Hail and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, May 10 to 11, 2011

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, May 10 to 11, 2011
Start: 2011-05-10T23:22
End: 2011-05-11T00:14
Location: South Carolina

May 10 to 11, 2011 · NWS GSP · 7 events in 5 counties and zones

A squall line developed over the Ohio Valley during the afternoon hours. The thunderstorm complex rapidly moved to the southeast, crossing the Appalachian Mountains and affecting much of western North Carolina and the northwest piedmont of South Carolina during the late evening hours.

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: 1
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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.

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 May 10, 9:47 PM EST, 1 hour 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 10, 9:47 PM EST, 1 hour 35 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1047 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

.SYNOPSIS...
AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN ACROSS THE EASTERN
HALF OF THE COUNTRY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A WEAK BOUNDARY THROUGH
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA INTO SOUTH CAROLINA WILL GRADUALLY MOVE
WESTWARD AND THEN DISSIPATE. A CLOSED UPPER LOW WILL SLOWLY APPROACH
THE AREA FROM THE WEST THIS WEEKEND.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
0300 UTC UPDATE...A NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED
FOR BOWING THUNDERSTORMS MOVING SOUTH TOWARD INTO THE NORTHERN NC
MOUNTAINS. WEATHER GRIDS HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO MENTION DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL IN THE WATCH AREA.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...AN UPPER RIDGE AXIS EXTENDED FROM THE GULF
COAST TO THE GREAT LAKES THIS EVENING. A LOW MOVING WARM FRONT WAS
LOCATED FROM THE NORTHERN NC MOUNTAINS TO THE NORTHERN SC COAST. A
FIRST ROUND OF CONVECTION HAS WEAKENED AND MOVED SOUTHEAST OF OUR
AREA...BUT ADDITIONAL CONVECTION IN EASTERN KY IS MOVING THIS WAY
WITH A SECOND AND MORE VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL IMPULSE. ALTHOUGH
INSTABILITY WILL BE DECREASING AS THE UPPER SYSTEM APPROACHES...BUT
ENOUGH SURVIVES TO WARRANT LIKELY POPS IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF
THE AREA. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER A SECOND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH WILL BE ISSUED FOR THIS SECOND ROUND OF CONVECTION LATE THIS
EVENING. MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN RATHER MILD TONIGHT...
AROUND 10 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. FOG IS SUPPORTED BY GUIDANCE ACROSS
MUCH OF THE AREA BY DAYBREAK...MAINLY IN WESTERN NC AND THE SAVANNAH
RIVER VALLEY.

UPPER RIDGE AXIS OFF TO OUR WEST POKES A BIT FURTHER EASTWARD ON
WEDNESDAY AND DIURNAL DESTABILIZATION EXPECTED TO BE AT LEAST
MODERATE...ESPECIALLY WHERE TEMPERATURES WARM WELL INTO THE 80S ACRS
THE SW HALF OF THE CWFA. ALTHOUGH EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR WILL BE
EXPECTEDLY LESS THAN WHAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY...ISOLATED...DIURNALLY
ENHANCED SVR STORMS WILL BE PROBABLE.

&&

.SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
AS OF 120 PM TUESDAY...A HIGH AMPLITUDE RIDGE WILL BREAK DOWN DURING
THIS SHORT TERM PERIOD OF THE FORECAST. SOME LEFT OVER CONVECTION
CARRYING INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING WITH THE NW FLOW AND THEN A DECREASE
THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING WITH THE RIDGE AXIS PASSING OVERHEAD.
GREATEST INSTABILITY SHOULD BE OVER NE GA AND THE WESTERN UPSTATE
WITH FAIRLY LIGHT WIND FIELDS.  NOT A BIG CONCERN AS OF THIS TIME.
HOWEVER...CONCERN PICKS UP AGAIN ON FRIDAY WITH LOW TO MID LEVEL
WIND FIELDS INCREASING LATE IN THE DAY AS COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM
THE WEST.  CAPE VALUES VARY DEPENDING OF THE MODEL BUT MAINLY 1000
TO 1500 IN THE GA TO CAROLINA PIEDMONT. EXPECT INCREASING COVERAGE
OF SHOWERS AND STORMS LATE FRIDAY. HIGHS THURSDAY IN THE MID 80S
UPPER SAVANNAH TO THE LOWER TO MID 70S NEAR THE TRIAD. HIGHS FRIDAY
FROM LOWER 80S UPPER SAVANNAH TO UPPER 70S NW NC PIEDMONT.

&&

.LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AS OF 200 PM TUESDAY...NEW GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO SUPPORT AN
UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN FOR THE WEEKEND INTO THE FIRST PORTION OF
NEXT WEEK. BY EARLY IN THE WEEKEND...THE UPPER RIDGE WILL SHIFT EAST
OF THE AREA AS A CLOSED UPPER LOW MOVES SOUTHEAST FROM THE MIDWEST
INTO THE DEEP SOUTH BY MONDAY. LEANED HEAVILY ON HPC GUIDANCE WHICH
UTILIZED THE ECM/ECM ENSEMBLE MEAN EARLY ON THEN THE ECM/GFS
ENSEMBLE MEANS FOR THE LATE IN THE FORECAST PERIOD. WITH THE
SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS AND WESTERN CAROLINAS COMING UNDER INCREASING
UPPER DIVERGENCE DURING THE WEEKEND...THE LIKELY POPS SEEM
REASONABLE...WITH DAILY SOLID COVERAGE A GOOD BET THROUGH MON. A
GENERAL COOLING TREND IN TEMPERATURES IS ALSO EXPECTED DUE TO
WIDESPREAD CLOUDS/PRECIP AND LOWERING HEIGHTS.

&&

.AVIATION /03Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AT KCLT...CONVECTION AND ASSOCIATED RESTRICTIONS ARE STILL POSSIBLE
THIS EVENING AS UPPER SYSTEM INTERACTS WITH FRONT JUST NORTH OF THE
AIR FIELD...BUT WITH NO IMMEDIATE TREAT UPSTREAM...ONLY CB WILL BE
CARRIED IN THE TAF. GUIDANCE SHOWS WINDS TAKING ON A MORE
NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION OVERNIGHT. SOME GUIDANCE SUPPORT FOR FOG BY
DAWN...BUT GUIDANCE HAS BEEN OVERLY AGGRESSIVE WITH FOG THE LAST FEW
NIGHT...AND VFR WILL BE MAINTAINED IN TAF...AS WILL A LOW VFR CIG.
CONVECTION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WILL BE TOO SCATTERED TO MENTION IN
THE TAF. LIGHT WINDS VEER TO ESE IN THE AFTERNOON.

ELSEWHERE...CONVECTIVE CHANCES WILL BE GREATEST FROM KAVL TO
KGSP/KGMU THIS EVENING...WHERE BETTER INSTABILITY EXISTS IN
PROXIMITY TO THE FRONT AND THE TRACK OF THE UPPER SYSTEM. WINDS ARE
EXPECTED TO TAKE ON A NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION OVERNIGHT. GUIDANCE
SUPPORTS MVFR IN MUCH OF THE AREA AROUND DAWN...BUT RESTRICTIONS
WILL BE RESERVED FOR THE MOST PRONE AREAS OF WESTERN NC AND KAND.
TEMPORARY IFR VSBY WILL BE POSSIBLE AT KAVL. AFTERNOON CONVECTION ON
WEDNESDAY WILL BE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED...WITH CONFIDENCE TOO LOW TO
MENTION IN THE TAFS. LIGHT WINDS VEER TO SE IN THE
AFTERNOON...BECOMING S AT KAVL.

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...LG
NEAR TERM...CSH/JAT
SHORT TERM...DEO
LONG TERM...LG
AVIATION...JAT

Hazardous weather outlook, May 10, 2:41 PM EST, 8 hours 41 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
341 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ051-058-059-062>064-SCZ001-002-004-005-
010-011-019-110300-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-SWAIN-GRAHAM-
NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-
ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-GREENWOOD-
341 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

UPPER LEVEL ENERGY WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION INTO TONIGHT...AIDING
IN THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATION. SOME OF THESE STORMS
WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND POSSIBLY EVEN A TORNADO.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

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>050-052-053-056-057-065-068>072-082-501>510-
SCZ003-006>009-012>014-110300-
AVERY-ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-HAYWOOD-
BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-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-
GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-
LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-
341 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 269 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON 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.

UPPER LEVEL ENERGY WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION INTO TONIGHT...AIDING
IN THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATION. SOME OF THESE STORMS
WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND POSSIBLY EVEN A TORNADO.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

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.

DEO

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 10, 7:36 PM EST, 3 hours 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
836 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 PM     HAIL             4 NE GREENVILLE         34.88N 82.32W
05/10/2011  E1.50 INCH       GREENVILLE         SC   PUBLIC

            COCORAHS OBSERVER REPORTS QUARTER TO PING PONG BALL SIZED
            HAIL.

&&

BSH

Local storm report, May 10, 7:43 PM EST, 3 hours 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
843 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0805 PM     HAIL             2 NW GRAY COURT         34.63N 82.14W
05/10/2011  E1.00 INCH       LAURENS            SC   PUBLIC

            HW-14 QUICK STOP RERPORTED HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF
            QUARTERS.

0812 PM     HAIL             GRAY COURT              34.61N 82.11W
05/10/2011  E0.75 INCH       LAURENS            SC   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

&&

BSH

Local storm report, May 10, 10:07 PM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1107 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1058 PM     HAIL             6 WNW STATESVILLE       35.82N 80.99W
05/10/2011  E0.75 INCH       IREDELL            NC   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

BSH

Local storm report, May 10, 10:31 PM EST, 51 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1131 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1055 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ELK PARK                36.16N 81.98W
05/10/2011                   AVERY              NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            TREE IN THE ROADWAY ON HW-19E. COUNTY ALSO REPORTS
            NUMEROUS OTHER TREES DOWN IN THE COUNTY.

1057 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 WNW NEWLAND           36.11N 82.01W
05/10/2011                   AVERY              NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            TREE IN THE ROADWAY ON BIRCHFIELD CREEK ROAD. COUNTY
            COMMS ALSO REPORTS NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN OTHER PARTS OF
            THE COUNTY.

1108 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 ENE SPRUCE PINE       35.93N 82.02W
05/10/2011                   AVERY              NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            TREE IN THE ROADWAY ON RED BUD LANE. COUNTY COMMS ALSO

            REPORTS NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

&&

BSH

Local storm report, May 10, 10:46 PM EST, 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1146 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1132 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 WNW LENOIR            35.93N 81.60W
05/10/2011                   CALDWELL           NC   AMATEUR RADIO

            MULTIPLE TREES DOWN IN THE ROADWAY ALONG ABINGTON ROAD
            NEAR ANGEL LANE. ONE OF THE TREES IS ON A HOUSE.

&&

BSH

Local storm report, May 10, 10:49 PM EST, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1149 PM EDT TUE MAY 10 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1141 PM     TSTM WND DMG     LENOIR                  35.91N 81.53W
05/10/2011                   CALDWELL           NC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            ROOF COLLAPSED.

&&

07

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:23 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherokee

When: May 10, 11:22 PM EST to 11:35 PM EST
Where: Cherokee County, 3.95 mi NW of Blacksburg to Kings Creek
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 35.160, -81.550

Numerous trees were blown down from northeast of Gaffney to the Ninety Nine Islands Reservoir. Damage was most concentrated in the Kings Creek area in the eastern part of the county where several homes and at least one car were damaged by falling trees. One man on McGill Rd in the Kings Creek area sustained minor injuries when a tree fell on his house.

Hail, Cherokee

When: May 10, 11:25 PM EST
Where: Cherokee County, 1.7 mi W of Gaffney
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.070, -81.660

Thunderstorm Wind, Spartanburg

When: May 10, 11:27 PM EST to 11:32 PM EST
Where: Spartanburg County, 0.35 mi S of Boiling Spgs to 0.75 mi NNE of Saxon
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.045, -81.980

Large tree limbs were blown down in Boiling Springs and a tree blown down on a home on Front St.

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When: May 10, 11:38 PM EST to May 11, 12:03 AM EST
Where: York County, 2.63 mi N of Bethany to 2.97 mi ENE of Celriver
Measured: 75 kt (86 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 35.158, -81.301

Widespread tree damage extended from the North Carolina border west of Clover, across Clover, to Lake Wylie, to Rock Hill and Fort Mill. Numerous trees fell on vehicles, homes and other structures and blocked roads. Although structural damage was mainly limited to falling trees, some direct damage occurred, especially in the Clover area, where the roof was blown off a church. Awnings were also blown off some businesses in the Lake Wylie and Rock Hill areas. Some areas were without power for two days or more.

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When: May 10, 11:40 PM EST to 11:56 PM EST
Where: York County, 0.89 mi NW of Hickory Grove to 1.54 mi SE of Mc Connells
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 34.990, -81.430

Numerous trees were blown down from the Hickory Grove area, across Sharon and to McConnells. Hickory Grove was especially hard hit, with several homes damaged or destroyed by falling trees. In addition, much of the roof was blown off a chicken house near Hickory Grove. Several other smaller structures received minor damage as well.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: May 10, 11:44 PM EST to 11:47 PM EST
Where: Union County, 3.51 mi NW of Johns to 0.28 mi N of Jonesville
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 34.880, -81.730

Several trees were blown down in the Jonesville area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Chester

When: May 10, 11:51 PM EST to May 11, 12:14 AM EST
Where: Chester County, 4.59 mi W of Lowrys to 2.36 mi NNE of Blackstock
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.790, -81.310

Numerous trees were blown down from near Lowrys in the northern part of the county, across the city of Chester, to areas southeast of Chester. Numerous roads were blocked by fallen trees. In addition, six metal turkey houses were damaged at a farm near Lowrys, killing numerous turkeys.

What these are

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Carolina in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in South Carolina, May 2011

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: 309586, 310944, 310946, 312242, 312245, 312246, 312257.