Damaging Wind and Heavy Rain in North Carolina, August 16, 2003

Name: Damaging Wind and Heavy Rain in North Carolina, August 16, 2003
Start: 2003-08-16T16:45
End: 2003-08-16T16:45
Location: North Carolina

August 16, 2003 · NWS GSP · 2 events in 1 county or zone

Several trees were uprooted and a well house was damaged in Fairview. Minor flooding occurred on a few roads in urban portions of Fairview and New Salem.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

Several trees were uprooted and a well house was damaged in Fairview. Minor flooding occurred on a few roads in urban portions of Fairview and New Salem.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Aug 16, 12:45 PM EST, 4 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 16, 12:45 PM EST, 4 hours before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
145 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

UPPER TROF APPROACHING FROM THE NW WILL MOVE THRU BY LATE THIS EVE
AND CONVECTION WILL MOVE E WITH IT. WITH WEAK RIDGE BUILDING
OVERNIGHT EXPECT PATCHY FOG EARLY SUN MORNING. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE
TROF FCST TO MOVE THRU THE AREA TOMORROW. EXPECT STRONGEST PVA/BEST
LIFT IN THE AFTN-EARLY EVE PERIODS. ON MON AFTN GFS SHOWS ANOTHER
SHRTWV APPROACHING AND ALTHOUGH DEEPER MOISTURE MOVES SE...WILL HOLD
ON TO AT LEAST SLIGHT CHANCE POPS. SURFACE RIDGE BUILDS OVER AREA
TUE-FRI AND HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE LATE DAY POPS IN THE GRIDS. A SFC
BOUNDARY IS PROGGED TO MOVE IN SAT...BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF
CONVECTION TO THE AREA.

FCSTID = 77
GSP   71  88  69  88 /  40  40  40  20
AND   71  88  70  89 /  40  40  40  20
CLT   71  88  69  88 /  40  40  40  20
HKY   69  87  68  87 /  40  40  40  20
AVL   65  84  64  84 /  40  40  40  20

.GSP...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.

RB

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 16, 5:10 AM EST, 11 hours 35 minutes before

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014-
019-161200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
610 AM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION
THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND EVENING. THERE IS A CHANCE THAT A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL OR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS FOR A
BRIEF TIME. THERE IS ALSO THE POSSIBILITY THAT A FEW OF THE STORMS
COULD PRODUCE ENOUGH RAIN TO CAUSE FLOODING OF URBAN AND POOR
DRAINAGE AREAS IN LOCATIONS THAT HAVE RECEIVED EXCESSIVE RAIN IN THE
LAST FEW WEEKS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

ANOTHER ROUND OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED SUNDAY AND
SUNDAY EVENING. THERE IS A SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER
LATE IN THE DAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED MONDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED ON SUNDAY.

MOORE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 16, 12:33 PM EST, 4 hours 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
133 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

900 AM     5-10 SE SALISBURY         NC   FLASH FLOOD
08/16/03   ROWAN                          SPOTTER REPORTED FLASH
                                          FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS
                                          AROUND GRANITE QUARRY AND
                                          ROCKWELL RESULTED IN
                                          FLOODED ROADS...HOUSES...
                                          APARTMENTS...AND CARS.
                                          UNTIL 11 AM...BUT SOME
                                          ROADS STILL FLOODED AFTER
                                          NOON.

JONES

Local storm report, Aug 16, 1:09 PM EST, 3 hours 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
209 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

145 PM     2 W PAULINE               SC   .75 INCH HAIL
08/16/03   SPARTANBURG                    PUBLIC/SPOTTER REPORT.
                                          ALSO LOTS OF LIGHTNING.

JONES

Special weather statement, Aug 16, 3:52 PM EST, 53 minutes before

NCZ068-162200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
452 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN TO AFFECT SOUTHERN
CLEVELAND COUNTY THROUGH 6 PM...

AT 450 PM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN CLEVELAND COUNTY...SOUTH OF LINE FROM
SHELBY TO MOORESBORO. THESE STORMS WERE SLIDING SLOWLY TO THE
SOUTH...AND WERE ASSOCIATED WITH FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN.

RADAR ESTIMATED BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN SINCE MID
AFTERNOON IN THE VICINITY OF PATTERSON SPRINGS. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL
WILL RESULT IN PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS...AND IN POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS...OF SOUTHERN CLEVELAND COUNTY. SIGNIFICANT RISES ON SHALLOWER
STREAMS AND CREEKS CAN BE EXPECTED AS WELL...ESPECIALLY FROM
PATTERSON SPRINGS TO EARL AND KINGS MOUNTAIN.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS
OF THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

NEVER DRIVE THROUGH AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. IF
STANDING WATER IS ENCOUNTERED...STOP TURN AROUND AND FIND ANOTHER
ROUTE TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION SAFELY.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING...NOTIFY YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND ASK THEM TO FORWARD THE REPORT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG.

BURRUS

Local storm report, Aug 16, 4:10 PM EST, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE SPARTANBURG SC
510 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

500 PM     BELTON                    SC   FLASH FLOOD
08/16/03   ANDERSON                       BELTON F.D. REPORTED
                                          SEVERAL FLOODED STREETS
                                          IN BELTON...INCLUDING N
                                          MAIN...S MAIN...AND
                                          MYRTLE AVE. WATER VARIES
                                          FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES DEEP.

345 PM     SENECA                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   OCONEE                         OCONEE 911 REPORTED
                                          SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN
                                          SENECA AND CROSSROADS.

400 PM     EASLEY                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   PICKENS                        EASLEY PD REPORTED TREES
                                          AND POWERLINES DOWN
                                          EVERYWHERE. MAJOR POWER
                                          OUTAGE.

403 PM     EASLEY                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   PICKENS                        PICKENS 911 REPORTED 1-2
                                          TREES DOWN.

355 PM     GREENVILLE                SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   GREENVILLE                     GMU TOWER REPORTED 40 KT
                                          MICROBURST. DAMAGED 7
                                          AIRPLANES...SEVERAL
                                          HANGARS...AND BLEW OVER A
                                          BRICK WALL.

445 PM     PELZER                    SC   WIND DAMAGE
08/16/03   ANDERSON                       ANDERSON 911 REPORTED 1
                                          TREE DOWN. SEVERAL
                                          POWERLINES DOWNED AT 457
                                          PM IN BELTON.

LAMB

Special weather statement, Aug 16, 4:27 PM EST, 18 minutes before

NCZ036-056-069>071-162300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
527 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2003

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL TO AFFECT THE CHARLOTTE
METRO AREA THROUGH 7 PM...

AT 525 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
STRETCHING FROM STATESVILLE...WEST TO HICKORY. RADAR ALSO SHOWED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHING FROM WEDDINGTON AND
WAXHAW...NORTHEAST THROUGH MONROE TO NEW SALEM. THE STORMS WERE
SLIDING SLOWLY SOUTHWARD...AND WERE ASSOCIATED WITH RAINFALL RATES
OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR.

THROUGH 7 PM...STORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE CHARLOTTE METROPOLITAN AREA
FROM THE NORTH AND AFFECT LOCATIONS FROM CHARLOTTE AND
HUNTERSVILLE...WEST TO LINCOLNTON...MOUNT HOLLY AND GASTONIA...AND
WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTH OVER UNION COUNTY. FLOODING OF STREETS
AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS COULD OCCUR IN THE LARGER CITIES...SUCH AS
CHARLOTTE...GASTONIA AND MONROE...AND COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT
RISES ON STREAMS AND CREEKS ACROSS PART OF THE SOUTHERN PIEDMONT OF
NORTH CAROLINA.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF
THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

BURRUS

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: August 16, 4:45 PM EST
Where: Union County, Fairview
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.150, -80.550

Heavy Rain, Union

When: August 16, 4:45 PM EST
Where: Union County, Fairview
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 34.988, -80.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, August 2003

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: 5374159, 5374160.