Scattered airmass thunderstorms developed over the North Carolina mountains during the afternoon hours. A couple of the storms briefly became severe.
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.
Scattered airmass thunderstorms developed over the North Carolina mountains during the afternoon hours. A couple of the storms briefly became severe.
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 Aug 4, 1:35 PM EST, 2 hours 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 235 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE AREA WILL WEAKEN ON THURSDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. THE FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION FRIDAY BEFORE MOVING SOUTH OF THE AREA SATURDAY. SHALLOW MOISTURE WILL RETURN EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... SCATTERED CONVECTION HAS DEVELOPED THIS AFTERNOON OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE SOUTHWEST NC MTNS...WITHIN STRONG INSTABILITY GRADIENT. WITH WEAK MCV POISED TO PUSH SOUTHEAST OF THE PIEDMONT IN THE VERY NEAR TERM...AND THE FACT THAT HIGH CLOUDS HAVE LIMITED INSTABILITY ACROSS THE EASTERN ZONES...IT APPEARS THAT THE MTNS WILL EXPERIENCE BY FAR THE BEST COVERAGE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY THIS EVENING. WITH EXTREMELY HIGH FREEZING LEVELS IN THE VCNY OF THE UPPER RIDGE AXIS...DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALLY TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL REMAIN THE GREATEST CONVECTIVE THREAT. CONVECTION SHOULD DIE OFF BY MID-EVENING OR SO. VERY WARM THICKNESS VALUES AND ELEVATED DEWPOINTS WILL RESULT IN ANOTHER VERY WARM NIGHT...WITH MIN TEMPS EXPECTED TO AVERAGE A SOLID 5 DEGREES OR SO ABOVE NORMAL. FOR THURSDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE OHIO AND TENN VALLEYS...WITH THE DEEP MOISTURE BAND LIKELY ADVANCING INTO FAR WESTERN NC BY THE END OF THE DAY. POPS WILL BE TAPERED FROM HIGH CHANCE ACROSS MUCH OF THE NC MTNS...TO LOW CHANCES ACROSS THE LOWER PIEDMONT ZONES. HOWEVER...THE MAIN STORY WILL BE THE HEAT...AS PROGGED THICKNESS VALUES SUPPORT MAXES IN EXCESS OF 100 WITHIN THE PRE-FRONTAL THERMAL RIDGE. WE HAVE NOT JUMPED ON 100+ TEMPS YET FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS...ONE IS THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE EXTENT TO WHICH ANY HIGH CLOUDS/CONVECTIVE DEBRIS WILL AFFECT THE AREA TOMORROW...THE OTHER BEING THAT THE AREA HAS NOT WARMED UP AS MUCH AS ANTICIPATED TODAY...EVEN IN LOCATIONS THAT HAVE NOT SEEN APPRECIABLE CLOUD COVER. WE WILL OPT INSTEAD FOR WIDESPREAD UPPER 90S EAST OF THE MTNS. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 230 PM WEDNESDAY...HEIGHTS CONTINUE TO DECREASE FRI AS A TROF DEEPENS ALONG THE E COAST AND A COLD FRONT DROPS SE INTO THE REGION. ALTHO TEMPS WILL BE A CAT OR SO COOLER...WITH CONTINUED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...BETTER LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE AND WEAK UPPER FORCING...KEPT SOLID CHANCE POPS ACROSS CWA. OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD BE AT LEAST A CAT COOLER. BEST UPPER FORCING MOVES E OF AREA FRI NIGHT-SAT BUT WITH FRONT NEAR S CWA AND LOW LEVEL E FLOW DEVELOPING DURING DAY...KEPT CHC POPS OVER AREA...ESP S ZONES AND MOUNTAINS ALONG S ESCARPMENT. CONVECTION SHOULD TAPER OFF WITH COOLING SAT EVE. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AS OF 215 PM WEDNESDAY...THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT. OF NOTE AT 12Z SUNDAY ON THE GFS...WE SEE WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE REGENERATION OF COLIN FAR OFFSHORE FROM THE EASTERN SEABOARD MOVING NORTH AND NO PLAYER. THE 500MB TROUGH WILL GIVE AWAY ON THE EAST COAST TO THE RE-EXPANDING RIDGE WHICH WILL BE CENTERED AROUND ARKANSAS DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. THE CHANCES OF ANY RAIN WILL BE RATHER LOW THROUGH THE MEDIUM RANGE AS THE RIDGE WILL BE IN PLACE. THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN NEW DAY 7...BUT SOME INCREASE IN MOISTURE...SOME TROPICAL AND SOME BASED ON A COLD FRONT MORE CLEARLY DEFINED ON THE GFS. OUT THAT FAR...CONFIDENCE IS LOW ON BRINGING UP POPS ANY MORE THAT THIS TIME. HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 90S WILL BE WHAT TO EXPECT THROUGH MID WEEK. && .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AT KCLT...AFTER MUCH DELIBERATION...FINALLY OPTED TO KEEP CB OUT OF THE TAF. WEAK UPPER DISTURBANCE RESPONSIBLE FOR LIGHT SHWR ACTIVITY NORTH OF THE TERMINAL EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE SOUTHEAST OF THE NC PIEDMONT BY 20Z OR SO. CLOUD COVER AND WARM MID-LEVEL TEMPS HAVE HAMPERED INSTABILITY AS WELL. THERE WILL STILL BE ISLD CONVECTION AROUND...BUT COVERAGE SHOULD BE VERY LIMITED. OTHERWISE...S/SW WINDS OF 5-8 KT SHOULD PERSIST THROUGH THE PERIOD. ELSEWHERE...ISOLATED CONVECTION HAS DEVELOPED OVER THE MTNS...AND COVERAGE WILL LIKELY IMPROVE A BIT DURING THE COURSE OF THE AFTERNOON...SO VCSH/CB HAS BEEN INCLUDED AT KAVL. A CB HAS ALSO BEEN INTRODUCED AT KHKY...TO ACCOUNT FOR CONVECTION ROLLING OFF THE HIGHER TERRAIN LATER TODAY. ONCE CONVECTION DIMINISHES THIS EVENING...THE FOCUS WILL SHIFT TO THE FOG/LOW STRATUS POTENTIAL LATE TONIGHT. WE HAVE GENERALLY OPTED FOR A GUIDANCE CONSENSUS DURING THE 06-12Z TIME FRAME...SUPPORTING MVFR FOG AT KAVL...WITH 6SM EXPECTED AT KHKY. OUTLOOK...CHANCES FOR CONVECTION WILL INCREASE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY...AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST. ALTHOUGH THE FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH OF THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND...CHANCES FOR ISOLATED/WIDELY SCT DIURNAL CONVECTION WILL LIKELY CONTINUE. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR GAZ026-028-029. NC...NONE. SC...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR SCZ010>012-019. && SYNOPSIS...RB NEAR TERM...JDL SHORT TERM...RB LONG TERM...RB AVIATION...JDL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1027 AM EDT WED AUG 4 2010 GAZ010-017-018-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-068>072-082- 501>510-SCZ001>009-013-014-051430- RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-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- UNION SC-CHESTER- 1027 AM EDT WED AUG 4 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP TODAY ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. THE MAIN THREATS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. A COUPLE OF THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. .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. GAZ026-028-029-SCZ010>012-019-051430- FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-GREENWOOD- 1027 AM EDT WED AUG 4 2010 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 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. HEAT ADVISORY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP TODAY ACROSS THE PIEDMONT OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. THE MAIN THREATS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL. A COUPLE OF THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE ON THURSDAY. ANOTHER HEAT ADVISORY FOR HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 105 OR GREATER WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE. LANE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
245 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010
NCZ033-503-505-041915-
AVERY-BURKE MOUNTAINS-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-
245 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN MCDOWELL...NORTHWESTERN
BURKE AND SOUTHERN AVERY COUNTIES THROUGH 315 PM EDT...
AT 240 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CROSSNORE...OR 5 MILES SOUTH OF NEWLAND...
MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.
* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO JONAS
RIDGE...CROSSNORE AND ASHFORD.
WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3590 8175 3584 8205 3586 8204 3587 8199
3590 8199 3592 8202 3605 8197 3607 8187
LANESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
259 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010
NCZ062-063-041945-
MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-
259 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN MACON AND SOUTHERN
JACKSON COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EDT...
AT 257 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LAKE THORPE...OR 12 MILES EAST OF FRANKLIN.
THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY.
PEOPLE IN EASTERN MACON AND SOUTHERN JACKSON 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.
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3522 8326 3524 8316 3523 8305 3505 8310
3507 8328
MOORESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 344 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010 NCZ048-049-042030- MADISON-YANCEY- 344 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL YANCEY AND EASTERN MADISON COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM EDT... AT 339 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR SWISS...OR 8 MILES WEST OF BURNSVILLE. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. PEOPLE IN CENTRAL YANCEY AND EASTERN MADISON COUNTIES... SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LAT...LON 3599 8236 3584 8227 3580 8248 3594 8249 MOORE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
408 PM EDT WED AUG 04 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0350 PM TSTM WND DMG 7 W BURNSVILLE 35.92N 82.42W
08/04/2010 YANCEY NC PUBLIC
COCORAHS OBSERVER REPORTS THAT A WIND GUST BROUGHT DOWN A
LARGE PART OF A TREE ON A HOUSE NEAR THEIR LOCATION. ALSO
HAD HAIL UP TO HALF OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER.
&&
BSHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
429 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010
NCZ033-049-050-042115-
AVERY-MITCHELL-YANCEY-
429 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN YANCEY...MITCHELL AND
SOUTHWESTERN AVERY COUNTIES THROUGH 515 PM EDT...
AT 426 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES EAST OF LEDGER...OR 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF
SPRUCE PINE. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. OTHER STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER THE AREA BETWEEN BURNSVILLE...
BAKERSVILLE...SPRUCE PINE...AND CROSSNORE. ANY ONE OF THESE STORMS
COULD BECOME SEVERE IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES.
PEOPLE IN EASTERN YANCEY...MITCHELL AND SOUTHWESTERN AVERY
COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
BAKERSVILLE...INGALLS AND SPRUCE PINE...
SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN.
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3612 8204 3598 8192 3594 8196 3592 8196
3590 8197 3590 8199 3589 8198 3588 8199
3581 8222 3602 8227
MOORESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
501 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010
NCZ053-065-505-507-042145-
BUNCOMBE-HENDERSON-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-
501 PM EDT WED AUG 4 2010
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN BUNCOMBE...NORTHEASTERN
HENDERSON...WESTERN MCDOWELL AND WESTERN RUTHERFORD COUNTIES THROUGH
545 PM EDT...
AT 459 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF MONTREAT...OR 13 MILES
NORTHEAST OF DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE...MOVING SOUTH AT 5 MPH.
OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED EAST OF FAIRVIEW AND NEAR
BAT CAVE...ALSO MOVING SLOWLY SOUTH.
PEOPLE IN EASTERN BUNCOMBE...NORTHEASTERN HENDERSON...WESTERN
MCDOWELL AND WESTERN RUTHERFORD COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING
LOCATIONS...
BLACK MOUNTAIN AND SWANNANOA...
SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN.
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
LAT...LON 3571 8227 3570 8228 3570 8225 3544 8215
3542 8216 3538 8238 3573 8248 3576 8234
MOOREThe Greer radar (KGSP), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:29 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down on Bartlett Hollow Rd and another was blown down in the same area on Bat Cave Rd.
Several trees were blown down along highway 212, about 13 miles north of Marshall.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 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: 256689, 256688.