South Carolina, 2009

Hail and Damaging Wind in South Carolina, September 8, 2009

September 8, 2009 · NWS GSP · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A weak upper low triggered isolated thunderstorms over Upstate South Carolina during the late afternoon and evening hours. A few of the storms produced small areas of wind damage and large hail.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 weak upper low triggered isolated thunderstorms over Upstate South Carolina during the late afternoon and evening hours. A few of the storms produced small areas of wind damage and large hail.

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 Sep 8, 1:34 PM EST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 8, 1:34 PM EST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 8, 5:10 AM EST, 11 hours 59 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 8, 4:07 PM EST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Sep 8, 5:08 PM EST, 1 minute before
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The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:08 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Oconee

When
September 8, 5:09 PM EST
Where
Oconee County, 3 mi WNW of Westminster
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Park/Forest Service
Coordinates
34.687, -83.149

A few trees were blown down in Chau Ram State Park. This is just off highway 76 about 3 miles west northwest of Westminster.

Hail, Anderson

When
September 8, 6:15 PM EST
Where
Anderson County, 0.75 mi SE of West Pelzer
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
34.642, -82.461

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.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, September 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: 197685, 197687.