Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 24, 2026Elbert County, Hart County, Georgia; Anderson County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at May 24, 2026, 8:24 PM EDT for Elbert County, Hart County, Georgia; Anderson County, South Carolina. It was in force for 36 min. 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
May 24, 2026, 8:24 PM EDT (00:24 UTC)
Expired
May 24, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Elbert County, GA, Hart County, GA, Anderson County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 91 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:23 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
May 24, 9:01 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG2 Sw Ruckersville, GAStorm damage, including several downed trees and large snapped branches, was observed between Hulmes Chapel Road and Ruckersville Road. The most concentrated damage occurred along Ruckersville Road near M&E farms.

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

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

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

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 184 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 00:00Z on 2026-05-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 546 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 00:00Z on 2026-05-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 122 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
546 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
813 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
122 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
192 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
3.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

513 
WFUS52 KGSP 250024
TORGSP
GAC105-147-SCC007-250100-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0005.260525T0024Z-260525T0100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
824 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  North central Elbert County in northeastern Georgia...
  Southeastern Hart County in northeastern Georgia...
  Southwestern Anderson County in Upstate South Carolina...

* Until 900 PM EDT.

* At 824 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 4 miles northeast of Elberton, or 4 miles west of
  Russell State Park, moving northeast at 15 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 thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
  north central Elbert, southeastern Hart and southwestern Anderson
  Counties, including the following locations... Rock Branch and
  Ruckersville.

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 post it to X using hashtag nwsgsp.
Your message should describe the event and the specific location
where it occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3416 8289 3435 8285 3430 8274 3426 8267
      3421 8274 3418 8273 3411 8283
TIME...MOT...LOC 0024Z 209DEG 14KT 3417 8282 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

CP
2 follow-up statements
177 
WWUS52 KGSP 250047
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
847 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

GAC147-SCC007-250056-
/O.CAN.KGSP.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-260525T0100Z/
Hart GA-Anderson SC-
847 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN HART AND SOUTHWESTERN
ANDERSON COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

&&

LAT...LON 3416 8289 3424 8285 3429 8278 3429 8277
      3427 8275 3426 8275 3425 8274 3421 8274
      3418 8273 3411 8283
TIME...MOT...LOC 0046Z 209DEG 14KT 3425 8277 

$$

GAC105-250100-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-260525T0100Z/
Elbert GA-
847 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR NORTH
CENTRAL ELBERT COUNTY...

At 846 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 11 miles northeast of Elberton, or 4 miles north of
Russell State Park, moving northeast at 15 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.

Locations impacted include...
Russell State Park, Rock Branch, Ruckersville, and Lake Russell. 
Another area of rotation was located near Elberton and moving 
northeast.

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 3416 8289 3424 8285 3429 8278 3429 8277
      3427 8275 3426 8275 3425 8274 3421 8274
      3418 8273 3411 8283
TIME...MOT...LOC 0046Z 209DEG 14KT 3425 8277 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

CP
957 
WWUS52 KGSP 250050
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
850 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

GAC105-250100-
/O.EXP.KGSP.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-260525T0100Z/
Elbert GA-
850 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL ELBERT COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
900 PM EDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.  However, small
hail and gusty winds are still possible with this thunderstorm.

To report severe weather to the National Weather Service
Greenville-Spartanburg, call toll free, 1, 800, 2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or
post on our Facebook page, or post it to X using hashtag nwsgsp. Your
message should describe the event and the specific location where it
occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3416 8289 3424 8285 3429 8278 3429 8277
      3427 8275 3426 8275 3425 8274 3421 8274
      3418 8273 3411 8283
TIME...MOT...LOC 0050Z 209DEG 14KT 3425 8277 

$$

CP

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at May 24, 7:52 PM EDT, 32 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • 1. Convection will continue to overspread the area from the west this evening, with a low end severe storm and flood threat. Dense fog possible overnight. 2. Unsettled weather continues for the foreseeable future, as the synoptic pattern remains stagnant and the Carolinas and northeast Georgia remain trapped within a moist air mass.
Area forecast discussion, May 24, 7:52 PM EDT, 32 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
752 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
PoP and QPF adjusted for latest guidance and current conditions.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
1. Convection will continue to overspread the area from the west
this evening, with a low end severe storm and flood threat. Dense
fog possible overnight.
2. Unsettled weather continues for the foreseeable future, as the
synoptic pattern remains stagnant and the Carolinas and northeast
Georgia remain trapped within a moist air mass.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Key message 1: Convection will continue to overspread the area
from the west this evening, with a low end severe storm and flood
threat. Dense fog possible overnight.

Cold air damming continues to gradually erode across the area this
evening, with the effective warm front currently extending from
roughly the I-85 corridor in NC, southwest to the vicinity of the
Lakelands in SC/GA. An area of showers with scattered embedded
thunderstorms is currently along the western and southern CWA
boundary, and this will continue to move NE through the evening.
The convection is in a race against the nocturnal cooling cycle,
but an area of 1000 J/kg of sbCAPE is currently analyzed just south
of the boundary, so some potential for strong convection persists
into late evening in this area. Also can't rule out a stray,
marginally severe storm, especially with any rotating storms that
cross the boundary from the warm sector. Locally heavy rainfall is
also expected, with a small threat of flash flooding in locations of
training/repeating cells...especially where unstable air overlaps
with locations that have seen the heaviest rainfall in recent days
(i.e., the SC Piedmont.)

The convection moves east of the area overnight as a short wave
trough/MCV moves east. Low clouds and fog spread back across
the area in the wake of the showers, with patchy dense fog again
possible.

Key message 2: Unsettled weather continues for the foreseeable future,
as the synoptic pattern remains stagnant and the Carolinas and
northeast Georgia remain trapped within a moist air mass.

Monday looks to be similar to today with a lingering but weaker
wedge, at least during the morning. A short wave crosses the area
during the evening bringing another shot of loosely organized
convection. Increased instability and weak shear will keep the
threat of a few strong to severe storms. This also keeps a low end
flood threat in place, with heavy rainfall possible over the western
portions of the forecast area.

Mainly diurnal convection continues through the week with a moist
and unstable air mass over the area, although there may be a slight
downturn by Thursday. However, chances creep back up for the weekend
as a cold front drops into the area and waves of low pressure move
along the front. Temps slowly rise to a little above normal by
Thursday, then drop back below normal for the weekend.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
At KCLT and elsewhere: An area of showers and thunderstorms is
currently moving into the Terminal Forecast Area from the west,
and should progress across at least the western half of the area
through the evening. TS will be most likely at the upstate SC
terminals, and tempos for TSRA along with categorical SHRA/VCTS
are carried there. TS chances will be lower to the north and east,
but scattered storms developing across the SC Piedmont this evening
could make a run toward KCLT by mid-evening...and a Prob30 for
TSRA is warranted at KCLT from 01-05Z.

Showers and storms will diminish and coverage and intensity and move
east from late evening into the early part of the overnight. This
will give way to a return of low cigs, with LIFR conditions
expected to develop at most terminals after midnight. Reduced
visby is also expected...primarily MVFR (with IFR possible in
heavier rain showers and storms this evening.) Cigs and visby
are forecast to begin improving during late morning, with MVFR
forecast by afternoon. VFR could develop by late afternoon, but
expected warmer/more unstable conditions are expected to result in
more in the way of scattered diurnal convection developing Monday
afternoon...warranting Prob30s for TSRA at all sites. Lingering,
mostly light NE winds are expected to become light/variable at
most sites overnight, with light SSW winds expected to develop
Mon afternoon.

Outlook: The pattern will remain unsettled and murky for the
foreseeable future, with at least scattered diurnal convection,
possibly persisting into the overnight hours, and lowered visibility
and ceilings forecast each night through at least the end of the
work week.

&&

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

&&

JDL/RWH

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 24, 7:22 PM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
722 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

SCZ011-019-250000-
Abbeville SC-Greenwood SC-
722 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT ABBEVILLE AND SOUTHWESTERN
GREENWOOD COUNTIES THROUGH 800 PM EDT...

At 722 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 6
miles south of Abbeville, moving north at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Greenwood, Abbeville, Calhoun Falls, Due West, Lake Secession,
Hodges, Lowndesville, Troy, Lake Russell, and Promised Land.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 3398 8220 3402 8224 3399 8228 3399 8231
      3406 8233 3406 8244 3408 8248 3407 8250
      3407 8253 3402 8260 3424 8269 3435 8251
      3436 8236 3422 8210 3399 8213 3399 8215
      3397 8217
TIME...MOT...LOC 2322Z 178DEG 21KT 3408 8236

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

CP
Special weather statement, May 24, 8:21 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
821 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

GAZ028-029-SCZ010-250100-
Elbert GA-Hart GA-Anderson SC-
821 PM EDT Sun May 24 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN ELBERT...HART AND
SOUTHWESTERN ANDERSON COUNTIES THROUGH 900 PM EDT...

At 821 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles southwest of Hartwell, or near Bowman, moving northeast at 25
mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Hartwell, Elberton, Reed Creek, Bowman, Bowersville, Royston, Canon,
Lake Hartwell, Lake Russell, and Dewy Rose.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

If on or near Lake Hartwell, get out of the water and move indoors
or inside a vehicle. Remember, lightning can strike out to 10 miles
from the parent thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you are close
enough to be struck by lightning. Move to safe shelter now! Do not
be caught on the water in a thunderstorm.

&&

LAT...LON 3408 8300 3408 8301 3420 8310 3423 8308
      3426 8311 3434 8310 3435 8311 3437 8310
      3449 8305 3447 8301 3449 8298 3449 8296
      3442 8276 3426 8266 3421 8274 3420 8274
      3405 8298
TIME...MOT...LOC 0021Z 240DEG 22KT 3424 8301

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

CP

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 24, 8:00 PM EDTTornado WarningGSPElbert, Hart19 min
May 24, 8:21 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPHart39 min
May 24, 9:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGSPElbert, Hart44 min
May 24, 9:28 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPElbert107 min
May 25, 7:28 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPElbert32 min
May 25, 5:58 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPGreenwood, Laurens47 min
May 25, 6:55 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementGSPCherokee, Spartanburg50 min
May 25, 7:12 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryGSPLaurens2 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2026Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.