Severe storms drifted out of upstate South Carolina and across the mountains of northeast Georgia during the early evening hours. A couple reports of wind damage and large hail were received.
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.
Severe storms drifted out of upstate South Carolina and across the mountains of northeast Georgia during the early evening hours. A couple reports of wind damage and large hail were received.
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 11, 1:30 PM EST, 4 hours 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 230 PM EDT WED MAY 11 2011 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION THROUGH THURSDAY WHILE A WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY MEANDERS OVER THE AREA. A CLOSED UPPER LOW AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST FRIDAY AND MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THIS WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... AS OF 230 PM...MOST OF THE FA IS UNDER A DAY 1 SLIGHT RISK FROM THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER. THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS THE SW MTNS OF NC...MOST OF NE GA AND THE GOLDEN CORNER OF THE UPSTATE. SREF BULK SHEAR VALUES ARE UNDER 30KTS IN THESE AREAS...SO IT MAKES SENSE THAT CONVECTION WOULD HAVE MORE TROUBLE ORGANIZING. HOWEVER...THE HIGHEST SBCAPE VALUES ARE OVER THE SW PART OF THE FA...SO PULSE SEVERE IS POSSIBLE EVEN THERE. PER THE RUC...THE STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES SEEN ON THE OHX SOUNDING THIS MORNING SHOULD HAVE OVERSPREAD MOST OF THE FA BY NOW. ALL OF THIS BODES WELL FOR STRONG STORMS AGAIN TODAY. WITH THE STEEP...NEARLY DRY ADIABATIC MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES...LARGE HAIL IS STILL LIKELY...ALONG WITH SOME DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. THE SFC WIND FIELDS MATCH THE NAM/RUC/GFS IS SHOWING A WEAK SFC FRONT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN GSP AND CLT...EXTENDING BACK UP TOWARD AVL. THE AREA OF LLVL CONVERGENCE...FAVORED BY OROGRAPHIC ASCENT...IS IS PROBABLY WHERE THE STORMS WILL INITIATE. THE 12 UTC 4 KM WRF ALSO SHOWS ABUNDANT STRONG CONVECTION OVER THE FA LATE THIS AFTN...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WRN NC ZONES. SO EVEN THOUGH NOTHING HAS DEVELOPED YET...LIKELY POPS WILL BE RETAINED OVER THE NC BLUE RIDGE...FOOTHILLS...WRN PIEDMONT AND THE NRN UPSTATE AS IT/S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL STORMS DEVELOP. FORTUNATELY...THE WEAKER MID LEVEL WIND FIELD SHOULD PREVENT ANYTHING AS ORGANIZED OR STRONG AS WE HAD LAST NIGHT. NOT EXPECTING ANY UPSTREAM MCS ACTIVITY TONIGHT...SO ONCE STORMS MOVE OUT OF THE REGION OR DISSIPATE BY LATE EVENING THAT SHOULD BE IT. A WEAK RIDGE OF SFC HIGH PRESSURE WILL TURN THE WINDS OUT OF THE E OVER MOST OF THE FA TONIGHT...AND LOW CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS MOST OF THE FA. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 200 PM WEDNESDAY...WEAK SFC BOUNDARY REMAINS OVER THE AREA THU WITH ANOTHER CHC OF SHWRS/TSTMS...ESP OVER THE MTNS. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT BRINGING A CLOSED UPPER LOW ACROSS THE PLAINS THU NIGHT-FRI AND OVER THE OH VALLEY SAT. A COLD FRONT AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MS VALLEY FRI AND INTO THE W CWA SAT. WARM...MOIST S FLOW AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM WILL KEEP TEMPS WELL ABOVE AVG WITH AT LEAST A CHC OF SHWRS/TSTMS EACH DAY. TEMPS WILL BE A COUPLE DEG COOLER SAT WITH OVC SKIES AND LIKELY CONVECTION OVER THE MTNS/FOOTHILLS...SOLID CHC ELSEWHERE. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 230 PM WEDNESDAY...ECMWF AND GFS CONTINUE TO SHOW UPPER LOW AND ASSOC SFC COLD FRONT MOVG ACROSS THE AREA SAT NIGHT-SUN. EXPECT A SOLID CHC OF SHRWS/TSTMS WITH TEMPS ABOVE AVG IN THE WARM S FLOW AS THE AND INCREASED CLOUD COVER OVERNIGHT. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE DROPS SE INTO THE UPPER TROF OVER THE E US MON-TUE TO KEEP A CHC OF CONVECTION IN THE AREA. UPPER LOW BEGINS TO MOVE NE WED WITH DRYER AIRMASS MOVG IN BEHIND IT BUT SOME MOISTURE WRAPS AROUND LOW AS IT TRACKS NW SO HELD ON TO CHC POPS...MAINLY FOR THE MTNS...WED AFTN. TEMPS WILL BE NEAR AVG MON...BELOW AVG TUE-WED. && .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AT KCLT...WINDS HAVE BEEN LIGHT AND VARIABLE ALL DAY AT KCLT. AS A STATIONARY FRONT IS SITUATED RIGHT OVER THE AIRFIELD...THE FLOW SHOULD REMAIN WEAK INTO THE EVENING. AT SOME POINT THE WINDS SHOULD TURN OUT OF THE SE AS PRESSURES LOWER OVER THE FOOTHILLS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP IN THE THAT FOOTHILL LEE TROUGH AND THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THEY WILL AFFECT THE AIRFIELD. HOWEVER...UNTIL THE STORMS ACTUALLY DEVELOP...TIMING IS STILL HARD TO NAIL DOWN. MY GUESS IS THAT THE BEST CHANCES WILL BE A COUPLE HOURS EITHER SIDE OF 00 UTC. LATER TONIGHT IFR CIGS SHOULD DEVELOP AS WINDS TURN OUT OF THE NE BEHIND THE FRONT WHICH SHOULD PUSH TO THE E SLOPES OF THE MTNS. ELSEWHERE...MUCH LIKE KCLT...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE REGION LATER THIS AFTN AND EVENING. THEY SHOULD START FIRST AROUND KAVL AND THEN PUSH SE. KAND MIGHT BE A LITTLE TOO FAR SOUTH FOR THE BEST COVERAGE...BUT KGSP...KGMU AND KHKY HAVE A GOOD CHANCE OF SEEING SOMETHING STARTING AROUND 21 OR 22 UTC. AT LEAST MVFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT OVER THE NRN UPSTATE...WITH IFR UP INTO THE NC FOOTHILLS. KAVL WILL PROBABLY SEE A PERIOD OF LOW CLOUDS OR FOG. OUTLOOK...SCATTERED CEILING AND VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS IN THUNDERSTORMS MOST NUMEROUS OVER MOUNTAINS AND DURING AFTERNOONS AND EVENINGS THROUGH END OF WEEK. MORNING MVFR FOG POSSIBLE WHERE RAIN FELL THE NIGHT BEFORE. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...RB NEAR TERM...MCAVOY SHORT TERM...RB LONG TERM...RB AVIATION...MCAVOY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 258 PM EDT WED MAY 11 2011 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-121900- 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- 258 PM EDT WED MAY 11 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 TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE BLUE RIDGE AND FOOTHILLS LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO MOVE SOUTH...ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT INTO THE EVENING HOURS. SOME STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE... PRODUCING DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
611 PM EDT WED MAY 11 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM HAIL 3 SW WALHALLA 34.74N 83.10W
05/11/2011 E0.88 INCH OCONEE SC TRAINED SPOTTER
SPOTTER REPORTS DIME TO NICKEL SIZED HAIL NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF HESSE HIGHWAY AND ROCK CRUSHER ROAD.
&&
BSHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
617 PM EDT WED MAY 11 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0520 PM HAIL 9 NNW SALEM 35.01N 83.04W
05/11/2011 E1.00 INCH OCONEE SC PUBLIC
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS AT THE BAD CREEK HYDRO
STATION.
&&
BSHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
624 PM EDT WED MAY 11 2011
NCZ065-509-510-SCZ003-007-112315-
EASTERN POLK-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-HENDERSON-POLK
MOUNTAINS-SPARTANBURG-
624 PM EDT WED MAY 11 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN GREENVILLE...
NORTHWESTERN SPARTANBURG...SOUTHERN HENDERSON AND SOUTHWESTERN POLK
COUNTIES THROUGH 715 PM EDT...
AT 623 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TUXEDO...OR 9 MILES SOUTH OF
HENDERSONVILLE...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.
ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 2 MILES WEST OF TRYON...ALSO
MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.
PEOPLE IN NORTHEASTERN GREENVILLE...NORTHWESTERN SPARTANBURG...
SOUTHERN HENDERSON AND SOUTHWESTERN POLK COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE
FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
NORTH SALUDA RESERVOIR AND TIGERVILLE...
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 UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3532 8235 3526 8220 3509 8212 3506 8222
3500 8245 3525 8255 3532 8246
MOOREPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
643 PM EDT WED MAY 11 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0524 PM HAIL BREVARD 35.24N 82.73W
05/11/2011 E0.88 INCH TRANSYLVANIA NC LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
BSHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
649 PM EDT WED MAY 11 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0530 PM HAIL 4 SSE BREVARD 35.18N 82.70W
05/11/2011 E1.00 INCH TRANSYLVANIA NC PUBLIC
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS LASTED FOR ALMOST 30
MINUTES.
&&
BSHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
654 PM EDT WED MAY 11 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM HAIL 4 S MOUNTAIN REST 34.81N 83.16W
05/11/2011 E2.00 INCH OCONEE SC PUBLIC
A COCORAHS OBSERVER REPORTS HAIL UP TO 2 INCHES IN
DIAMETER.
&&
BSHThe Greer radar (KGSP), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:56 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree and some power lines were blown down to the east of Lakemont.
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, May 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: 312377, 312379.