Lightning Strike in South Carolina, February 23, 2012

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
920 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL LINGER OVER THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY. A
STRONG COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER THE CAROLINAS EARLY
FRIDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN RETURN OVER THE WEEKEND AND LINGER
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
LINE OF CONVECTION MOVG THRU E TN AND N GA WEAKENING WITH COOLING AS
IT MOVES E...INDICATING A REDUCED THREAT FOR SVR STORMS. ADJUSTED
POPS AND TIMING...LOWERED QPF OVERNIGHT AND TWEAKED TEMP/DP/RH FOR
THIS UPDATE.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...STRONGER SHORT WAVE MOVES THRU THE BOTTOM OF A
BROAD LONG WAVE TROF AND ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. THIS SHOULD
HELP ADDITIONAL CONVECTION DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND MOVE IT ACROSS
THE CWFA. ACTIVITY SHUD BEGIN OVER THE NC MTNS AND NE GA AND MOVE
EAST ACROSS THE CWFA. DEW POINTS SHUD CONTINUE TO INCREASE AHEAD OF
THE WAVE IN THE STRONG SWLY FLOW. THIS WILL LEAD TO WEAK INSTABILITY
ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING AS THE WAVE MOVES THRU. SHEAR STILL
EXPECTED TO BE QUITE STRONG AS A LOW LEVEL JET DEVELOPS. LARGE
HELICITY VALUES WITH STRONG TURNING PROFILE ALSO EXPECTED. STILL
APPEARS TO BE A THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS OR
EVEN A TORNADO IF THE WEAK INSTABILITY CAN BE REALIZED. MULTICELLS
OR EVEN MINI-SUPERCELLS WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE CONVECTION SHUD SWEEP
EAST OF THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH SOME LINGERING MTN SHRA ENDING
BY DAYBREAK. EXPECT AREAS OF FOG AND LOW CLOUDS TO DEVELOP AGAIN
TOWARD MORNING IN THE LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. LOWS WILL BE AS
MUCH AS 15 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL.

CLEARING SKIES AND VERY WARM CONDITIONS EXPECTED THU AS HEIGHTS RISE
IN DEVELOPING ZONAL FLOW. EXPECT THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG TO DISSIPATE
A LITTLE MORE QUICKLY THU MORNING AS FLOW WILL BE A LITTLE MORE WLY
AND DRIER AIR MOVES IN. SHUD BE ANOTHER BREEZY DAY BUT WIND GUSTS
NOT QUITE AS STRONG. HIGHS WILL BE 15 TO 20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL IN
THE WLY FLOW AND RISING THICKNESSES.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AS OF 200 PM WEDNESDAY...A WEAKLY FORCED FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS
FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND INTO THE PIEDMONT BY 12Z
FRI WELL AHEAD OF THE MAIN UPPER TROUGH TO ITS WEST. THE QUESTION IS
WHAT THE COVERAGE OF CONVECTION WILL BE THU NIGHT ALONG AND AHEAD OF
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY? CURRENT INDICATIONS FROM MODEL GUIDANCE IS THAT
A BROKEN LINE OF CONVECTION WILL REACH THE MOUNTAINS SOMETIME AFTER
MIDNIGHT...BUT TEND TO DECREASE IN COVERAGE AS IT MOVES OFF THE
MOUNTAINS EARLY FRIDAY MORNING DUE TO DEEP SW-W WIND FLOW WITH
LITTLE APPARENT BACKING OF THE WIND FIELD IN THE LOWER LEVELS. WIND
SPEEDS/SHEAR WILL BE IMPRESSIVE THU NIGHT WITH 850MB WINDS 50+ KTS.
HELICITY VALUES WILL ALSO BE QUITE HIGH. HOWEVER...LOOKING AT THE
MODEL SOUNDINGS...A MID LEVEL CAPPING INVERSION IS APPARENT. THE
BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO GET DEEP
CONVECTION TO DEVELOP OVER A LARGE AREA THU NIGHT...SO WILL SHOW
LIKELY TYPE COVERAGE ENTERING THE MOUNTAINS...BUT DIMINISHING INTO
THE SCATTERED RANGE AS THE FRONT MOVES OFF THE MOUNTAINS. THE SEVERE
THREAT IS CERTAINLY NON ZER0...BUT IT APPEARS ANY SEVERE CONVECTION
SHOULD BE ISOLATED.

THE FORECAST DOES NOT GET ANY EASIER FOR FRI AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY
WILL BE SLOW TO EXIT THE AREA AS IT AWAITS A PUSH FROM THE UPPER
TROUGH APPROACHING FROM  THE WEST. THE 12Z MODEL SUITE CONTINUES TO VARY
CONSIDERABLY IN REGARD TO HOW FAST THE FRONT WILL MOVE AWAY FROM THE
AREA AND ALSO HOW MUCH PRECIP WILL FALL ALONG THE BOUNDARY. THE
NAM/ECM/GEM ARE SLOWER/WETTER THAN THE FASTER/DRIER GFS. THE SREF
AGAIN APPEARS TO BE A GOOD COMPROMISE WHICH WILL KEEP POPS OVER THE
AREA OUTSIDE OF MOUNTAINS WITH THE HIGHEST POPS OVER SOUTHERN AREAS.
THE FRONT SHOULD FINALLY PUSH TO THE EAST OF THE AREA FRI NIGHT. THE
UPPER TROUGH AXIS IS FORECAST TO ROTATE THROUGH LATE FRI NIGHT INTO
SAT. LOOKS LIKE AT LEAST SOME SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE THE
RESULT IN THE TN BORDER COUNTIES...ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS. OTHERWISE..,.SAT LOOKS TO BE GENERALLY SUNNY ELSEWHERE WITH
TEMPS ABOUT CATEGORY BENEATH SEASONAL LEVELS EVEN WITH DOWNSLOPE
FLOW. USED A MOS BLEND FOR TEMPS.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AS OF 215 PM WEDNESDAY...THE FIRST PORTION OF THE MEDIUM RANGE LOOKS
RATHER STRAIGHT FORWARD AS ALL GUIDANCE SOURCES AGREE THAT SURFACE
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE IN CONTROL OF OUR WEATEHR REGIME ALL OF
SUNDAY AND MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE DAY ON MONDAY. HOWEVER...
DISCREPANCIES IN THE MODEL GUIDANCE QUICKLY DEVELOP BY LATE MON AS
MODELS BECOME OUT OF PHASE WITH UPPER FEATURES. ECM/GEM ARE MUCH
QUICKER THAN THE GFS WITH THE NEXT UPPER TROUGH AND SUBSEQUENT GULF
MOISTURE RETURN LATE MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. HPC USED A ECM
ENSEMBLE MEAN FOR THE TUE/WED TIME PERIOD WHICH SUPPORTS AN INITIAL
FRONTAL PASSAGE EARLY TUE...WITH A WAVE DEVELOPING ON THE FRONT AND
THEN MOVING AWAY FROM THE AREA ON WED. HENCE...THE FORECAST WILL BE
DRY SUN AND MON MOST AREAS....WITH UNSETTLED WEATHER RETURNING MON
NIGHT...FEATURING CHANCES OF RAIN INTO EARLY WED. DRYER AIR/CLEARING IS
SHOWN OVERSPREADING THE AREA BY LATE WED. STAYED CLOSE TO HPC
GUIDANCE FIELDS WHICH HAS MAX TEMPS NEAR OR A LITTLE BELOW
AVERAGE.

&&

.AVIATION /02Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
AT KCLT AND ELSEWHERE...MAIN CONCERN IS LINE OF CONVECTION MOVG IN
FROM THE W THIS EVE BUT IT HAS WEAKENED WITH COOLING. KEPT PERIOD OF
-SHRA AND CB CLOUDS WITH MVFR CIGS FOR LATE EVE. QUIDANCE STILL AT
ODDS BUT IFR CIGS STILL LOOK REASONABLE LATE TONIGHT UNTIL AFTER
DAYBREAK. CIGS SHOULD SCATTER BY 14-15Z AT LATEST.

OUTLOOK...LOW PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE DEEP SOUTH THU NIGHT
AND FRI. WIDESPREAD LOW CIGS AND PCPN ARE EXPECTED AS THE LOW
DEVELOPS. DRIER AND COLDER WEATHER WILL FOLLOW FOR THE WEEKEND.

AN EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLE SHOWING THE
PERCENTAGE OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING WITH THE SCHEDULED ISSUANCE
CATEGORY IS AVAILABLE AT FOLLOWING LINK (USE LOWER CASE)...

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION/TABLES.HTM

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...DEO
NEAR TERM...RB/RWH
SHORT TERM...LG
LONG TERM...LG
AVIATION...RB

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
316 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-232030-
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-
316 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT
NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AND MOVE INTO THE WESTERN CAROLINAS
AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA LATE THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT. A FEW
OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE WITH THE
POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. LOW LEVEL
WIND SHEAR IS FORECAST TO BE STRONG AND THIS COULD RESULT IN AN
ISOLATED TORNADO. A LIMITING FACTOR WILL BE THE AMOUNT OF
INSTABILITY AVAILABLE TO SUSTAIN THUNDERSTORM UPDRAFTS AS THE
ATMOSPHERE COOLS THIS EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT...ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS
IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THERE IS ALSO THE
POSSIBILITY THAT SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS AND/OR HAIL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

LG

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
922 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062-063-501-503-505-230300-
AVERY-BUNCOMBE-BURKE MOUNTAINS-CALDWELL
MOUNTAINS-GRAHAM-HAYWOOD-MACON-MADISON-MCDOWELL
MOUNTAINS-MITCHELL-NORTHERN JACKSON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-SWAIN-YANCEY-
922 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

...GUSTY SHOWERS WILL AFFECT
AVERY...BUNCOMBE...GRAHAM...HAYWOOD...JACKSON...MACON...MADISON...MIT
CHELL...NORTHEASTERN MCDOWELL...NORTHWESTERN BURKE...NORTHWESTERN
CALDWELL...SWAIN AND YANCEY COUNTIES THROUGH 1000 PM EST...

AT 918 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF SHOWERS EXTENDING FROM BEECH MOUNTAIN TO 7 MILES WEST OF
ROBBINSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THESE SHOWERS WILL BE NEAR...
  BULADEAN...
  SANTEETLAH LAKE...
  FRANKLIN...
  STECOAH...
  MARS HILL...
  NEWLAND...

WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE SHOWERS.

LAT...LON 3539 8401 3558 8359 3557 8349 3577 8315
      3578 8299 3589 8290 3601 8261 3596 8257
      3598 8251 3612 8236 3617 8222 3613 8204
      3629 8192 3612 8181 3612 8156 3499 8346
      3515 8366 3516 8374 3525 8371 3523 8401

ARK

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1000 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

GAZ010-017-NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065-501-503-505-507-509-
SCZ001>003-230500-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-
BUNCOMBE-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-
TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-BURKE MOUNTAINS-
MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-POLK MOUNTAINS-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLAYTON...CLARKESVILLE...NEWLAND...
SPRUCE PINE...CHEROKEE...BRYSON CITY...WAYNESVILLE...ASHEVILLE...
SYLVA...FRANKLIN...BREVARD...HENDERSONVILLE...LAKE LURE
1000 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

...HEAVY SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING THE
MOUNTAINS OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA THIS EVENING...

A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO
SLOWLY MOVE EAST TO THE BLUE RIDGE AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS THROUGH
MIDNIGHT. SOME AREAS MAY EXPERIENCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY
WINDS UP TO 45 MPH AND A FEW RUMBLES OF THUNDER.

ARK

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1024 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

GAZ018-026-SCZ001>008-010-230415-
ANDERSON-CHEROKEE-FRANKLIN-GREATER GREENVILLE-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER
PICKENS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS
MOUNTAINS-SPARTANBURG-STEPHENS-
1024 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT GREENVILLE...NORTHERN ANDERSON...
NORTHERN FRANKLIN...NORTHERN SPARTANBURG...NORTHWESTERN CHEROKEE...
SOUTHERN OCONEE...SOUTHERN PICKENS AND STEPHENS COUNTIES THROUGH 1115
PM EST...

AT 1020 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF
DACUSVILLE TO 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BOYDVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  EASTANOLEE...
  TIGERVILLE...
  LAKE ROBINSON...
  CHERRYDALE POINT...
  LANDRUM...
  INMAN...

PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THESE STORMS.

LAT...LON 3519 8226 3517 8148 3450 8259 3448 8302
      3450 8305 3448 8306 3446 8341 3448 8345

ARK

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1034 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

NCZ035>037-056-057-069-502-504-230415-
ALEXANDER-CATAWBA-DAVIE-GREATER BURKE-GREATER
CALDWELL-IREDELL-LINCOLN-ROWAN-
1034 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT ALEXANDER...CATAWBA...EASTERN
BURKE...IREDELL...NORTHEASTERN LINCOLN...NORTHWESTERN ROWAN...
SOUTHEASTERN CALDWELL AND SOUTHERN DAVIE COUNTIES THROUGH 1115 PM
EST...

AT 1031 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
MORAVIAN FALLS TO TAYLORSVILLE TO 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF LAKE HICKORY
TO LAKE RHODHISS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  VALDESE...
  ICARD...
  STONY POINT...
  LOOKOUT SHOALS LAKE...
  CONOVER...
  HARMONY...

WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. VERY
LITTLE...IF ANY LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.

LAT...LON 3569 8057 3559 8074 3550 8104 3578 8173
      3587 8143 3597 8127 3604 8121 3603 8108
      3607 8098 3606 8089 3588 8043

ARK

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1115 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

GAZ028-SCZ006>014-019-230500-
ABBEVILLE-ANDERSON-CHEROKEE-CHESTER-GREATER
GREENVILLE-GREENWOOD-HART-LAURENS-SPARTANBURG-UNION-YORK-
1115 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN HART...LAURENS...NORTHERN
ABBEVILLE...NORTHERN GREENWOOD...NORTHWESTERN CHESTER...SOUTHEASTERN
GREENVILLE...SOUTHERN ANDERSON...SOUTHERN CHEROKEE...SOUTHERN
SPARTANBURG...SOUTHERN YORK AND UNION COUNTIES THROUGH MIDNIGHT
EST...

AT 1113 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES WEST OF
PACOLET TO 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SADLERS CREEK STATE PARK...MOVING
EAST AT 55 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  WOODRUFF...
  SECESSION LAKE...
  HONEA PATH...
  BOYD MILL POND...
  UNION...
  WARE SHOALS...

WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH
THESE STORMS.

LAT...LON 3437 8297 3495 8183 3486 8086 3482 8089
      3456 8134 3456 8141 3452 8142 3444 8155
      3452 8164 3436 8178 3430 8189 3423 8192
      3415 8205

ARK

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1120 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

GAZ010-017-018-SCZ001-004-230500-
GREATER OCONEE-HABERSHAM-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-RABUN-STEPHENS-
1120 PM EST WED FEB 22 2012

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL OCONEE...NORTHERN
HABERSHAM...NORTHERN STEPHENS AND SOUTHERN RABUN COUNTIES THROUGH
MIDNIGHT EST...

AT 1117 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES SOUTH OF BATESVILLE...OR 7 MILES
NORTHWEST OF CLARKESVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  CLARKESVILLE...
  TURNERVILLE...
  TOCCOA...
  LONG CREEK...
  WESTMINSTER...
  SENECA...

SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.

LAT...LON 3473 8363 3478 8365 3478 8294 3478 8289
      3474 8290 3473 8286 3470 8287 3464 8283
      3463 8285 3461 8286 3454 8293 3460 8365
      3463 8365 3466 8367

ARK