A very unstable airmass and weak upslope flow helped trigger numerous thunderstorms over western North Carolina. Several of the storms produced wind damage and large hail.
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 very unstable airmass and weak upslope flow helped trigger numerous thunderstorms over western North Carolina. Several of the storms produced wind damage and large hail. A long-lived line of storms moved across the North Carolina Mountains, causing quite a bit of wind damage during the late afternoon hours.
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 5, 1:47 PM EST, 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 247 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WILL GIVE WAY TO UPPER LEVEL RIDGING THIS WEEKEND MAINTAINING THE HOT TEMPERATURES. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE ALONG WITH AN ENCROACHING FRONT WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION NEXT WEEK RESULTING IN DAILY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES AND STEADILY LESS HOT CONDITIONS. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 215 PM...CONVECTION HAS BEEN FIRING UP OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF HOURS AND WE ARE NOW UNDER A SVR THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR OUR ENTIRE CWFA. DISCRETE CELLS HAVE BEEN FORMING MOSTLY OVER THE UPSTATE AND THE NC FOOTHILLS THUS FAR. STILL EXPECTING MORE TO DEVELOP OVER THE MTS AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON BUT AS OF 215PM...IT HAS BEEN QUITE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. CURRENT LAPSE SOUNDINGS MAINTAIN CONSIDERABLE INSTABILITY AND DCAPE OVER THE CWFA WITH VERY MINIMAL SHEAR. SO...I DONT EXPECT MUCH SUBSTANTIAL ORGANIZATION FROM ANY CELLS THAT DEVELOP...HOWEVER A LINE OF TS COULD MAINTAIN ITSELF IS TRIGGERED BY STRONG OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES. FREEZING LVLS ARE AROUND 15KFT MSL SO IT WILL TAKE SOME TALL CORES TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AT THE SFC...BUT WITH THE RELATIVELY DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LVLS...THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG DOWNBURSTS IS GOOD. STILL EXPECT HIGH TEMPS NEAR 100 OVER THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND MID TO UPPER 80S FOR THE MTS. EXPECT THINGS TO QUITE DOWN LATER TONIGHT AND INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AS WE COOL. PATCHY TO AREAS OF FOG ARE POSSIBLE IN THE MT VALLEYS FOR A FEW HOURS TOMORROW MORNING IF DEWPTS STAY UP. TOMORROW...SHOULD BE SIMILAR TO TODAY WITH THE UPPER RIDGE DRIFTING FARTHER EAST OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY AND ANOTHER HOT SUMMERTIME DAY ON TAP. EXPECTING LESS UPPER SHORTWAVE ENERGY OVERALL...SO I BROUGHT POPS DOWN TO JUST SOLID CHANCE OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 240 PM THURSDAY...H5 HEIGHTS RISE ACROSS THE REGION SAT AS A RIDGE AXIS BUILDS IN FROM THE W...WITH WEAK SHORTWAVES PUSHING DOWN OVER THE AREA FROM THE N. WITH DEW POINTS AND PW STAYING RELATIVELY HIGH EXPECT A CONTINUATION OF SCT DIURNAL CONVECTION...MAINLY OVER THE MTNS WHERE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE WILL BE BEST. HIGHS REMAIN ABOVE AVG AND HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 102-104 WILL BE LIKELY IN THE AFTN AND A HEAT ADVSRY MAY BE NEEDED IF AREA WARMS A DEG OR SO HIGHER. MODELS ARE IN DECENT AGREEMENT SHOWING THE RIDGE WEAKENING SUN AS A TROF MOVES ACROSS THE NE US. SINCE BEST LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE REMAINS OVER THE W CWA WE KEPT SCT CONVECTION ACROSS THE MTNS AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS...MAINLY NORTH OF I-85...WITH ISOLATED ELSEWHERE. HIGHS REMAIN ABOVE AVG SO EXPECT HEAT INDEX VALUES ABOVE 100 DEG E OF THE MTNS. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 100 PM THURSDAY...MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE STILL ADVERTISING THE ONSET OF EASTERN CONUS L/WV TROUGH AND THE ENCROACHMENT OF ELONGATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY FOR THE START OF THE PERIOD. WITH COMMENCEMENT OF PATTERN CHANGE...WILL NUDGE DIURNALLY ENHANCED TSTM CHANCES UPWARD AND MAX TEMPS DOWNWARD FOR MONDAY. WITH BNDRY PROGGED TO LINGER IN THE VICINITY THRU TUESDAY...ROBUST...SOLID TSTM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE AND THE TREND FOR LESS WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE AS WELL WITH MAX TEMPS PROGGED AROUND IF NOT A TAD BELOW CLIMO. BY THE END OF PERIOD...MEAN L/WV TROFINESS FILLS JUST NOMINALLY... AND WAVY LLVL BNDRY IS PROGGED TO LINGER SOMEWHERE ACRS THE SE CONUS. BASED ON THIS SETUP...WOULD EXPECT DAILY TSTM CHANCES TO REMAIN ABOVE CLIMO WHILE MAX TEMPS SHOULD AVERAGE A LITTLE BELOW AVERAGE. && .AVIATION /19Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... AT KCLT...CONVECTION IS RAMPING UP OVER THE AREA WITH A PRETTY GOOD CLUSTER OF SEVERE TS MOVING SOUTHWARD TOWARDS MECKLENBURG COUNTY. AT THEIR CURRENT SPEED THEY WILL LIKELY REACH KCLT AROUND 1530LT WITH STRONG LOW LVL WINDS...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND REDUCED VISBY. I HAVE INCLUDED A TEMPO GROUP VALID FROM 20 TO 24Z WITH MVFR VISBY AND BKN CB. ONCE THE CONVECTION ENDS...I EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS THRU THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. ELSEWHERE...A SIMILAR STORY FOR THE OTHER SITES EXCEPT THAT I HAVE VCTS FOR THE FM GROUP THRU THE LATE NIGHT TO ACCOUNT FOR SCT CONVECTION. ITS DIFFICULT TO SAY EXACTLY HOW LONG THE CONVECTION WILL LAST...BUT I THINK IT SHOULD DIE OFF BY 3Z OR SO. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME PATCHY FOG OVER THE MT VALLEYS INCLUDING KAVL FROM ABOUT 9Z TO 12Z. OUTLOOK...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED AFTN/EVE SHRA/TSRA EXPECTED EACH DAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH AREAS OF MORNING FOG/STRATUS POSSIBLE...ESP IN THE MTN VALLEYS. 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 && .CLIMATE... RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES THAT WILL BE APPROACHED AND POSSIBLY EXCEEDED... AVL JULY 5TH 96 IN 1948 JULY 6TH 93 IN 1993 JULY 7TH 95 IN 1993 GSP JULY 5TH 98 IN 1993 JULY 6TH 100 IN 1993 JULY 7TH 100 IN 1993 CLT JULY 5TH 100 IN 1954 JULY 6TH 99 IN 1930 JULY 7TH 100 IN 1993 && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. NC...NONE. SC...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...CSH NEAR TERM...JPT SHORT TERM...RB LONG TERM...CSH AVIATION...JPT CLIMATE...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 208 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-061815- 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- 208 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 470 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...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. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. HEAT INDEX VALUES MAY REACH 105 ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 85 FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AFTERNOONS. A HEAT ADVISORY WILL BE NEEDED IF THESE CONDITIONS DEVELOP. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1248 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012
NCZ063-064-SCZ001-002-051730-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-
1248 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN OCONEE...NORTHWESTERN
PICKENS...SOUTHEASTERN JACKSON AND SOUTHWESTERN TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES
THROUGH 130 PM EDT...
AT 1246 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTH OF LAKE JOCASSEE...OR 17 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF BREVARD...MOVING SOUTH AT 15 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
LAKE JOCASSEE...
SALEM...
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM. IF POSSIBLE...MOVE INDOORS IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3493 8315 3494 8312 3495 8312 3497 8312
3499 8310 3500 8311 3512 8304 3508 8282
3480 8290 3477 8296 3483 8321
JPTSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
132 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012
NCZ504-506-508-051815-
EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER BURKE-GREATER RUTHERFORD-
132 PM EDT THU JUL 5 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN RUTHERFORD...
SOUTHEASTERN MCDOWELL AND SOUTHWESTERN BURKE COUNTIES THROUGH 215 PM
EDT...
AT 130 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES WEST OF GLEN ALPINE...OR 9 MILES WEST OF
MORGANTON...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
DYSARTSVILLE...
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3572 8172 3540 8172 3546 8203 3574 8198
3577 8193 3578 8192
LGThe Greer radar (KGSP), 112 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:05 UTC.
25 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees were blown down along Fish Hatchery Rd near highway 181.
Trees and power lines were blown down along Brown Mountain Beach Rd.
Multiple trees and power lines were blown down in the Newton area.
Nickel size hail fell at the Lincolnton County Airport.
An automated observing site measured a gust of 51 kt (59 mph) at the Lincolnton Airport (5 E).
Multiple trees were blown down in the Lake Lure area.
Multiple trees were blown down along Philadelphia Church Rd west of Iron Station.
Multiple large tree limbs were blown down at the intersection of Hardin Rd and Old Philadelphia Church Rd.
Trees were blown down near the town of Stanley.
Numerous trees were blown down across the northern part of the county.
Multiple trees were blown down on Plato Lee Rd about 5 miles west of Shelby.
Multiple large tree limbs were blown down across roads.
Numerous trees were blown down across the northern half of the county.
Hail fell across the southwest side of Shelby.
Large tree limbs were blown down on North Country Club Rd.
Several trees fell through a mobile home on Lindsey Dr, about 2 miles north of Earl.|Multiple trees, large limbs and power lines also blew down into the Earl area.
Multiple trees and power lines were blown down in the Wolf Laurel area. The damaging winds were associated with an outflow boundary from thunderstorms over East Tennessee.
Large tree limbs blown down along Hankins Rd and along Lake James Rd, 3 to 5 miles north of Marion.
Numerous trees were blown down across the north and east part of the county. The strong winds were mainly the result of outflow from an intense storm that developed and dissipated east of Cherokee.
Dime to quarter size hail was reported on Lost Horse Trail.
Multiple trees and power lines were blown down on Franklin St and Bragg St in the city with large limbs down at Medlin Rd and Macedonia Church Rd. Other large limbs were blown down on Wolf Pond Rd near Joe Collins Rd and four trees blown down on Bruce Thomas Rd near Stack Rd. Trees fell on seven homes, with four of the homes incurring major damage.
Several trees were blown down, some on power lines, across the northern part of the county.
A couple trees were blown down in the Leicester area.
Quarter size hail fell on Bruce Thomas Rd near Stack Rd.
Three trees were blown down in the Lake Lure area.
Numerous trees were blown down across multiple Smoky Mountain trails from near Clingman's Dome to the Twentymile Creek area.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down along a wide swath across the northern part of the county, with the area from the Tapoco community to Fontana Village being the hardest hit.
Numerous trees were blown down across the county from north of Franklin to the Georgia border.
A small tree and several large limbs were blown down along highway 215.
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: 400673, 400674, 400675, 400676, 400677, 400679, 400678, 400680, 400681, 400683, 400684, 400685, 400687, 400688, 400689, 400692, 400693, 400695, 400697, 400698, 400700, 400704, 400706, 400707, 400708, 400710, 400718, 400719, 400720, 400721.