South Carolina, 2008

Hail and Damaging Wind in South Carolina, June 9, 2008

June 9, 2008 · NWS GSP · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

A few severe storms produced large hail over Upstate South Carolina during the evening hours.

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
4

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.

A few severe storms produced large hail over Upstate South Carolina during the evening hours.

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 Jun 9, 3:51 PM EST, 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 9, 3:51 PM EST, 29 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
451 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008

.SYNOPSIS...
AN UNSEASONABLY STRONG AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL WEAKEN AND MOVE
OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST TONIGHT AND TUESDAY AS A WEAK COLD FRONT
MOVES INTO THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS TUESDAY AFTERNOON. THE
FRONT WILL BECOME STATIONARY OVER THE WESTERN CAROLINAS TUESDAY
NIGHT AND IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE REGION BUT SLOWLY DISSIPATE
INTO THE WEEKEND.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/...
ANOTHER UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED LATE THIS AFTERNOON TO INCREASE POPS
YET AGAIN IN THE PIEDMONT AS VIGOROUS CONVECTION MOVES NORTH OUT OF
THE MIDLANDS.

FIRST ISSUE IS IN REGARD TO HOW MUCH LATE DAY CONVECTION WILL FIRE
IN THE MOUNTAINS. LAPS SOUNDING AT AVL IS QUITE UNSTABLE AT 17Z.
WITH WEAK SOUTHERLY UPSLOPE FLOW DEVELOPING...WILL CONTINUE TO
FORECAST WIDELY SCATTERED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP BY
21Z. A BRIEF DAMAGING DOWNBURST AND HAIL UP TO 3/4 INCH CANT BE
RULED OUT AS EQUILIBRIUM LEVEL AROUND 45K FT. STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP
SHOULD DISSIPATE QUICKLY AFTER SUNSET. AS EXPECTED...DEWPOINTS MIXED
OUT IN THE FOOTHILLS/PIEDMONT INTO THE UPPER 50S/LOWER 60S WHICH
SHOULD KEEP THINGS CAPPED THERE THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING.
OVERNIGHT...GENERALLY CLEAR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL ALONG WITH
WARM MIN TEMPS SIMILAR TO MAV MOS.

ON TUE...IT IS LOOKING INCREASINGLY LIKE THE THE FOOTHILLS AND
PIEDMONT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ENDURE ANOTHER DAY OF RECORD HEAT.
EVEN THOUGH UPPER RIDGE IS SHIFTING SLOWLY EAST....H850 THICKNESS IS
STILL FORECAST TO SUPPORT MAX TEMPERATURES NEAR 100. 12Z MAV MOS HAS
COME IN AT 98 FOR BOTH GSP/CLT WHICH MATCHES THEIR RECORD HIGHS. SEE
NO REASON NOT TO BUY INTO THOSE TEMPS AS EXPECT ANY THUNDERSTORMS
WILL NOT ARRIVE UNTIL VERY LATE IN THE DAY. BOTH GFS/NAM BRING A
WEAK BOUNDARY INTO THE MOUNTAINS BY LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON WHICH
SHOULD TRIGGER SCATTERED TO PERHAPS NUMEROUS SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS
WHICH WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES IN CHECK THERE. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE FOOTHILLS BY 00Z AS BOUNDARY MOVES SLOWLY
SE.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
THE LATE SPRING HEAT WAVE FINALLY SHOWS SIGNS OF BREAKING DURING THE
MIDDLE PART OF THE WEEK...NOT BY AN UPPER PATTERN CHANGE...BUT BY AN
INCREASE OF GULF AND ATLANTIC MOISTURE WHICH WILL FUEL MORE CLOUDS
AND CONVECTIVE PRECIP. THIS WILL BE MADE POSSIBLE BY THE 850MB RIDGE
BEING NUDGED OFF THE EAST COAST. THE BRIEF BREAKDOWN OF THE UPPER
RIDGE SHOULD ALLOW A DYING FRONT TO STALL ACROSS THE REGION TUESDAY
NIGHT. ALTHOUGH THE FRONT QUICKLY WASHES OUT...ATLANTIC MOISTURE
WILL CONTINUE TO POOL ALONG IT ON WEDNESDAY WITH A SOUTHEASTERLY
FLOW DEVELOPING AT LOW LEVELS EARLY IN THE DAY. THIS SHOULD LEAD TO
A RELATIVELY EARLY CONVECTIVE INITIATION WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS
DEVELOPING OVER THE HIGH TERRAIN AND NEAR THE BLUE RIDGE DURING THE
MIDDLE PART OF THE DAY. AS INSTABILITY IS USED UP...THE ACTIVITY
SHOULD BUILD EASTWARD INTO THE MOISTURE FLUX LATER IN THE DAY. THE
INCREASED CLOUD COVER AND SHOWER ACTIVITY SHOULD ACT TO KEEP A BIT
OF A LID ON HIGH TEMPS...ALL THE SAME...WENT WITH THE WARMEST OF THE
GUIDANCE AT EACH FORECAST POINT.

THURSDAY SHOULD BE MORE OF THE SAME WITH MAINLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN
THUNDERSTORMS FAVORING THE MOUNTAINS...BUT TEMPS SHOULD DROP BACK TO
NEAR NORMAL. THE UPPER RIDGE WILL STRENGTHEN ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST
ONE MORE TIME ON FRIDAY WHICH WILL CUT BACK ON SHOWER CHANCES...
ESPECIALLY TO THE EAST...WHILE ALLOWING TEMPS TO REBOUND A FEW
DEGREES.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
AS OF 2 PM MONDAY...SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE MID ATLANTIC
COAST WILL CONTINUE TO RETREAT EAST AS A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVES
SLOWLY SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO AND TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEYS ON
SATURDAY. THE LATEST GFS TAKES THE FRONT FASTER TO THE CAROLINA
COAST EARLY SUNDAY. THERE IS A BIT MORE CONFIDENCE IN THE ECMWF
SOLUTION OF HAVING A SLOWER FRONTAL PASSAGE.  THE EC HAS THE FRONT
OVER TENNESSEE EARLY SUNDAY...SO QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENCE.  INSTEAD
OF THE FRONT STALLING OUT OVER FLORIDA FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH
MONDAY NIGHT AS THE GFS HAS IT...THE FRONT SHOULD BE IN THE VICINITY
OF THE CAROLINA COAST TO AROUND MOBILE AL LATE MONDAY.  THUS...THIS
WEAK FRONT SHOULD PROVIDE THE FOCUS OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS
THIS WEEKEND ESPECIALLY JUST AHEAD OF THE SLOWLY ADVANCING BOUNDARY.
SOME UPPER TROFINESS WILL OCCUR OVER THE EASTERN PART OF THE
NATION TO START NEXT WEEK ACCORDING TO THE MODELS AND THAT WILL HELP
IN KEEPING TEMPERATURES WITHIN A FEW DEGREES OF NORMAL.

&&

.AVIATION /21Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
ANOTHER SET OF RATHER STRAIGHT FORWARD TAFS AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE
IS EXPECTED TO STUBBORNLY HOLD ON THROUGH 18Z TUE...EVEN THOUGH IT
WILL SHIFT EASTWARD. SOME WIDELY SCATTERED MOUNTAIN THUNDERSTORMS
LATE THIS AFTERNOON WARRANTS AN INCLUSION OF CB IN THE AVL CLOUD
GROUP IN THE 21Z-00Z TIME PERIOD. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS
(MOSTLY CLEAR) WILL CONTINUE. I WILL INCLUDE A COUPLE HOURS OF HAZE
FROM 11Z-13Z IN ALL OF THE TAF SITES EXCEPT KAVL/KHKY WHICH IS
ESSENTIALLY A PERSISTENCE FORECAST FROM THIS MORNING.

OUTLOOK...AN UPPER DISTURBANCE PASSING THROUGH THE OH VALLEY WILL
HELP TO BREAK DOWN THE UPPER RIDGE ON TUESDAY...AND INCREASE THE
POTENTIAL FOR MOUNTAIN THUNDERSTORMS. A WEAK FRONT WILL MOVE INTO
THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT AND BECOME STATIONARY BEFORE MOVING BACK
NORTRH OF THE AREA BY LATE WEEK. THE FRONT WILL HELP TO POOL
MOISTURE AND TRIGGER MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THURSDAY. SOME PERIODS OF MVFR CONDITIONS CAN
BE EXPECTED DURING THIS TIME. HIGH PRESSURE WILL RETURN ON
FRIDAY.

&&

.CLIMATE...
HERE ARE THE DAILY RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES AND THE YEAR IN WHICH
THEY LAST OCCURRED FOR GSP...CLT...AND AVL.

GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG

TUESDAY   6/10  98 1947
WEDNESDAY 6/11  99 1914

CHARLOTTE

TUESDAY   6/10  99 1947
WEDNESDAY 6/11 100 1914

ASHEVILLE

TUESDAY   6/10  90 1993
WEDNESDAY 6/11  88 1981

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...DEO
NEAR TERM...JAT/LG
SHORT TERM...PM
LONG TERM...DEO
AVIATION...LG
CLIMATE...LG/PM
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 9, 4:03 PM EST, 17 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
503 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-102115-
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-
503 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

HIGH TEMPERATURES REMAIN IN THE UPPER 90S...TO AROUND 100...OVER
MUCH OF THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON. EVEN THE
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAIN VALLEYS WILL REMAIN IN THE LOWER 90S IN
MANY INSTANCES. DEW POINTS WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LOW...KEEPING THE
HEAT INDEX UNDER THE 105 DEGREE ADVISORY CRITERIA.

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER
MUCH OF THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON...CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING.
A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING
DAMAGING WINDS AND PENNY SIZED HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS TUESDAY
AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE
FRONT. THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO BE A LITTLE BETTER
THAN IN PREVIOUS DAYS...AND THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT SOME OF
THE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND
LARGE HAIL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND
AGAIN ON TUESDAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 9, 2:37 PM EST, 1 hour 43 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
337 PM EDT MON JUN 09 2008

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

0335 PM     HAIL             3 SW BRYSON CITY        35.40N 83.49W
06/09/2008  E0.75 INCH       SWAIN              NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            PEA TO PENNY SIZED HAIL.

&&

RB
Special weather statement, Jun 9, 3:18 PM EST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
418 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008

NCZ050-092115-
MITCHELL-
418 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN MITCHELL COUNTY THROUGH
515 PM EDT...

AT 412 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF BAKERSVILLE...OR 10 MILES
NORTHEAST OF BURNSVILLE...MOVING NORTH AT 9 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO BULADEAN
  AND BAKERSVILLE.

PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.

RB
Local storm report, Jun 9, 3:24 PM EST, 56 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
424 PM EDT MON JUN 09 2008

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

0335 PM     HAIL             4 S CANTON              35.49N 82.84W
06/09/2008  E0.75 INCH       HAYWOOD            NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

RB
Special weather statement, Jun 9, 3:34 PM EST, 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
434 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008

SCZ019-092130-
GREENWOOD-
434 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT GREENWOOD COUNTY THROUGH 530 PM
EDT...

AT 430 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES EAST OF CALLISON...OR 16 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF GREENWOOD...MOVING NORTH AT 8 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO NINETY
  SIX...GREENWOOD...DYSON AND CALLISON.

SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.

07
Local storm report, Jun 9, 3:46 PM EST, 34 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
446 PM EDT MON JUN 09 2008

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

0440 PM     HAIL             2 NW SPRING CREEK       35.82N 82.88W
06/09/2008  E0.75 INCH       MADISON            NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

RB
Special weather statement, Jun 9, 4:07 PM EST, 13 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
507 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008

NCZ048>050-092200-
MADISON-MITCHELL-YANCEY-
507 PM EDT MON JUN 9 2008

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN MADISON...NORTHERN
YANCEY AND NORTHWESTERN MITCHELL COUNTIES THROUGH 600 PM EDT...

AT 504 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF RAMSEYTOWN...OR 8 MILES
NORTH OF BURNSVILLE...MOVING NORTH AT 12 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO SWISS...
  RAMSEYTOWN...POPLAR AND FAUST.

RB

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:20 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Chester

When
June 9, 4:20 PM EST
Where
Chester County, 4 mi SSE of Chester
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.647, -81.173

Hail, Chester

When
June 9, 4:35 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Chester County, Chester to 11 mi W of Chester
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.700, -81.200

Hail reported from Chester west to near the Union county line.

Hail, Spartanburg

When
June 9, 6:00 PM EST
Where
Spartanburg County, Pacolet
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
34.900, -81.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenville

When
June 9, 6:31 PM EST to 6:45 PM EST
Where
Greenville County, 10 mi NNW of Greer to 4 mi NNW of Greer
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
35.064, -82.298

Multiple trees were blown down, some onto power lines, northwest of Greer.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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 South Carolina in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, June 2008

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: 119061, 119062, 119065, 119068.