Tornado and Hail in North Carolina, September 27, 2010

Name: Tornado and Hail in North Carolina, September 27, 2010
Start: 2010-09-27T15:45
End: 2010-09-27T22:12
Location: North Carolina

September 27, 2010 · NWS GSP · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $400,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

Low pressure moved northeast, across the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia during the afternoon and evening hours. Along with quite a bit of rain, a few severe storms affected the region, one of which produced an EF1 tornado in Burke County. The storm that produced the tornado was quite unusual, being a hybrid of a mature comma head and a breaking QLCS line segment.

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 27, 1:34 PM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 27, 1:34 PM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
234 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

.SYNOPSIS...
LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE NORTHEAST AND AWAY FROM OUR AREA TONIGHT AND
TUESDAY AS WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE CAROLINAS FROM THE
WEST.  A PLUME OF TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL MOVE NORTHWARD ALONG THE
COASTAL FRONT ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT
WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST THURSDAY NIGHT AND THEN
ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY NIGHT.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/...
CURRENT RADAR SHOWS BULK OF THE RAIN OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE
FORECAST AREA IN AREA OF BEST UPPER DIVERGENCE. RAINFALL TOTALS
TODAY HAVE BEEN MODEST AT BEST AND NO FLOOD ISSUES HAVE OCCURRED.
LOOKS LIKE THE I-77 CORRIDOR WILL STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
SOME HEAVY RAINFALL LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS UPPER LOW
BEGINS TO KICK NE AND SOME DECENT PVA OCCURS. THEREFORE...WILL HANG
ONTO THE FLOOD WATCH ALONG THE I-77 CORRIDOR IN NC  MAINLY FOR THE
URBAN FLOOD THREAT THERE. STILL EXPECTING TO SEE POTENTIALLY 1-2
INCHES OF RAIN. ALSO THERE STILL IS A SEVERE CONCERN IN THE
EASTERN/SOUTHERN PIEDMONT AS WEDGE ERODES AWAY WITH SURFACE BASED
CAPE INCREASING TO AROUND 500J LATE THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH
ROBUST HELICITIES. THE THREAT IS FOR QLCS FORMATION WHICH COULD SPAWN
AN ISOLATED BRIEF TORNADO. ALSO...FAR WESTERN NC BEGINNING TO
DESTABLIZE NEAR UPPER LOW...BUT EXPECT SUB-SEVERE THUNDER THERE IN
SCATTERED CONVECTION. SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE ELSEWHERE INTO
THE EVENING AS A GOOD SHOT OF PVA MOVES ACROSS THE AREA AS UPPER LOW
MOVES NE.

AS UPPER LOW MOVES TO WESTERN VA BY 06Z....WESTERN CAROLINAS/NE GA
WILL BE DRY SLOTTED WITH PRECIP EXITING TO THE E. AREAS OF
FOG/STRATUS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT TO PRECLUDE WIDESPREAD
CLEARING. HOWEVER...DRYER AIR MIXING DOWN EARLY ON TUE WILL ALLOW
FOR CLEARING CONDITIONS EVERYWHERE BY MID MORNING. STAYED CLOSE TO
MET MOS FOR MIN/MAX TEMPS.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 230 PM EDT MONDAY... TUESDAY NIGHT WILL BEGIN WITH WEAK HIGH
PRESSURE OVER THE REGION. AXIS OF SHARP 500 MB TROUGH WILL BE JUST
TO OUR WEST WITH STRONG SHORT WAVE ENERGY DIVING SOUTHWARD THEN
MOVING INTO BASE OF TROUGH OVERNIGHT BEFORE MOVING EAST OF AREA
THURSDAY. WILL CARRY SLIGHT POPS IN MOUNTAINS TO REFLECT COMBINATION
OF SOME QG FORCING WITH TROUGH AND A LIMITED SUPPLY OF MOISTURE.
DIFFERENCES IN MODEL GUIDANCE OF DEVELOPMENT ALONG EAST COAST FRONT
CREATE CHALLENGES NAILING DOWN DETAILS OF FORECAST WEDNESDAY INTO
THURSDAY.  BOTH MODELS INDICATE A SURFACE LOW MOVING FROM VICINITY
OF CUBA NORTHEASTWARD BUT THEY DIFFER IN PLACEMENT OF THE CENTER. BY
00Z THURSDAY... NAM HAS MAIN CENTER NEAR KEY WEST WITH A WAVE OFF
COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA. GFS PLACES LOW CENTER OFF CENTRAL FLORIDA
COAST WITH FRONTAL TROUGH NORTH ALONG CAROLINA COAST. NAM SURFACE
WAVE CONTRIBUTES TO MOISTURE SPREADING A LITTLE FURTHER INLAND THAN
GFS. PLAN TO BASICALLY SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO AND
INCREASE POPS IN OUR FAR EASTERN ZONES... BUT ONLY GO WITH VERY LOW
CHANCE POPS AT THIS TIME. BY LATE IN THE DAY THURSDAY... BOTH NAM
AND GFS MOVE THE SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE FAR ENOUGH TO THE NORTHEAST SO
NO POPS WILL BE CARRIED AFTER 18Z. FORECAST TEMPERATURES WILL BE A
BLEND OF GFS AND NAM MOS.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
AS OF 230 PM EDT MONDAY...THE ECMWF IS GENERALLY FAVORED IN THE
MEDIUM RANGE.  THE GEM IS RATHER EXTREME TO START THIS PERIOD AT 00Z
FRIDAY WITH BIG TROPICAL PLUME PASSING NORTH OF THE CAROLINAS WITH
ANOTHER CLOSED OFF LOW OVER AL/MS TO OUR WEST.  EVEN THE EXTREME GEM
TRENDS TOWARD THE ECMWF IN THE WEEKEND.  BROAD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE
WILL BE MOVING OUT OF SOUTHERN CANADA ON FRIDAY AND BE OVER THE
WESTERN GREAT LAKES SUNDAY.  COOL AND DRY NORTHEAST FLOW CAN BE
EXPECTED THROUGH THE REST OF THE PERIOD.  TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR
NORMAL FRIDAY AND THEN DROP OFF INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK TO AROUND 8
DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. A SHARP 500MB TROUGH WILL ACCOMPANY THE
SURFACE HIGH.  THE TROUGH WILL STILL BE DIGGING TO START NEXT WEEK
ON THE ECMWF...BUT QUICKLY SHIFTS OFF THE EAST COAST ON THE GFS AS
IT HINTS AT ANOTHER CLOSED LOW OVER LOWER MISSISSIPPI.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AT KCLT...IFR CIGS SHOULD BE THE RULE AT LEAST UNTIL ABOUT MIDNIGHT.
COULD SEE A BRIEF TEMPO HIGHER. LULL IN RAIN ACTIVITY AT THE MOMENT
BUT RADAR INDICATES THAT HEAVIER SHOWERS WILL MOVE BACK OVER
AIRFIELD BY ABOUT 20Z. SOUNDINGS SHOW SOME INSTABILITY LATE THIS
AFTERNOON...SO CANNOT RULE OUT THUNDER SO HAVE MENTIONED CB 20Z-23Z.
LIKELY TO SEE LOW CIGS BREAK FOR A PERIOD AFTER MIDNIGHT AS DRY SLOT
MOVES THROUGH...BUT GUIDANCE SUGGGESTS THAT AT LEAST MVFR FOG AND
PERIOD OF IFR CIGS A GOOD BET TOWARD SUNRISE...THEN RAPIDLY
IMPROVING TO UNRESTRICTED BY 14Z AS WINDS TURN NW.

ELSEWHERE...IFR/LIFR CIGS WILL BEGIN TO GRADUALLY LIFT TO MVFER BY
LATE AFTERNOON AS BEST FORCING/SHOWERS MOVE EAST. AS DRY SLOT
ARRIVES COULD SEE A PERIOD OF VFR. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT AT LEAST
MVFR FOG AND SOME PATCHY STRATUES WILL OCCUR TOWARD SUNRISE AND THEN
RAPIDLY IMPROVE TO UNRESTRICTED AFTER SUNRISE. KAVL LIKELY TO SEE
LIFR CONDITIONS LATE TONIGHT.

OUTLOOK...MUCH DRIER/VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE
REMAINDER OF THE WEEK.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR NCZ035>037-056-057-
     068>072-082-502-504-506-508-510.
SC...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR SCZ008-009.

&&

SYNOPSIS...DEO
NEAR TERM...LG
SHORT TERM...LGL
LONG TERM...DEO
AVIATION...LG

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 27, 3:10 PM EST, 35 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
410 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035-048>053-056-058-059-062>065-
068>070-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-282015-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-ALEXANDER-
MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA-GRAHAM-
NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-
CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-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-
410 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT
NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WIND AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE
THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

NCZ036-037-057-071-072-082-282015-
IREDELL-DAVIE-ROWAN-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC-
410 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WIND AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE
THROUGH TEARLY TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

NONE.

LGL

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 27, 12:55 PM EST, 2 hours 50 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
155 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

NCZ070-271845-
GASTON-
155 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT GASTON COUNTY THROUGH 245 PM
EDT...

AT 154 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES EAST OF BESSEMER CITY...OR 4 MILES
NORTHWEST OF GASTONIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

LAT...LON 3529 8100 3527 8101 3518 8100 3516 8128
      3522 8132 3526 8132 3527 8135 3531 8137
      3533 8136 3541 8115 3540 8105 3538 8099

KRENTZ

Special weather statement, Sep 27, 1:32 PM EST, 2 hours 13 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
232 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

NCZ070-071-SCZ009-271915-
GASTON-MECKLENBURG-YORK-
232 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN YORK...SOUTHEASTERN
GASTON AND SOUTHWESTERN MECKLENBURG COUNTIES THROUGH 315 PM EDT...

AT 231 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES WEST OF LAKE WYLIE...OR 10 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF GASTONIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

LAT...LON 3535 8098 3515 8087 3499 8110 3513 8125

KRENTZ

Special weather statement, Sep 27, 2:05 PM EST, 1 hour 40 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
305 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

NCZ036-057-069-071-072-271945-
CABARRUS-IREDELL-LINCOLN-MECKLENBURG-ROWAN-
305 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN LINCOLN...NORTHERN
MECKLENBURG...NORTHWESTERN CABARRUS...SOUTHEASTERN IREDELL AND
SOUTHWESTERN ROWAN COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EDT...

AT 304 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CORNELIUS...OR 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF UNC
CHARLOTTE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

PEOPLE IN EASTERN LINCOLN...NORTHERN MECKLENBURG...NORTHWESTERN
CABARRUS...SOUTHEASTERN IREDELL AND SOUTHWESTERN ROWAN COUNTIES...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

CORNELIUS...DAVIDSON AND MOORESVILLE...

SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

LAT...LON 3555 8060 3536 8086 3545 8105 3555 8100
      3555 8096 3557 8095 3558 8094 3563 8093
      3564 8095 3570 8091

KRENTZ

Special weather statement, Sep 27, 2:54 PM EST, 51 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
354 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

NCZ036-057-272045-
IREDELL-ROWAN-
354 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN IREDELL AND WESTERN
ROWAN COUNTIES THROUGH 445 PM EDT...

AT 354 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES EAST OF MOUNT ULLA...OR 11 MILES WEST OF
SALISBURY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  SALISBURY...MOUNT ULLA...CLEVELAND AND CHINA GROVE.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

LAT...LON 3581 8070 3564 8045 3553 8065 3565 8084

KRENTZ

Special weather statement, Sep 27, 3:45 PM EST, 0 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
445 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

NCZ058-272115-
GRAHAM-
445 PM EDT MON SEP 27 2010

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT GRAHAM COUNTY THROUGH 515 PM
EDT...

AT 442 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES SOUTH OF SANTEETLAH LAKE...OR 3 MILES
WEST OF ROBBINSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.

LAT...LON 3545 8387 3545 8376 3542 8366 3544 8363
      3543 8359 3540 8358 3524 8378 3524 8385
      3523 8388 3532 8400

KRENTZ

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:43 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Graham

When: September 27, 3:45 PM EST
Where: Graham County, 0.89 mi NE of Robbinsville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.340, -83.810

Thunderstorm Wind, Polk

When: September 27, 8:42 PM EST
Where: Polk County, 1.03 mi E of Valhalla
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 35.222, -82.252

Numerous trees and large limbs were blown down in and around Tryon, especially in the Harmon Field Rd, highway 176 area. Two homes were damaged by falling trees and several roads were blocked.

Tornado, Burke

When: September 27, 10:09 PM EST to 10:12 PM EST
Where: Burke County, 2.19 mi ENE of Brindletown to 3.97 mi SSE of Glen Alpine
Rating: EF1
Path length: 2.59 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $400,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 35.647, -81.787

NWS storm survey found a tornado damage path that began near the intersection of Conley Rd and Fisher Davis Rd. Several trees were snapped off or uprooted at this location, and a car port was detached and thrown from a home. Siding and flashing were also torn off this home. The tornado continued to produce intermittent damage as it moved north northeast, roughly paralleling Conley Rd. Part of the roof and some siding was blown off a home just south of Bennett Rd, with debris scattered several hundred yards away. Multiple trees were snapped off or uprooted and part of the roof was peeled off a home north of Bennett Rd. A car port was blown several hundred yards at this location and the doors were blown in on a garage, causing one wall of the garage to collapse. As the tornado continued north northeast, multiple trees were snapped off or uprooted, with trees falling on several homes. A horse trailer also was blown over and several homes received minor structural damage before the tornado lifted near the intersection of Conley Rd and Jeeter Carswell Rd.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history The tornado archive for North Carolina, 2010 Warnings in North Carolina, September 2010

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 261419, 261420, 261866.