A slow moving thunderstorm complex drifted into northeast Georgia from Upstate South Carolina. The storms dropped several inches of rain in a few locations, resulting in flash flooding.
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 slow moving thunderstorm complex drifted into northeast Georgia from Upstate South Carolina. The storms dropped several inches of rain in a few locations, resulting in flash flooding.
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 9, 1:00 AM EST, 0 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
200 AM EDT TUE JUL 9 2013
.SYNOPSIS...
AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL GRADUALLY DEEPEN OVER THE
EASTERN US THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. AS THIS HAPPENS...THE
COVERAGE OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER THE WESTERN
CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA WILL INCREASE AS THE WEEK PROGRESSES.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TODAY/...
AS OF 155 AM...FLASH FLOOD-PRODUCING CONVECTIVE BLOB IS SLOWLY
RUNNING OUT OF GAS ACROSS THE UPPER SAVANNAH RIVER VALLEY EARLY THIS
MORNING. CAT POPS WILL BA CARRIED FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS IN
THOSE AREAS...WITH A GRADUAL RAMPING DOWN TO CHANCE DURING THE
PRE-DAWN. WE HAVE ALSO EXPANDED TOKEN SLIGHT/LOW CHANCES TO MUCH OF
THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA...AS OCCASIONAL CELLS ARE INITIATING
ACROSS SOUTHWEST NC AND CTRL/ERN PORTIONS OF THE UPSTATE.
AS OF MID EVENING...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS CONTINUE TO FIRE
MAINLY OVER THE SRN MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS OF NC AND ACROSS THE
UPSTATE OF SC...AND THAT TREND SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH LATE EVENING.
STILL EXPECT COVERAGE TO DECREASE WITH LOSS OF HEATING. STORMS ARE
MOVING FAIRLY SLOW BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF FLOW ALOFT...WHICH MEANS
THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR AN ISOLATED HEAVY RAIN/FLASH FLOOD
THREAT. TEMP TRENDS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED TO ACCOUNT FOR AREAS OF RAIN.
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...
AS OF 215 PM EDT MONDAY...A SHORT WAVE TROUGH HAS FINALLY PUSHED
SOME DRIER UPPER LEVEL AIR ACROSS THE REGION. HOWEVER...THERE IS A
WEAK SFC BNDRY ASSOCIATED WITH THE FEATURE. SINCE THE LOW LEVELS ARE
STILL SOPPING WET...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG
THE BNDRY. THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO SLOWLY MOVE SOUTHEAST INTO THE
EVENING HOURS. NORTH OF THE BNDRY...INCLUDING MOST OF THE NC
FOOTHILLS AND WRN PIEDMONT...LITTLE IF ANY CONVECTION IS EXPECTED
THE REST OF THE DAY. DCAPE VALUES FROM THE SPC MESOANALYSIS PAGE ARE
STILL QUITE LOW...AND FREEZING LEVELS ARE UP AROUND 13KFT.
THEREFORE...THE MAIN THREAT FROM STORMS SOUTH OF THE BNDRY WILL BE
HEAVY RAIN AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.
THE ATMOSPHERE LOOKS TO MOISTEN UP A LITTLE MORE TOMORROW. THE NAM
AND GFS BRING A WEAK SHORT WAVE ACROSS THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST
DURING THE EARLY AFTN HOURS. EVEN WITH WEAK SHEAR THIS SHOULD BE
ADEQUATE TO TRIGGER SCT TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND TSTMS STARTING OVER
THE MTNS WHICH WILL MOVE OUT INTO THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT DURING
THE AFTN AND EVENING HOURS. NOT EXPECTING MUCH OF A SEVERE
THREAT...THOUGH WE COULD AGAIN SEE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AT 230 PM EDT MONDAY...A SLOWING AND DIGGING NORTHERN STREAM UPPER
TROUGH OVER THE EAST COAST WILL PHASE WITH A NEARLY STATIONARY
SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE IN THE GULF ON TUESDAY NIGHT. THE NORTHERN
STREAM TROUGH DIGS ALMOST TO FL BY THURSDAY NIGHT.
A BAND OF MOISTURE AROUND THE WEST SIDE OF A BERMUDA HIGH WILL
LINGER OVER AND EAST OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS FROM TUESDAY NIGHT
INTO THURSDAY. LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST...LIMITING
UPSLOPE FLOW OVER ELEVATED TERRAIN...BUT THE PRESENCE OF DEEP
MOISTURE OVER THE AREA WILL SUPPORT POPS ABOVE CLIMATOLOGICAL NORMAL
AS SHORTWAVE MOVE THROUGH THE TROUGH. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE
AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST ON THURSDAY...ENTERING THE MOUNTAINS ON
THURSDAY NIGHT...PROVIDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR PRECIPITATION.
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL COOL FROM A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL TO
AROUND FIVE DEGREES BELOW NORMAL AS HEIGHTS FALL ALOFT. MINIMUM
TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN NEAR NORMAL IN A MOIST AIR MASS.
&&
.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
AT 230 PM EST MONDAY...A WEAKENING UPPER TROUGH WILL BE OVER THE
EASTERN USA ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY AN UPPER
RIDGE WILL BUILD EAST OVER THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS.
A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO CROSS OUR AREA FROM THE NORTHEAST EARLY
FRIDAY...STALLING NEAR THE CAROLINA AND GA COAST ON SATURDAY...WHERE
IT WILL WEAKEN ON SUNDAY. HIGH PRESSURE BEHIND THE FRONT WILL LINGER
ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD INTO MONDAY. A MOIST EAST NORTHEASTERLY
FLOW IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT...COMBINED WITH WEAK ISENTROPIC
UPGLIDE THE REMAINS OF THE FRONT...WILL SUPPORT SOME DEGREE OF CLOUD
COVER AND PRECIPITATION INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...ESPECIALLY OVER THE
MOUNTAINS.
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES WILL RUN 10 OR MORE DEGREES BELOW NORMAL UNDER
THE UPPER TROUGH AND CLOUD COVER...WHILE MINIMUMS REMAIN NEAR NORMAL
AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE PERSISTS.
&&
.AVIATION /06Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AT KCLT AND ELSEWHERE (EXCEPT KAND)...LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST DURING
THE NEXT FEW HOURS...AS ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINS...BUT
DEVELOPMENT OF LOW STRATUS WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT UPON VERY SUBTLE
ATMOSPHERIC MECHANISMS. FOR WHAT IT/S WORTH...NUMERICAL GUIDANCE IS
NONE TOO EXCITED ABOUT RESTRICTIONS DEVELOPING THIS MORNING...BUT IT
GENERALLY HAS PERFORMED VERY POORLY IN THE CURRENT PATTERN. AS
SUCH...WE HAVE OPTED TO INCLUDE SOME HINT OF LOW STRATUS AT MOST
TERMINALS...BUT WILL ONLY FORECAST CIGS IN AREAS WHERE VERY HEAVY
RAIN FELL AT OR NEARBY THE TERMINAL (I.E. KGSP)...OR WHERE
CLIMATOLOGY AND PERSISTENCE FAVORS SUCH OCCURRENCE (KAVL).
HOWEVER...IT WILL CERTAINLY BE POSSIBLE ANYWHERE BY SUNRISE.
SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS COVERAGE OF CONVECTION IS ANTICIPATED ONCE
AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON...SO PROB30 HAS BEEN INCLUDED AT KCLT...WITH
VCTS ELSEWHERE...AND EVEN PREVAILING -SHRA AT KGSP/KGMU.
AT KAND...CONVECTION WILL PERSIST FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF HOURS OF
THE FORECAST PERIOD...WITH OCCASIONAL IFR VISBY POSSIBLE.
THEREAFTER...EXPECT LOW CIGS TO BECOME AN ISSUE IN LIGHT OF THE VERY
HEAVY RAIN THAT HAS FALLEN SINCE LATE LAST EVENING...AND PREVAILING
LIFR CONDITIONS WILL BE ADVERTISED PRIOR TO SUNRISE. SCATTERED TO
NUMEROUS COVERAGE OF CONVECTION IS ANTICIPATED ONCE AGAIN THIS
AFTERNOON...AND VCTS HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE FORECAST.
OUTLOOK...MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND STORMS...AND
ASSOCIATED RESTRICTIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH WED. THERE COULD ALSO
BE MVFR OR IFR CLOUDS/FOG AROUND DAYBREAK AND THROUGH MID MORNING ON
ANY DAY THROUGH THE WORK WEEK. CHANCES FOR SHOWERS/STORMS WILL
INCREASE ONCE AGAIN BY LATE WEEK...AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM
THE WEST.
CONFIDENCE TABLE...
06-12Z 12-18Z 18-24Z 00-06Z
KCLT HIGH 97% HIGH 93% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KGSP MED 68% MED 75% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KAVL MED 65% MED 65% LOW 56% HIGH 85%
KHKY HIGH 96% HIGH 93% HIGH 92% HIGH 85%
KGMU HIGH 100% HIGH 90% HIGH 100% HIGH 85%
KAND LOW 48% MED 68% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
THE PERCENTAGE REFLECTS THE NUMBER OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING
WITH THE SCHEDULED TAF ISSUANCE FLIGHT RULE CATEGORY. COMPLETE
HOURLY EXPERIMENTAL AVIATION FORECAST CONSISTENCY TABLES AND ENSEMBLE
FORECASTS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: (MUST BE LOWER CASE)
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/GSP/AVIATION_TABLES
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS...MCAVOY
NEAR TERM...JDL/MCAVOY/PM
SHORT TERM...JAT
LONG TERM...JAT
AVIATION...PMHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 344 PM EDT MON JUL 8 2013 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-091930- 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- 344 PM EDT MON JUL 8 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EXPECT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS. A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN HEAVY RAINFALL THAT COULD RESULT IN SOME FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. IN ADDITION...ONE OR TWO STORMS COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. VERY WET SOIL CONDITIONS AND SLOWLY MOVING SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO RESULT IN A PERSISTENT RISK OF ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. 07
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1242 AM EDT TUE JUL 09 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1240 AM FLASH FLOOD 3 SE TOWNVILLE 34.54N 82.86W
07/09/2013 ANDERSON SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
INDIAN TRAIL ROAD NEAR HIGHWAY 24 FLOODED BY THE
HEADWATERS OF LITTLE BEAVER DAM CREEK.
&&
NEDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1244 AM EDT TUE JUL 9 2013
GAZ026-028-029-090530-
ELBERT-FRANKLIN-HART-
1244 AM EDT TUE JUL 9 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN FRANKLIN...HART AND
WESTERN ELBERT COUNTIES THROUGH 130 AM EDT...
AT 1239 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM LAVONIA TO
DANIELSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
ROYSTON...
VANNA...
BOWMAN...
DIME SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND WET SOIL CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE
SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES TO FALL. SEEK SHELTER INSIDER AN
INTERIOR ROOM.
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 3414 8306 3417 8311 3423 8308 3426 8313
3423 8317 3424 8325 3449 8317 3453 8311
3447 8301 3449 8290 3445 8286 3437 8283
3404 8295 3404 8298
ARKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
107 AM EDT TUE JUL 09 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1152 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 WSW ANDERSON 34.50N 82.68W
07/08/2013 ANDERSON SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE IN ROAD ON SC HWY 24 NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF
PEARMAN DAIRY ROAD.
&&
KRENTZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
114 AM EDT TUE JUL 09 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1211 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 SW SANDY SPRINGS 34.56N 82.79W
07/09/2013 ANDERSON SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN ON INTERSTATE 85 NEAR MILE MARKER 15.
&&
KRENTZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
116 AM EDT TUE JUL 09 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1230 AM TSTM WND DMG 5 WNW ANDERSON 34.55N 82.72W
07/09/2013 ANDERSON SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES BLOWN DOWN BLOCKING DUNN ROAD.
&&
KRENTZSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
131 AM EDT TUE JUL 9 2013
GAZ028-029-SCZ010-011-090630-
ABBEVILLE-ANDERSON-ELBERT-HART-
131 AM EDT TUE JUL 9 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT ELBERT...HART...SOUTHWESTERN
ANDERSON AND WESTERN ABBEVILLE COUNTIES THROUGH 230 AM EDT...
AT 128 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES EAST OF DEWY ROSE...OR 6 MILES NORTH OF
ELBERTON...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. THIS WAS PART OF A LARGER AREA OF
SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...DRIFTING TO THE
EAST.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
ELBERTON...
RUCKERSVILLE...
LAKE RUSSELL...
LOWNDESVILLE...
TORRENTIAL RAIN IS 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.
LAKE HARTWELL AND LAKE RUSSELL ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM. CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS BOATING
CONDITIONS. MOVE TO SHORE IMMEDIATELY.
LAT...LON 3398 8266 3397 8276 3398 8286 3404 8298
3414 8306 3416 8311 3423 8308 3426 8313
3448 8303 3451 8283 3437 8257 3428 8236
3407 8248 3407 8253 3401 8259 3396 8256
MOOREThe Greer radar (KGSP), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:59 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Bond Kelley Road was flooded and closed by a stream.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, July 2013
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: 470479.