North Carolina, 2008Tornado in North Carolina, December 11, 2008
December 11, 2008 · NWS GSP · 1 event in 1 county or zone
A brief tornado affected areas north of Concord. The tornado developed in association with a low topped shower as it moved along a sharp boundary separating cold air over the foothills and warmer and slightly unstable air surging in from the coast.
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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.
A brief tornado affected areas north of Concord. The tornado developed in association with a low topped shower as it moved along a sharp boundary separating cold air over the foothills and warmer and slightly unstable air surging in from the coast.
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 Dec 11, 2:36 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Dec 11, 2:36 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
236 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008
.SYNOPSIS...
LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS THIS EVENING
AND INTO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND ON FRIDAY. COOL HIGH PRESSURE WILL
BUILD INTO THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND REMAIN OVER THE AREA THROUGH
THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST ON
TUESDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
DISCRETE CELLS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP WITHIN THE BROKEN AREA OF
STRATIFORM RAIN JUST AHEAD OF A POTENT DRY SLOT. CONSIDERING THE
HIGH LLVL HELICITY AND SB CAPE VALUES OF 500 TO 700 J/KG...THE
POTENTIAL FOR MINI SUPERCELLS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...SHOULD LAST
UNTIL THE AREA OF PCPN EXITS OUR NC PIEDMONT COUNTIES...PROBABLY
ABOUT 6 OR 7 PM.
SNOW STILL LOOKS TO BE A GOOD BET LATER TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY AT
HIGHER ELEVATIONS IN THE MTNS. HOWEVER...THE AMOUNT OF PCPN IS
REALLY WHAT IS IN QUESTION. THE OPERATIONAL NAM GENERATES A GOOD 3
TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW ABOVE ABOUT 3500 FEET OVERNIGHT. HOWEVER IT
APPEARS TO BE TOO FAR SOUTHEAST WITH THE DEFORMATION ZONE ON THE
BACK SIDE OF THE RAPIDLY EJECTING SHORT WAVE. THE GFS HAS A BETTER
HANDLE ON CURRENT TRENDS INCLUDING THE NORTHWARD PENETRATION OF DRY
SLOT...WHICH SHOULD KEEP THE BACK EDGE OF THE PCPN SHIELD OVER TN
FOR THE MOST PART. THE NAM ALSO GENERATED TOO MUCH PCPN IN ANOTHER
RECENT EVENT WHEN AN UPPER LOW MOVED FROM SW TO NE ACROSS THE
AREA...WHICH MAY REPRESENT SOME KIND OF MODEL BIAS. THE SREF PLUME
DIAGRAMS AVERAGE LESS THAN AN INCH OF SNOW AT BOONE AND AT
ASHEVILLE...AGAIN SUPPORTING THE DRIER GFS. I STILL HAVE ENOUGH PCPN
TO WARRANT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 3500 FEET
OVER MOST OF THE NC MTNS...BUT AMOUNTS ONLY LOOK TO BE IN THE 1 TO 2
INCH RANGE WITH VERY LITTLE EXPECTED IN THE VALLEYS. THE EJECTING
UPPER LOW WILL DAMPEN OUT AS IT LIFTS NE TONIGHT...BUT THERE IS
STILL A CHANCE THAT WE COULD SEE HIGHER PCPN AMOUNTS OVER PARTS OF
THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS...SOMETHING WE/LL WATCH CLOSELY.
THE OTHER CONCERN IS THE FLOOD WATCH WHICH EXPIRES AT 7 PM. I/M
GOING TO WAIT ANOTHER HOUR OR SO TO MAKE UP MY MIND...BUT THE
WATCH WILL NEED TO BE CANCELLED FOR MUCH OF THE FA. I MIGHT KEEP
IT UP THROUGH 8 PM OVER THE CHARLOTTE METRO AREA AND NORTHERN
FOOTHILLS...BUT IT WILL DEFINITELY BE CANCELLED ELSEWHERE.
&&
.SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 220 PM THURSDAY...H8 TEMPS FALL TO AROUND -8 TO -10 LATE
FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT ALONG THE TN LINE AS A NRN STREAM SHORT WAVE
RESULTS IN NW FLOW ACROSS THE NC MTNS. FLURRIES AND SNOW SHOWERS
WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NRN MTNS. MOISTURE DOES NOT LOOK
IMPRESSIVE...AND I/VE KEPT POPS QUITE LOW...GENERALLY IN THE LOW END
CHANCE AND SLIGHT CHANCE RANGE. OTHERWISE SKIES WILL BE MOSTLY CLEAR
AWAY FROM THE TN LINE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FOR SATURDAY...BRINGING CLEAR SKIES AND
COOL TEMPERATURES FOR THE WEEKEND.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 2 PM THURSDAY...THE EXTENDED PERIOD SHOULD SEE THE UPPER AIR
PATTERN TRANSITION FROM A RIDGE OVER THE EASTERN U.S. TO GENERALLY
ZONAL FLOW BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK. AT THE SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE
IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC BUT GRADUALLY GIVE
WAY TO AN APPROACHING FRONTAL BOUNDARY IN THE WED TIMEFRAME. FETCH
OFF THE ATLANTIC ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE HIGH WILL ADVECT
INCREASING LEVELS OF MOISTURE INTO THE REGION WITH SOME LIGHT RAIN
SHOWERS POSSIBLY DEVELOPING IN THE FAVORED UPSLOPE AREAS MON AND
TUE. AS THE FRONT ENCROACHES ON THE AREA DURING WED MOST OF THE
FORECAST AREA WILL SEE A CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS WITH THE HIGHEST
POPS OVER THE MOUNTAINS. WITH GENERALLY A ZONAL FLOW ALOFT
ANTICIPATED...THE FRONT SHOULD BECOME QUASI-STATIONARY SOMEWHERE
ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA THROUGH LATE WEEK.
THEREFORE...WILL NEED TO RETAIN CHANCE POPS INTO LATE WEEK.
THIS SCENARIO STAYS CLOSE TO THE HPC SOLUTION WHICH FAVORED THE
ECM/ECM ENSEMBLE. THE GFS SOLUTION DIFFERS LATE NEXT WEEK IN MOVING
THE FRONT THROUGH AS A COLD FRONT...WHICH SEEMS DOUBTFUL CONSIDERING
A NEAR ZONAL UPPER AIR PATTERN. EXPECT PRECIP TO REMAIN ALL
LIQUID...EVEN IN THE MOUNTAINS AS EXPECT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR A
LARGE DIURNAL TEMP RANGE WITH CLOUD COVER. DID MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS
TO HPC MIN TEMPS TO KEEP TEMPS IN THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE FREEZING.
&&
.AVIATION /20Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
KCLT WILL CONTINUE TO SEE IFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...
WITH ONLY GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT IN CIGS. THERE WILL BE A BRIEF LULL IN
PRECIP DURING THE FIRST HOUR OR SO OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...BUT
ANOTHER SWATH OF MOD-HEAVY RAIN...PRODUCING PERIODS OF IFR VISBY AND
POSSIBLY A TS OR TWO...WILL MOVE ACROSS THE FIELD BY 19-20Z. EVENING
SHOULD BRING AN END TO WIDESPREAD PRECIP...AND ATTENDANT IMPROVEMENT
TO MVFR CONDITIONS. HOWEVER...LINGERING SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE
THROUGH MUCH OF THE OVERNIGHT. WINDS SHOULD GRADUALLY BECOME MORE
SOUTHERLY THIS AFTERNOON...BEFORE SHIFTING TO THE WEST/NORTHWEST
OVERNIGHT.
ELSEWHERE...THE BACK EDGE OF PRECIP WILL MOVE RAPIDLY ACROSS THE NC
MTNS/WESTERN UPSTATE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT TO
MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED BY THIS EVENING. LINGERING SHOWERS WILL BE
POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT...AS A STRONG AREA OF UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE
MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. THE BEST CHANCE FOR OVERNIGHT SHOWER ACTIVITY
WILL BE AT KAVL. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE FRIDAY MORNING...WITH
GUSTS IN THE 20-25 KT RANGE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA THROUGH
THE END OF THE PERIOD.
OUTLOOK...VFR CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP BY FRI MORNING AND CONTINUE
INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR GAZ010-017-018-026-
028-029.
NC...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR NCZ033-035>037-
048>053-056>059-062>065-068>072-082-501>510.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST
FRIDAY FOR NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062-063.
SC...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR SCZ001>014-019.
&&
SYNOPSIS...MCAVOY
NEAR TERM...MCAVOY
SHORT TERM...MCAVOY
LONG TERM...LGL
AVIATION...JDLHazardous weather outlook, Dec 11, 11:20 AM EST, 4 hours 30 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1120 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
GAZ010-NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065-501-503-505-507-509-121630-
RABUN-AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-GRAHAM-
NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-
CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-BURKE MOUNTAINS-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-
RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-POLK MOUNTAINS-
1120 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
FLOOD WATCH.
AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM PULLS AWAY FROM THE REGION TONIGHT...MUCH
COOLER AIR WILL BEGIN TO FILTER IN ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA
MOUNTAINS. AS THIS COLD AIR MOVES IN...PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO
BEGIN CHANGING OVER TO SNOW LATE TONIGHT AND INTO EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM HALF OF AN INCH OR LESS
IN MOUNTAIN VALLEYS...TO AN INCH OR TWO IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS BY
FRIDAY MORNING. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED FOR TONIGHT
FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF FLOODING
TO OUR OFFICE.
NCZ035>037-056-068-069-502-504-506-508-510-121630-
ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-CATAWBA-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GREATER CALDWELL-
GREATER BURKE-EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER RUTHERFORD-EASTERN POLK-
1120 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA AND
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
FLOOD WATCH.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE
FOOTHILLS AND FAR WESTERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA THIS
AFTERNOON. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE FROM DAMAGING
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED WEAK TORNADO CANNOT BE
RULED OUT. THE GREATER CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL EXIST ALONG
AND EAST OF I-85.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF DAMAGING
WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.
GAZ017-018-026-028-029-SCZ001>006-010-011-019-121630-
HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-
PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE-
GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-GREENWOOD-
1120 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 951 IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS
AFTERNOON...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND UPSTATE
SOUTH CAROLINA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
FLOOD WATCH.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF DAMAGING
WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.
NCZ057-070>072-082-SCZ007>009-012>014-121630-
ROWAN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-
LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-
1120 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...
...TORNADO WATCH 952 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA AND
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.
.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.
FLOOD WATCH.
TORNADO WATCH.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF DAMAGING
WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.
LANE
In the hours before
Local storm report, Dec 11, 10:40 AM EST, 5 hours 10 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1040 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1245 PM TSTM WND DMG ENOREE 34.66N 81.97W
12/10/2008 SPARTANBURG SC FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
TREE DOWN ON HWY 92 NEAR POST OFFICE AND NEAR JACK AND
JOES STORE.
1245 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 E ENOREE 34.66N 81.93W
12/10/2008 SPARTANBURG SC COUNTY OFFICIAL
TREE DOWN ON I-26 NEAR ENOREE.
&&
TBENTHALLSpecial weather statement, Dec 11, 11:23 AM EST, 4 hours 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1123 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-SCZ001-004-010-011-019-111745-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-
GREATER OCONEE-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-GREENWOOD-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLAYTON...CLARKESVILLE...TOCCOA...
HARTWELL...ELBERTON...ANDERSON...ABBEVILLE...GREENWOOD
1123 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
...A BRIEF PERIOD OF VERY WINDY CONDITIONS EXPECTED...
A BAND OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WILL MOVE ACROSS EXTREME
NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND INTO THE WESTERN UPSTATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
THROUGH 1230 PM. WINDS ALONG THE BACK EDGE OF THE AREA OF RAIN
HAVE BEEN GUSTING UP TO 45 MPH. AREAS FROM ELBERTON TO TOCCOA AND
CLAYTON WILL LIKELY SEE THESE GUSTY WINDS THROUGH NOON. THEREAFTER
THE WINDS WILL AFFECT AREAS FROM WALHALLA TO ANDERSON AND
ABBEVILLE. AS THE GROUND IS WET FROM RECENT RAINFALL...A FEW
TREES AND POWER LINES MAY BE KNOCKED DOWN BY THE WINDS.
IF THE WINDS CONTINUE TO INCREASE ALONG THE BACK EDGE OF THIS AREA
OF RAIN...A HIGH WIND WARNING MAY NEED TO BE ISSUED FOR PARTS OF
NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.
MCAVOY
Tornado, Cabarrus
- When
- December 11, 3:50 PM EST to 3:54 PM EST
- Where
- Cabarrus County, 1.27 mi ESE of Watts Xrds to 2.57 mi NE of Watts Xrds
- Rating
- EF1
- Path length
- 2.44 mi
- Path width
- 30 yd
- Reported by
- NWS Storm Survey
- Coordinates
- 35.464, -80.449
This tornado developed just south of the intersection of Mount Pleasant Rd North and Gold Hill Rd, where part of the roof and southwest side wall of a barn were lifted and tossed 20 to 30 yards. The tornado continued almost due north, roughly paralleling Mount Pleasant Rd, knocking a mobile home 5-10 feet off its foundation on Gold Hill Rd. The tornado continued its intermittent track to the north toward Klutz Rd, where a barn received some minor roof damage and a large hardwood tree snapped off and destroyed a travel trailer. The south side of a barn was torn off and lifted just north of Klutz Rd, with debris scattered up to 100 yards north of the structure. The tornado lifted shortly after this damage occurred. In addition to the structural damage, quite a few trees were snapped off or uprooted along the 2.5 mile track.
- Tornado
- A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Ice Storm and Flooding in Massachusetts, December 11 to 12, 20081 death · $44 million · 58 kt wind · 14 events
- Ice Storm and Winter Storm in New York, December 11 to 12, 20082 deaths · 27 events
- Ice Storm in New Hampshire, December 11 to 12, 2008$36 million · 3 events
- Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Maine, December 11 to 12, 2008$13 million · 17 events
- Ice Storm and Winter Storm in New Hampshire, December 11 to 12, 2008$5.2 million · 12 events
- Lightning Strike and Heavy Rain in North Carolina, December 11, 2008$3.0 million · 4 events
- Winter Storm in Vermont, December 11 to 12, 2008$515,000 · 16 events
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, December 11, 20084 injured · $81,000 · EF0 · 12 events
- Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in Mississippi, December 11, 2008$170,000 · 18 events
- Heavy Snow in Kentucky, December 11 to 12, 2008$150,000 · 9 events
- Ice Storm in New York, December 11 to 12, 20088 injured · 1 event
- High Wind in Georgia, December 11, 2008$125,000 · 51 kt wind · 2 events
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: 147044.