A small cluster of thunderstorms developed ahead of a line of lighter rain during the mid morning hours. The storms produced a few damaging wind gusts as they moved quickly across northeast Georgia.
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 small cluster of thunderstorms developed ahead of a line of lighter rain during the mid morning hours. The storms produced a few damaging wind gusts as they moved quickly across northeast Georgia. The storms rapidly weakened as they moved into South Carolina.
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 Apr 20, 6:03 AM EST, 2 hours 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 703 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE WEST TODAY AND GRADUALLY SLIDE ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS TONIGHT AND EARLY THURSDAY. THE FRONT WILL BECOME STATIONARY AND LINGER ACROSS THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER VALLEY THROUGH THURSDAY. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD TO OUR NORTHEAST AND ESTABLISH A COOL AIR WEDGING PATTERN OVER THE CAROLINAS ON FRIDAY. WARM SOUTH TO SOUTH WESTERLY WINDS WILL REESTABLISH THEMSELVES OVER THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... LINE OF CONVECTION MOVG ACROSS E TN EARLY THIS MRNG CONTINUES TO WEAKEN NOT ONLY WITH COOLING BUT AS IT ENCOUTERS THE DRYER AIR OVER THE S APPALACHIANS. TWEAKED WINDS AND TEMPS...REST OF FCST LOOKS GOOD ATTM. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...LATEST MODEL RUNS HAVE COME IN WITH LESS SHEAR AND CAPE...AND WITH QPF REDUCED AS WELL. THE 4KM WRF HARDLY SHOWS ANY PRECIP E OF THE MTNS THIS AFTN. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL STILL INCREASE TODAY AND WITH HEATING EXPECT CAPE VALUES AROUND 1200 J/KG. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW 0-6KM BULK SHEAR AS HIGH AS 38KT. LOOK FOR AN INCRSNG CHC OF SHWRS/TSTMS OVER THE MTNS THIS MRNG WITH LIKELY POPS EARLY TO MID AFTN. POPS DROP OFF E OF THE MTNS WITH SOLID CHC ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...BUT JUST A LOW END CHC AT CLT AS THE SFC BOUNDARY MOVES INTO THE AREA. HIGHS WILL BE WELL ABOVE AVG THIS AFTN. CONVECTION SHOULD DIMINISH WITH COOLING THIS EVE AND THE SFC BOUNDARY IS EXPECTED TO PUSH JUST S OF THE CWA OVERNIGHT. MRNG LOWS WILL BE ABOVE AVG. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 3 AM WEDNESDAY...A COLD FRONT IS EXPECT TO BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY ALONG THE I-20 CORRIDOR BY SUNRISE THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE GREAT LAKES IS FORECAST TO INCREASINGLY RIDGE SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE DAY. MODELS INDICATE THAT WEAK SFC BASED INSTABILITY WILL DEVELOP AS FAR NORTH AS THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER VALLEY. ELSEWHERE...CONDITIONS SHOULD REMAIN FAIRLY STABLE AND MOIST BELOW H5. WEAK UPSLOPE AND ISENTROPIC LIFT MAY SUPPORT A FEW SHRA ACROSS THE NC FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT. THE GREATEST COVERAGE WILL REMAIN ALONG THE SC/GA LINE NEAR THE SFC BOUNDARY AND INSTABILITY...I WILL FORECAST LIKELY POPS OVER EXTREME NE GA TO SCHC POPS NORTH OF THE CLT METRO. HIGHS ARE FORECAST TO PEAK ONE TO TWO DEGREE ABOVE NORMAL. THURSDAY NIGHT...CAD WILL DEVELOP OVER THE FORECAST AREA AS THE SFC HIGH CENTER SETTLES OVER NEW ENGLAND AND LOW PRESSURE DEEPENS ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS. CIRCULATION AROUND THE LOW WILL RESULT IN INCREASING UPSLOPE FLOW AND ISENTROPIC LIFT ACROSS THE CWA. I WILL KEEP LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE MTNS AND CHC POPS EAST...FAVORING SHRA. MIN TEMPS ARE FORECAST TO RANGE 5 TO 8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. FRIDAY...CAD IS EXPECTED TO PEAK DURING THE MORNING AND BEGIN TO FADE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON. SOUTHWEST H85 WINDS WILL STRENGTHEN THROUGH THE DAY...YIELD GREATER ISENTROPIC LIFT ACROSS THE WEDGE. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE A THICK SATURATED LAYER WITHIN THE LOWEST 5 KFT. IN ADDITION...A SIGNIFICANT DECK OF CIRRUS LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD ARRIVE DURING THE MORNING AND REMAIN THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...HELPING TO CONTINUE THE CAD. THE COMBINATION OF RICH MOISTURE AND WEAK LIFT SHOULD PROVIDE LIKELY COVERAGE ACROSS THE MTNS AND HIGH CHC EAST. THE NAM MOS AND 2M TEMPS SFC TEMPS INDICATE WEDGE-LIKE VALUES AND AGREE WELL WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. I WILL CONTINUE TO INDICATE HIGH IN THE L60S ACROSS MOST THE CWA. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 315 AM WEDNESDAY...VERY LITTLE CHANGE EXPECTED IN THE PATTERN ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST U.S. FROM THIS WEEKEND THROUGH TUESDAY. A VERY STRONG BERMUDA HIGH IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN RIDGED ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE PERIOD. FORECAST SOUNDINGS KEEP LLVL MOISTURE FAIRLY HIGH THROUGH THE PERIOD...RESULTING IN DIURNAL INSTABILITY. I WILL TIME CHC TO SCHC COVERAGE EACH AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN GENERALLY 5 TO 8 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION /11Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AT KCLT...STILL EXPECT INCRSNG WIND SHEAR THIS MRNG BUT NOT ENOUGH FOR LLWS REMARK. AS FRONT MOVES IN FROM THE NW THIS AFTN-EVE VFR CUMULUS WILL DEVELOP BUT CHC PRECIP OR CB CLOUDS TOO LOW TO MENTION ATTM. SW WINDS WILL SWING N AFT 06Z. ELSEWHERE...LOW CLOUDS COMING IN FROM THE W WILL IMPACT KAVL FIRST WITH VFR LOW CLOUD CIGS BY 15Z. EXPECT LOW LVL WIND SHEAR AT KAVL UNTIL 15Z. FOR OTHER TERMINALS VFR CUMULUS WILL DEVELOP BY THIS AFTN BUT CHC PRECIP OR CB CLOUDS TOO LOW TO MENTION ATTM. OUTLOOK...A COLD FRONT WILL STALL NEAR S CWA TONIGHT AND THU. UNSETTLED CONDITIONS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT. LOW CLOUDS AND SHOWERS EXPECTED THU NIGHT AND FRI AS COLD AIR DAMMING DEVELOPS OVER THE REGION. CONDITIONS SHOULD GRADUALLY IMPROVE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...NED NEAR TERM...RB SHORT TERM...NED LONG TERM...NED AVIATION...RB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 802 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ059-062>065-SCZ001>006-010-011-211215- RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON- SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-OCONEE MOUNTAINS- PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE- GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE- 802 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 167 IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EDT TODAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. ONE OR TWO OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE. .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...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE. NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>058-068>072-082-501>510-SCZ007>009- 012>014-019-211215- AVERY-ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD- BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-GRAHAM-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- SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD- 802 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. ONE OR TWO OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
735 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011
NCZ058-201200-
GRAHAM-
735 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT GRAHAM COUNTY THROUGH 800 AM
EDT...
AT 728 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF MARBLE...OR 12 MILES NORTH
OF MURPHY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
SANTEETLAH LAKE AND ROBBINSVILLE...
FONTANA VILLAGE...
STECOAH...
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3545 8387 3544 8368 3542 8365 3544 8364
3543 8359 3539 8360 3533 8364 3532 8369
3529 8369 3525 8371 3524 8377 3525 8384
3521 8396 3523 8401 3536 8404
MCAVOYSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 839 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 NCZ064-065-509-SCZ001>006-201400- TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-POLK MOUNTAINS-OCONEE MOUNTAINS- PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE- GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BREVARD...HENDERSONVILLE...GREENVILLE 839 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011 ...A BRIEF PERIOD OF VERY WINDY CONDITIONS THIS MORNING... AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM A DISSIPATED LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE QUICKLY SOUTHEAST...ACROSS THE SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA AND INTO UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA THROUGH 10 AM. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WILL ACCOMPANY THE LINE. THIS MAY BLOW DOWN A FEW TREES AND CAUSE SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL AFFECT AREAS FROM ROSMAN TO BREVARD AND HENDERSONVILLE IN NORTH CAROLINA...AND JAKE JOCASSEE TO PICKENS AND TRAVELERS REST IN SOUTH CAROLINA. MCAVOY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
844 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011
GAZ010-017-018-NCZ062-201330-
HABERSHAM-MACON-RABUN-STEPHENS-
844 AM EDT WED APR 20 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT HABERSHAM...MACON...RABUN AND
STEPHENS COUNTIES THROUGH 930 AM EDT...
AT 839 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF
NOTTELY DAM TO 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF AURARIA...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
NANTAHALA LAKE...
LAKE BURTON...
NACOOHE LAKE...
LAKE RABUN...
CLAYTON...
TOCCOA...
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
LAT...LON 3522 8371 3531 8333 3499 8314 3475 8336
3468 8334 3452 8313 3449 8366 3451 8367
3454 8362 3465 8367 3476 8363 3481 8368
3489 8366 3494 8360 3495 8356 3502 8353
3515 8366 3516 8374
LGLThe Greer radar (KGSP), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:17 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down near Heaven's Landing Airpark. Also, the top of a tree was blown out and large limbs blown down on Germany Rd.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, April 2011
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: 300676.