Tornado and Hail in South Carolina, May 26, 2011

Name: Tornado and Hail in South Carolina, May 26, 2011
Start: 2011-05-26T17:43
End: 2011-05-26T21:02
Location: South Carolina

May 26, 2011 · NWS GSP · 18 events in 10 counties and zones

Numerous showers and thunderstorms affected the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia during the afternoon and evening hours. Some of the thunderstorms were severe, producing large hail and damaging straight line wind.

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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

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 26, 4:29 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 26, 4:29 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
529 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

.SYNOPSIS...
A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PUSH A WEAKENING COLD FRONT ACROSS THE
CAROLINAS THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL AND
WASH OUT OVER THE REGION FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SUMMER LIKE WEATHER WILL
RETURN ON SATURDAY AND LINGER INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/...
CONVECTION CONTINUES TO EXPAND IN COVERAGE ACROSS THE TENN VALLEY
AND SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. THE DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS SUFFICIENT SUCH
THAT CONVECTION HAS BEEN DISCRETE/QUASI-SUPERCELL IN NATURE SO FAR.
HOWEVER...LOW LEVEL SHEAR REMAINS RELATIVELY WEAK...WHILE DEEP BL
MIXING HAS RESULTED IN A SUBSTANTIAL LOWERING OF SURFACE DEWPOINTS
OVER THE AREA (LCLS ARE OVER 7000 FEET). IN OTHER WORDS...DESPITE
THE STRONG DEEP LAYER SHEAR...THE TORNADO POTENTIAL...WHILE NON-
ZERO...IS VERY LOW. AS CONVECTION CONTINUES TO EXPAND...AND RESULTS
IN AN EVER INCREASING NUMBER OF SMALL OUTFLOWS...EXPECT THE
CONVECTIVE MODE TO GRADUALLY TRANSITION FROM DISCRETE CELLS TO
CLUSTERS OF STRONG-SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. FOR THE LATE AFTERNOON UPDATE...POPS WERE ADJUSTED
TO REFLECT A SLOWER ONSET/PROPAGATION OF CONVECTION...TO INCLUDE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WORDING IN THE FORECAST SUITE...AND TO CAPTURE
TRENDS IN OTHER FORECAST PARAMETERS.

PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...

AT 1730Z...AN UPPER TROF WILL PROGRESS ACRS THE OH/TN VLYS TONIGHT
AND LIFT NE THRU THE APPALACHIANS ON FRIDAY. THE FORCING ASSOCIATED
WITH THE APPROACH OF THE TROF WILL BE STRONGEST FROM LATE THIS AFTN
WELL INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE GFS AND NAM AGREE ON DECENT UPPER
DIVERGE AS WELL DURING THAT TIME FRAME. SHEAR AND INSTBY WILL BE
ENUF TO SUPPORT CONVECTION THRU THE NIGHT. THERE IS CURRENTLY A SVR
TSTM WATCH TO OUR WEST...INCLUDING FOUR NC COUNTIES (SEE WCNGSP).
CONVECTION SO FAR HAS BEEN FAIRLY DISCRETE SUPERCELLS. THE MESOSCALE
MODELS SEEM TO AGREE ON THIS ACTIVITY MORPHING INTO A MULTI-CELL
LINE AS IT ENTERS THE CWA AROUND 20-22Z TIME FRAME...THEN BANDS OF
CONVECTIVE SEGMENTS WELL INTO THE OVERNIGHT. HAVE ADJUSTED POPS
ACCORDINGLY. STILL THINK ANOTHER ROW OF WATCHES WILL BE ISSUED SOME
TIME LATER THIS AFTN AS THE CONVECTION ORGANIZES. NOT SURE HOW WELL
THE CONVECTION WILL HOLD TOGETHER DURING THE WEE MORNING HOURS.
THINK CONVECTIVE THREAT WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE THRU DAYBREAK. TEMPS
OVERNIGHT WILL BE MILD WITH THE CLOUDS AND MIXING ASSOCIATED WITH
THE APPROACH OF THE COLD FRONT.

ON FRIDAY...THE FRONT STALLS OVER THE AREA...WITH PLENTY OF
LINGERING MOISTURE. UPPER SUPPORT SHOULD CONTINUE THRU 18Z AS THE
TROF PIVOTS TO NEGATIVE TILT AND SLOWS. HAVE BLENDED IN MODEL
CONSENSUS ON POPS...RESULTING IN LIKELY THRU THE AFTN (ESPECIALLY
ERN HALF OF THE CWA). SHEAR WEAKENS AND UPPER DIVERGE
DECREASES...BUT INSTBY SHUD INCREASE WITH HEATING TO 1000-1500 J/KG
ONCE AGAIN ACRS THE PIEDMONT. SO DO EXPECT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS
TSTMS...BUT SEVERE THREAT WILL BE MODEST. NEW SPC DAY 2 OUTLOOK IS
JUST SEE TEXT. THE MET AND MAV IN DISAGREEMENT ON MAX TEMPS. WENT
WITH WARMER MAV BASED ON CONTINUITY.

&&

.SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 230 PM THURSDAY...THE SHORT RANGE PERIOD WILL BEGIN FRIDAY
NIGHT WITH ONGOING DIURNAL CONVECTION. EXPECT NUMEROUS COVERAGE TO
PERSIST ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE FA FOR A FEW HOURS BEFORE
DIMINISHING IN THE LOSS OF HEATING AND MOVING FURTHER EAST. SATURDAY
WILL SEE THE TRANSITION PERIOD BETWEEN THE DEPARTING REMNANT UPPER
TROF AND RIDGE BEGINNING TO BUILD IN FROM THE SW. EXPECT STILL
MODERATE INSTABILITY TO DEVELOP ACROSS AREAS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST.
THERE WILL BE LESS CONVECTIVE INHIBITION FURTHER TO THE EAST IN THE
BETTER INSTABILITY BUT WITH WEAK WIND PROFILES THROUGH THE
COLUMN...COVERAGE WILL BE ISOLATED AT BEST. ACROSS THE
MOUNTAINS...MODEL SOUNDING SHOW A MORE PROMINENT INVERSION AND CAP
AT AROUND 700 MB...BUT SOME SOUTHERLY UPSLOPE FLOW SHOULD HELP KICK
OFF MORE SCATTERED RIDGE TOP CONVECTION. SEVERE THREAT WILL BE
MINIMAL AT BEST WITH HIGH FREEZING LEVELS...BUT DRY AIR ALOFT COULD
HELP PRODUCE A DAMAGING WIND GUST OR TWO. ANY LINGERING SHOWERS AND
STORMS WILL DISSIPATE QUICKLY AFTER SUNSET.

INTO SUNDAY...THE THE RIDGE ALOFT WILL QUICKLY ASSERT ITSELF OVER
THE SOUTHEAST WITH A VERY PROMINENT UPPER ANTICYCLONE DEVELOPING
OVER THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. CONVECTION WILL BECOME EVEN MORE
LIMITED AND WE WILL ONLY CARRY SLIGHT CHANCES ALONG THE ESCARPMENT
AND THE RIDGE TOPS FOR THE NC MOUNTAINS. TEMPS WILL RUN ABOUT 6
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL ON SATURDAY AND WILL INCREASE INTO SUNDAY WITH
THE STRENGTHENING UPPER RIDGE. SUNDAY HIGHS WILL INCREASE BACK INTO
THE UPPER 80S OUTSIDE THE MOUNTAINS...WITH MID 80S EXPECTED IN THE
MOUNTAIN VALLEYS.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 200 PM THURSDAY...THE MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN AGREEMENT
THAT AN UPPER LEVEL ANTICYCLONE WILL DOMINATE THE WEATHER OVER THE
SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS AND WESTERN CAROLINAS THROUGH MIDWEEK. THE
UPPER HIGH IS FORECAST TO RETROGRADE INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS BY LATE
NEXT WEEK WHICH PAVES THE WAY FOR A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT TO MOVE
THROUGH IN THE WED NIGHT THU TIMEFRAME. MON THROUGH WED WILL FEATURE
GENERALLY CLEAR CONDITIONS...HOT TEMPERATURES AND SUPPRESSED
CONVECTIVE CHANCES DUE TO SYNOPTIC SCALE SUBSIDENCE OVER THE REGION.
MAX TEMPS WILL RUN A GOOD 10+ DEGREES ABOVE CLIMO. WILL ALLOW FOR
SOME LOW CHANCE POPS AND COOLER TEMPS FOR THU WITH THE ARRIVAL OF
THE BACKDOOR FRONT. STAYED CLOSE TO HPC GUIDANCE FIELDS.

&&

.AVIATION /22Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AT KCLT...GUSTY SOUTH WINDS WITH THICKENING CIRRUS AND PERHAPS SOME
5000FT-BASED CU THIS AFTN. GUSTY CONDITIONS SHOULD DISSIPATE BY MID
EVENING...AS BANDS OF SHRA/TSRA ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE CLT AREA
AROUND MIDNIGHT. LINGERING SHRA/TSRA MAY REMAIN OVER THE PIEDMONT
THROUGH THE REST OF THE NIGHT...BUT COVERAGE APPEARS LIMITED. A COLD
FRONT WILL STALL OVER THE AREA...SO PLENTY OF MOISTURE AROUND...MAY
SEE MVFR CIGS NEAR DAYBREAK...BUT CONFIDENCE IS MARGINAL. THE MAIN
THING WILL BE REDEVELOPMENT OF SHRA/TSRA BY MIDDAY FRIDAY. HAVE HIGH
ENUF POP TO ADD MENTION AT 15Z WITH CB.

ELSEWHERE...GUSTY SSW WINDS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL AT LEAST SUNSET.
GUSTY CONDITIONS SHOULD DISSIPATE BY MID EVENING. BANDS OF SHRA/TSRA
ARE EXPECTED TO SWEEP ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NE GEORGIA
BETWEEN 20Z TO 6Z. HAVE TWEAKED TIMING OF SHRA/CB MENTION...AS ALL
ACTIVITY STILL HOURS AWAY AND NOT VERY ORGANIZED AS OF 18Z. POCKETS
OF IFR CLOUDS MAY DEVELOP DURING THE PRE DAWN HOURS...ESPECIALLY
NEAR KAVL. VSBY LESS OF A CONCERN UNLESS WIDESPREAD RAIN DEVELOPS. A
COLD FRONT STALLS OVER THE AREA ON FRIDAY...WITH LINGERING
MOISTURE...EXPECT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHRA/TSRA REDEVELOPING BY
MIDDAY. POPS ARE HIGH ENUF TO WARRANT MENTION AT ARND 15Z FRI.

OUTLOOK...CLUSTERS OF SHRA/TSRA WILL LINGER ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY
AFTN/EVE. DRY AND WARM AIR MASS IS EXPECTED TO SETTLE OVER THE
FORECAST AREA THIS WEEKEND AND WILL REMAIN INTO THE MID WEEK.
DIURNAL SHRA/TSRA ARE POSSIBLE EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE
MTNS AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS.

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...BSH
NEAR TERM...ARK/JDL
SHORT TERM...BSH
LONG TERM...LG
AVIATION...ARK

Hazardous weather outlook, May 26, 4:14 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
514 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065-501>510-
SCZ001>006-010-272115-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-
MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-
SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-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-ANDERSON-
514 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 385 IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
TONIGHT...

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

   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

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.

NCZ035>037-056-057-068>072-082-SCZ007>009-011>014-019-272115-
ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-
MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC-SPARTANBURG-CHEROKEE-YORK-ABBEVILLE-
LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
514 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND
PIEDMONT AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT THIS EVENING. AT LEAST
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS. A FEW SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED...MAINLY THIS
EVENING. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREATS WILL BE FROM DAMAGING
WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. HOWEVER...AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE
RULED OUT. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL
RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY STORM THAT DEVELOPS TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

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.

LANE

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 26, 4:43 PM EST, 1 hour before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
543 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0517 PM     HAIL             4 NNW FRANKLIN          35.23N 83.41W
05/26/2011  M1.50 INCH       MACON              NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

BSH

Local storm report, May 26, 4:46 PM EST, 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
546 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0533 PM     HAIL             5 S FRANKLIN            35.11N 83.38W
05/26/2011  E1.00 INCH       MACON              NC   PUBLIC

&&

BSH

Local storm report, May 26, 5:03 PM EST, 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
603 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0540 PM     HAIL             FRANKLIN                35.18N 83.38W
05/26/2011  E0.88 INCH       MACON              NC   PUBLIC

            TIME ESTIMATED

&&

RWH

Special weather statement, May 26, 5:10 PM EST, 33 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
610 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

NCZ048>050-052-053-262300-
BUNCOMBE-HAYWOOD-MADISON-MITCHELL-YANCEY-
610 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CENTRAL HAYWOOD...MADISON...
NORTHWESTERN BUNCOMBE...NORTHWESTERN MITCHELL AND NORTHWESTERN YANCEY
COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM EDT...

AT 607 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
LIBERTY TO 6 MILES NORTH OF CANTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  MARSHALL...
  WEAVERVILLE...
  MARS HILL...
  BARNARDSVILLE...
  RAMSEYTOWN...

PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THESE STORMS.

LAT...LON 3569 8250 3556 8299 3601 8276 3607 8263
      3604 8259 3597 8260 3596 8256 3598 8251
      3602 8245 3610 8239 3614 8230 3613 8228

RB

Local storm report, May 26, 5:12 PM EST, 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
612 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0550 PM     HAIL             7 E FRANKLIN            35.18N 83.26W
05/26/2011  E1.00 INCH       MACON              NC   COCORAHS

            MINOR LEAF DAMAGE

&&

RWH

Special weather statement, May 26, 5:20 PM EST, 23 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
620 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

GAZ010-017-018-026-NCZ064-SCZ001-002-004-005-262300-
FRANKLIN-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-HABERSHAM-OCONEE
MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-RABUN-STEPHENS-TRANSYLVANIA-
620 PM EDT THU MAY 26 2011

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT HABERSHAM...NORTHERN FRANKLIN...
OCONEE...SOUTHEASTERN RABUN...SOUTHWESTERN TRANSYLVANIA...STEPHENS
AND WESTERN PICKENS COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM EDT...

AT 616 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
NACOOHE LAKE TO 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GILLSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
50 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  LAKE RABUN...
  TURNERVILLE...
  TOCCOA...
  PINE MOUNTAIN...
  MARTIN...
  LAKE HARTWELL...

PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THESE STORMS.

LAT...LON 3454 8362 3460 8365 3473 8362 3516 8275
      3457 8289 3449 8298 3448 8301 3450 8305
      3445 8307 3432 8339 3442 8339 3446 8340
      3449 8354 3443 8361 3444 8363 3450 8367

RB

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 10 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:41 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 thunderstorm wind, 7 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Greenville

When: May 26, 5:43 PM EST
Where: Greenville County, 2.37 mi ESE of Greenville Downtown
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.840, -82.310

Penny size hail was reported in the Roper Mountain area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Anderson

When: May 26, 6:06 PM EST
Where: Anderson County, 1.07 mi ESE of Townville
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.562, -82.884

Several trees and large limbs were blown down in the Townville area, with the Chicoma Dr area being the hardest hit. At least one tree fell on a house. Part of the metal roof was blown off the Fire Department.

Hail, Oconee

When: May 26, 6:08 PM EST
Where: Oconee County, 4.79 mi ESE of Tokeena Xrds
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.570, -82.904

Quarter size hail was reported near Townville.

Hail, Greenville

When: May 26, 6:12 PM EST
Where: Greenville County, 0.89 mi NE of Westville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 34.860, -82.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenville

When: May 26, 6:17 PM EST
Where: Greenville County, 2.65 mi WNW of Taylors
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 34.940, -82.340

Trees and power lines were blown down on the northwest side of the Taylors community.

Hail, Greenville

When: May 26, 6:21 PM EST
Where: Greenville County, 0.69 mi N of Berea
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 34.890, -82.430

Hail, Greenville

When: May 26, 6:23 PM EST
Where: Greenville County, 0.89 mi SW of Gowensville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.110, -82.230

Hail, Pickens

When: May 26, 6:26 PM EST
Where: Pickens County, 1.14 mi E of Clemson
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.680, -82.810

Thunderstorm Wind, Oconee

When: May 26, 6:45 PM EST
Where: Oconee County, 2.15 mi SSW of Tamassee
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.840, -83.040

Trees and power lines were blown down about 5 miles southwest of Salem.

Thunderstorm Wind, Abbeville

When: May 26, 7:15 PM EST to 7:35 PM EST
Where: Abbeville County, 0.69 mi S of Calhoun Falls to Abbeville
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 34.090, -82.600

Several trees were blown down in the Calhoun Falls area, with at least one tree on a home. Trees and limbs were blown down across the reminder of the county as well.

Thunderstorm Wind, Spartanburg

When: May 26, 7:20 PM EST
Where: Spartanburg County, 0.89 mi SW of Landrum
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 35.170, -82.190

Part of the metal roof was torn off a business in downtown Landrum. Trees and large limbs were also blown down in the area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenwood

When: May 26, 7:45 PM EST to 8:15 PM EST
Where: Greenwood County, 2.69 mi NE of Verdery to 2.15 mi NNW of Godsey
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 34.150, -82.220

Multiple trees, large tree limbs, and power lines were blown down across the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Spartanburg

When: May 26, 7:50 PM EST
Where: Spartanburg County, 0.89 mi SW of Woodruff
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 34.740, -82.040

Numerous large trees were blown down around the Woodruff area.

Hail, Laurens

When: May 26, 7:54 PM EST
Where: Laurens County, 1.49 mi SSW of Barksdale
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.550, -82.090

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: May 26, 8:11 PM EST to 8:30 PM EST
Where: Union County, 3.45 mi S of West Spgs to 3.64 mi NNW of Neal Shoals
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.720, -81.780

Numerous trees were blown down across the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Laurens

When: May 26, 8:20 PM EST
Where: Laurens County, 0.9 mi NE of Clinton
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 34.480, -81.870

Trees were blown onto power lines in the Clinton area.

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When: May 26, 8:38 PM EST to 9:02 PM EST
Where: York County, Hickory Grove to 4.52 mi E of Bowling Green
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: County Official
Coordinates: 34.980, -81.420

Numerous trees were blown down across the county from north of Hickory Grove to the northeast corner of the county. In addition, windows were blown out of a home on Kannan Church Rd near Smyrna.

Tornado, York

When: May 26, 8:52 PM EST to 8:54 PM EST
Where: York County, 1.89 mi NE of Bethany to 2.49 mi WSW of Bowling Green
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.76 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 35.139, -81.276

A short tornado track was found, embedded within downburst wind damage, in the Knox Rd area of York County. Multiple trees fell in a concentrated area, with one tree on a recreational vehicle. A home also incurred some minor damage.

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 South Carolina in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history The tornado archive for South Carolina, 2011 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: 317164, 317167, 317170, 317173, 317174, 317175, 317176, 317177, 317180, 317192, 317197, 317518, 317522, 317527, 317529, 317531, 317535, 317551.