North Carolina, 2006

Damaging Wind in North Carolina, May 20, 2006

May 20, 2006 · NWS GSP · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 thunderstorm wind, 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

Open the live radar over this ground

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, 2:24 PM EST, 3 hours 36 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 20, 2:24 PM EST, 3 hours 36 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
324 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
CONVECTION HAS BLOSSOMED RAPIDLY OVER THE SOUTHWEST CWFA IN
MODERATELY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER THE AREA. LOW LEVEL WIND HAS
YET TO MAKE THE TURN TO A WESTERLY DIRECTION...SO MIXING WAS
MINIMIZED IN THE SOUTH DESPITE NEARLY FULL SUN AND LAPSE RATES HAVE
BECOME QUITE STEEP. WIND SHEAR STILL SUFFICIENT FOR SUPERCELLS
THROUGH 21Z OR SO...THEN FORECAST DATA SUGGESTS WEAKENING SHEAR BUT
STILL A HAIL THREAT. UPSTREAM...A CONVECTIVE COMPLEX HAS DEVELOPED
OVER SOUTHERN TENNESSEE...AHEAD OF A VORT CENTER. THIS COMPLEX
SHOULD OVERSPREAD THE FAR WESTERN MOUNTAINS...NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND
THE WESTERN HALF OF THE UPSTATE THROUGH THROUGH EARLY EVENING...THEN
PERHAPS TREK A BIT TO THE EAST. NAM AND GFS BOTH BREAK UP THE PRECIP
FIELD IN FAVORED-DOWNSLOPE LOCATIONS...THEN ORGANIZE ANOTHER
CONVECTIVE CLUSTER OVER THE EASTERN ZONES AS THE COLD FRONT FROM UP
NORTH SAGS SOUTH. WE WILL FEATURE HIGH CHANCE TO LIKELY POPS IN THE
SOUTH...TRENDING TO ISOLATED NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40.

UPPER AIR ANALYSIS THIS MORNING SHOWED A TROF UPSTREAM THAT IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE IN OUR DIRECTION OVERNIGHT AND SUNDAY. AT THE SAME
TIME...MODELS SUGGEST A SECONDARY FRONT OR SURFACE BOUNDARY WILL
BACK DOOR FROM THE MID ATLANTIC STATES AS ANOTHER LOBE OF DPVA
AFFECTS THE REGION WITH SHORTWAVE. AGAIN...IT APPEARS THE SOUTHWEST
MOUNTAINS...NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE UPSTATE WILL HAVE GREATEST
COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION. AT THE SAME TIME...FRONT CURRENTLY
ATTEMPTING TO DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION WILL BE STATIONARY JUST
TO OUR SOUTH. ANY OSCILLATION OF THE FEATURE BACK NORTHWARD COULD
RESULT IN SLIGHTLY BETTER COVERAGE OVER THE SOUTHERN CWFA. WE WILL
PLAN CHANCE POPS FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS...AND LIMIT TO
ISOLATED OR LESS FOR THE MORE NORTHERN AREAS...WHERE RETURN FLOW
MAY NOT BE AS GREAT.

ANOTHER REINFORCING COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD INTO NORTH
CAROLINA SUNDAY NIGHT...AS DIVERGENCE IN THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION
OF THE UPPER JETLET CROSSES THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. TIMING OF
H5 SHORTWAVES VARIES WIDELY FROM MODEL TO MODEL FOR THE SUN NIGHT
THROUGH MON PERIOD...BUT CONSENSUS BRINGS THE BEST UPPER SUPPORT
TO THE SRN APPALACHIANS AROUND 12Z MONDAY. THE COLD FRONT WILL
CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A FOCUSING MECHANISM FOR SCATTERED CONVECTION
AS IT MOVES SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION ON MONDAY...THEN SLIP SOUTH OF
THE AREA ON TUESDAY.

&&

.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRES SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE MIDWEST
ON THURSDAY...AND SWING SLOWLY THROUGH THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS
THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND. PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL RAMP UP ACCORDINGLY
THU THROUGH SAT...AS A SURFACE FRONT REMAINS STALLED ACROSS THE
REGION.

&&

.AVIATION...
DELAY OF SURFACE FRONT PUSHING SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA HAS RESULTED
IN SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST SURFACE WINDS IN THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT.
WIND SHOULD VEER TO MORE OF A WESTERLY DIRECTION AS THE FRONT SAGS
SOUTH PAST KHKY LATE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT MAY MAINTAIN SOME
SEMBLENCE OF SOUTHWEST CHARACTERISTICS AS SHORTWAVE ENERGY
APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. TSRA ORGANIZING NOW OFF TO THE WEST. WE
INCLUDED A TEMPO GROUP AT KAND FOR MVFR VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS IN
THE 20Z TO 23Z TIME FRAME...WITH VCSH INCLUDED FROM LATE AFTERNOON
TO 00Z AT ALL OTHER SITES EXCEPT FOR KHKY. AFTER THIS EVENING...A
GENERAL LIGHT WEST WIND SHOULD DOMINATE. THERE WILL LIKELY BE A
PERIOD OF VARIABLE WIND DIRECTION WITH LIGHT SPEEDS LATE TONIGHT
THROUGH THE EARLY OUTLOOK PERIOD. THE FINAL HOURS OF THE OUTLOOK
PERIOD AGAIN FEATURE WEST WINDS AROUND 6 TO 8 KTS...WITH VFR
CEILINGS.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...HG/SAB
LONG TERM...HG
AVIATION...SAB
Hazardous weather outlook, May 20, 5:00 AM EST, 13 hours before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
600 AM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-211000-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-ALEXANDER-
IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-
CATAWBA-ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-
TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-
CABARRUS-UNION NC-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER CALDWELL-
BURKE MOUNTAINS-GREATER BURKE-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-
RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-GREATER RUTHERFORD-POLK MOUNTAINS-
EASTERN POLK-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-
GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-
GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-
LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
600 AM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST
GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER
MUCH OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA...WITH THE
BEST CHANCE ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM ASHEVILLE TO GREENVILLE
AND ROCK HILL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE OVER THE WESTERN CAROLINAS
AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. A FEW OF THESE COULD
PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

MCAVOY

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 20, 4:57 PM EST, 1 hour 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
557 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

NCZ059-063-202300-
NORTHERN JACKSON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-
557 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS AFFECTING JACKSON COUNTY...

AT 557 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR SYLVA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
THE THUNDERSTORM MAY ALSO PRODUCE TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND ISOLATED
FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS FROM SYLVA TO CULLOWHEE.

HG
Local storm report, May 20, 5:10 PM EST, 50 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
610 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0558 PM     HAIL             SHELBY                  35.29N 81.54W
05/20/2006  E0.50 INCH       CLEVELAND          NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NEAR THE SHELBY AIRPORT ALONG BEN JONES ROAD.

&&

BSH
Local storm report, May 20, 5:30 PM EST, 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
630 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0621 PM     HAIL             5 W GASTONIA            35.25N 81.26W
05/20/2006  E1.00 INCH       GASTON             NC   AMATEUR RADIO

            NICKEL TO QUARTER HAIL NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF I-85 AND
            HIGHWAY 74.

0435 PM     HAIL             8 SE ROCK HILL          34.86N 80.93W
05/20/2006  E2.00 INCH       YORK               SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

0445 PM     HAIL             SIMPSONVILLE            34.73N 82.26W
05/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       GREENVILLE         SC   PUBLIC

&&

BSH
Local storm report, May 20, 5:35 PM EST, 25 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
635 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0545 PM     HAIL             8 NE GAFFNEY            35.15N 81.56W
05/20/2006  E1.75 INCH       CHEROKEE           SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

0630 PM     HAIL             DALLAS                  35.31N 81.18W
05/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       GASTON             NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

BSH
Local storm report, May 20, 5:43 PM EST, 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
643 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0637 PM     HAIL             GASTONIA                35.25N 81.17W
05/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       GASTON             NC   AMATEUR RADIO

            ALONG HIGHWAY 74 AT THE ACRES SHOPPING CENTER.

0638 PM     HAIL             ROSMAN                  35.14N 82.82W
05/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       TRANSYLVANIA       NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

0638 PM     HAIL             BELMONT                 35.25N 81.04W
05/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       GASTON             NC   AMATEUR RADIO

            AT HIGHWAY 273 AND HIGHWAY 74.

0550 PM     HAIL             VERDERY                 34.11N 82.25W
05/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       GREENWOOD          SC   PUBLIC

&&

BSH
Special weather statement, May 20, 5:50 PM EST, 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
650 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

SCZ011-202345-
ABBEVILLE-
650 PM EDT SAT MAY 20 2006

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS AFFECTING ABBEVILLE COUNTY...

AT 646 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ABBEVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM
FROM ABBEVILLE TO THE GREENWOOD COUNTY BORDER.

HG

The radar

The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 152 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:00 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rowan

When
May 20, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Rowan County, Salisbury
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
35.667, -80.500

Several trees down in the Salisbury area, at least 1 of which fell on a home.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, May 2006

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: 5508470.