Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, July 23, 2009

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, July 23, 2009
Start: 2009-07-23T14:10
End: 2009-07-23T17:47
Location: North Carolina

July 23, 2009 · NWS GSP · 7 events in 5 counties and zones

Scattered thunderstorms developed over the North Carolina Foothills. A few of the storms produced large hail and wind damage.

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: 7

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.

Scattered thunderstorms developed over the North Carolina Foothills. A few of the storms produced large hail and wind damage.

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 Jul 23, 1:37 PM EST, 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 23, 1:37 PM EST, 33 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 23, 4:25 AM EST, 9 hours 45 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 23, 1:55 PM EST, 15 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 23, 2:07 PM EST, 3 minutes before

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The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:08 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Rutherford

When: July 23, 2:10 PM EST
Where: Rutherford County, 0.8 mi E of Rutherfordton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.368, -81.956

Thunderstorm Wind, Rutherford

When: July 23, 2:30 PM EST
Where: Rutherford County, 0.93 mi ENE of Forest City
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.333, -81.864

Five trees were blown down across the city.

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: July 23, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Polk County, 0.6 mi ESE of Mill Spg
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.297, -82.160

Two trees were blown down in the Mill Spring community.

Thunderstorm Wind, Alexander

When: July 23, 3:50 PM EST
Where: Alexander County, 2.32 mi WNW of Hiddenite
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.909, -81.120

Trees and power lines were blown down between Taylorsville and Hiddenite.

Hail, Cleveland

When: July 23, 4:17 PM EST
Where: Cleveland County, 3.44 mi ENE of Archdale
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 35.199, -81.373

Hail was reported on I-85 near exit 5.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cabarrus

When: July 23, 5:47 PM EST
Where: Cabarrus County, 0.24 mi WNW of Cabarrus
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.231, -80.554

Large limbs were blown down.

Hail, Cabarrus

When: July 23, 5:47 PM EST
Where: Cabarrus County, 0.24 mi WNW of Cabarrus
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.231, -80.554

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

Every storm in North Carolina in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, July 2009

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: 190694, 190695, 190696, 190699, 190846, 190851, 190852.