Narrative to follow.
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.
Narrative to follow.
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 Sep 2, 3:25 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 425 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANTS OF ISAAC WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SLOWLY EASTWARD ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY THROUGH MONDAY. MOISTURE OUT AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL STEADILY INCREASE ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA THROUGH WEDNESDAY BEFORE A WEAK COLD FRONT ARRIVES FROM THE NORTHWEST FOR THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/... AS OF 420 PM...LINE OF CONVECTION MOVING INTO THE I-77 CORRIDOR ATTM. HAVE UPDATED POPS TO REFLECT THIS LINE MOVING ACROSS THE CWFA. KEEP AFTER A BRIEF LULL BEHIND THE LINE...RETURN LIKELY POP TO THE MTNS AND HIGH CHC POP ELSEWHERE. THIS IN ASSOCIATION WITH ANOTHER LINE OF CONVECTION MOVING INTO THE MTNS AND CONVECTION DEVELOPING OUTSIDE OF THE MTNS AHEAD OF THIS LINE. UPDATED TEMPS TO ACCOUNT FOR COOLING WITH THE FIRST LINE AND A BRIEF WARM UP BEHIND...BUT NOT AS WARM AS THE TEMPS AHEAD OF THE FIRST LINE. UPDATED SKY AND WINDS TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE FEATURES AS WELL. NO CHANGES AFTER EARLY EVENING. AT 2 PM EDT SUNDAY...THE UPPER LOW ASSOCIATED WITH ISAAC WILL DRIFT SE FROM THE OH VALLEY TO THE TN VALLEY BY LATE MONDAY. MEANWHILE...A MOIST SW FLOW AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM WILL BRING DEEP MOISTURE INTO OUR AREA. A VORT LOBE ROUNDING THE UPPER LOW WILL MOVE A LINE OF CONVECTION FROM THE BLUE RIDGE TO THE PIEDMONT THIS AFTERNOON. THE BEST INSTABILITY WILL BE IN THE PIEDMONT...WHERE MORE DRY AIR EXISTS ALOFT FOR EVAPORATIVE COOLING. BETTER UPPER SUPPORT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT AND MONDAY. NOTABLE UNIDIRECTIONAL SHEAR WILL BE PRESENT ON MONDAY...WITH SUBSTANTIAL CAPE EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS...BUT PROFILES WILL BE NEARLY SATURATED...WITH LITTLE DRY AIR AVAILABLE. SW STEERING FLOW WILL KEEP CELLS MOVING... BUT TRAINING CELLS COULD PRODUCE EXCESSIVE RAINFALL...ESPECIALLY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND URBAN AREAS. TEMPERATURES WILL EXHIBIT A LIMITED DIURNAL RANGE...WITH ABOVE NORMAL MINIMUMS AND NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL MAXIMUMS IN A MOIST AIR MASS WITH CLOUD COVER. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... AS OF 200 PM EDT SUNDAY...UPPER LEVEL HEIGHTS CONTINUE TO FALL AS THE REMNANT TC TROF GETS SLOWLY DRAGGED INTO THE CWFA LATE MON. THE UPPER FLOW REMAINS ILL DEFINED AS THE TROF DISSIPATES AND LEAVES THE AREA UNDER A GENERAL...YET HIGHLY TROPICAL WEAKNESS. VERY HIGH PWATS WILL BE MAINTAINED AND THE NAM/GFS BOTH INDICATE A CONTINUOUS SW/LY FLOW OF THETA/E ADV INTO THE AREA TUE AND WED. MODEL THERMAL PROFILES STILL SHOW WEAK YET DEEP LAYERED SBCAPE AND SOME MODERATE MUCAPE. THERE LOOKS TO BE SOME LLVL SHEAR AS THE BRIEFLY DEFINED SFC SYSTEM WORKS IN EARLY TUE...BEFORE WEAKENING THROUGH A DEEP LAYER WITH THE LOSS OF UPPER SUPPORT. THIS WILL LEAVE THE AREA WITH A RATHER HIGH POTENTIAL OF EFFICIENT AND HEAVY RAINFALL PRODUCING STORMS THAT COULD BACK BUILD OR HAVE LITTLE MOTION. THUS...THERE WILL BE AN ONGOING ISOL FLOODING CONCERN ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE FCST AREA BOTH TUE AND WED. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT LIKELY WITH LITTLE SHEAR PRESENT...BUT SOME RATHER TALL STORMS COULD DEVELOP IN DIFFERENTIAL HEATING AREAS AND PRODUCE A LOCALIZED WIND OR HAIL THREAT EACH AFTERNOON. THE BEST WIDESPREAD CLOUD COVER SHOULD BE ON TUE AND MAX TEMPS WILL HAVE A HARD TIME REACHING NORMAL LEVELS...PROBABLY A CAT OR SO BELOW. ON WED...MORE BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS SHOULD ALLOW TEMPS BACK NEAR NORMAL. MIN TEMPS WILL LIKELY BE A CAT OR SO ABOVE NORMAL WITH A LOW RADIATIONAL COOLING POTENTIAL EACH MORNING. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... AS OF 1230 PM EDT SUNDAY...THERE IS DECENT CONFIDENCE THE REMAINING DEEP LAYERED MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH ISAAC REMNANTS SHUNTED EAST WHILE LOWER THETA/E AIR WORKS IN FROM THE NW. THE GFS IS MORE AGGRESSIVE AND PRONOUNCED WITH A SFC RIDGE AXIS BUILDING IN AND A COMPROMISE WITH THE WEAKER ECMWF STILL DRIES THINGS OUT RELATIVELY QUICKLY AFT 18Z THU. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW DEEP LAYERED DRYING FROM ALOFT THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND PWATS DROP TO LESS THAN 1.5 INS AFT 21Z. THERE WILL BE SOME MODERATE MUCAPE ACROSS THE ERN ZONES...BUT LITTLE IS EVIDENT IN THE SHEAR PROFILES TO SUPPORT AN ORGANIZED OR WIDESPREAD CONVECTIVE CONCERN THU EVENING. A MOSTLY DRY DAY IS IN STORE FRI WITH N/LY FLOW ENCOMPASSING THE AREA WHILE HIPRES CONTINUES TO BUILD IN. HOWEVER...A LOW END CONVECTIVE CHANCE WILL BE MAINTAINED ACROSS THE NC MTNS DUE TO GOOD INSOL COMBINED WITH MECH LIFT. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM APPROACHING THE CWFA MAY BE IN STORE OVER THE WEEKEND. THE OP GFS SOUNDING SHOWS A RELATIVELY STABLE AIR MASS AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM...HOWEVER FAIRLY HIGH DEEP LAYERED SHEAR DEVELOPS BY SAT EVENING WHICH COULD HELP PRODUCE AREAS OF STRONGER TSTMS. FOR NOW...KEPT PRETTY MUCH CLIMO/HPC POPS SAT WITH A LITTLE HIGHER CHANCES FOR SUN. WITH INCREASING INSOL...MAX TEMPS WILL BE RIGHT AROUND NORMAL THU. WITH A WEAK CP AIR MASS MIXING IN...MAXES A COUPLE DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ARE ADVERTISED FOR FRI AND POSSIBLY SAT AS WELL. MINS SHOULD STILL BE A COUPLE DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL THU...WITH NORMAL MIN TEMPS RETURNING FRI/SAT. && .AVIATION /21Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AT KCLT...CONVECTIVE CHANCES WILL BE THE BEST IN DAYS WITH LIMITED CLOUD COVER AND COOLER MID LEVELS ALLOWING FOR GREATER INSTABILITY. A TEMPO FOR CONVECTION WITH GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CARRIED MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. ALTHOUGH INSTABILITY DECREASES WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING TONIGHT...A MOIST SW FLOW AHEAD OF AND APPROACHING UPPER LOW WILL KEEP SOME CHANCE GOING ALL NIGHT... ALTHOUGH NOT GREAT ENOUGH TO MENTION IN THE TAF. GUIDANCE IS SUPPORTIVE OF MVFR VSBY TOWARD DAYBREAK MONDAY...AND WITH A BETTER CHANCE OF RAIN...THIS SEEMS REASONABLE. GUIDANCE KEEPS THE CIG VFR. MONDAY LOOKS EVEN BETTER FOR PRECIPITATION CHANCES...BUT MAINLY AFTER THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. ELSEWHERE...A LINE OF CONVECTION WILL WARRANT TEMPO AT ALL SITES EARLY IN THE FORECAST. ALTHOUGH RAIN CHANCES DECREASE WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING TONIGHT...THEY NEVER COMPLETELY GO AWAY AN UPPER LOW APPROACHES...BUT NIGHTTIME CHANCES WILL BE TOO LOW TO MENTION IN THE TAFS. GUIDANCE SUPPORTS MVFR FOG IN THE FOOTHILLS BEFORE DAWN...AND IFR OR LOWER IN THE MOUNTAINS. CIG RESTRICTIONS WILL BE LIMITED TO THE MOUNTAINS AND KHKY. PRECIPITATION CHANCES INCREASE ON MONDAY...MAINLY AFTER THIS FORECAST PACKAGE. OUTLOOK...MOISTURE WILL REMAIN HIGH THROUGH A DEEP LAYER ACROSS THE REGION MONDAY THROUGH AT LEAST WEDNESDAY. LOW CLOUD/FOG RESTRICTIONS WILL OCCUR MAINLY WITH PASSING CONVECTION AND ALSO DURING THE PRE DAWN HOURS WHERE PRECIPITATION FELL THE DAY BEFORE. GRADUAL DRYING FROM THE WEST IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY. 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...PAT NEAR TERM...JAT/RWH SHORT TERM...SBK LONG TERM...SBK AVIATION...JAT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 525 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-032130- 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- 525 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING CAN OCCUR WITH ANY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE DISSIPATING REMNANTS OF TROPICAL STORM ISAAC WILL MAINTAIN A REGION OF TROPICAL MOISTURE OVER OUR AREA THROUGH MID-WEEK. THIS WILL RESULT IN INCREASING COVERAGE OF HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND TUESDAY. THE CHANCES FOR LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO INCREASE DURING THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
420 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
NCZ035-022100-
ALEXANDER-
420 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT ALEXANDER COUNTY THROUGH 500 PM
EDT...
AT 419 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ELLENDALE...OR 6 MILES WEST OF
TAYLORSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
TAYLORSVILLE...
DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3604 8104 3581 8122 3581 8125 3585 8134
3589 8133 3592 8135 3599 8133 3601 8131
3604 8121 3603 8108 3605 8104
ARKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 435 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012 NCZ070-071-SCZ009-022115- GASTON-MECKLENBURG-YORK- 435 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN GASTON...NORTHERN YORK AND SOUTHWESTERN MECKLENBURG COUNTIES THROUGH 515 PM EDT... AT 431 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CLOVER...OR 7 MILES NORTH OF YORK...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR... LAKE WYLIE... GASTONIA... CRAMERTON... BELMONT... MOUNT HOLLY... PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...TRY TO GET INDOORS OR INTO A HARD TOPPED VEHICLE. OTHERWISE...STAY AWAY FROM OPEN AREAS AND ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. WHEN INDOORS... STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING WIRED ELECTRONIC DEVICES. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY APPLIANCES BEFORE THE STORM APPROACHES. LAT...LON 3539 8111 3519 8085 3496 8123 3508 8140 ARK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
442 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
NCZ036-037-056-022130-
CATAWBA-DAVIE-IREDELL-
442 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN CATAWBA...IREDELL AND
WESTERN DAVIE COUNTIES THROUGH 530 PM EDT...
AT 439 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES WEST OF STATESVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
25 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
STATESVILLE...
HARMONY...
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. IF OUTDOORS...TRY TO
GET INDOORS OR INTO A HARD TOPPED VEHICLE. OTHERWISE...STAY AWAY FROM
OPEN AREAS AND ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES. WHEN INDOORS...
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING WIRED ELECTRONIC
DEVICES. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY APPLIANCES BEFORE THE STORM
APPROACHES.
LAT...LON 3587 8060 3584 8064 3585 8067 3586 8067
3585 8071 3579 8074 3564 8098 3577 8113
3605 8080
ARKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
509 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
NCZ036-057-069>072-022145-
CABARRUS-GASTON-IREDELL-LINCOLN-MECKLENBURG-ROWAN-
509 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN GASTON...NORTHWESTERN
CABARRUS...NORTHWESTERN MECKLENBURG...SOUTHEASTERN IREDELL...
SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN AND WESTERN ROWAN COUNTIES THROUGH 545 PM EDT...
AT 505 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM LAKE NORMAN TO
BELMONT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
MOUNTAIN ISLAND LAKE...
MOORESVILLE...
DAVIDSON...
HUNTERSVILLE...
CLEVELAND...
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
LAKE NORMAN IS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM. CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS BOATING CONDITIONS.
MOVE TO SHORE IMMEDIATELY.
LAT...LON 3540 8073 3515 8114 3559 8094 3581 8056
3579 8055
ARKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
536 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
NCZ071-072-022200-
CABARRUS-MECKLENBURG-
536 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN MECKLENBURG AND WESTERN
CABARRUS COUNTIES THROUGH 600 PM EDT...
AT 532 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF EASTLAND MALL...OR 4 MILES
NORTHEAST OF CENTER CITY CHARLOTTE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
UNC CHARLOTTE...
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY...
WIND GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3514 8076 3527 8092 3551 8066 3550 8063
3536 8045
ARKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
548 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
NCZ036-057-022215-
IREDELL-ROWAN-
548 PM EDT SUN SEP 2 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN IREDELL AND NORTHWESTERN
ROWAN COUNTIES THROUGH 615 PM EDT...
AT 545 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES WEST OF CLEVELAND...OR 8 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF STATESVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
CLEVELAND...
DIME SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3560 8077 3574 8091 3590 8071 3585 8070
3586 8067 3585 8067 3585 8063 3582 8061
3582 8057 3578 8053 3578 8049
ARKThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:46 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees and power lines were blown down near the intersection of Liberty Church Rd and highway 601.
Numerous trees were blown down in the Shelton and Laurel communities in the northeast part of the county. Tobacco, cane and corn crops were flattened in this area as well. The winds caused a barn to collapse along highway 212.
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, September 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: 413941, 413942.