, McDowell, Rutherford4 hr
Sep 5, 12:50 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPBurke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford3 hr
Sep 5, 2:59 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPBuncombe, McDowell, Rutherford2 hr
Sep 5, 4:25 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPMecklenburg65 min
Sep 5, 5:36 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPUnion54 min
Sep 5, 6:33 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPUnion57 min
Sep 5, 7:11 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPTransylvania6 hr
Sep 5, 3:06 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPOconee3 hr
Sep 5, 10:50 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningGSPOconee4 hr
Sep 5, 1:01 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPPickens3 hr
Sep 5, 2:14 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPOconee6 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Carolina, 2022Flash Flood Warnings in South Carolina, 2022Every flash flood warning in 2022

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.