High winds developed across the mountains and foothills during the evening, and continued through the overnight hours before subsiding during the late morning of the 3rd. Numerous trees, power poles, and power lines were blown down, resulting in fairly widespread power outages.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.
High winds developed across the mountains and foothills during the evening, and continued through the overnight hours before subsiding during the late morning of the 3rd. Numerous trees, power poles, and power lines were blown down, resulting in fairly widespread power outages. The northern foothill counties appeared to the the hardest hit. In McDowell County, several homes and vehicles were damaged by falling trees. In Caldwell County, the roof of the County office building was damaged in Lenoir, and at least two homes were damaged by falling trees in the northern part of the county.
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 Apr 2, 5:01 PM EST, 2 hours 59 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
501 PM EST SAT APR 2 2005
.SHORT TERM (REST OF TONIGHT)...
KMRX 88-D CONTINUES TO SHOW LIGHT TO MODERATE RETURNS STREAMING INTO
A COOLING ATMOSPHERE OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. ACCUMULATIONS
ARE STARTING TO ADD UP IN THE MOUNTAINS. LAPS SOUNDINGS SUGGEST A RATHER
DEEP MELTING LAYER STILL EXISTS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS...BUT
A RAPID TRANSITION TO SNOW AS ONE WORKS NORTH INTO THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS.
LATEST 12KM NAM SUPPORTS ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS FOR THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS...AND THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...INTO THE PREDAWN HOURS
ALTHOUGH THE WIND FLOW WILL LOSE MUCH OF ITS ORTHOGONALITY AS THE
EVENING WEARS ON. THIS UPDATE INCLUDES A SNOW ADVISORY FOR BUNCOMBE
COUNTY...WHERE WE HAVE SEEN ADVISORY-CRITERIA SNOW IN HIGH LOCATIONS NORTH
AND WEST OF ASHEVILLE IN SIMILAR NORTHWEST-FLOW SITUATIONS. THE ADVISORY
FOR BUNCOMBE COUNTY WILL EXTEND THROUGH ALL OF THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.
&&
.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
(ISSUED 304 PM EST SAT APR 2 2005)
SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)...
NW FLOW TO CONTINUE THROUGH MON ACROSS AREA IN WAKE OF CLOSED UPPER
LOW LIFTING NE INTO NEW ENGLAND. MAIN FORECAST PROBLEMS WILL BE WIND
AND SNOW. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW STRONG 850 MB FLOW AND DOWNWARD
VERTICAL MOTION TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...THOUGH BEST COLD ADVECTION
SHOULD HAVE ENDED. WILL CARRY WIND WARNING NC MTS AND RABUN CO GA
TONIGHT...CONTINUING IN N NC MTS THROUGH SUN...AND WIND ADVISORY NC
FOOTHILLS TONIGHT. WIND CHILL WILL NOT REACH ADVISORY CRITERIA.
SNOW TO CONTINUE TN LINE AND BALSAM MTS TONIGHT....BUT GRADUALLY
TAPERING OFF AFTER MIDNIGHT AS MOISTURE RECEDES TO NE. WILL CONTINUE
HEAVY SNOW WARNING TN LINE...AND POSSIBLY ADVISORY MACON/JACKSON
COS. TEMPERATURES JUST ABOVE FREEZING IN NC MT VALLEYS TONIGHT...AND
LIGHT ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE THERE.
WARMING STARTS SUN AS HEIGHTS AND THICKENSS RISE WHILE DOWNSLOPE
FLOW CONTINUES. TEMPERATRUES REACH ABOVE NORMAL BY MON...CLIMBING
ANOTHER CATEGORY TUE.
LONG TERM (TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY)...
MOISTURE INCREASES OVER THE REGION FROM THE SW AS A SFC LOW
MOVES E ACROSS THE PLAINS WED. A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE MS VALLEY
WED AND WINDS PICK UP FROM THE S OVER THE CWA. A VIGOROUS UPPER LOW
WILL ALSO HELP DECREASE STABILITY AND AT LEAST SCT THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED BY THU. SFC LOW STALLS N OF AREA...KEEPING A CHANCE OF RAIN
MAINLY OVER THE MTNS INTO EARLY SAT.
AVIATION...
DEEP SFC LOW REMAINS TO THE N WITH STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS
REGION. GUSTY W TO NW WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH OVERNIGHT PERIOD
WITH EVEN STRONGER GUSTS OVER MTNS PSBL BY LATE EVENING AS H85
GRADIENT TIGHTENS AND A 60KT LL JET MAX DEVELOPS. MOISTURE CONTINUES
TO WRAP AROUND LOW AND VCSH HAS BEEN CONTINUED FOR ALL TAF SITES
UNTIL AROUND MIDNIGHT. KAVL HAS THE BEST CHANCE FOR MIXED RAIN AND
SNOW SHOWERS WHERE A TEMPO GROUP CONTINUES INTO EARLY EVE. STRONG
GUSTY WINDS CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW BEFORE LOW MOVES FAR ENOUGH E
FOR PRESSURE GRADIENT TO RELAX.
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...WIND ADVISORY FOR GAZ010-017-029 FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 6 PM
SATURDAY.
...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR GAZ010 FROM 6 PM SATURDAY TO 6 AM SUNDAY.
...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR GAZ018-026-028 FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 6
PM SATURDAY.
NC...HEAVY SNOW WARNING FOR NCZ033-048>052-058 FROM NOON SATURDAY
TO 6 AM SUNDAY.
...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR NCZ033-049-050 FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 6
PM SUNDAY.
...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR NCZ034>037-054>057-066>072-082 FROM
NOON SATURDAY TO 6 PM SATURDAY.
...WIND ADVISORY FOR NCZ034-054-055-066-067 FROM 6 PM SATURDAY TO
6 AM SUNDAY.
...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR NCZ048-051>053-058-059-062>065 FROM 6 PM
SATURDAY TO 6 AM SUNDAY.
...WIND ADVISORY FOR NCZ048-051>053-058-059-062>065 FROM NOON
SATURDAY TO 6 PM SATURDAY.
...SNOW ADVISORY FOR NCZ053 FROM 6 PM SATURDAY TO 6 AM SUNDAY.
...SNOW ADVISORY FOR NCZ059-062-063 FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 6 AM
SUNDAY.
SC...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR SCZ001>010-013-014 FROM NOON SATURDAY
TO 6 PM SATURDAY.
...WIND ADVISORY FOR SCZ011-012-019 FROM NOON SATURDAY TO 6 PM
SATURDAY.
&&
SHORT TERM...SABHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 547 AM EST SAT APR 2 2005 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082-SCZ001>014- 019-031046- ABBEVILLE SC-ALEXANDER NC-ANDERSON SC-AVERY NC-BUNCOMBE NC-BURKE NC- CABARRUS NC-CALDWELL NC-CATAWBA NC-CHEROKEE SC-CHESTER SC- CLEVELAND NC-DAVIE NC-ELBERT GA-FRANKLIN GA-GASTON NC-GRAHAM NC- GREATER GREENVILLE SC-GREATER OCONEE SC-GREATER PICKENS SC- GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS SC-GREENWOOD SC-HABERSHAM GA-HART GA-HAYWOOD NC- HENDERSON NC-IREDELL NC-LAURENS SC-LINCOLN NC-MACON NC-MADISON NC- MCDOWELL NC-MECKLENBURG NC-MITCHELL NC-NORTHERN JACKSON NC- OCONEE MOUNTAINS SC-PICKENS MOUNTAINS SC-POLK NC-RABUN GA-ROWAN NC- RUTHERFORD NC-SOUTHERN JACKSON NC-SPARTANBURG SC-STEPHENS GA- SWAIN NC-TRANSYLVANIA NC-UNION SC-UNION NC-YANCEY NC-YORK SC- 547 AM EST SAT APR 2 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA... UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA...AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE... STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS...MAINLY TONIGHT. PLEASE SEE CAENPWGSP FOR DETAILS. ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS TODAY AND TONIGHT...MAINLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. PLEASE SEE CAEWSWGSP FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS SUNDAY. ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE WILL APPROACH THE REGION DURING MID-WEEK...BRINGING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. LANE
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
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, April 2005
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: 5447377, 5447378, 5447379, 5447380, 5447381, 5447382, 5447383, 5447384, 5447385, 5447386, 5447387, 5447388.