Thunderstorms developed along a stationary front, producing a few reports of large hail over the western Piedmont of North Carolina.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed along a stationary front, producing a few reports of large hail over the western Piedmont of North Carolina.
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 6, 9:43 AM EST, 3 hours 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1043 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009
.SYNOPSIS...
A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LIFT NORTH OF THE AREA TODAY...THEN PUSH
BACK SOUTHEAST INTO THE REGION THURSDAY MORNING. THE FRONT WILL
STALL OVER THE AREA AND DISSIPATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
SATURDAY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST
SATURDAY NIGHT. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE THEN BUILDS INTO THE AREA FROM
THE WEST LATE SUNDAY INTO MONDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT CHANGES ARE INCLUDED IN THE UPDATE. A FLOOD
WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SW NC MTNS AND THE NE GA MTNS AS
HEAVY RAIN HAS FALLEN THIS MORNING AND ADDITIONAL UPSTREAM
CONVECTION WILL IMPACT THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS
EVENING. A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NE GA AND THE WRN
UPSTATE AS THE BEST COMBINATION OF SHEAR AND INSTABILITY SOUTH OF
THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY COME TOGETHER IN THIS LOCATION THIS AFTN. THE
CONVECTIVE LINE MOVING THROUGH THE CENTRAL NC MTNS WILL NEED TO BE
WATCHED CAREFULLY...BUT SHOULD DIMINISH AS IT MOVES OVER THE
FRONTAL ZONE...SO NO TORNADO WATCH AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE AT
PRESENT.
OTHERWISE...ONLY MINOR CHANGES TO COOL TEMPERATURES...BEEF UP RAIN
AND SEVERE WORDING AND TOGGLE WINDS TO LATEST OBS. STILL EXPECTING
THE GREATER SEVERE THREAT TO BE LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS
EVENING AS THE BEST SHEAR PROFILES LINE UP WITH DIURNAL WARMING AND
UPPER DYNAMICS. THE CONVECTION SHOULD END FROM WEST TO EAST AFTER
MIDNIGHT AS THE FORCING MOVES EAST AND ATMOS BECOMES STABLE.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AS OF 300 AM WEDNESDAY...LTL CHANGE IN THE PAT INTO THIS
WEEKEND...WITH UNSETTLED WX CONTINUING ACRS THE FA. THURSDAY MAY BE
A RELATIVELY QUIET DAY...AS AREA WILL BE UNDER RFQ OF UPR JET AND A
MESOHIGH IS SHOWN IN MOST OF THE GUIDANCE DURING THE AFTN HOURS
CENTERED OVR THE NC MTNS. THERE WILL STILL BE SOME INSTBY...AND THE
GFS AND NAM INDICATE LLVL CONVERGENCE ZONE OVR UPSTATE PROPAGATING
NEWD INTO THE NC SW PIEDMONT. I THINK THE COMBINATION WILL BE ENUF
FOR SCT CONVECTION ACRS THE PIEDMONT ZONES...SO I TWEAKED THE GRID
TO PRODUCE 30 POP FOR THU. THE SPC DAY 2 OUTLOOK NOW INCLUDES THE
PIEDMONT IN A SLGT RISK...AND GIVEN THE EXTRA MID LVL DRY AIR BEHIND
H5 S/W IN THE FCST SNDGS...POTENTIAL FOR ISOLD SVR LUKS GOOD. TEMPS
ABV NORMAL (MID-UPR 70S MTNS AND LWR 80S PIEDMONT).
THU NGT THRU SAT...A SERIES OF UPR LVL S/WVS WILL TRACK FROM THE
CENTRAL PLAINS TO THE OH VLY. THE FIRST WILL APPROACH THE
APPALACHIANS ARND 00Z SAT...W/ GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON TSTM
COMPLEX MOVING THRU THE TN VLY. MAIN E-W ORIENTED SFC BNDRY WILL
LIFT N OF THE FA BY FRI AFTN. SO IT/S HARD TO SAY HOW MUCH
CONVECTION WILL DEVELOP OVR THE AREA. THE 00Z GFS NOW KEEPS MOST OF
THE ACTIVITY TO THE N...W/ JUST ISOLD STORMS OVR THE CAROLINAS. THE
00Z NAM IS QUITE SIMILAR. THE GEM/ECMWF/SREF ALL STILL SHOW HIGH POP
ACRS THE MTN ZONES. THE LTST GFS AND NAM RUNS HAVE TRENDED FURTHER N
WITH THE BNDRY SAT (AND HENCE WARMER AND DRIER).I DO NOT WANT TO
FLIP-FLOP ON POP...SO WILL LEAVE THE SHOTGUN CHC POP FOR FRI AND SAT
AFTNS. I DID BUMP UP TEMPS FRI AND SAT GIVEN THE AREA BEING MORE
SOLIDLY IN THE WARM SECTOR (ABT A CATEGORY OR TWO ABV THU).
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AS OF 315 AM WEDNESDAY...CONTINUITY IN THE DETAILS OF
TIMING/PLACEMENT OF NEXT COLD FRONT TO AFFECT THE FA NOT AS GOOD AS
YDA/S MODEL RUNS. WITH THE PAT STAYING QUASI-ZONAL AND
PROGRESSIVE...IT/S NO SURPRISE. OVERALL TREND IS A LATER
ARRIVAL...W/ PERHAPS A RELATIVELY CAPPED AMS SAT AFTN...THEN
CONVECTION MOVING IN FROM THE WEST SAT NGT. LTST GFS STALLS BNDRY
OVR SRN TIER OF CWFA FOR SUNDAY AFTN. THE 00Z ECMWF IS FAIRLY
CONSISTENT W/ THE 12Z RUN. WITH THAT SAID...SUNDAY AND MONDAY MAY
CONTINUE TO BE UNSETTLED (WHEREAS THE INHERITED FCST IS RELATIVELY
DRY). I HAVE OPTED TO LEAVE THE EXTENDED AS IS...GIVEN THE
UNCERTAINTY IN THE DETAILS. TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT OR SLGTLY
ABV NORMAL.
&&
.AVIATION /15Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
A LEADING CONVECTIVE LINE IS MOVING ACROSS KAVL LATE THIS MORNING.
OTHERWISE CONVECTION WILL BRUSH KGSP AND KGMU THROUGH THE LATE
MORNING BEFORE MORE WIDESPREAD ACTIVITY MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. HAVE
ADDED VCTS TO MOST SITES THIS AFTERNOON. THE STATIONARY FRONT IS
FORECAST TO LIFT TO THE NORTH DURING THE DAY. IF THIS FRONT IS
SLOWER TO MOVE...THEN CURRENT IFR TO MVFR RESTRICTIONS MAY LINGER.
CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING...THEN END FROM WEST TO
EAST AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOOKS LIKE MVFR TO IFR CIGS WILL FILL BACK IN
BEHIND THE CONVECTION. LIGHT NELY WINDS NORTH OF THE FRONT WILL
BECOME SLY AS THE FRONT LIFTS NORTH. WINDS BECOME GUSTY FOR THE
AFTERNOON...THEN DIMINISH THRU THE EVENING.
AT KCLT...EXPECT THE WINDS TO FAVOR A NORTHEASTERLY COMPONENT EARLY
THIS MORNING UNTIL THE FRONT LIFTS NORTH AND SLY FLOW DEVELOPS BY
LATE MORNING. GUSTS DEVELOP FOR THE AFTERNOON. IFR CIGS SLOWLY LIFT
TO MVFR...THEN EVEN VFR FOR THE AFTERNOON AS THE FRONT MOVES NORTH.
IF THE FRONT IS SLOWER TO MOVE...THEN THE WINDS AND CIGS WILL BE
SLOWER TO CHANGE. WIDESPREAD CONVECTION EXPECTED BY AFTERNOON...AND
WILL BRING RESTRICTIONS FROM TIME TO TIME. HOWEVER...TIMING THEM IS
STILL PROBLEMATIC. CONVECTION LINGERS INTO THE EVENING THEN MOVES
EAST OF THE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT...WITH MVFR CIGS RETURNING.
OUTLOOK...THE FRONT WILL PUSH SE OF THE AREA THURSDAY TO PROVIDE
SOME DRYING. ANOTHER FRONT WILL PUSH SE INTO THE AREA FRIDAY AND
REMAIN THROUGH THE WEEKEND. ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND MVFR TO IFR
CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED FRI TO SUN.
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR GAZ010-017.
NC...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR NCZ048-051>053-058-059-
062>065.
SC...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS...ARK
NEAR TERM...HG
SHORT TERM...ARK
LONG TERM...ARK
AVIATION...HG/RWHHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1056 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 GAZ018-026-028-029-SCZ001-002-004-005-010-071500- STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS- GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-ANDERSON- 1056 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...TORNADO WATCH 254 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP. LOCALIZED FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN ANY AREA THAT RECEIVE HEAVY RAIN TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MAINLY THE PIEDMONT THURSDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. NCZ033-035>037-049-050-056-057-068>072-082-501>510-SCZ003-006>009- 011>014-019-071500- AVERY-ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-YANCEY-MITCHELL-CATAWBA-ROWAN- 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-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS- GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS- UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD- 1056 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE HIGHEST CHANCES FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE TO BE OVER THE PIEDMONT...WHERE ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THERE IS ALSO A HEAVY RAIN THREAT...WITH LOCALIZED FLOODING POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MAINLY THE PIEDMONT THURSDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. NCZ048-051>053-058-059-062>065-071500- MADISON-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON- SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON- 1056 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY 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. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MAINLY THE PIEDMONT THURSDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. GAZ010-017-071500- RABUN-HABERSHAM- 1056 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...TORNADO WATCH 254 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MAINLY THE PIEDMONT THURSDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. HG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 927 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 NCZ059-062-063-061400- MACON-NORTHERN JACKSON-SOUTHERN JACKSON- 927 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL JACKSON AND EASTERN MACON COUNTIES THROUGH 1000 AM EDT... AT 927 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES EAST OF FRANKLIN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. PEOPLE IN CENTRAL JACKSON AND EASTERN MACON COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... LAKE THORPE... SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. BSH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 937 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 NCZ052-059-063-061400- HAYWOOD-NORTHERN JACKSON-SOUTHERN JACKSON- 937 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL JACKSON AND SOUTHERN HAYWOOD COUNTIES THROUGH 1000 AM EDT... AT 937 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CULLOWHEE...OR 6 MILES SOUTH OF SYLVA... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. PEOPLE IN CENTRAL JACKSON AND SOUTHERN HAYWOOD COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... CULLOWHEE... SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. BSH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 954 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 NCZ052-059-061430- HAYWOOD-NORTHERN JACKSON- 954 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN JACKSON AND SOUTHERN HAYWOOD COUNTIES THROUGH 1030 AM EDT... AT 954 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BALSAM...OR 8 MILES SOUTH OF WAYNESVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. PEOPLE IN EASTERN JACKSON AND SOUTHERN HAYWOOD COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... CRUSO... SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. BSH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1042 AM EDT WED MAY 06 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1028 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 WNW ASHEVILLE 35.59N 82.60W
05/06/2009 BUNCOMBE NC PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORT OF LIMBS BLOWN DOWN ON LEICESTER HIGHWAY
&&
LANESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1125 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 NCZ508-510-SCZ003-007-061600- EASTERN POLK-GREATER RUTHERFORD-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-SPARTANBURG- 1125 AM EDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN GREENVILLE... NORTHWESTERN SPARTANBURG...POLK AND RUTHERFORD COUNTIES THROUGH NOON EDT... AT 1124 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES EAST OF LAKE LURE TO TIGERVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. PEOPLE IN NORTHEASTERN GREENVILLE...NORTHWESTERN SPARTANBURG...POLK AND RUTHERFORD COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... LAKE ADGER...TIGERVILLE...TRYON...COLUMBUS...LANDRUM... RUTHERFORDTON...LAKE BOWEN...SPINDALE...FOREST CITY AND BOSTIC... SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. BSH
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:46 UTC.
3 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning ignited a fire at a home in the Bariwood Community, causing significant damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, May 2009
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: 172911, 170791, 170792, 170793.