North Carolina, 1997

Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, August 5, 1997

August 5, 1997 · NWS GSP · 5 events in 2 counties and zones

Powerful severe thunderstorms caused widespread damage across the eastern half of Rutherford county and in southern Cleveland county as they moved east southeast. Especially hard hit were the areas near and east of Forest City and near Boiling Springs.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$575,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.

Powerful severe thunderstorms caused widespread damage across the eastern half of Rutherford county and in southern Cleveland county as they moved east southeast. Especially hard hit were the areas near and east of Forest City and near Boiling Springs. Macrobursts with embedded microbursts downed hundreds of trees which fell on many homes and businesses. Roads and streets were blocked for much of the night. A roof was partially blown off of a manufacturing plant at Caroleen, and at Boiling Springs the roof of a house collapsed and a barn was blown down.

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:10 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rutherford

When
August 5, 3:10 PM EST
Where
Rutherford County, Rutherfordton
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Coordinates
35.370, -81.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Rutherford

When
August 5, 3:20 PM EST to 3:30 PM EST
Where
Rutherford County, Forest City to Ellenboro
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$300,000
Coordinates
35.330, -81.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Rutherford

When
August 5, 3:25 PM EST to 3:35 PM EST
Where
Rutherford County, Caroleen
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$175,000
Coordinates
35.280, -81.800

Thunderstorm Wind, Cleveland

When
August 5, 3:35 PM EST to 3:45 PM EST
Where
Cleveland County, Boiling Spgs to Oakgrove
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
35.250, -81.680

Hail, Cleveland

When
August 5, 3:35 PM EST
Where
Cleveland County, Boiling Spgs
Measured
0.88 in hail
Coordinates
35.250, -81.680

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5610720, 5610721, 5610722, 5610723, 5610724.