The combination of a dissipating frontal boundary and a hot and humid airmass resulted in numerous showers and thunderstorms over upstate South Carolina. Some of the thunderstorms caused localized 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.
The combination of a dissipating frontal boundary and a hot and humid airmass resulted in numerous showers and thunderstorms over upstate South Carolina. Some of the thunderstorms caused localized wind damage and large hail.
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 Aug 8, 1:51 PM EST, 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 251 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012 .SYNOPSIS... BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE SOUTHEAST TONIGHT AND REMAINS THROUGH THURSDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE WEST LATE FRIDAY. DRY HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD BEHIND THE FRONT OVER THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... AS OF 230 PM...EARLY AFTN CONVECTION DEVELOPING AHEAD OF A WEAK SHORTWAVE OVER THE NC FOOTHILLS HAS PUT DOWN SOME OUTFLOWS ACROSS THE NC PIEDMONT. ADDITIONAL CONVECTION IS DEVELOPING ALONG THE ERN SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS AS A SECONDARY SHORTWAVE ARRIVES...AND WHERE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE IS STRONGEST. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD ALSO SPREAD EWD GIVEN THE STEERING FLOW. POPS HAVE BEEN RAISED THROUGHOUT FOR THE LATE AFTN HOURS. 3000 TO 4000 J/KG SFC BASED CAPE VALUES ARE INDICATED ON LAPS ANALYSIS...AND THE MID LEVEL DRY PUNCH ALONG WITH DCAPE VALUES AROUND 1000 J/KG SHOULD YIELD A FEW SEVERE TSTMS WITH ANY 55 DBZ CORES ABOVE 25 KFT. HEAVY RAINFALL ON SATURATED GROUND COULD ALSO CREATE ISOLD HYDRO ISSUES...BUT STORMS SHOULD MOVE A BIT MORE TODAY COMPARED TO THE PAST FEW DAYS. CONVECTION SHOULD DIE OUT FAIRLY QUICKLY WITH THE LOSS OF HEATING THIS EVENING...WITH JUST DEBRIS CLOUDS EARLY...AND POSSIBLY LOW CLOUDS AND FOG LATE. GUIDANCE REMAINS MIXED ON HOW DENSE THE FOG MAY GET...BUT MTN VALLEYS SHOULD SEE THE WORST VSBY. A MORE PROMINENT SHORTWAVE MOVING AROUND THE DEVELOPING UPPER MIDWEST LOW PRESSURE ON THU WILL APPROACH THE REGION BUT REMAIN W OF THE MTNS THROUGH THE LATE DAY. THE MAIN IMPACT OF THIS FEATURE THROUGH THE NEAR TERM WILL BE BACKING SW FLOW AND SLOWLY DEEPENING MOISTURE OVER THE REGION. SCATTERED AFTERNOON CONVECTION IS EXPECTED WITH THE BEST POPS OVER THE MTNS AND SW SECTIONS. MAXES WILL BE SIMILAR TO WED...PERHAPS A DEGREE HIGHER IN THE ERN PIEDMONT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... AS OF 120 PM WEDNESDAY...AT LEAST SCATTERED CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO LINGER WELL INTO THE OVERNIGHT THURSDAY/EARLY FRIDAY. THIS IS A RESULT ON AN INCREASINGLY MOIST WAA PATTERN IN THE WARM SECTOR OF AN ANOMALOUSLY STRONG CYCLONE...AS WELL AS A PRECURSOR SHORT WAVE TROUGH THAT THE MODELS DRIFT ACROSS THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT. FOR FRIDAY...THERE IS STILL QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. IT STILL APPEARS AS IF THERE COULD BE FAIRLY EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER...AS WELL AS SHOWERS EARLY IN THE DAY. AS SUCH...THE SHORT RANGE MODELS HAVE BACKED OFF ON THE DEGREE OF FRIDAY PM INSTABILITY DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS. DESPITE THE STRENGTHENING UPPER FLOW...THE UNIDIRECTIONAL NATURE OF THE FORECAST WIND PROFILES IS YIELDING MODEST AT BEST SHEAR. IN ADDITION...THE BETTER DEEP LAYER FORCING WILL PASS NORTH OF THE AREA...ALTHOUGH FAIRLY STRONG LOW LEVEL FORCING IS EXPECTED ALONG THE FRONT PROPER DURING THE EVENING. TAKING ALL OF THIS INTO CONSIDERATION...WILL NOT GO ABOVE THE LOW-LIKELY POPS THAT WERE INHERITED. THERE WILL STILL BE A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...ESPECIALLY IF ANYTHING IS ABLE TO ORGANIZE ALONG THE FRONT. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...WITH THE UPPER LOW SPINNING NORTH OF THE REGION...AND ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROUGH DROPPING OUT OF THE PLAINS... THE MID-LEVEL TROUGH AXIS/SURFACE FRONT TAKES ITS TIME PUSHING THROUGH THE AREA. IN FACT...BOTH MODELS FEATURE QUITE A BIT OF QPF ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA AFTER 12Z SATURDAY. THIS WILL NECESSITATE RAMPING POPS UP TO THE CHANCE RANGE IN THESE AREAS. ALSO...BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON...THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE FRONT IS SO DIFFUSE THAT THE NAM INITIATES HIGH TERRAIN CONVECTION. THEREFORE...SLIGHT CHANCE POPS WILL EXIST AS FAR NORTH AND WEST AS THE BLUE RIDGE. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 200 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...THE LATEST MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THAT THE TROUGH AXIS AND COLD FRONT WILL MOVE OFF TO THE EAST LATE SATURDAY...WITH DECREASING PRECIPITATION FROM WEST TO EAST. THEN DRY HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE NW SUNDAY AND REMAINS THROUGH MONDAY FOR RELATIVELY PLEASANT WEATHER. WILL FORECAST DRY OVER THE PEDIMENT WITH SLIGHT CHANCE POPS ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE SUN/MON. ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO PUSH ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY FOLLOWED BY HIGH PRESSURE ON WED. WITH LOWER PW VALUES...PREDOMINANT DOWNSLOPE WEST WINDS AND WEAK INSTABILITY...WILL MENTION SLIGHT TO LOW END CHANCE POPS FOR DIURNAL CONVECTION TUE/WED. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A COUPLE DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGES DURING THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... AT KCLT...CONVECTION HAS DEVELOPED ALL AROUND THE AIRFIELD THIS AFTN ON OUTFLOWS. TEMPO TSRA 19Z TO 23Z STILL LOOKS LIKE THE BEST WINDOW FOR TSRA AT THE AIRFIELD. ANY GUSTS WOULD BE FROM THE N AND WILL BE ADDED AS NECESSARY. MAINLY VFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED...BUT WITH TEMPO MVFR UNDER TSRA. THE ACTIVITY SHOULD DIMINISH QUICKLY THIS EVENING. A MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER UNDER DRYING MID AND UPPER LEVEL AIR COULD LEAD TO ANOTHER ROUND OF LOW CLOUDS...HOWEVER...NONE OF THE GUIDANCE FEATURES ANY RESTRICTIONS TOWARD DAYBREAK AT THIS POINT. WILL HINT TOWARD IFR CONDITIONS WITH A FEW007 MENTION FOR NOW. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT. ELSEWHERE...TSTMS WERE FORMING ALL ALONG THE ERN ESCARPMENT OF THE MTNS THIS AFTN...AND COVERAGE SHOULD SLOWLY EXPAND EASTWARD. TEMPO TSRA CHANCES LOOK BEST FROM KGMU TO KGSP THIS AFTN...WITH VCTS MENTION ELSEWHERE UNLESS SOMETHING GETS CLOSE. EXPECT MAINLY SCT TO BKN VFR CUMULUS CLOUDS...WITH TEMPO CIGS EXPECTED UNDER TSTMS. FLOW SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT SW TO WSW EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS AND NW AT KAVL. THE ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH QUICKLY THIS EVENING...WITH A DECENT CHANCE OF LOW CLOUDS/FOG AGAIN OVERNIGHT GIVEN THE MOIST BL AND DRYING ALOFT. THE BEST CHANCE OF DAYBREAK IFR WILL BE KAVL TO KHKY. OUTLOOK...SCATTERED AFTERNOON TSTMS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN THU...MAINLY IN THE MTNS. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE NW ON FRIDAY TO INCREASE THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE THROUGH FRI NIGHT. DRIER HIGH PRES WILL RETURN OVER THE WEEKEND AND LINGER INTO EARLY NEXT 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...JOH NEAR TERM...HG SHORT TERM...JDL LONG TERM...JOH AVIATION...HG
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 443 AM EDT WED AUG 8 2012 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-090845- 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- 443 AM EDT WED AUG 8 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 THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. A FEW STORMS MAY BE STRONG ENOUGH TO PRODUCE LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION LATE FRIDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE. ARK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1252 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
NCZ064-SCZ002-003-081730-
GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-TRANSYLVANIA-
1252 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN GREENVILLE...
NORTHWESTERN PICKENS AND SOUTHERN TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES THROUGH 130
PM EDT...
AT 1249 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES SOUTH OF BALSAM GROVE...OR 9 MILES WEST
OF BREVARD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
LAKE TOXAWAY...
ROSMAN...
ROCKY BOTTOM...
SMALL HAIL...WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3519 8297 3521 8296 3528 8282 3505 8259
3493 8286 3504 8291 3505 8290 3505 8291
3519 8298
JOHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
152 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
NCZ064-SCZ002-081830-
PICKENS MOUNTAINS-TRANSYLVANIA-
152 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN PICKENS AND
SOUTHERN TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES THROUGH 230 PM EDT...
AT 148 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF ROSMAN...OR 4 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF BREVARD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED SOUTHEAST OF LAKE
TOXAWAY...ALSO DRIFTING SLOWLY SOUTHEAST.
PEOPLE IN NORTHWESTERN PICKENS AND SOUTHERN TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
ROSMAN AND BREVARD...
SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN.
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD AREAS WITH POOR DRAINAGE...SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED ROADS. WATER
LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO RISE RAPIDLY. SEEK HIGHER
GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.
LAT...LON 3528 8285 3523 8261 3522 8260 3515 8259
3512 8266 3513 8268 3510 8269 3508 8275
3498 8285 3504 8291 3505 8290 3505 8293
3512 8300
MOORESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
213 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
SCZ002-003-005-006-081900-
GREATER GREENVILLE-GREATER PICKENS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS
MOUNTAINS-
213 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN GREENVILLE AND NORTHERN
PICKENS COUNTIES THROUGH 300 PM EDT...
AT 212 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MARIETTA...OR 14 MILES NORTH OF DOWNTOWN
GREENVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
OTHER STORMS MAY DEVELOP INTO NORTHERN PICKENS COUNTY BY 3 PM.
PEOPLE IN NORTHERN GREENVILLE AND NORTHERN PICKENS COUNTIES...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
MARIETTA...TRAVELERS REST AND LAKE ROBINSON...
SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN.
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3498 8285 3508 8275 3510 8269 3513 8268
3512 8267 3513 8265 3512 8263 3517 8254
3516 8253 3517 8250 3507 8223 3485 8245SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
241 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
NCZ503>506-081930-
BURKE MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER BURKE-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-
241 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL BURKE AND NORTHEASTERN
MCDOWELL COUNTIES THROUGH 330 PM EDT...
AT 236 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TABLE ROCK...OR 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF
MORGANTON...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.
PEOPLE IN CENTRAL BURKE AND NORTHEASTERN MCDOWELL COUNTIES...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
MORGANTON...
SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN.
SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3591 8174 3587 8171 3587 8169 3586 8166
3567 8153 3562 8194 3578 8199 3590 8196
3593 8175
MOOREPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
256 PM EDT WED AUG 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 W STATESVILLE 35.79N 80.99W
08/08/2012 IREDELL NC 911 CALL CENTER
ONE TREE DOWN NEAR INTERSECTION OF MASSEY DEAL RD AND OLD
MOUNTAIN RD.
&&
MOORESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
309 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
SCZ002-003-005-006-081945-
GREATER GREENVILLE-GREATER PICKENS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS
MOUNTAINS-
309 PM EDT WED AUG 8 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN PICKENS AND WESTERN
GREENVILLE COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EDT...
AT 305 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTH OF PUMPKINTOWN...OR 5 MILES
NORTHEAST OF PICKENS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
PEOPLE IN EASTERN PICKENS AND WESTERN GREENVILLE COUNTIES...INCLUDING
THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
PICKENS AND EASLEY...
SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE
WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE
WEATHER THREATEN.
PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3477 8275 3507 8281 3508 8278 3507 8278
3507 8276 3508 8275 3513 8241 3486 8243
NEDThe Greer radar (KGSP), 40 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:21 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down on Welborn Rd and another nearby on Ireland Rd.
Multiple trees were blown down in areas west and southwest of Powdersville. A tree crushed a vehicle and another tree fell on a home on Three and Twenty Rd.
Five trees were blown down along Batchelor Dr in the Cherokee Falls community.
Numerous trees blown down in areas south of Gaffney.
Several trees were blown down along Woods Ferry Rd.
Multiple trees were blown down in the Joanna area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, August 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: 409164, 409168, 409283, 409284, 409285, 409288, 409289.