Scattered thunderstorms developed along a stationary front over the mountainous terrain of northeast Georgia. The storms produced a little wind damage and small hail.
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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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed along a stationary front over the mountainous terrain of northeast Georgia. The storms produced a little wind damage and small hail.
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 15, 2:34 PM EST, 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 334 PM EDT SAT MAY 15 2010 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK FRONT WILL REMAIN STALLED OVER THE AREA THROUGH MONDAY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST MONDAY AND CROSS THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SLOWLY BUILD IN FROM THE NORTH FOR MID TO LATE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER THE MTNS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. AT 1845Z...AN ISOLATED SHRA WAS DEVELOPING NEAR GAFFNEY WITHIN A BAND OF CU ALONG AND AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT. COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THE STORMS WILL INCREASE THROUGH 2Z...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE MTNS AND ALONG THE FRONT. I WILL INDICATE THE CATE COVERAGE OF SHRA AND TSRA ACROSS THE MTNS AND LIKELY TO CHC ALONG A WEAK COLD FRONT ACROSS THE NC FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT. GIVEN CAPES OF 1500-2500 J/KG AND MARGINAL WIND FIELDS...STORMS MAY ORGANIZE IN CLUSTERS OR BROKEN LINES THROUGH THIS EVENING. SLOW WNW STORM MOTIONS SHOULD KEEP COVERAGE LIMITED UNTIL OUTFLOWS BEGIN TO INITIATE ADDITIONAL CONVECTION. FREEZING LEVELS ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN 13.5 TO 15.5 KFT THIS EVENING...ALLOWING ONLY THE LARGEST STORMS TO PRODUCE HAIL. STORM STRUCTURE AND DCAPE VALUES AROUND 800 J/KG MAY SUPPORT STRONG TO SVR WINDS. IN ADDITION...PWS AROUND 1.5 INCHES AND K INDEX INT THE MID TO U30S MAY YIELD A FEW EXCESSIVE RAINFALL EVENTS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT THE SVR AND FF POTENTIAL IN THE HWO. TONIGHT...CONVECTION SHOULD DISSIPATE AROUND MIDNIGHT. HOWEVER...DEBRIS CLOUDS AND HIGH CLOUDS WILL KEEP SIGNIFICANT CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE CWA OVERNIGHT. RECENT RAINFALL MAY YIELD PATCHY FOG LATE TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE MTN VALLEYS. SOUTH WINDS AND SKY COVER WILL PROMOTE ANOTHER NIGHT OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES. SUNDAY...MID LEVEL RIDGE WILL WEAKEN AS A TROF DIVES SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. SFC LOW PRESSURE SHOULD TRACK SW TO NE ACROSS TN AND KY...BRINGING MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. THE COMBINATION OF UNSTABLE AIR AND LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW AND PASSING WARM FRONT WILL RESULT IN HIGH SHRA/TSRA COVERAGE TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EVENING. I WILL FORECAST CATE POPS IN THE MTNS WITH LIKELY EAST. SVR THREAT IS MARGINAL WITH LOWER CAPE AND HIGH FREEZING HEIGHTS. HOWEVER...PW GREATER THAN 1.5 INCHES AND MID 30S K INDEX FAVOR ANOTHER DAY OF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. THE GREATER COVERAGE FOLLOWING TWO DAY OF DEEP CONVECTION COULD PROVIDE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR FLASH FLOODING. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 325 PM SATURDAY...STALLED FRONT REMAINS OVER THE AREA SUN NITE AND MONDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. SFC FEATURES TAKE ON A CAD LOOK WITH SFC HIGH NOSING IN FROM THE NORTH. RIGHT NOW...MDLS SHOWING THAT THE MAIN AREA OF CAD WILL BE NORTH OF THE CWFA...BUT COULD CREEP DOWN INTO THE I-40 CORRIDOR. EITHER WAY...THERE WILL BE QUITE A BIT OF LIFT AND DEEP MOISTURE OVER THE AREA. THIS WILL LEAD TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND SCT STORMS AS WEAK INSTABILITY CONTINUES. RIGHT NOW...QPF AMOUNTS DO NOT APPEAR TO BE EXCESSIVE. HOWEVER...GIVEN THE WEEKEND PRECIP...THIS WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED. LOWS WILL BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL...WHILE HIGHS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL. THAT SAID...HIGHS COULD BE BELOW NORMAL ACROSS THE NRN TIER DEPENDING ON WHERE THE CAD SETS UP. COLD FRONT CROSSES THE AREA MON NITE TAKING THE FOCUS FOR PRECIP WITH IT. HOWEVER...PRECIP DOES NOT TAPER OFF UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT. CANNOT RULE OUT SCT SHOWERS AND STORMS TUESDAY...BUT PRECIP SHOULD END FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE DAY. LOWS AND HIGHS NEAR NORMAL BOTH PERIODS. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 230 PM SATURDAY...FCST TRICKY EARLY IN THE MEDIUM RANGE AS UPPER LOW SLOWLY MOVES EASTWARD ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC. THIS KEEPS SOME MOISTURE AND ELY FLOW OVER THE AREA. THE MAIN THREAT FOR PRECIP WILL BE TO OUR EAST...BUT THIS MOISTURE COULD BE CLOSE ENUF FOR DIURNAL CONVECTION TO FORM. WITH CLOUDS AND ELY FLOW...LOWS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL AND HIGHS BELOW NORMAL WED AND THU. A STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE WEST FRI AND SAT. THIS WILL KEEP THE THREAT OF DIURNAL CONVECTION OVER THE AREA. HIGHS WILL RISE TO NEAR NORMAL WITH LOWS REMAINING STEADY NEAR NORMAL. && .AVIATION /20Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... AT KCLT...AT 1730Z...VIS SAT WAS INDICATING ENHANCED CU ALONG AND AHEAD OF A WEAK BACK DOOR COLD FRONT ACROSS THE CLT METRO AREA. SHRA/TSRA SHOULD DEVELOP WITHIN THE BAND OF ENHANCED CU LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND REMAIN INTO THE EVENING. I WILL MENTION A CB IN THE SKY GROUP FROM 20Z UNTIL 2Z...OTHERWISE...CONVECTION CHC WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED ON A RADAR SCAN TO SCAN BASIS. OUTSIDE OF THE CONVECTION THREAT...CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN QUIET WITH LIGHT TO CALM WINDS AND BKN MID TO HIGH SKY COVER. ELSEWHERE...DEEP CONVECTION WILL BLOSSOM ACROSS THE MTNS AND EVENTUALLY EAST ALONG AND AHEAD OF A WEAK BACK DOOR COLD FRONT. KAVL AND KHKY WILL SEE THE GREATEST CHC FOR TSRA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE RAINFALL WILL FAVOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOG LATE TONIGHT. OTHERWISE...WESTERN CAROLINA TERMINALS TAFS WILL FEATURE CB IN THE SKY GROUP UNTIL 01-02Z. CONVECTION CHC WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED ON A RADAR SCAN TO SCAN BASIS. OUTSIDE OF THE CONVECTION AND FOG THREAT...CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN QUIET WITH LIGHT TO CALM WINDS AND BKN MID TO HIGH SKY COVER. OUTLOOK...A COLD FRONT WILL STALL OVER THE REGION INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH CONVECTION ASSOCIATED RESTRICTIONS IN THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS...AND POSSIBLE FOG BASED MORNING RESTRICTIONS WHERE IT RAINS. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...RWH NEAR TERM...NED SHORT TERM...RWH LONG TERM...RWH AVIATION...NED
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 247 PM EDT SAT MAY 15 2010 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-161900- 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- 247 PM EDT SAT MAY 15 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE THROUGH MID EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES IN FROM THE NORTH. SOME STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION...SLOW MOVING STORMS COULD PRODUCE AREAS OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN SUNDAY WITH THE APPROACH OF A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD ALSO BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE HAIL. SEVERAL OF THE STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AREAS OF FLASH FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. NED
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
214 PM EDT SAT MAY 15 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0855 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 S TAYLORSVILLE 35.88N 81.18W
05/14/2010 ALEXANDER NC FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
A COUPLE LARGE TREES DOWN BLOCKING HWY 16. PEA SIZE HAIL.
&&
KRENTZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
229 PM EDT SAT MAY 15 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0206 PM HAIL 1 E HIGHLANDS 35.05N 83.18W
05/15/2010 E1.00 INCH MACON NC FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
&&
KRENTZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
329 PM EDT SAT MAY 15 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0715 PM HAIL 2 SE BARNARDSVILLE 35.76N 82.43W
05/14/2010 E1.00 INCH BUNCOMBE NC CO-OP OBSERVER
SMALL STREAM IN BACKYARD ALSO REPORTED OUT OF ITS BANKS.
1.70 INCHES OF RAINFALL.
&&
KRENTZSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
333 PM EDT SAT MAY 15 2010
GAZ010-NCZ062-SCZ001-152015-
MACON-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-RABUN-
333 PM EDT SAT MAY 15 2010
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN RABUN...NORTHWESTERN
OCONEE AND SOUTHEASTERN MACON COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM EDT...
AT 328 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES EAST OF CLAYTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25
MPH.
PEOPLE IN EASTERN RABUN...NORTHWESTERN OCONEE AND SOUTHEASTERN MACON
COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
MOUNTAIN CITY...PINE MOUNTAIN AND HIGHLANDS...
SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN.
DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.
HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS. WATER
LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO RISE...THEREFORE SEEK
HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.
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.
LAT...LON 3515 8321 3514 8319 3511 8318 3509 8315
3507 8316 3506 8316 3497 8307 3476 8331
3489 8347
BSHThe Greer radar (KGSP), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:40 UTC.
2 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Large trees were blown down on Warwoman Rd about 8 miles east northeast of Clayton.
Lightning struck a 7000-square foot lodge on Tuts Mountain Rd, destroying the structure.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, May 2010
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: 233693, 233694, 261997, 233704.