Flash Flood, Greenville
- When
- May 20, 5:00 AM EST to 7:00 AM EST
- Where
- Greenville County, Greenville
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 34.850, -82.400
The Reedy River in downtown Greenville flooded. Also, Edwards Rd flooded in Taylors.
Flash Flood in South Carolina, May 20, 2005
1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 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 May 20, 2:46 AM EST, 2 hours 14 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 20, 2:46 AM EST, 2 hours 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
346 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
.SHORT TERM (REST OF TODAY)...
UPDATED WWA SECTION FOR FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN THE SOUTHERN NC MTNS.
&&
.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
(ISSUED 339 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005)
SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT)...
UPDATED TO INCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF A SHORT FUSE FLASH FLOOD WATCH
IN THE SOUTHERN NC MOUNTAINS. ADDITIONAL CONVECTION DEVELOPING NEAR
CROSSVILLE TN COULD CREATE HYDROLOGY PROBLEMS FROM HAYWOOD COUNTY
SOUTH EARLY TODAY.
UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE MAXIMIZES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AROUND
12Z THIS MORNING...WITH 500 MB SHORTWAVE SLATED TO ARRIVE 12 TO
18Z. LEADING EDGE OF MCS CURRENTLY IS CATCHING UP TO SCATTERED TO
NUMEROUS CONVECTIVE CELLS AHEAD OF THE QUASI LINEAR FEATURE.
WIDESPREAD STRONG TO SEVERE CONVECTION WILL THUS CONTINUE IN THE
WATCH AREA INTO THE MORNING HOURS. UPPER SUPPORT WITH THE
SHORTWAVE WILL FINALLY PULL EAST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING. AT THE
SURFACE...A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE CENTERS WILL TRANSIT EAST
ACROSS THE REGION TODAY AND EXIT THE COAST NEAR THE DELMARVA. HIGH
PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL THEN FINALLY
PUSH THE SURFACE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT WITH GRADUAL
CLEARING AND DRYING THROUGH SATURDAY.
THE NEXT SYSTEM DIVES SOUTHEAST LATE THIS WEEKEND...WITH ANOTHER
COMPLEX SURFACE PATTERN EVOLVING AS UPPER LOWS COMBINE INTO NEW
ENGLAND. THE LATE WEEKEND SYSTEM SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY SLIGHTLY
LESS INSTABILITY HOWEVER.
LONG TERM (MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)...
CONSENSUS REMAINS ON MEAN EASTERN TROUGHING THROUGH MUCH OF THE
PERIOD. NO CHANGES PLANNED TO CURRENT MEDIUM RANGE FORECAST.
AVIATION...
WILL START TAFS WITH TEMPO FOR CONVECTION...ASSOCIATED WITH PAIR OF
SHORTWAVES...NOW LEAVING OR ENTERING AREA...TIMING FIRST BAND AS IT
MOVES OUT OF KCLT AND KAND...AND SECOND BAND AS IT MOVES INTO KAVL
AND KGSP. MODELS HAVE BULK OF OMEGA OVERNIGHT...WITH MESOETA
DECREASING IT AROUND 09Z. BASED ON SPEED OF CONVECTION IN E
TN...WILL CARRY THUNDER THROUGH 09Z...AND JUST TEMPO SHOWERS TOWARD
DAWN. IN ADDITION TO CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY...MVFR THEN IFR CIGS AND
VSBY EXPECTED AS PRECIPITATION ADDS MOISTURE TO ALREADY MOIST
ATMOSPHERE.
WILL ALLOW MVFR VSBY AND CIGS TO LIFT MID MORNING IN WAKE OF
SHORTWAVES. WITH LIMITED LIFT BEHIND INITIAL SHORTWAVES...WILL DELAY
ONSET OF DAYTIME CONVECTION TIL AFTERNOON WHEN LIMITED HEATING
THROUGH LOW VFR CIGS BOOSTS ALREADY ELEVATED INSTABILITY. EXPECT
FROPA EARLY THIS EVENING...AND THOUGH FORCING WEAK...WITH PLENTY OF
MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY...EXPECT CONVECTION TO ACCOMPANY FRONT S
ACROSS TAF SITES. WIND VEERS TO NNE BEHIND FROPA LATE EVENING...WITH
LOW VFR CIGS IMPROVING SLIGHTLY.
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NCZ051-052-058-059-062>064 UNTIL NOON
FRIDAY.
SC...NONE.
&&
SHORT TERM...HGHazardous weather outlook, May 20, 4:46 AM EST, 14 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 546 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082- SCZ001>014-019-211000- RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-CALDWELL- ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD- BUNCOMBE-MCDOWELL-BURKE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON- MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-POLK-RUTHERFORD- CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION- OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS- GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG- CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-CHESTER-GREENWOOD- 546 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA... MUCH OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...AND EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FAIRLY WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE REGION TODAY...ESPECIALLY THIS MORNING. ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER...WITH PENNY SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH...WILL BE POSSIBLE. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ACCOMPANYING THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLOODING. PLEASE SEE THE SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...SPSGSP...FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE THUNDERSTORMS. ALSO SEE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH...FFAGSP...FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING IN THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPORTING SEVERE WEATHER...FLOODING AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS. 14
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 19, 11:42 PM EST, 5 hours 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1242 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1237 AM HAIL REED CREEK 34.44N 82.92W
05/20/2005 1.00 INCH HART GA LAW ENFORCEMENT
HAIL THE SIZE OF QUARTERS 5 MILES NORTH OF HARTWELL IN
REED CREEK COMMUNITY.
&&
TJBLocal storm report, May 19, 11:47 PM EST, 5 hours 13 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1247 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1243 AM HAIL 8 N SHELBY 35.40N 81.54W
05/20/2005 0.88 INCH CLEVELAND NC UNKNOWN
PUBLIC REPORT OF NICKEL SIZE HAIL 8 MILES NORTH OF SHELBY
ON HWY 226.
&&
TJBLocal storm report, May 20, 12:06 AM EST, 4 hours 54 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
106 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 AM TSTM WND DMG AVALON 34.50N 83.19W
05/20/2005 STEPHENS GA COUNTY OFFICIAL
TREES DOWN IN AVALON AREA, ONE ON MARTIN DRIVE.
&&
TJBLocal storm report, May 20, 2:45 AM EST, 2 hours 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
345 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0338 AM TSTM WND DMG 10 NE HENDERSONVILLE 35.42N 82.34W
05/20/2005 HENDERSON NC LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN ON HWY 64 IN EDNEYVILLE
0338 AM TSTM WND DMG ETOWAH 35.32N 82.60W
05/20/2005 HENDERSON NC LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN ON HWY 64 IN ETOWAH.
&&
TJBSpecial weather statement, May 20, 4:42 AM EST, 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 542 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033>037-048>059-062>072-082- SCZ001>014-019-201145- RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-CALDWELL- ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD- BUNCOMBE-MCDOWELL-BURKE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON- MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-POLK-RUTHERFORD- CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION- OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS- GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG- CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-CHESTER-GREENWOOD- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLAYTON...CLARKESVILLE...TOCCOA... HARTWELL...ELBERTON...NEWLAND...STATESVILLE...MOCKSVILLE... SPRUCE PINE...CHEROKEE...WAYNESVILLE...ASHEVILLE...MARION... MORGANTON...HICKORY...SALISBURY...SYLVA...FRANKLIN...BREVARD... HENDERSONVILLE...COLUMBUS...RUTHERFORDTON...SHELBY...LINCOLNTON... GASTONIA...CHARLOTTE...CONCORD...MONROE...GREENVILLE... SPARTANBURG...GAFFNEY...ROCK HILL...ANDERSON...ABBEVILLE... LAURENS...UNION...CHESTER...GREENWOOD 542 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK... WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING EAST TODAY...FROM EASTERN TENNESSEE TO THE DELMARVA PENINSULA...WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SEVERAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION. AFTER THE EARLY ROUND OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS COMES TO AN END ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING...ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THESE LATER THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM...POSSIBLY PRODUCING STREET FLOODING IN AFFECTED AREAS. STAY TUNED TO ALL HAZARDS NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST UPDATES...AND ANY POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS. HG
Special weather statement, May 20, 4:56 AM EST, 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 556 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005 NCZ033>037-048>050-053>056-065-069-201100- ALEXANDER-AVERY-BUNCOMBE-BURKE-CALDWELL-CATAWBA-DAVIE-HENDERSON- IREDELL-LINCOLN-NCDOWELL-MADISON-MITCHELL-YANCEY- 556 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 298 FOR THE FOLLOWING AREA... IN NORTH CAROLINA THIS CANCELS 17 COUNTIES IN PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA CLEVELAND... DAVIE... IREDELL... LINCOLN... IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA ALEXANDER... AVERY... BUNCOMBE... BURKE... CALDWELL... CATAWBA... HENDERSON... MADISON... MCDOWELL... MITCHELL... POLK... RUTHERFORD... YANCEY... THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...RUTHERFORDTON...COLUMBUS... HICKORY...NEWTON...LINCOLNTON...ASHEVILLE...MORGANTON... BAKERSVILLE...TAYLORSVILLE...MOCKSVILLE...MARION...NEWLAND... MARSHALL...HENDERSONVILLE...STATESVILLE...MOORESVILLE... BURNSVILLE AND SHELBY. GAZ010-017>018-026-028>029-NCZ051>052-057>059-062>064- 071>072-082-SCZ001>014-019-201300- ELBERT-FRANKLIN-HABERSHAM-HART-RABUN-STEPHENS-CABARRUS-GRAHAM- HAYWOOD-JACKSON--MACON-MECKLENBURG-ROWAN-SWAIN-TRANSYLVANIA- UNION-ABBEVILLE-ANDERSON-CHEROKEE-CHESTER-GREENVILLE--GREENWOOD- LAURENS-OCONEE--PICKENS--SPARTANBURG-UNION-YORK- 556 AM EDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 298 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 9 AM EDT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREA... IN GEORGIA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 6 COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA ELBERT... FRANKLIN... HABERSHAM... HART... RABUN... STEPHENS... IN NORTH CAROLINA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 11 COUNTIES IN PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA CABARRUS... GASTON... MECKLENBURG... ROWAN... UNION... IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA GRAHAM... HAYWOOD... JACKSON... MACON... SWAIN... TRANSYLVANIA... IN SOUTH CAROLINA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 12 COUNTIES IN UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA ABBEVILLE... ANDERSON... CHEROKEE... CHESTER... GREENVILLE... GREENWOOD... LAURENS... OCONEE... PICKENS... SPARTANBURG... UNION... YORK... THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...CARNESVILLE...WALHALLA...HARTWELL... LAURENS...CONCORD...WAYNESVILLE...SPARTANBURG...UNION...EASLEY... CHESTER...GAFFNEY...CLAYTON...GREENVILLE...BRYSON CITY... GREENWOOD...SALISBURY...BREVARD...ABBEVILLE...GASTONIA...MONROE... ROBBINSVILLE...ELBERTON...CHARLOTTE...ANDERSON...FRANKLIN... ROCK HILL...CULLOWHEE...SYLVA...CLARKESVILLE AND TOCCOA. HG
The radar
The Greer radar (KGSP), 17 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:59 UTC.
Event by event
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heat in Arizona, May 20 to 26, 2005
- Avalanche in Colorado, May 20, 2005
- Flash Flood and Hail in Mississippi, May 20, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, May 20, 2005
- Damaging Wind in South Carolina, May 20, 2005
- Tornado in North Carolina, May 20, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, May 20, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Montana, May 20, 2005
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in North Dakota, May 20 to 21, 2005
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 20, 2005
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, May 20, 2005
- Tornado in Virginia, May 20, 2005
More
Every storm in South Carolina in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, May 2005
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5453619.