Two supercell thunderstorms entered the North Carolina mountains during the evening hours. One of the storms produced a strong tornado in the town of Murphy in Cherokee County.
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.
Two supercell thunderstorms entered the North Carolina mountains during the evening hours. One of the storms produced a strong tornado in the town of Murphy in Cherokee County. The supercell remained surprisingly strong as it crossed the southern mountains, producing large hail and eventually another weak tornado in Jackson County. Later at night, storms organized into a broken line across Upstate South Carolina. The northern part of the line crossed the southern North Carolina piedmont where it produced a strong, brief tornado on the northeast side of Charlotte. The storm did not exhibit supercell characteristics, and the tornado spun up quite quickly as the line intersected a low level boundary.
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 Mar 2, 2:42 PM EST, 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 242 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION TONIGHT AND MOVE OFF THE ATLANTIC COAST BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE NORTH RESULTING IN WINTRY WEATHER OVER THE NC MOUNTAINS LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION LATE MONDAY AND LINGER INTO NEXT MID WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... A WELL ORGANIZED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL TRACK FROM THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON TO THE GREAT LAKES REGION BY THIS EVENING. THE WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW...AT 19Z LOCATED ACROSS THE NRN SC UPSTATE...WILL LIFT NORTHWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION TODAY...MOVING NORTH OF THE REGION BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON EARLY THIS EVENING. AS THE WARM FRONT ADVANCES...SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE REGION...BRINGING VERY MILD AND MOIST AIR ACROSS NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS EAST ACROSS THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER VALLEY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SOUTH OF THE WARM FROM THIS AFTERNOON INDICATE THAT SFC BASED CAPES WILL RANGE BETWEEN 1000/1500 J/KG WITH EFFECTIVE HELICITY RANGING FROM 200 TO 300 M2/S2. HOWEVER...CIN VALUES REMAIN IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...LIKELY YIELDING ONLY LIGHT COVERAGE EAST OF THE MTNS UNDER BROAD MID LEVEL RIDGING. THE ENVIRONMENT WILL LIKELY MAINTAIN ANY CONVECTIVE ELEMENTS THAT DEVELOP UPSTREAM OF THE CWA...MUCH LIKE THE CURRENT ACTIVITY ACROSS EXTREME WESTERN NC. COVERAGE WILL LIKELY STEADILY INCREASE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT WITH THE APPROACH OF A SHARP COLD FRONT. THE HELICITY VALUES INCREASE TO 300 TO 500 M2/S2 ACROSS NE GA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS...BUT CAPE VALUES WILL LIKELY DIMINISH AND BECOME INCREASINGLY LIMITED TO AREAS ALONG THE FRONT. BASED ON THE OVERLAP OF HIGH SHEAR AND INSTABILITY IT APPEARS THAT BANDS OF SUPERCELLS MAY DEVELOP OVER EASTERN TN AND NRN GA AND TRACK NE INTO THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NE GA THIS EVENING. 4 KM WRF DOES SHOW A COUPLE OF THE CELLS REMAINING DISCRETE ALONG WITH BANDS OF TSRA AROUND 2Z. FROPA BETWEEN 3Z TO 12Z...SHOULD SUPPORT LINEAR TSRA ALONG THE FRONT AS IT MOVES EAST. IT APPEARS THAT SEVERE AND POSSIBLY TORNADIC TSRAS ARE MOST LIKELY ACROSS THE WESTERN NC MTNS...NE GA...AND THE UPSTATE SC COUNTIES. THE THREAT...TIMING...AND STORM MODE IS HIGHLIGHTED IN A SPS AND HWO. I WILL TIME CATE POPS WITH SVR TSRA IN THE FORECAST ACROSS THE FAVORED AREAS. SATURDAY...HIGH RES WRF INDICATES THAT CONVECTION WILL MAKE STEADY PROGRESS EAST AFTER SUNRISE...WITH DRYING ACROSS THE MTNS AND FOOTHILLS. POPS WILL STEADILY BECOME LIMITED TO THE PIEDMONT AREAS AROUND MID DAY...WITH DRY IN THE AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURE FORECAST WILL REMAIN CHALLENGING WITH THE PASSAGE OF WARM AND COLD FRONT THROUGH THE NEAR TERM. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN WELL ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 230 PM FRIDAY...THE SHORT TERM FCST PICKS UP AT 00Z ON SUNDAY WITH THE DEEP UPPER TROF JUST TO OUR WEST. THE TROF WILL LIFT NE THRU THE DAY ON SUNDAY AND A SECOND LOBE OF PVA WILL PASS OVER THE AREA ON MONDAY. HEIGHTS WILL BEGIN TO RISE BY THE END OF THE PERIOD AS UPPER RIDGING PUSHES INTO THE REGION. ON SUNDAY...THE COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE JUST TO OUR SE BY 00Z SUNDAY WITH W TO NWLY FLOW SPREADING OVER THE REGION IN ITS WAKE. THE MODELS INDICATE THAT SOME SORT OF SFC MESO LOW WILL DEVELOP OVER THE CAROLINA COAST EARLY SUN AND QUICKLY MOVE NE AND AWAY FROM THE REGION LATER IN THE DAY. ANOTHER WEAK SFC LOW IS THEN EXPECTED TO BRING ANOTHER SWATH OF MOIST AIR OVER THE NORTHERN PART OF THE CWFA EARLY MONDAY. A STRONG SFC RIDGE WILL FINALLY PUSH INTO THE AREA BY MONDAY EVENING AND DRY THINGS OUT. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... AS OF 1 PM FRIDAY...THE MEDIUM RANGE FCST PICKS UP AT 00Z ON TUESDAY WITH THE SHARP UPPER TROF MOVING OFF THE EASTERN SEABOARD AND UPPER RIDGING BUILDING OVER THE SE CONUS. THE LONG RANGE MODELS INDICATE THAT SOME DEGREE OF UPPER RIDGING WILL PERSIST OVER THE AREA THRU MOST OF THE PERIOD...HOWEVER THE GFS CONTINUES TO MOVE ANOTHER UPPER TROF TO OUR DOORSTEP BY EARLY THURSDAY WHILE THE ECMWF IS MUCH SLOWER WITH THE TROFS PROGRESSION. AT THE SFC...DRY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE FCST AREA BY EARLY TUESDAY. OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO THE HIGH WILL SLIDE EASTWARD AND OFFSHORE RESULTING IN SOUTHERLY LOW LVL FLOW OVER THE SE CONUS. THE MODELS ARE GENERATING SOME SORT OF ELONGATED LOW LVL CONVERGENCE ZONE ASSOCIATED WITH A FRONTAL ZONE LATE IN THE PERIOD. THE MODELS HAVE THIS FRONTAL ZONE APPROACHING THE CWFA BY LATE THURS WITH THE 12Z GFS BEING ABOUT 12HRS FASTER THEN THE ECMWF. AS FOR THE SENSIBLE FCST...I DO NOT HAVE ANY SIG POPS UNTIL THE LATTER PORTION OF THURSDAY WITH THE APPROACH OF THE FRONT. I HAVE TEMPS STEADILY RISING THRU THE PERIOD...WITH HIGHS NEAR 70 DEGREES BY DAY 7. && .AVIATION /20Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AT KCLT...LATEST SATELLITE PRODUCTS AND OBSERVATIONS IN AND AROUND THE KCLT TERMINAL AREA INDICATE SOLID IFR CEILINGS WITH PATCHES OF IFR FOG AND DRIZZLE SE OF THE TERMINAL NEAR A WARM FRONT. BASED ON SATELLITE TRENDS IT APPEARS THAT IFR CONDITIONS MAY REMAIN UNTIL 20Z. MVFR CEILINGS WILL LIKELY REMAIN INTO THE EVENING HOURS...THEN INCREASE SW WINDS WILL MIX AND ALLOW A PERIOD OF LATE EVENING VFR CEILINGS. A BROAD BAND OF SHRA/TSRA WILL SWEEP TOWARD THE TERMINAL BETWEEN 3Z TO 5Z...THEN MOVING ACROSS THE TERMINAL WITH LIKELY IFR CEILINGS BETWEEN 5Z TO 13Z. CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE AFTER 13Z WITH WINDS VEERING NW. ELSEWHERE...AT 18Z...A WARM FRONT WAS RUNNING WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE UPSTATE....DRIFTING NORTHWARD WITH TIME. MVFR TO IFR CEILINGS WILL EXIST IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONT. MVFR CEILINGS WILL LIKELY REMAIN INTO THE EVENING HOURS...THEN INCREASE SW WINDS WILL MIX AND ALLOW A PERIOD OF LATE EVENING VFR CEILINGS. A BROAD BAND OF SHRA/TSRA WILL SWEEP TOWARD THE TERMINAL BETWEEN 2Z TO 6Z...THEN MOVING ACROSS THE TERMINAL WITH LIKELY IFR CEILINGS BETWEEN 5Z TO 13Z. CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE AFTER 13Z WITH WINDS VEERING NW. OUTLOOK...DRY WEATHER WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. 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...JOH NEAR TERM...NED SHORT TERM...JPT LONG TERM...JPT AVIATION...NED
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 516 AM EST FRI MAR 2 2012 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-031030- 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- 516 AM EST FRI MAR 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BECOME SEVERE. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN SEVERE THREAT. HOWEVER...THERE WILL ALSO BE A THREAT FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THE THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS MAY ALSO LINGER INTO SATURDAY... PARTICULARLY OVER THE CAROLINA PIEDMONT...DEPENDING ON THE SPEED OF THE COLD FRONT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1114 AM EST FRI MAR 2 2012 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-031200- 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- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLAYTON...CLARKESVILLE...TOCCOA... HARTWELL...ELBERTON...NEWLAND...STATESVILLE...MOCKSVILLE... SPRUCE PINE...CHEROKEE...BRYSON CITY...WAYNESVILLE...ASHEVILLE... HICKORY...SALISBURY...SYLVA...FRANKLIN...BREVARD... HENDERSONVILLE...SHELBY...LINCOLNTON...GASTONIA...CHARLOTTE... CONCORD...MONROE...LENOIR...MORGANTON...MARION...LAKE LURE... RUTHERFORD...COLUMBUS...GREENVILLE...SPARTANBURG...GAFFNEY... ROCK HILL...ANDERSON...ABBEVILLE...LAURENS...UNION...CHESTER... GREENWOOD 1114 AM EST FRI MAR 2 2012 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS THROUGH TONIGHT... A WELL ORGANIZED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL TRACK FROM THE MID MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON TO THE GREAT LAKES REGION BY THIS EVENING. THE WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW WILL LIFT NORTHWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION TODAY...MOVING NORTH OF THE REGION BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. AS THE WARM FRONT ADVANCES...SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE REGION...BRINGING VERY MILD AND MOIST AIR ACROSS NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. CONDITIONS ACROSS THE REGION WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS EAST ACROSS THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER VALLEY. NUMEROUS TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS...WITH THE GREATEST COVERAGE EXPECTED ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND ADJACENT FOOTHILLS. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL ALONG WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. DURING THE EVENING...BANDS OF ORGANIZED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP ACROSS EASTERN TENNESSEE AND NORTHERN GEORGIA AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING SHARP COLD FRONT. THESE STORMS WILL DEVELOP IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL LIKELY SUPPORT STRONG ROTATING THUNDERSTORMS UPDRAFTS...OR SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS. ONCE THESE BANDS OF STORMS DEVELOP...THE STEERING WINDS WILL CARRY THESE STORMS INTO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA...AND THE UPSTATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...SEVERE WIND GUSTS...AND THE RISK OF TORNADOES. AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH SUNRISE...THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BECOME INCREASING ORIENTED ALONG THE COLD FRONT. THE STORM STRUCTURE IS EXPECTED TO ORGANIZE INTO LINES...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 85 CORRIDOR. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE QUICKLY EAST AND MAY PRODUCE SWATHS OF DAMAGING WINDS...MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL...AND POSSIBLY A BRIEF TORNADO. THE SEVERE THREAT WILL COME TO AN END AS THE FRONT SWEEPS EAST OF THE REGION AROUND SUNRISE. NED
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1116 AM EST FRI MAR 2 2012
NCZ036-037-057-021700-
DAVIE-IREDELL-ROWAN-
1116 AM EST FRI MAR 2 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT DAVIE...EASTERN IREDELL AND
NORTHWESTERN ROWAN COUNTIES THROUGH NOON EST...
AT 1114 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES EAST OF STATESVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
50 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
HARMONY...
COOLEEMEE...
MOCKSVILLE...
FARMINGTON...
ADVANCE...
BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WITH DIME SIZE HAIL ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY
AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. MOVE INDOORS IF
POSSIBLE. WHEN INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID
USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES BEFORE THE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
LAT...LON 3588 8041 3585 8038 3582 8047 3577 8046
3570 8072 3585 8092 3606 8065 3605 8049
3607 8046 3601 8041 3599 8041 3596 8037
3589 8036
JOHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1118 AM EST FRI MAR 02 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1115 AM HAIL STATESVILLE 35.79N 80.89W
03/02/2012 E0.75 INCH IREDELL NC TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
LGABRICPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1120 AM EST FRI MAR 02 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1116 AM HAIL 2 E STATESVILLE 35.79N 80.85W
03/02/2012 E0.75 INCH IREDELL NC TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
LGABRICPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1201 PM EST FRI MAR 02 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1130 AM HAIL MOCKSVILLE 35.90N 80.56W
03/02/2012 E1.50 INCH DAVIE NC POST OFFICE
&&
LGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
109 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012
NCZ051-058-021845-
GRAHAM-SWAIN-
109 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012
...TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM MOVING TOWARD FAR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...
A POTENTIALLY TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT GRAHAM COUNTY AND
POSSIBLY SWAIN COUNTY BETWEEN 2 PM AND 3 PM EST. A THUNDERSTORM WITH
A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES WAS LOCATED NORTHEAST OF
CHATTANOOGA IN CLEVELAND COUNTY TENNESSEE AT 1 PM AND WAS MOVING
EAST AROUND 55 MPH. THIS RATE OF MOVEMENT WILL BRING THE STORM INTO
GRAHAM COUNTY IN FAR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AROUND 2 PM EST.
IF YOU LIVE IN GRAHAM AND SWAIN COUNTIES...YOU SHOULD BEGIN MAKING
PLANS TO MOVE TO A TORNADO SAFE ROOM OR BASEMENT. BASEMENTS OFFER
THE BEST PROTECTION FROM TORNADOES. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A
BASEMENT...AN INTERIOR ROOM OF YOUR HOME SUCH AS A BATHROOM ARE
BEST. MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE EVACUATED IN FAVOR OF WELL CONSTRUCTED
BUILDINGS...PREFERABLY WITH A BASEMENT.
BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE TORNADO WARNINGS BY 2 PM WITH MORE DETAILED
INFORMATION CONTAINING THE MOST LIKELY TRACK.
LAT...LON 3537 8401 3539 8401 3555 8361 3534 8345
3529 8381 3522 8399 3529 8403 3531 8404
3536 8404
LGThe Knoxville radar (KMRX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:52 UTC.
7 hail, 4 tornado, 4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A NWS Storm Survey found a short damage path of a weak tornado in a remote section of the Great Smoky Mountains. Several small trees were snapped and a large tree uprooted along the 100 yard path.
Numerous trees were blown down in the Nantahala Lake area.
Hail up to golf ball size fell in the Nantahala Lake area.
Quarter size hail was reported near the Yancey County line.
Hail up to the size of golf balls was reported on the north side of Franklin.
Several trees were blown down in the Franklin area.
Hail between golf ball and baseball size was reported in the Cullasaja area.
An NWS storm survey found the path of a weak tornado in the Lake Glenville area. The tornado began along Pine Creek Rd about halfway between the Macon County line and the Lake. It traveled east southeast from there, crossing North Norton Rd and Woods Mountain Trail. Multiple trees were uprooted and snapped and a few homes and one church received minor roof damage. The tornado then crossed the lake and affected Glenshore Dr snapping and uprooting more trees and causing a tree to fall on a home, damaging the roof. The damage path ended there, at the shore of Lake Glenville.
Scattered trees were blown down as a supercell thunderstorm moved across the northern part of the county.
Additional trees were blown down as a second severe thunderstorm moved over the Nantahala Lake area.
An NWS Storm Survey found the path of a strong tornado that developed rapidly over eastern portions of the Charlotte metro area during the early morning hours of March 3rd. The tornado touched down near the intersection of Dulin Creek Rd and Little Whiteoak Rd, moving just south of Plaza Rd extension. The tornado affected two subdivisions in Mecklenburg County. Four homes slid off their foundations and were completely destroyed. Twenty-nine homes were rendered uninhabitable from collapsed exterior walls. A total of 162 homes were damaged in the county. Four people were injured in this area. The tornado crossed I-485, just south of Plaza Rd Extension before moving into Cabarrus County. The total path length in Mecklenburg County was a little over 1.5 miles, while the maximum width was 200 yards.
This tornado moved into Cabarrus County from Mecklenburg County, south of Harrisburg and west of the Robinson Church Rd and Peach Orchard Rd intersection. The tornado affected several residential areas, damaging around 30 homes and destroying two homes which slid off their foundations. The tornado crossed Robinson Church Rd and Peach Orchard Rd, lifting just short of Hickory Ridge Rd.
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 historyThe tornado archive for North Carolina, 2012Warnings in North Carolina, March 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: 378445, 370307, 370310, 370311, 370313, 370314, 370315, 370317, 370319, 371844, 371845, 371859, 371865, 371919, 371938.