A persistent upper low triggered thunderstorms over the North Carolina mountains and foothills during the early morning hours of the 9th. A few of the storms produced large hail.
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.
A persistent upper low triggered thunderstorms over the North Carolina mountains and foothills during the early morning hours of the 9th. A few of the storms produced large hail. Thunderstorms redeveloped in this same area early in the afternoon and more severe weather was reported.
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 Sep 8, 8:27 PM EST, 3 hours 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 927 PM EDT TUE SEP 8 2009 .SYNOPSIS... STILL EXPECTING LITTLE CHANGE IN THE WEATHER PATTERN FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK AS WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE LINGERS ACROSS THE REGION. TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL AFFECT MOSTLY THE MOUNTAINS WHERE THE BEST DAILY SHOWER CHANCES WILL REMAIN. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... INSTABILITY WAS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION... CONVECTION WAS ENHANCED BY SHORT WAVE/UPPER JET MOVING ACROSS THE AREA AROUND THE UPPER LOW TO OUR NW. CURRENT CONVECTION OVER THE UPSTATE WILL DIMINISH BY MIDNIGHT. HOWEVER...ADDITIONAL ISOLATED CONVECTION IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE MTNS. THIS TOO SHOULD DISSIPATE SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. EXPECT ANOTHER ROUND OF DENSE MTN VALLEY FOG TONIGHT...WITH PATCHY LIGHT FOG ELSEWHERE. LOOKS LIKE LOW CLOUDS SHOULD MOVE WEST INTO THE NC PIEDMONT AGAIN TOWARD MORNING...WITH MAINLY CONVECTIVE DEBRIS CLOUDS ELSEWHERE. MADE ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO OVERNIGHT LOWS. DEEPER MOISTURE MOVES IN WED AND WITH CONT UPPER FORCING...EXPECT INCRSNG CHC SHWRS/TSTMS ACROSS THE CWA THRU THE DAY WITH BEST CHC OVER MTNS IN THE AFTN. MAX TEMPS SHOULD BE NEAR AVG. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 220 PM TUESDAY...THE 12Z RUN OF THE NAM AND GFS REMAIN IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE POSITION OF THE NEARLY STATIONARY H5 LOW OVER THE MID APPALACHIANS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THAT WEAK DISTURBANCES CARRIED BY THE MID LEVEL CIRCULATION MAY PASS OVER THE CWA THROUGH THE SHORT RANGE PERIOD. HOWEVER...FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE VERY SHALLOW LAPSE RATES THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH CAPE VALUES GENERALLY LESS THAN 100 J/KG. AT THE SFC...PRESSURE FEATURES WILL REMAIN WEAK...FAVORING SLIGHT RIDGING FROM THE NORTH. SHALLOW ISENTROPIC LIFT...WEAK INSTABILITY...AND POSSIBLE MID LEVEL SUPPORT MAY YIELD SCT MTN SHRA/ISO TSRA TO ISO SHRA/TSRA ALONG I-77 EACH AFTERNOON THROUGH MID EVENING. DAILY TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN SEVERAL DEGREES BELOW NORMAL GIVEN THE LOCATION OF THE CLOSED MID LOW AND ASSOCIATED THICKNESSES. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 210 PM TUESDAY...THERE IS A WIDE RANGE IN SOLUTIONS IN THE MODELS AS TO WHERE THE STRONG SHORTWAVE GOES NEXT WEEKEND AND INTO THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK. THE 06Z GFS WAS IN FAIR AGREEMENT WITH THE 00Z ECMWF. THE 00Z GEM HAD A MUCH NORTHERN TRACK OF THE SHORTWAVE AND THEN THE 12Z GFS CAME OUT IN A MAJOR SHIFT FROM A CLOSED LOW OVER NEBRASKA TO A CLOSED LOW OVER FAR SOUTHERN CANADA. THE 12Z GEM NOW HAS TRENDED TOWARD THE 00Z ECMWF. THE ANSWER HAS TO BE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE. THERE IS REASONABLE CONFIDENCE THAT A MAIN SPOKE OF ENERGY WILL CREATE A GREATER CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY AND MONDAY AS FLOW FROM THE GULF AND UPPER SUPPORT WILL OCCUR. WHILE BEING IN THE CONTINUED WARM SECTOR WE SHOULD BE IN AT LEAST NORMAL CLIMATOLOGICAL TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE PERIOD IF NOT A FEW DEGREES ABOVE. IT NOW APPEARS THE EITHER CLOSED OFF LOW OR AXIS OF THE MAIN TROUGH WILL NOT PASS UNTIL AT LEAST MID WEEK. && .AVIATION /02Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... KCLT AND ELSEWHERE...CONVECTION SHOULD DIMINISH THRU THE EVENING WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING. CANNOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED SHOWER UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT AS SHORT WAVE MOVES IN AND TAPS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. VFR SHOULD CONTINUE UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT WHEN LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MOVES IN BRINING MVFR CIGS AT KCLT AND KHKY. COULD BE SOME MVFR FOG AT THE SC SITES. EXPECT ANOTHER NIGHT OF VLIFR CIGS AND VSBY AT KAVL. CONDITIONS SHOULD IMPROVE BY MID MORNING WITH VFR EXPECTED. EVEN BETTER CHANCES OF CONVECTION WED AFT...BUT LEFT OUT OF TAFS FOR NOW DUE TO TIMING CONCERNS. DID PUT CB IN AT KAVL. CONVECTION HAS CAUSED QUITE A VARIABILITY IN WINDS. EXPECT THEM TO RETURN TO A LIGHT NNE THIS EVENING. WINDS BECOME NE DURING THE MORNING THEN SLY OVER THE WEST BUT REMAINING NELY FOR KHKY/KCLT. OUTLOOK...CHANCE OF AFTN-EVE SHWRS/TSTMS THRU SAT. MRNG FOG AND LOW CLOUD RESTRICTIONS PSBL MTNS...MAINLY KAVL. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...DEO NEAR TERM...RB/RWH SHORT TERM...NED LONG TERM...DEO AVIATION...RWH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 614 PM EDT TUE SEP 8 2009 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-092215- 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- 614 PM EDT TUE SEP 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. SEVERE STORMS ARE MOST LIKELY OVER THE UPSTATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. REMEMBER...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 801 PM EDT TUE SEP 8 2009 SCZ012-019-090100- GREENWOOD-LAURENS- 801 PM EDT TUE SEP 8 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT LAURENS AND EASTERN GREENWOOD COUNTIES THROUGH 900 PM EDT... AT 759 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL. THERE STORMS WERE ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM GRAY COURT TO COKESBURY...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... HICKORY TAVERN...WARE SHOALS...GRAY COURT...COKESBURY...LAURENS... LAKE GREENWOOD...CROSS HILL...NINETY SIX AND CLINTON... SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS. LANE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1215 AM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 NCZ069-090515- LINCOLN- 1215 AM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT LINCOLN COUNTY THROUGH 115 AM EDT... AT 1214 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF BOGER CITY...OR 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF LINCOLNTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... IRON STATION... DENVER... LOWESVILLE... PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR ARE ALSO POSSIBLE...WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS. HG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1240 AM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 NCZ033-090530- AVERY- 1240 AM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 ...THUNDERSTORMS TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS AVERY COUNTY THROUGH 2 AM EDT... AT 1236 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS AVERY COUNTY AND MOVING SLOWLY SOUTHEAST AT 5 TO 10 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING RAINFALL AT RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR...AND THESE HEAVY RATES WILL LIKELY CONTINUE PAST 1 AM. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WILL IMPACT AREAS FROM MINNEAPOLIS TO NEWLAND...AND ALSO THE EASTERN END OF THE COUNTY NEAR THE CALDWELL COUNTY BORDER. RAPID RISES ON STREAMS AND CREEKS ARE EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY LOST COVE CREEK NEAR THE CALDWELL COUNTY BORDER...AND BIRCHFIELD CREEK NEAR MINNEAPOLIS...WHICH COULD REACH BANKFULL. ISOLATED FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH ANY FLOODED ROADWAYS. HG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1255 AM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 NCZ501>504-090545- BURKE MOUNTAINS-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER BURKE-GREATER CALDWELL- 1255 AM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 ...HEAVY RAINFALL TO AFFECT BURKE AND CALDWELL COUNTIES THROUGH 200 AM EDT... AT 1250 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER THE NORTH CAROLINA FOOTHILLS...PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF BURKE AND CALDWELL COUNTIES. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING RAINFALL AT RATES APPROACHING TWO INCHES PER HOUR...AND THIS HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CONTINUE UNTIL 2 AM. ISOLATED FLOODING MAY DEVELOP IN LOW LYING AREAS...ESPECIALLY FROM EDGEMONT TO MORGANTON. RAPID RISES ARE EXPECTED ON AREA STREAMS AND CREEKS...ESPECIALLY WILSON CREEK IN WESTERN CALDWELL COUNTY...AND BRISTOL CREEK IN NORTHERN BURKE COUNTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH ANY FLOODED ROADWAYS. HG
The Greer radar (KGSP), 113 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:20 UTC.
10 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail up to the size of quarters fell over the northern part of the town of Drexel, including along Williams Rd.
This storm produced quite a bit of hail over the north central part of the county, including near the intersection of highways 208 and 12 where hail was reported to be 3 inches deep.
Golf ball size hail was reported on Bethany Church Rd on the southwest side of Forest City.
Hail was reported on Patton Ave on the southwest side of Asheville.
The large hail caused significant damage to apple crops in this part of Henderson County.
Several trees were blown down in and around the city of Marion.
Hail up to size of quarters fell near Edneyville.
Penny to nickel size hail was reported near the intersection of highway 74 and I-26 on the west side of the town of Columbus.
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, September 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: 197688, 197690, 197689, 197691, 197692, 197693, 197694, 197698, 197695, 197696, 197697.