Slow moving showers and thunderstorms produced locally very heavy rain over the western Piedmont of North Carolina. Heavy rain caused a mix of flash flooding and less significant poor drainage issues.
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.
Slow moving showers and thunderstorms produced locally very heavy rain over the western Piedmont of North Carolina. Heavy rain caused a mix of flash flooding and less significant poor drainage issues. A local mall was also damaged after a partial roof collapse.
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 Jul 20, 3:56 PM EST, 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 456 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST TODAY AND ARRIVE ON SATURDAY. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL OVER THE AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND BEFORE DISSIPATING MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... AT 435 PM...NUMEROUS TO WIDESPREAD CONVECTION CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE FORECAST AREA. POPS HAVE BEEN INCREASED TO HIGH LIKELY/CATEGORICAL FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. MORNING RAOBS INDICATED SIGNIFICANT MOISTENING OF THE ENTIRE TROPOSPHERE HAS OCCURRED OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS...AND DCAPE IS VERY LOW AS A RESULT. IN ADDITION...FREEZING LEVELS ARE EXTREMELY HIGH... ABOVE 15 KFT AGL. THEREFORE...THE SEVERE RISK DOESNT APPEAR TO BE AS HIGH AS THE PAST FEW DAYS. IN FACT...WITH THE VERY MOIST AIR MASS... HEAVY RAIN MAY BE THE MAIN CONCERN...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS (INCLUDING CHARLOTTE METRO). HOWEVER...MEAN 0-6 KM FLOW OF 10-15 KT IS ALLOWING CELLS TO MOVE ALONG STEADILY...SO TRAINING OF CELLS WILL LIKELY BE NECESSARY TO PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. FURTHER WEST AND NORTH ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...THE AIR MASS IS COMPARATIVELY STABLE...OWING TO EXTENSIVE EARLY DAY CLOUD COVER. AS SUCH...ONLY ISOLATED (AT BEST) CELLS WERE DEVELOPING IN THESE AREAS. WE HAVE THEREFORE SCALED POPS BACK QUITE A BIT ACROSS FAR WESTERN NC AND MUCH OF THE NORTHERN UPSTATE...WHILE HOLDING ON TO HEALTHY POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN UPSTATE/NORTHEAST GEORGIA PIEDMONT...WHERE INSTABILITY REMAINS HIGH. POPS WILL GRADUALLY RAMP UP OVER THE MTNS TOWARD EARLY EVENING...TO ACCOUNT FOR CONVECTION CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS EAST TENN/EASTERN KENTUCKY. OTHERWISE... MODELS IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT REGARDING EVOLUTION OF MID AND UPPER LEVEL FEATURES THROUGH DAYTIME SATURDAY. AT 500 MB... LARGE RIDGE PERSISTS OVER WESTERN U.S. WITH BERMUDA HIGH OVER ATLANTIC. 500 MB TROUGH EXTENDING DOWN EAST COAST INTO OUR CWA PERSISTS THROUGH SATURDAY... BUT IT WITHDRAWS SLOWLY TO THE NORTH LEAVING A SHEAR AXIS BEHIND. SHORT WAVE TROUGH CROSSING CWA THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING WILL MAINTAIN SURFACE LOW ON FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS MID-ATLANTIC REGION. LOW WILL BE OFFSHORE SATURDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE MOVING EAST THEREAFTER. BERMUDA HIGH BUILDS SLOWLY WESTWARD AS 500 MB HEIGHTS INCREASE JUST A BIT. THIS WILL MAKE SOUTHWARD MOVEMENT OF FRONTAL BOUNDARY VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN. MOIST SOUTHWEST FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT ON WEST SIDE OF BERMUDA HIGH WORKS IN COMBINATION WITH THE WEAK UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH/ SHEAR AXIS TO CONTINUE A MOIST SOUTHWEST FLOW INTO OUR AREA. FORECASTS FOR OVERNIGHT AND SATURDAY ACCORDINGLY WILL CARRY POPS FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... AT 230 PM EDT FRIDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH AXIS WILL REMAIN ALONG THE EAST COAST FROM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...WHILE A RIDGE REMAINS OVER THE PLAINS. A WEAKENING...STALLED SURFACE FRONT WILL REMAIN OVER OUR AREA THROUGH MONDAY. ALTHOUGH THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE MUCH ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE OVER THE BOUNDARY...SHORTWAVES MOVING INTO THE UPPER TROUGH AND OVER THE VICINITY OF THE FRONT WILL SUPPORT PRECIPITATION THROUGH THE PERIOD...MAXIMIZED WITH GREATER INSTABILITY DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. WITHOUT A STRONG LIFTING MECHANISM...PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MODERATE...BUT SEVERAL DAYS OF RAIN COULD LEAD TO SOME LOCALIZED HYDROLOGICAL PROBLEMS WITH TIME. MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL...AND MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES NEAR NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 145 PM FRIDAY...THE CWFA WILL BE IN AN AREA BETWEEN RIDGING TO THE SOUTH AND WEST AND NW TO SE ORIENTED NRN STREAM FLOW TO THE NORTH. THE FLOW WILL BE CLOSE ENUF THAT WE SHUD SEE SOME EFFECT FROM A SERIES OF WEAK SHORT WAVES MOVING THRU THE FLOW. AT THE SFC...A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA BUT STALL TO OUR NORTH. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE WAVES WILL MOVE WEST ALONG THE FRONT. OVER OUR CWFA...A LEE TROF AND COPIOUS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THRU THE PERIOD. THIS SHUD LEAD TO GENERALLY SCT DIURNAL CONVECTION EACH DAY. LOWS WILL BE NEARLY STEADY AROUND 5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. HIGHS START OUT NEARLY 5 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL THEN FALL A COUPLE OF DEGREES BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /21Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AT KCLT... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE IN THE VICINITY OF THE TERMINAL THROUGH 00Z. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF STRONG AND GUSTY WIND AND SMALL HAIL. AFTER 02Z... CEILING 4-6 KT FT LOWERING TO NEAR 2K FT AROUND 12Z. POSSIBILITY EXISTS OF VISIBILITY NEAR 5 MI IN FOG AROUND SUNRISE. CONSIDERABLE CLOUDINESS WILL MAKE RADIATIONAL COOLING DIFFICULT... SO VISIBILITY RESTRICTION NOT CURRENTLY IN TAF DUE TO UNCERTAINTY. EXCEPT NEAR THUNDERSTORMS... SURFACE WIND WILL BE SOUTHWEST LESS THAN 10 KT. REMAINDER TERMINALS... 4-6K FT BROKEN TO OVERCAST. VISIBILITY UNRESTRICTED EXPECT VICINITY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS... MOST NUMEROUS NEAR KAND... KGMU... AND KGSP. AFT 02Z... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BECOME MORE WIDELY SCATTERED. TOWARD SUNRISE... SOME LOWER CEILING 2-4 KT FT AND POSSIBILITY OF VISIBILITY RESTRICTION IN FOG... ESPECIALLY VICINITY KAVL. OUTLOOK...AS A COLD FRONT STALLS OVER THE AREA...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS CONVECTIVE STORMS AND ASSOCIATED RESTRICTIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. LATE NIGHT/MORNING FOG AND LOW STRATUS PROBABILITIES WILL ALSO REMAIN FAIRLY HIGH...ESPECIALLY IN THE MTN VALLEYS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME LESS NUMEROUS AS BERMUDA HIGH BUILDS INTO THE REGION DURING THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEK. 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...JAT NEAR TERM...JDL/LGL SHORT TERM...JAT LONG TERM...RWH AVIATION...LGL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 421 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012 GAZ018-026-028-029-NCZ035>037-056-057-068>072-082-SCZ004>014-019- 212030- STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-CATAWBA-ROWAN- CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC- GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG- CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-UNION SC-CHESTER-GREENWOOD- 421 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE PIEDMONT OF THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA INTO THE EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS THE MAIN THREATS. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO DEVELOP WITH AT LEAST MINOR FLOODING LIKELY IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS. MORE SERIOUS FLOODING IS POSSIBLE... ESPECIALLY IF SEVERAL STORMS TRAIN OVER THE SAME AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. 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. GAZ010-017-NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065-501>510-SCZ001>003-212030- RABUN-HABERSHAM-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- 421 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS OF THE CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA EARLY THIS EVENING...WITH CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS THE MAIN THREAT. A LINE OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS COULD DROP SOUTH INTO THE AREA LATER THIS EVENING. IF THESE STORMS HOLD TOGETHER...AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM WITH DAMAGING WINDS IS POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
310 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
NCZ082-201945-
UNION-
310 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN UNION COUNTY THROUGH
345 PM EDT...
AT 310 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF INDIAN TRAIL...OR 5 MILES
NORTHWEST OF MONROE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
MONROE...
UNIONVILLE...
PEA SIZE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...AND
TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3492 8067 3506 8074 3512 8066 3519 8051
3519 8049 3517 8046 3518 8037 3503 8029
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
329 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
NCZ071-202000-
MECKLENBURG-
329 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN MECKLENBURG COUNTY
THROUGH 400 PM EDT...
AT 329 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR PINEVILLE...OR 8 MILES SOUTH OF CENTER CITY
CHARLOTTE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
SOUTHPARK MALL...
CENTER CITY CHARLOTTE...
EASTLAND MALL...
PEA SIZE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...AND
TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3505 8074 3502 8086 3506 8090 3511 8094
3509 8097 3516 8101 3531 8071 3516 8061
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
346 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
SCZ009-014-202015-
CHESTER-YORK-
346 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHERN CHESTER AND YORK
COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM EDT...
AT 346 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF
YORK TO 3 MILES SOUTH OF YORK TO 4 MILES WEST OF LOWRYS...MOVING EAST
AT 15 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
MCCONNELLS...
CLOVER...
ROCK HILL...
PEA SIZE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...AND
TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LAT...LON 3480 8105 3471 8142 3494 8133 3508 8141
3512 8140 3516 8122 3515 8106 3512 8104
3506 8106 3505 8103 3508 8098 3502 8095
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
402 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
NCZ070-071-SCZ009-202030-
GASTON-MECKLENBURG-YORK-
402 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN YORK...SOUTHEASTERN
GASTON AND SOUTHWESTERN MECKLENBURG COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM EDT...
AT 402 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
LAKE WYLIE TO 3 MILES WEST OF ROCK HILL TO 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF
LOWRYS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
LAKE WYLIE...
TEGA CAY...
ROCK HILL...
PEA SIZE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...AND
TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LAT...LON 3503 8077 3500 8084 3505 8089 3501 8090
3495 8086 3491 8086 3482 8092 3482 8125
3491 8116 3513 8120 3529 8088 3508 8072
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
420 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
NCZ071-072-082-202045-
CABARRUS-MECKLENBURG-UNION-
420 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MECKLENBURG...SOUTHWESTERN
CABARRUS AND WESTERN UNION COUNTIES THROUGH 445 PM EDT...
AT 418 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF
LAKE WYLIE TO 3 MILES NORTH OF FORT MILL TO 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF
CATAWBA...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
PINEVILLE...
PAW CREEK...
CENTER CITY CHARLOTTE...
PEA SIZE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AND
TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THE HEAVY RAINFALL
MAY FLOOD AREAS WITH POOR DRAINAGE...SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS ANY FLOODED
ROADWAYS. WATER LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO RISE
RAPIDLY. SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.
FLOOD ADVISORIES...OR FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS...COULD BE ISSUED FOR
CHARLOTTE OVER THE NEXT HOUR.
LAT...LON 3484 8053 3481 8079 3494 8079 3511 8094
3505 8103 3509 8105 3511 8104 3515 8105
3515 8101 3517 8100 3526 8101 3543 8066
3526 8045 3519 8050 3517 8041
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
439 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
NCZ071-072-202115-
CABARRUS-MECKLENBURG-
439 PM EDT FRI JUL 20 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MECKLENBURG AND WESTERN CABARRUS
COUNTIES THROUGH 515 PM EDT...
AT 439 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
PAW CREEK TO 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF EASTLAND MALL TO 3 MILES WEST OF
WEDDINGTON...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
I-77 AT I-85...
EASTLAND MALL...
MINT HILL...
UNC CHARLOTTE...
PEA SIZE HAIL...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LAT...LON 3519 8050 3521 8055 3503 8077 3503 8080
3500 8084 3511 8094 3517 8096 3532 8098
3550 8066 3523 8046
HGThe Greer radar (KGSP), 134 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:13 UTC.
2 flash flood, 2 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Addision Drive was flooded by McMullen Creek.
Around 3 inches of rain fell at the South Park Mall in a short period of time. The weight of the water caused the roof to collapse in two locations, damaging a Banana Republic and Gap Kids store. Pipes and sprinkler systems were damaged by the collapsed roof resulting in further water damage to several additional stores.
McMullen Creek overflowed it's banks, entering the crawl spaces of 4 houses along Johnny Cake Lane.
Slow moving thunderstorms dropped 2 to 3 inches of rain in around an hour over Salisbury, resulting in urban flooding in parts of the city. At least one car stalled out|and reportedly began to float on Statesville Boulevard where water was a couple feet deep.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, July 2012
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: 400403, 400405, 400404, 400407.