A cluster of strong storms drifted out of upstate South Carolina and into northeast Georgia. The storms produced an area of wind damage.
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 cluster of strong storms drifted out of upstate South Carolina and into northeast Georgia. The storms produced an area of wind damage.
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 12, 6:57 PM EST, 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 757 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE OFF THE EAST COAST BY SATURDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL THEN APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST AND MOVE ACROSS THE CAROLINAS EARLY SUNDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE NORTH EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... CONVECTIVE COVERAGE HAS REGENERATED CLOSER TO THE BLUE RIDGE IN UPSLOPE AREAS EARLY THIS EVENING...AND SPILLED OUT INTO THE ADJACENT PIEDMONT. WITH DIFFLUENT FLOW ALOFT...THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING VERY LITTLE AND AN ISOLATED EXCESSIVE RAINFALL THREAT WILL ACCOMPANY THE SEVERE WIND THREAT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS NEAR THE INTERSTATE 85 CORRIDOR IN UPSTATE SC. OTHERWISE...A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REDEVELOP OVER WRN NC IN THE EASTERLY FLOW THROUGH THE MOIST LAYER...BUT WITH ONLY ISOLD COVERAGE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT. FOG MAY BE A BIT MORE WIDESPREAD THAN LAST NIGHT...WITH LOCALLY DENSE RESTRICTIONS IN THE MTN VALLEYS AND IN AREAS THAT RECEIVE HEAVY RAINFALL. MIN TEMPS APPEAR ON TRACK. SATURDAY...EXPECT SHOWERS TO START EARLY AGAIN AS THE CONTINUED SELY FLOW ACTS ON LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. OVERALL CONVECTION COULD BE MORE WIDESPREAD AS SOME ADDITIONAL UPPER LEVEL ENERGY MOVES IN. HAVE KEPT POP LIMITED TO SOLID CHC FOR NOW. HIGHS SHOULD BE JUST ON THE LOW SIDE OF NORMAL. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... AT 2 PM EDT FRIDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH WILL AMPLIFY ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD FROM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...THEN WILL DEAMPLIFY SLIGHTLY ON MONDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS OUR AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND EARLY SUNDAY...ACCOMPANIED BY SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. MODERATE INSTABILITY AND SHEAR WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THE SLOW MOVING NATURE OF THE BOUNDARY...COMBINED WITH A WEAK PRECEDING SOUTHERLY UPSLOPE FLOW...WILL FAVOR RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF ONE INCH...AND PERHAPS TWO INCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS. AS WINDS VEER TO THE NORTHWEST...UPSLOPE FLOW SHOWERS WILL SET UP IN THE NC MOUNTAINS BORDERING TN LATE SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT...ENDING MONDAY AS DRY HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EAST INTO THE MOUNTAINS. TEMPERATURES WILL RUN NEAR NORMAL SATURDAY NIGHT...THEN BELOW NORMAL FORM SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AT 2 PM EDT FRIDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH WILL BE ALONG THE EAST COAST ON MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY. HEIGHTS RISE TEMPORARILY ON WEDNESDAY BETWEEN SHORTWAVES MOVING THROUGH THE MEAN TROUGH...THEN FALL LATE IN THE WEEK AS A CLOSED UPPER LOW MOVES ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA...CAUSING THE TROUGH AXIS TO RETROGRADE INTO THE APPALACHIANS. A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WILL BE NEAR THE COAST ON TUESDAY...WHILE RELATIVELY COOL AND DRY HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS EAST ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. THIS HIGH CROSSES THE MOUNTAINS ON WEDNESDAY...THEN REMAINS ALONG THE EAST COAST THROUGH FRIDAY. PRECIPITATION WILL BE QUITE LIMITED IN THIS HIGH PRESSURE...AND MAINLY CONFINED TO THE BLUE RIDGE ESCARPMENT DIFFERENTIAL HEATING AND LIGHT UPSLOPE FLOW COME INTO PLAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE CLOSE TO LATE SUMMER OR EARLY AUTUMN NORMAL. && .AVIATION /00Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AT KCLT...AFTERNOON CONVECTION IN THE VICINITY HAS DISSIPATED...BUT MOIST SE FLOW COULD ALLOW ISOLD TO SCATTERED SHOWER TO REDEVELOP ACROSS THE NC PIEDMONT OVERNIGHT. WILL LEAVE KCLT PRECIPITATION FREE FOR THE 00Z ISSUANCE...BUT THIS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED. THERE IS DEVELOPING CONSENSUS ON A LOWER STRATUS DECK FORMING OVERNIGHT...WITH MVFR CIGS THE BEST FORECAST AT PRESENT AFT 09Z. BRIEF IFR WILL BE POSSIBLE TOWARD DAYBREAK...BUT CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW TO FORECAST THAT. EXPECT SE WINDS TO BECOME LIGHT AND VARIABLE OVERNIGHT AND THEN STEADY SE AGAIN THROUGH SAT. CB CLOUDS WITH VFR CIGS WILL BE FEATURED THROUGH SAT AFTN. ELSEWHERE...A DIFFLUENT FLOW PATTERN ALOFT IS ALLOWING CELLS TO BACKBUILD OR MOVE SLOWLY JUST EAST OF THE MTNS. TSRA WILL BE CARRIED AT KGSP AND KGMU AND IFR CONDITIONS MIGHT BE NEEDED IF THE HEAVIEST CORES THREATEN THE AIRFIELD. TSRA MAY SPREAD TOWARD KAND AFTER 02Z. CONVECTION SHOULD BE ISOLD TO SCT ENOUGH TO NOT MENTION AT KAVL TO KHKY...BUT SHOWERS MAY DEVELOP NEARBY OVERNIGHT IN EASTERLY FLOW. EXPECT A STRATUS DECK TO DEVELOP AT MVFR LEVELS BY 08Z...WITH IFR POSSIBLE AT TIMES THROUGHOUT TOWARD DAYBREAK. IFR WILL BE MOST LIKELY AT KAVL AND KHKY. EXPECT LIGHT SE FLOW THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH CB CLOUDS DURING THE AFTN HOURS. OUTLOOK...TSTM CHANCES INCREASE SAT NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH. EXPECT DRIER WEATHER MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. AN EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLE SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING WITH THE SCHEDULED ISSUANCE CATEGORY IS AVAILABLE AT FOLLOWING LINK (USE LOWER CASE)... WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION/TABLES.HTM && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...TJB NEAR TERM...HG SHORT TERM...JAT LONG TERM...JAT AVIATION...HG
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1106 AM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-131515- 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- 1106 AM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011 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 THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. ISOLATED AREAS OF HEAVY RAINFALL COULD ALSO DEVELOP... ESPECIALLY IN LOCATIONS WHERE MULTIPLE STORMS MOVE THROUGH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA LATER THIS WEEKEND. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS IN ADVANCE OF THIS FRONT ARE EXPECTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND HEAVY RAINFALL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
724 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
SCZ005-006-010-130015-
ANDERSON-GREATER GREENVILLE-GREATER PICKENS-
724 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL GREENVILLE...EASTERN
PICKENS AND NORTHERN ANDERSON COUNTIES THROUGH 815 PM EDT...
AT 722 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF EASLEY...OR 5 MILES EAST OF
PICKENS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
LIBERTY...
EASLEY...
POWDERSVILLE...
DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3464 8265 3488 8275 3489 8274 3496 8258
3496 8255 3475 8238
ARKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
739 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
SCZ002-003-006-007-130030-
GREATER GREENVILLE-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS
MOUNTAINS-SPARTANBURG-
739 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN PICKENS...NORTHERN
GREENVILLE AND WESTERN SPARTANBURG COUNTIES THROUGH 830 PM EDT...
AT 735 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 4 MILES SOUTH OF
GOWENSVILLE TO MARIETTA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
LAKE ROBINSON...
TRAVELERS REST...
FURMAN UNIVERSITY...
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
LAT...LON 3488 8244 3493 8252 3497 8253 3496 8257
3504 8269 3513 8222 3498 8197
ARKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
742 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0732 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 WSW EASLEY 34.81N 82.62W
08/12/2011 PICKENS SC TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES AND LARGE LIMBS DOWN ALONG SMITH GROVE ROAD. POWER
IS ALSO REPORTED TO BE OUT FOR PARTS OF THIS AREA NEAR
EASLEY.
&&
OUTLAWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
811 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0740 PM HAIL EASLEY 34.82N 82.59W
08/12/2011 E0.88 INCH PICKENS SC PUBLIC
DIME HAIL ALONG PENDLETON HIGHWAY NEAR HIGHWAY 135.
&&
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
815 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
NCZ065-509-510-SCZ003-130100-
EASTERN POLK-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-HENDERSON-POLK MOUNTAINS-
815 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN GREENVILLE...SOUTHERN
HENDERSON AND SOUTHWESTERN POLK COUNTIES THROUGH 900 PM EDT...
AT 813 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF NORTH SALUDA RESERVOIR...OR
9 MILES SOUTH OF HENDERSONVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
NORTH SALUDA RESERVOIR...
COLUMBUS...
TRYON...
MARIETTA...
TIGERVILLE...
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.
LAT...LON 3523 8214 3519 8216 3519 8221 3507 8222
3506 8223 3501 8241 3501 8254 3502 8256
3520 8257 3532 8240
ARKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
820 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
GAZ018-SCZ001-004-005-010-130100-
ANDERSON-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-STEPHENS-
820 PM EDT FRI AUG 12 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN STEPHENS...SOUTHERN
OCONEE...SOUTHWESTERN PICKENS AND WESTERN ANDERSON COUNTIES THROUGH
900 PM EDT...
AT 817 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WESTMINSTER...OR 10 MILES
SOUTH OF WALHALLA...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
WESTMINSTER...
FAIR PLAY...
SENECA...
SMALL 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.
LAT...LON 3450 8307 3453 8309 3453 8311 3451 8314
3453 8331 3473 8323 3473 8280 3447 8280
ARKThe Greer radar (KGSP), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:51 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees were blown down across the eastern part of the county.
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, August 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: 341525.