Alert archive / North Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 151, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

July 28, 2026Graham County, Swain County, North Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 28, 2026, 3:48 PM EDT for Graham County, Swain County, North Carolina. It was in force for 42 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 28, 2026, 3:48 PM EDT (19:48 UTC)
Expired
Jul 28, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Graham County, NC, Swain County, NC

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 87 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:47 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
Jul 28, 1:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 240 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2026-07-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1100 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2026-07-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 28 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
1100 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-68 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1061 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
28 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 28, 1:34 PM EDT, 2 hours 14 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1. Severe weather is expected this afternoon and evening ahead of a cold front with the main hazards being damaging winds and large hail, but there will also be an isolated tornado threat. Make sure you have multiple ways to receive warnings. 2. Heat and humidity peak today. A Heat Advisory remains in effect until 8 PM for portions of northeast Georgia and portions of the western South Carolina Upstate. Stay hydrated, limit time outdoors and spend as much time in air conditioning as possible. Never leave people or pets alone in a closed car. Look before you lock! 3. Less humid, drier, and cooler behind the front Wednesday through Friday. Even cooler conditions expected over the weekend into early next week with shower and thunderstorm chances returning.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 28, 1:34 PM EDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
134 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued for western North Carolina
and is in effect through 8 PM this evening.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1. Severe weather is expected this afternoon and evening ahead of
a cold front with the main hazards being damaging winds and large
hail, but there will also be an isolated tornado threat. Make
sure you have multiple ways to receive warnings.
2. Heat and humidity peak today. A Heat Advisory remains in effect
until 8 PM for portions of northeast Georgia and portions of the
western South Carolina Upstate. Stay hydrated, limit time outdoors
and spend as much time in air conditioning as possible. Never
leave people or pets alone in a closed car. Look before you lock!
3. Less humid, drier, and cooler behind the front Wednesday through
Friday. Even cooler conditions expected over the weekend into
early next week with shower and thunderstorm chances returning.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Key message 1: Severe weather is expected this afternoon and evening
ahead of a cold front with the main hazards being damaging winds and
large hail, but there will also be an isolated tornado threat. Make
sure you have multiple ways to receive warnings.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued and is in effect for western
North Carolina until 8 PM this evening. The watch may need to be
expanded southward later this afternoon or early this evening but
this will depend on how storms evolve over the next several hours.
The Day 1 Severe Weather Outlook continues to highlight a Slight
Risk for much of the GSP CWA with damaging winds and large hail
expected to be the main hazards, although there will also be an
isolated tornado threat, especially across western North Carolina. A
very favorable environment will be in place for late July with 30-40
kts of deep layer shear, 2,000-3,000+ J/kg of SBCAPE, and 2,000-
2,500 J/kg of MLCAPE, so any storms that develop will have the
potential to become severe. Any discrete supercells that develop
initially will have the potential to produce large hail but the hail
threat should gradually lower as cells attempt to converge more into
a line as storms push southward, per the 12Z CAMs. The tornado
threat and damaging wind threat will linger throughout the duration
of the event as both discrete supercells and storms eventually
trying to organize into more of a line will keep these hazards
around. With low-level 0-1 km shear ranging from mostly 10-20 kts
this afternoon and early evening, per 12Z high-res model soundings,
and with ~100-200 J/kg of 0-1 SRH expected, the tornado threat
should remain low and isolated. Storms should clear the GSP CWA by
around 9-10 PM.

Key message 2: Heat and humidity peak today. A Heat Advisory remains
in effect until 8 PM for portions of northeast Georgia and portions
of the western South Carolina Upstate. Stay hydrated, limit time
outdoors and spend as much time in air conditioning as possible.
Never leave people or pets alone in a closed car. Look before you
lock!

Increased SW'ly flow will allow highs to end up around 4-8 degrees
above normal this afternoon. Afternoon temperatures will climb into
the lower to mid 90s east of the mountains and the upper 80s to
lower 90s across the typically warmer mountain valleys. Heat indices
east of the mountains will climb into the upper 90s to lower 100s.
The Heat Advisory remains in effect through 8 PM for Elbert, Hart,
Franklin, and Stephens counties in NE GA and for Greenwood,
Abbeville, Anderson, and Oconee (non-mountains) counties in SC as
these locations will see heat indices range from 105-108 degrees.
Breezy W/SW winds ahead of the cold front will help provide a bit of
relief from the heat and humidity this afternoon and early evening.

Key message 3: Less humid, drier, and cooler behind the front
Wednesday through Friday. Even cooler conditions expected over the
weekend into early next week with shower and thunderstorm chances
returning.

The front will stall across the Deep South/Southeast during the rest
of the workweek as surface high pressure builds into the region from
the north. As a result, dry and cooler conditions will return
Wednesday into Friday night. The front will slowly lift back
northward this weekend into early next week allowing shower and
thunderstorm chances to return. Even cooler temperatures are
expected this weekend into Monday, with highs ending up just below
normal to start August.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
At KCLT and elsewhere: Strong to severe TSRA will develop ahead of a
cold front this afternoon and evening. The main hazards are damaging
wind gusts and large hail but there will also be a isolated and low-
end tornado threat. Went with TEMPOs across the NC terminals as
confidence is highest that these areas will see TSRA and associated
restrictions. Maintained PROB30s across the SC terminals as
confidence on TSRA and associated restrictions is lower. VFR
conditions will prevail outside of TSRA this afternoon/evening but
KAVL could see MVFR stratus develop around daybreak. Winds will
generally be SW/W east of the mountains ahead of the front, turning
WNW/NW behind the front overnight. Winds at KAVL will start out
W/WNW ahead of the front, turning NW behind the front early this
evening. Low-end gusts from 18-22 kts can be expected this afternoon
and evening across the terminals, with higher gusts expected within
any TSRA that tracks directly over a terminal. Gusts will gradually
diminish by late this evening east of the mountains but will linger
at KAVL through the 18Z TAF period. Dry conditions return behind the
front late this evening and will linger through Wednesday.

Outlook: Dry and mostly VFR through Friday, with shower and
thunderstorm chances and associated restrictions returning this
weekend into early next week. Low stratus and/or fog will be
possible each morning, mainly in the mtn valleys.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for GAZ018-026-028-
     029.
NC...None.
SC...Heat Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for SCZ010-011-019-
     104.

&&

AR

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 28, 11:28 AM EDT, 4 hours 20 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 28, 2:13 PM EDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 28, 3:31 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 28, 3:35 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 28, 3:38 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 28, 11:28 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPMadison47 min
Jul 28, 1:17 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAvery43 min
Jul 28, 2:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAlexander32 min
Jul 28, 2:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander, Iredell40 min
Jul 28, 3:31 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAvery, Mitchell29 min
Jul 28, 3:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPGraham40 min
Jul 28, 3:38 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPHaywood37 min
Jul 28, 3:57 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPMadison33 min
Jul 28, 4:09 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAvery, Mitchell36 min
Jul 28, 4:17 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAlexander43 min
Jul 28, 4:26 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPJackson34 min
Jul 28, 4:49 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPIredell41 min
Jul 28, 4:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander, Iredell38 min
Jul 28, 4:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAvery, Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey47 min
Jul 28, 5:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPMadison, Yancey42 min
Jul 28, 5:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGSPIredell, Rowan26 min
Jul 28, 5:36 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPMadison, Yancey39 min
Jul 28, 5:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAvery, Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Mitchell, Yancey48 min
Jul 28, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPAlexander, Caldwell, Catawba, Iredell45 min
Jul 28, 6:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe, Haywood, Madison, Swain43 min
Jul 28, 6:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe, Madison, Yancey61 min
Jul 28, 6:17 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPAlexander, Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln28 min
Jul 28, 6:22 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPBuncombe, Madison38 min
Jul 28, 6:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBurke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell and 1 more49 min
Jul 28, 6:33 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPMadison2 hr
Jul 28, 6:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCatawba, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan46 min
Jul 28, 6:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHaywood, Henderson, Jackson, Swain, Transylvania57 min
Jul 28, 6:49 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPAlexander, Iredell26 min
Jul 28, 6:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBuncombe, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford55 min
Jul 28, 6:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPGraham, Jackson, Macon, Swain51 min
Jul 28, 7:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPBurke, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, McDowell and 2 more53 min
Jul 28, 7:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPHenderson, Polk59 min
Jul 28, 7:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCabarrus, Catawba, Davie, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg and 1 more51 min
Jul 28, 7:26 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPGraham, Swain49 min
Jul 28, 7:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPJackson, Transylvania23 min
Jul 28, 7:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPJackson, Macon57 min
Jul 28, 7:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPJackson, Macon, Swain53 min
Jul 28, 7:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPCleveland, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg49 min
Jul 28, 5:06 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPOconee39 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Carolina, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

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.