A line of thunderstorms organized across Upstate South Carolina in a high shear, low CAPE environment. 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.
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 line of thunderstorms organized across Upstate South Carolina in a high shear, low CAPE environment. 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. Over the Upstate, the stronger segments in the line produced straight line wind damage and some 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 Mar 3, 1:04 AM EST, 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 104 AM EST SAT MAR 3 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 TODAY/... 0400 UTC UPDATE...NEW TORNAOD WATCH UP FOR ALL BUT NC I-77 EAST UNTIL 10 UTC. AT 2100 EST FRIDAY...AN UPPER TROUGH AXIS WAS LOCATED OVER THE MD RIVER VALLEY...WITH A LARGE 90 KNOT JET MAX EXISTING ITS BASE. SURFACE ANALYSIS PLACED A WARM FRONT FROM THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS TO NEAR KCLT...WITH A SLOW NORTHWARD MOVEMENT. A COLD FRONT WAS LOCATED OVER THE OH AND TN VALLEYS. IN THE WARM SECTOR BETWEEN THESE TWO FRONTS DEW POINT IN THE UPPER 50S WERE COMMON. ALTHOUGH SURFACE WINDS HAVE DECOUPLED IN SOME AREAS...AN EXTENSIVE LOW LEVEL JET EXISTS FRONT THE CENTRAL GULF COAST INTO THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. SHEAR AND INSTABILITY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SEVERE WEATHER...WITH WIND HAIL AND TORNADOES ALL POSSIBLE...AND THE TORNADO WATCH WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE NC MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS AND ALL OF UPSTATE SC AND NE GA THROUGH 11 PM. THE THREAT OF CONVECTION CONTINUES AS THE FRONT APPROACHES LATE TONIGHT. MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN ELEVATED AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL NOT ARRIVE UNTIL AROUND DAYBREAK. 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 /TONIGHT 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 /06Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... AT KCLT...A TSRA IS HEADING TOWARD THE TERMINAL AS OF THE 06Z TAF ISSUANCE. CORRECTED TO ADD TEMPO FOR TSRA FOR NEXT HOUR. WILL KEEP CB AND SHRA MENTION FOR NEXT FEW HOURS ALSO. THEN...A RAIN SHIELD WILL LINGER THRU THE REST OF THE OVERNIGHT. MAINLY MVFR RESTRICTIONS EXPECTED WITH THE PRECIP. A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE IS SLATED FOR THE 11-15Z TIME FRAME. BRIEF NWLY WIND GUSTS POSSIBLE...THEN STAY NW THRU THE DAY WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. LINGERING MID LVL CLOUDINESS IS SHOWN IN MOST OF THE GUIDANCE. ELSEWHERE...WIDESPREAD LIGHT-MODERATE RAIN ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA...WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS. A LINE OF STORMS ARE TRAINING JUST NORTH OF THE KAND-KGMU-KGSP LINE...SO TEMPO TSRA FOR THOSE SITES. MVFR RESTRICTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO RETURN SHORTLY WITH ALL THE PRECIP WITH GUSTY SW WINDS FOR THE REST OF THE OVERNIGHT. GUIDANCE GENERALLY NOT GOING WITH IFR AT THIS TIME. A FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL VEER WINDS TO NW AROUND DAYBREAK...WITH LOW VFR CIG RETURNING BY MID MORNING. OUTLOOK...THERE MAIN BE A RETURN OF SOME RESTRICTIONS ACROSS THE PIEDMONT SITES SATURDAY NIGHT...THEN DRY WEATHER WILL RETURN FOR SUNDAY AND 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...JAT/NED SHORT TERM...JPT LONG TERM...JPT AVIATION...ARK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 1103 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035-048>053-056-058-059-062>065- 068>070-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-040415- RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-ALEXANDER- MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA-GRAHAM- NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON- CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-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- 1103 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012 ...TORNADO WATCH 65 IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EST SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. NCZ036-037-057-071-072-082-040415- IREDELL-DAVIE-ROWAN-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION NC- 1103 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1124 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012
GAZ010-017-030515-
HABERSHAM-RABUN-
1124 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT HABERSHAM AND RABUN COUNTIES
THROUGH 1215 AM EST...
AT 1124 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CLEVELAND...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 50 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
BALDWIN...
CLARKESVILLE...
LAKE BURTON...
TURNERVILLE...
TALLULAH FALLS...
CLAYTON...
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3500 8318 3500 8314 3493 8314 3488 8323
3482 8327 3482 8330 3479 8333 3475 8332
3473 8335 3469 8334 3452 8344 3445 8360
3445 8364 3451 8367 3454 8362 3465 8367
3476 8363 3479 8368
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1202 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
GAZ010-017-018-SCZ001-002-004-005-030700-
GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-HABERSHAM-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS
MOUNTAINS-RABUN-STEPHENS-
1202 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO PRODUCE TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ACROSS
HABERSHAM...RABUN...STEPHENS...OCONEE...AND PICKENS COUNTIES THROUGH
200 AM EST...
A SERIES OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH
ACROSS EXTREME NORTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE NORTHWEST UPSTATE OF SOUTH
CAROLINA THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. SOME OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE PEA SIZE HAIL AND
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. ALL OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL FROM TIME TO TIME. LOCATIONS REPEATEDLY AFFECTED
BY THE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH 2 AM COULD SEE ISOLATED FLOODING
DEVELOP.
LAT...LON 3454 8362 3465 8366 3495 8360 3495 8356
3499 8355 3500 8311 3507 8278 3484 8248
3481 8249 3467 8279 3458 8289 3450 8302
3450 8307 3453 8311 3448 8317 3447 8328
3446 8341 3449 8354 3443 8362 3450 8367
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1217 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
SCZ008-009-013-014-030600-
CHEROKEE-CHESTER-UNION-YORK-
1217 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN UNION...NORTHWESTERN
CHESTER...SOUTHEASTERN CHEROKEE AND YORK COUNTIES THROUGH 100 AM
EST...
AT 1217 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF JONESVILLE...OR 8 MILES
NORTHWEST OF UNION...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
LOCKHART...
HICKORY GROVE...
YORK...
CLOVER...
ROCK HILL...
TEGA CAY...
PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3472 8152 3471 8172 3485 8178 3491 8171
3493 8173 3499 8163 3516 8118 3515 8112
3509 8105 3506 8106 3505 8104 3506 8102
3491 8087 3484 8087
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1232 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
NCZ062>064-030730-
MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-
1232 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
...CONTINUOUS MODERATE RAINFALL WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN
MACON...SOUTHERN JACKSON AND TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES THROUGH 230 AM
EST...
A LARGE AREA OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE MOVING
NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH THE MORNING
HOURS. RAIN GAUGE DATA ALONG WITH DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED RAINFALL
INDICATES AROUND AN INCH AND HALF OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN SOUTHWESTERN
TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY AND EASTERN MACON COUNTY OVER THE PAST 3 HOURS.
STREAM LEVELS HAVE RISEN MODERATELY IN RESPONSE TO THE RUNOFF FROM
THIS RAIN AND A SLOW BUT CONTINUED RISE IS EXPECTED. ISOLATED AREAS
INCLUDING POOR DRAINAGE URBAN AREAS COULD EXPERIENCE MINOR FLOODING
CONDITIONS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.
LAT...LON 3516 8349 3525 8316 3529 8292 3532 8287
3536 8270 3515 8258 3511 8267 3513 8268
3511 8269 3508 8278 3500 8309 3500 8353
KRENTZSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1237 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
GAZ018-SCZ001-002-004-005-030615-
GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS
MOUNTAINS-STEPHENS-
1237 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHERN STEPHENS...OCONEE AND
PICKENS COUNTIES THROUGH 115 AM EST...
AT 1237 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
CLAYTON TO 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TALLULAH FALLS TO 4 MILES NORTHWEST
OF BOYDVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
TOCCOA...
MOUNTAIN REST...
WESTMINSTER...
LAKE KEOWEE...
SENECA...
NINE TIMES...
PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THESE STORMS. IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS
SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS
FLOODED ROADS. WATER LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO
RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.
LAT...LON 3466 8338 3469 8334 3473 8335 3479 8333
3482 8330 3482 8327 3488 8323 3494 8312
3496 8312 3507 8257 3505 8260 3501 8260
3501 8254 3497 8253 3487 8254 3476 8260
3467 8279 3463 8283 3450 8345
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
106 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
SCZ001>007-010-030700-
ANDERSON-GREATER GREENVILLE-GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREENVILLE
MOUNTAINS-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-SPARTANBURG-
106 AM EST SAT MAR 3 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CENTRAL GREENVILLE...EASTERN
OCONEE...NORTHERN ANDERSON...PICKENS AND WESTERN SPARTANBURG COUNTIES
THROUGH 200 AM EST...
AT 105 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM SALEM TO 4 MILES
NORTH OF SENECA TO OAKWAY...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
NINE TIMES...
PICKENS...
LIBERTY...
EASLEY...
MARIETTA...
TRAVELERS REST...
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS. IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAINS MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS
DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES. AVOID THESE AREAS AND DO NOT CROSS FLOODED
ROADS. WATER LEVELS OF SMALL STREAMS AND RIVERS MAY ALSO
RISE...THEREFORE SEEK HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS.
LAT...LON 3455 8312 3474 8299 3497 8299 3512 8205
3489 8206 3478 8214 3478 8215 3470 8219
HGThe Greer radar (KGSP), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:22 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck a storage building on Buck Shoals Rd, sparking a fire that destroyed the|building.
Multiple trees were blown down in the Callison area, mainly along Callison Rd and County Line Rd.
Trees were blown down around the Ninety Six community, including along Louden Rd about 3 miles southwest of town, Gervais St in town and Watts Bridge Rd 2.5 miles north of town.
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, 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: 371871, 371873, 371950, 371959.