A complex of thunderstorms moved southward, out of the North Carolina mountains, and into Upstate South Carolina. The storms produced quite a bit of large hail and some wind damage as they moved southeast between the Greenville and Spartanburg metro areas.
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 complex of thunderstorms moved southward, out of the North Carolina mountains, and into Upstate South Carolina. The storms produced quite a bit of large hail and some wind damage as they moved southeast between the Greenville and Spartanburg metro areas.
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 9, 1:41 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 241 PM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 .SYNOPSIS... THE WEATHER WILL REMAIN A UNSETTLED THROUGH THURSDAY WITH LOTS OF MOISTURE OVER THE AREA. A STRENGTHENING UPPER LEVEL AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL RESULT IN DRIER AND WARMER CONDITIONS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...BEFORE MOISTURE INCREASES AGAIN BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... SERIES OF SHORTWAVES WILL CONTINUE TO SPIN AROUND UPPER LOW OVER THE VIRGINIAS TONIGHT THRU THU. ALTHO PVA IS SOMEWHAT CHANNELED...THIS HAS COOLED H5 TEMPS OVER AREA WHICH COMBINED WITH SFC HEATING WILL BRING LAPSE RATES UP TO AROUND 6-6.5 DEG/KM THIS AFTN-EARLY EVE. CAPE VALUES TO 1-2K J/KG ARE EXPECTED...MAINLY OVER THE MTNS AND THE SW CWA. THERE IS ALSO SOME SHEAR...ESP OVER THE MTNS...BUT NOT ENOUGH TO CONSIDER SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT ATTM. COOL NE FLOW IN LOW LVLS WILL TEND TO LIMIT INSTABILITY SOMEWHAT IN THE NE ZONES BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW MOIST PROFILES THRU THE COLUMN SO EXPECT MAIN THREAT TO CONT TO BE LARGE HAIL INTO THIS EVE. WENT WITH CAT POPS OVER N MTNS...TAPERING TO LIKELY REST OF MTNS...TO SOLID CHC ELSEWHERE. CONVECTION SHOULD TAPER OFF MID-LATE EVE BUT HELD ON TO CHC POPS UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT...CHC TO SLIGHT CHC OVERNIGHT. MRNG LOWS WILL COOL TO NEAR AVG. UPPER LOW REMAINS NNE OF CWA THU WITH SHEARED VORT LOBES MOVG OVER AREA TO PROVIDE AT LEAST WEAK FORCING ALOFT. WEAK SFC RIDGE AND COOL NE LOW LVL FLOW SHD HELP SUPPRESS DEEPER CONVECTION OVER NE ZONES BUT CWA STILL WARRANTS CHC SHWRS/TSTMS IN THE AFTN...SOLID CHC MTNS AND SW ZONES. HIGHS THU WILL BE A CAT OR TWO BELOW AVG. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 230 PM WEDNESDAY...CLOSED H5 LOW CONTINUES TO LINGER OVER THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS/ATLANTIC REGION ON FRIDAY. AT THE SFC...WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO NOSE NE TO SW ACROSS THE CWA THROUGH THE DAY. CAPE VALUES AND LLVL LAPSE RATES APPEAR VERY WEAK THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON. I WILL FORECAST SCT MTN AND FOOTHILLS SHRA/TSRA WILL ISO COVERAGE OVER THE PIEDMONT. COOL THICKNESSES AND PERSISTENT SKY COVER WILL LIKELY RESULT IN ANOTHER AFTERNOON OF SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL HIGHS. ON SATURDAY...NAM AND GFS INDICATES THAT THE H5 LOW CENTER WILL SHIFT EAST...SWINGING THE TROF AXIS OVER THE CWA DURING THE AFTERNOON. MODELS INDICATE A WEAK INVERSION AROUND H6 BY 21Z...CAPPING WEAK LLVL INSTABILITY. IN ADDITION...PROFILES WILL LIKELY DRY FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. I WILL FORECAST ONLY A SCHC FOR SHRA...FAVORING THE MTNS. TEMPERATURES SHOULD RESPOND TO THE DEPARTING LOW AN INCREASE INSOLATION...I WILL FORECAST HIGH TEMPS 2-4 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 245 PM WEDNESDAY...SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS INDICATE THAT A PLUME OF MOISTURE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH ASSOCIATED WITH A STATIONARY FRONT AND A H5 LOW OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. WEAK MID LEVEL RIDGING ACROSS THE CWA IS ANTICIPATED TO KEEP THE DEEP MOISTURE ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER VALLEY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE THAT A H6 INVERSION WILL REMAIN OVER CWA THROUGH THE MID WEEK. I WILL FORECAST SCT AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHRA/TSRA OVER THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE CWA EACH DAY...POP REMAINING THE LOWEST ALONG THE I-77 CORRIDOR. DAILY TEMPERATURES SHOULD VERIFY WITHIN A COUPLE OF DEGREES OF NORMAL. && .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... KCLT AND ELSEWHERE...AS SHORTWAVE MOVES IN FROM THE NW EXPECT AT LEAST SCT SHWRS/TSTMS TO SPREAD FROM MTNS ACROSS THE PIEDMONT. CIG/VSBY RESTRICTIONS LIKELY IN HEAVIER SHWRS. WINDS SHOULD BE NE TO E AT LESS THAN 10 KTS OUTSIDE SHOWERS...S AT KAVL. CHC POPS CONT OVERNIGHT...WHILE SLIGHT CHANCE TSTMS CONT UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT. EXPECT EARLY MRNG MVFR...PSBL IFR...CIG RESTRICTIONS WITH IFR CIG/VSBY AT KAVL...IMPROVING TO VFR AROUND NOON. OUTLOOK...CHANCE OF MAINLY AFTN-EVE SHWRS/TSTMS CONTINUES THRU FRI. MRNG CIG/VSBY RESTRICTIONS PSBL...ESPCLY MTN VALLEYS. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...DEO NEAR TERM...RB SHORT TERM...NED LONG TERM...NED AVIATION...RB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 335 PM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ035>037-051>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-507>510-SCZ001>014-019-101945- RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-ALEXANDER-IREDELL- DAVIE-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON- MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN- GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC-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- 335 PM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL SWEEP WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL LINGER INTO THE NIGHT AND LOCALLY STRONG STORMS MAY BE SEEN AS WELL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE. NCZ033-048>050-501>506-101945- AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER CALDWELL- BURKE MOUNTAINS-GREATER BURKE-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL- 335 PM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS THROUGH THE EVENING. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.
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</html>PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
303 PM EDT WED SEP 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0251 PM HAIL 5 ENE HENDERSONVILLE 35.35N 82.38W
09/09/2009 E1.00 INCH HENDERSON NC PUBLIC
PUBLIC REPORT OF ONE INCH HAIL NEAR EDNEYVILLE.
&&
STUREYSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 326 PM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 GAZ010-NCZ062-092015- MACON-RABUN- 326 PM EDT WED SEP 9 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL RABUN AND SOUTHERN MACON COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM EDT... AT 325 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NANTAHALA LAKE...OR 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FRANKLIN...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. * OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO MOUNTAIN CITY...DILLARD AND RAINBOW SPRINGS. PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. INTENSE LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. MCAVOY
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
346 PM EDT WED SEP 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0344 PM HAIL 2 WNW COLUMBUS 35.26N 82.24W
09/09/2009 E0.88 INCH POLK NC TRAINED SPOTTER
PENNY TO NICKEL SIZED HAIL CURRENTLY FALLING NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF HW-74 AND I-26.
&&
BSHThe Greer radar (KGSP), 28 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:54 UTC.
4 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Four to five inch diameter tree limbs were blown down between Tigerville and highway 11.
Golf ball size hail was reported in Inman Mills.
A few trees and power lines were blown down over the northwest side of the County. A tree fell on a shed in the Inman Mills community.
A severe storm produced several instances of hail, including at I-85 near mile marker 67, Spartanburg Methodist College and in the city.
Two trees were blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in South 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 197699, 197700, 197701, 198118, 198121, 198123, 198126.