North Carolina, 2009

Flash Flooding and Hail in North Carolina, June 10, 2009

June 10, 2009 · NWS GSP · 21 events in 12 counties and zones

Several clusters of thunderstorms produced areas of severe weather over parts of western North Carolina during the afternoon and evening hours. Some flash flooding was also observed over the region.

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
$25,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
21

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.

Several clusters of thunderstorms produced areas of severe weather over parts of western North Carolina during the afternoon and evening hours. Some flash flooding was also observed over the region.

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 10, 1:46 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 10, 1:46 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
246 PM EDT WED JUN 10 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE REGION TODAY AND THURSDAY WILL BREAK
DOWN AND ALLOW A COLD FRONT TO DRIFT IN FROM THE NORTHWEST ON
FRIDAY. ONCE HERE...THE FRONT WILL LINGER ACROSS THE CAROLINAS
THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
ROBUST OUTFLOW/VORT AIDED TSTMS WILL CONTINUE MAKING EASTWARD
PROGRESS INTO THE NC MTNS THIS AFTERNOON WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT
AHEAD OF BROKEN LINE PROBABLE ACRS THE WESTERN CWFA WITHIN THE
MODERATELY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. AS STEERING MOTION IS GREATER THAN
THAN PAST SVRL DAYS...SHOULD WIND UP WITH SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS TSTMS
ALL ACRS THE FA THRU LATE EVENING. WITH FAVORABLE WET-BULB ZERO
HEIGHTS OBSERVED OFF THE 12 UTC KGSO SNDG...ALONG WITH THE ONGOING
THREAT OF MULTICELL DEVELOPMENT...WILL CONTINUE THE THREAT OF SOME
STORMS PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WIND. WILL BANK ON THE
LATEST RUC AND NAM HAVING A FAIR ENUF HANDLE ON THE EASTWARD
TRANSLATION OF VORT ENERGY...PASSING DOWNSTREAM OF THE CWFA
OVERNIGHT TO LOWER POPS TO JUST SLIGHT CHANCE IN IT/S WAKE. PATTERN
WILL AMPLIFY SOME ON THURSDAY IN RESPONSE TO MAIN S/WV DRIVING NE
INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. SHEAR PROFILES EXPECTEDLY CREEP UPWARD IN
MAGNITUDE IN RESPONSE...ALTHOUGH IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN TO WHAT
DEGREE EMBEDDED S/WVS...PERHAPS NEARING THE FA IN THE MORNING...HAVE
ON THE DIURNAL DESTABILIZATION PROCESS...BUT FOR NOW...PLAN ON
RAMPING UP TO SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS TSTMS ONCE AGAIN IN THE
AFTERNOON. FAVORABLE SHEAR PROFILES AND THE CHANCE FOR STORM
ORGANIZATION WILL EXIST AGAIN...LEADING TO THE THREAT OF SEEING
TSTMS PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WIND.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 245 PM WEDNESDAY...MODELS ARE STILL IN GENERAL AGREEMENT THRU
THE SHORT TERM. NEARLY ZONAL FLOW AT THE START OF THE PERIOD BECOMES
A LOW AMPLITUDE TROF BY THE END OF THE PERIOD AS A SERIES OF SHORT
WAVES MOVE ACROSS THE AREA. STILL LOOKS LIKE MAINLY DIURNAL
CONVECTION ENDING THU EVENING. HOWEVER...THERE IS SOME INDICATION
MCS ACTIVITY WILL BE CLOSE ENUF TO THE MTNS AND NRN TIER FOR
CONVECTION TO LINGER. HOWEVER...THE GFS APPEARS WAY OVERDONE WITH
CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK. THAT SAID...WILL KEEP A CHC POP AFTER MIDNIGHT
OVER THOSE AREAS. LOWS REMAIN ABOVE NORMAL.

ON FRIDAY...WEAK FRONT DROPS INTO THE AREA PROVIDING GOOD LOW LEVEL
CONVERGENCE. ALTHOUGH HIGHS WILL BE A LITTLE COOLER...THE SREF HAS
HIGH PROBABILITIES OF MODERATE CONVECTION DEVELOPING. ALTHOUGH
SHEAR WILL BE LOW...IT WILL BE HIGHER THAN THE PREVIOUS FEW DAYS.
SCT CONVECTION SHOULD DEVELOP ONCE AGAIN...WITH THE LEAST COVERAGE
SOUTH OF I-85. FRONT SAGS SOUTH THRU THE AREA FRI NITE. EXPECT
CONVECTION TO BECOME ISOLATED AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOWS A COUPLE OF
DEGREES COOLER.

FOR SATURDAY...EVEN WITH THE FRONT STALLED JUST TO OUR SOUTH OR OVER
THE SRN CWFA...MODERATE INSTABILITY IS ONCE AGAIN PROBABLE. WITH THE
FORCING AND SLIGHTLY INCREASED SHEAR...SCT CONVECTION DEVELOPS
AGAIN. HIGHS SIMILAR TO FRIDAYS NUMBERS. CONVECTION SHOULD BE MAINLY
DIURNAL SAT NITE WITH CONTINUED ABOVE NORMAL LOWS.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AS OF 225 PM WEDNESDAY...CONFIDENCE IN THE RUN TO RUN ECMWF IS STILL
LOW AS IT CONTINUES TO SHOW A WINTER TYPE LOW BOMBING NEAR THE
DELMARVA TOWARD THE END OF THE MEDIUM RANGE.  SOME CONFIDENCE
LEANING MORE TOWARD THE GFS...ALTHOUGH A COMPLEX BLEND IS MORE IN
ORDER.  STARTING WITH SUNDAY...A NEARLY ZONAL PATTERN IN THE 500MB
HEIGHTS AS THE SURFACE FRONT LINGERS FROM WEST TO EAST OVER THE
CAROLINAS INTO MONDAY MORNING.  SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED
ACCORDING TO HPC TO BUILD FROM THE GREAT LAKES TO START THE WEEK AND
PUSH THE SURFACE FRONT TO THE SOUTH STALLING OVER SOUTH GEORGIA
TUESDAY.  MODELS DO TEND TO AGREE THAT SOME SORT OF DISTURBANCE WILL
MOVE OUT AHEAD OF THE GREAT LAKES HIGH...THEN SOME LEVEL OF EAST
COAST LOW MAY DEVELOP.  THE CONSENSUS IS THAT AS THIS DISTURBANCE
PASSES TO THE NORTH ON MONDAY...A CONTINUED SLIGHT TO SMALL CHANCE
OF CONVECTION WILL EXTEND INTO AT LEAST MONDAY NIGHT.  THE LEVEL OF
COASTAL LOW DEVELOPMENT WOULD DETERMINE OUR WEATHER GOING INTO THE
END OF THE MEDIUM RANGE.  SHOULD DRY OUT SOME IN MID WEEK ON THE
BACK SIDE OF THE DEPARTING LOW.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
REGIONAL 88D IMAGES INDICATING THAT DEEP CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT IS
JUST IN IT/S INFANCY ACRS THE HIGH TERRAIN OF THE FA...BUT WILL
INCREASE IN CVRG THRU MID-AFTERNOON AND DEVELOP OUT INTO THE LOWER
ELEVATIONS THROUGH THIS EVENING...AIDED BY VORT MAX MOVG EAST ACRS
TENN. UNTIL TIMING AND CVRG CONFIDENCE INCREASES...WILL CONTINUE TO
ADVERTISE JUST CB AT ALL TERMINAL LOCATIONS. WITH VORT TIMED TO
MOVE EAST OF THE FA BY MID OR LATE EVENING...WILL END TSTM THREAT
BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND FCST JUST DEBRIS CLOUDS OVERNIGHT...WITH AREAS
OF 5-6SM BR...ESPECIALLY AT KAVL DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS.

AT KCLT...SCT VFR LVL CU IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AS
WIND DIRECTION REMAINS VARIABLE AND LESS THAN 6 KTS. AS TSTM
ACTIVITY DEVELOPS OFF THE MTNS LATER TODAY...WOULD EXPECT TSTM
CHANCES TO INCREASE AROUND THE TERMINAL THIS EVENING AND LINGER INTO
THE LATE EVENING HOURS UNTIL VORT MAX PASSES. JUST DEBRIS CLOUDS
EXPECTED OVERNIGHT WITH NO VSBY RESTRICTIONS.

OUTLOOK...AREAS OF MVFR VISBY/PERHAPS CIG RESTRICTIONS ARE POSSIBLE
EACH MORNING. CHANCES FOR AFTERNOON/EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL
INCREASE THROUGH THURSDAY...THEN PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS A
FRONT STALLS OVER THE AREA.

&&

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

&&

SYNOPSIS...DEO
NEAR TERM...CSH
SHORT TERM...RWH
LONG TERM...DEO
AVIATION...CSH
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 10, 2:45 PM EST, 30 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
345 PM EDT WED JUN 10 2009

NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-068>072-082-501>510-111945-
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-
345 PM EDT WED JUN 10 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA AND
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA
MOUNTAINS...FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
THIS EVENING. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE...WITH
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY THREAT. THE SLOWER
MOVING THUNDERSTORMS COULD ALSO PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. FREQUENT
LIGHTNING CAN OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AGAIN THURSDAY
AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD ALSO BECOME
SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW OF
THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-SCZ001>014-019-111945-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-
PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE-
GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-
ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
345 PM EDT WED JUN 10 2009

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE UPSTATE AND NORTHEAST
GEORGIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WIND GUSTS THE MAIN THREAT. FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY
RAINFALL CAN OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AGAIN THURSDAY
AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD ALSO BECOME
SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW OF
THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 10, 9:45 AM EST, 5 hours 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
933 PM EDT TUE JUN 09 2009

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

0540 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 NE GREER              34.96N 82.22W
06/09/2009                   SPARTANBURG        SC   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            1 TREE BLOWN DOWN ON HOUSE ON BUTLER ROAD ON
            THE EAST SIDE OF LAKE LYMAN.  OTHER SMALL LIMBS
            WERE REPORTED TO BE DOWN IN THE AREA BY FIRE CHIEF.

&&

JPT/DEO

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:16 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Haywood

When
June 10, 3:15 PM EST
Where
Haywood County, 0.66 mi NE of Cove Creek
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
35.606, -83.011

Trees were blown down near the Cove Creek community.

Hail, Henderson

When
June 10, 3:40 PM EST to 3:50 PM EST
Where
Henderson County, 1.1 mi SE of Mills River to 0.43 mi E of Hillgirt
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
35.388, -82.567

Golf ball size hail was reported in areas from Mills River to Mountain Home.

Thunderstorm Wind, Henderson

When
June 10, 3:40 PM EST to 3:50 PM EST
Where
Henderson County, 1.43 mi SSW of Mills River to 0.43 mi E of Hillgirt
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
35.382, -82.591

A tree fell on a home on Amywood Lane in Mills River. Trees were also blown down in Mountain Home.

Hail, McDowell

When
June 10, 4:07 PM EST
Where
McDowell County, 0.34 mi SSW of Nebo
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
35.715, -81.931

Hail, Buncombe

When
June 10, 4:15 PM EST
Where
Buncombe County, 1.49 mi E of Midway
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.452, -82.494

Thunderstorm Wind, Henderson

When
June 10, 4:28 PM EST
Where
Henderson County, 2.29 mi NNW of Ottanola
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
35.431, -82.314

Trees were blown down from Slick Rock Rd to Sugarloaf Mountain.

Thunderstorm Wind, Burke

When
June 10, 4:35 PM EST
Where
Burke County, 1.01 mi NNE of Oak Hill
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
35.793, -81.763

Trees were blown down on highway 181 near the Gold community.

Thunderstorm Wind, McDowell

When
June 10, 5:08 PM EST
Where
McDowell County, 1 mi WNW of Cross Mill
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.686, -82.046

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Hail, McDowell

When
June 10, 5:08 PM EST
Where
McDowell County, 1 mi WNW of Cross Mill
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.686, -82.046

Flash Flood, Caldwell

When
June 10, 5:15 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
Where
Caldwell County, 0.24 mi SSE of Lenoir to 1.08 mi S of Lenoir
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
35.917, -81.548

Severe urban and small stream flooding developed within the city of Lenoir. About 3 feet of water from a small stream entered a building on West Ave.

Thunderstorm Wind, Caldwell

When
June 10, 5:18 PM EST
Where
Caldwell County, 0.78 mi ESE of Lenoir
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
35.914, -81.538

Several trees were blown down in and around Lenoir.

Thunderstorm Wind, Alexander

When
June 10, 5:22 PM EST
Where
Alexander County, 2.26 mi SSE of Smiths Store
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.920, -81.034

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Catawba

When
June 10, 6:10 PM EST
Where
Catawba County, 0.26 mi W of Claremont
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
35.719, -81.154

Several trees were blown down and a storage building was blown over on Keisler Dr.

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When
June 10, 6:17 PM EST
Where
Polk County, 0.53 mi SW of Sunny View
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.374, -82.186

Large tree limbs were blown down along highway 9 in the Sunnyview community.

Thunderstorm Wind, Iredell

When
June 10, 6:30 PM EST
Where
Iredell County, 0.78 mi ENE of Statesville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
35.784, -80.887

Several trees were blown down in and around Statesville.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When
June 10, 6:57 PM EST
Where
Union County, 1.11 mi SE of Fairview
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
35.138, -80.537

Large tree limbs were blown down.

Hail, Union

When
June 10, 6:59 PM EST
Where
Union County, 2.21 mi SSE of Wingate
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.952, -80.451

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When
June 10, 7:00 PM EST
Where
Union County, 1.19 mi ENE of Alton
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
34.889, -80.512

Trees were blown down on Stack Rd and Sandy Ridge Rd.

Thunderstorm Wind, Davie

When
June 10, 7:10 PM EST
Where
Davie County, 1.28 mi SE of Smiths Grove
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
35.956, -80.485

Three trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When
June 10, 7:23 PM EST
Where
Union County, 2.4 mi W of New Salem
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
35.135, -80.422

Several trees were blown down along highway 200.

Flash Flood, Union

When
June 10, 9:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where
Union County, 2.68 mi SE of Monroe to 3.34 mi SSE of Monroe
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
34.950, -80.540

Parts of Medlin Rd and Wolf Pond Rd were flooded with one to two feet of water and subsequently closed.

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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, June 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 182180, 182181, 182182, 182183, 182184, 182185, 182697, 182698, 182699, 185041, 182700, 182701, 182702, 182703, 182704, 182705, 182706, 182707, 182708, 182709, 185045.