Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, July 20, 2013

Name: Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, July 20, 2013
Start: 2013-07-20T12:25
End: 2013-07-20T17:00
Location: North Carolina

July 20, 2013 · NWS GSP · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed over western North Carolina. A small area of flash flooding developed and there were a few marginal reports of wind damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.

Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed over western North Carolina. A small area of flash flooding developed and there were a few marginal reports of wind damage. Damage to crops in Henderson County alone totaled 42.8 million dollars for the summer season, much of that happening during the month of July.

What forecasters said that day

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 20, 12:19 PM EST, 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 12:19 PM EST, 6 minutes before

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 20, 3:59 AM EST, 8 hours 26 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
459 AM EDT SAT JUL 20 2013

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-210900-
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-
459 AM EDT SAT JUL 20 2013

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 AND EVENING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME
SEVERE...PRODUCING HAIL AS LARGE AS QUARTERS...AND BRIEF BUT
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. IN ADDITION...ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM
TODAY WILL MOVE SLOWLY. THE RESULTING HEAVY RAINFALL COULD PRODUCE
ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN ANY LOCATIONS REPEATEDLY
AFFECTED BY THUNDERSTORMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.

HG

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 10:54 AM EST, 1 hour 31 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1154 AM EDT SAT JUL 20 2013

NCZ033-050-501>506-201630-
AVERY-BURKE MOUNTAINS-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER
BURKE-GREATER CALDWELL-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-MITCHELL-
1154 AM EDT SAT JUL 20 2013

...THUNDERSTORMS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE ESCARPMENT
WILL AFFECT CALDWELL...EASTERN AVERY...NORTHERN BURKE...NORTHERN
MCDOWELL AND SOUTHEASTERN MITCHELL COUNTIES THROUGH 1230 PM EDT...

PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.  LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CAN CAUSE WATER LEVELS TO RISE IN
CREEKS... STREAMS... AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING THE
AFTERNOON.

LAT...LON 3616 8182 3612 8181 3613 8166 3607 8141
      3602 8133 3575 8140 3563 8228 3617 8184

LGL

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 11:31 AM EST, 54 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1231 PM EDT SAT JUL 20 2013

NCZ048-052-053-059-063>065-SCZ003-201730-
BUNCOMBE-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-HAYWOOD-HENDERSON-MADISON-NORTHERN
JACKSON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-
1231 PM EDT SAT JUL 20 2013

...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT EASTERN JACKSON...
HAYWOOD...HENDERSON...MADISON...NORTHWESTERN GREENVILLE...
TRANSYLVANIA... AND WESTERN BUNCOMBE COUNTIES THROUGH 130 PM EDT...

AT 1230 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS... SOME PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...
OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN WEST OF THE ASHEVILLE AND HENDERSONVILLE
AREA. THE STORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST.

THE STORMS WILL AFFECT LOCATIONS NEAR...
  ASHEVILLE...
  WAYNESVILLE...
  CANTON...
  BREVARD...
  HENDERSONVILLE...

PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH... AND LIGHTNING ARE
EXPECTED WITH THE STORMS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN CAN CAUSE RAPID RISES
OF WATER LEVELS IN CREEKS... STREAMS... AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON.

LAT...LON 3594 8257 3526 8234 3519 8236 3519 8234
      3500 8311 3575 8309

LGL

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 11:38 AM EST, 47 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1238 PM EDT SAT JUL 20 2013

NCZ033-049-050-501>506-201730-
AVERY-BURKE MOUNTAINS-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER
BURKE-GREATER CALDWELL-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-MITCHELL-YANCEY-
1238 PM EDT SAT JUL 20 2013

...THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AVERY...BURKE...CALDWELL...MCDOWELL...
MITCHELL AND YANCEY COUNTIES THROUGH 130 PM EDT...

AT 1235 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM YANCEY
AND MITCHELL COUNTIES EAST ACROSS THE BLUE RIDGE ESCARPMENT INTO THE
FOOTHILLS.  THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SLOWLY TO THE
EAST.

PEA SIZE HAIL... WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH... AND LIGHTNING ARE
EXPECTED WITH THE STORMS. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE STREAMS AND
POOR DRAINAGE AREAS TO HAVE HIGH WATER LEVELS.

BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING THUNDERSTORM WEATHER DURING THE
REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON.

LAT...LON 3611 8212 3615 8203 3612 8181 3611 8153
      3607 8141 3583 8134 3557 8158 3557 8168
      3561 8175 3557 8184 3557 8218 3569 8229
      3571 8228 3575 8234 3580 8234 3582 8240
      3593 8250 3616 8222 3615 8215

LGL

Local storm report, Jul 20, 12:25 PM EST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
125 PM EDT SAT JUL 20 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0114 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 SE LENOIR             35.90N 81.52W
07/20/2013                   CALDWELL           NC   911 CALL CENTER

            1 TREE DOWN IN LENOIR

&&

PTANNER

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 119 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:22 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Burke

When: July 20, 12:25 PM EST
Where: Burke County, 2.25 mi E of Joy
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.877, -81.740

Several large limbs were blown down on Johns River Rd.

Flash Flood, Polk

When: July 20, 2:40 PM EST to 3:30 PM EST
Where: Polk County, 2.64 mi ESE of Columbus to 3.12 mi SE of Columbus
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 35.237, -82.156

Hooper Creek flooded Henderson Road, making it impassable to through traffic.

Flash Flood, Polk

When: July 20, 3:24 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where: Polk County, 0.28 mi W of Tryon to 1.92 mi SSW of Tryon
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.220, -82.235

East Howard Street was flooded by a tributary of Vaughn Creek. Also, water was reported to be swiftly moving across a low part of Landrum Road, likely due to a creek (5 SE Columbus). An NWS employee reported 4.35 inches of rain in this area in two hours (4 E Columbus).

Thunderstorm Wind, Haywood

When: July 20, 3:30 PM EST
Where: Haywood County, Waynesville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 35.500, -83.000

Two trees were blown down near downtown Waynesville.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Carolina in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in North Carolina, July 2013

Sources

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: 472654, 471329, 471328, 471330.