Thunderstorms repeatedly moved across the same areas over the North Carolina foothills, causing a high impact flash flood event over Catawba, Lincoln and Cleveland counties. In Catawba County alone, between 50 and 60 roads were closed at the height of the event.
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.
Thunderstorms repeatedly moved across the same areas over the North Carolina foothills, causing a high impact flash flood event over Catawba, Lincoln and Cleveland counties. In Catawba County alone, between 50 and 60 roads were closed at the height of the event. Several roads were heavily damaged and would take months to repair. Over 400 structures sustained some amount of damage in the county, with 72 heavily damaged or destroyed. A trained spotter in western Catawba County reported 11.31 of rain in a four hour period.
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 27, 2:22 AM EST, 3 hours 38 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
322 AM EDT SAT JUL 27 2013
.SYNOPSIS...
PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST THROUGH THE
WEEKEND AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND A COLD FRONT PASS THROUGH.
CONDITIONS LOOK TO IMPROVE FOR THE START OF NEXT WEEK AS SURFACE
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN...REDUCING CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION AND
BRINGING TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
AS OF 3 AM EDT SATURDAY...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE INCREASING
OVER THE NC FOOTHILLS AND PORTIONS OF UPSTATE SC IN RESPONSE TO
INCREASING UPSLOPE SELY FLOW AND THE PASSAGE OF UPPER VORT MAX IN
SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. THE COVERAGE OF PRECIP WILL INCREASE
THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS AS THE MAIN UPPER SHORTWAVE ENERGY
APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. AT THE SAME TIME...LLVL H85 WINDS WILL
INCREASE TO AROUND 20-25KT RANGE BY EARLY THIS MORNING AND
CONTINUING THROUGH AT LEAST LATE AFTERNOON HOURS ALONG AND AHEAD OF
THIS MAIN UPPER ENERGY. THE SHORT RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST
THAT 0-3 KM BULK SHEAR MAGNITUDE OF 20-25KTS WILL BE PRESENT ALONG
WITH SBCAPE VALUES OF 1000-1500J/KG RANGE ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA
BETWEEN 18Z SAT AND 00Z SUN. WITH THAT SAID...THE THREAT OF SEVERE
WEATHER EXISTS TODAY...MAINLY DAMAGING WINDS WITH A FEW BRIEF
TORNADOES POSSIBLE. IN RESPONSE TO THESE ELEMENTS...CONVECTIVE
ALLOWING MODELS INDICATE THAT A WELL ORGANIZED LINE OF CONVECTION
WILL TRAVERSE THE CWA FROM WEST TO EAST AT AROUND 16Z-22Z PERIOD AND
LIKELY POPS WERE MENTIONED FOR MOST LOCATIONS. EXPECT CONVECTION TO
DECREASE TOWARD THE EVENING HOURS DUE TO UPPER NVA AND LOSS OF
DAYTIME HEATING. WITH DECREASING H5 HEIGHTS AND ONGOING
PRECIP...TEMPS WILL REMAIN 5-7 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL TODAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF EARLY SAT MORNING...DURING THE SHORT TERM THE REGION WILL
REMAIN PARTIALLY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A DEEP TROUGH CENTERED OVER
THE GREAT LAKES...AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT SET TO ARRIVE LATE
SUNDAY.
UPPER DYNAMICS ARE WEAK SUNDAY WITH NO SIGNIFICANT DIVERGENCE OR
VORTICITY. LAPSE RATES ARE POOR...BUT SFC MOISTURE IS SUFFICIENT TO
PRODUCE AFTN CAPE VALUES TYPICAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...UP TO AROUND
1500 J/KG IN THE PIEDMONT WITH DRIER AIR LIMITING INSTABILITY IN THE
MTNS. OVERALL SHEAR PROFILES REMAIN UNIMPRESSIVE WITH WEAK LOW TO MID
LEVEL FLOW LIMITING STORM MOTION. HOWEVER MODEST UPPER FLOW IN THE
TIGHT HEIGHT GRADIENT AROUND THE CLOSED LOW DOES KEEP 0-6KM BULK
SHEAR HIGH ENOUGH THAT IF STORMS ARE ABLE TO FIRE THEY COULD POSE AT
LEAST AN ISOLATED SEVERE RISK...ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT PROG
SOUNDINGS ARE FAIRLY DRY ALOFT.
FOLLOWING DIURNAL HEATING SUNDAY LLVL THETA-E VALUES BEGIN DROPPING
AND CONTINUE TO DO SO THRU MONDAY MORNING. WHILE CONVECTION SHOULD
WANE...THERE IS A SMALL POSSIBILITY ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE A BIT
LATER INTO THE EVENING THAN USUAL. WEAK LLVL CONVERGENCE SEEN ALONG
WITH HIGH 1000-850MB RH OVER THE PIEDMONT SO AT LEAST A FEW SHOWERS
MAY BE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. HAVE KEPT SCHC POPS UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT
OVER THE SRN/ERN PORTIONS OF THE PIEDMONT. THE FRONT HAVING PASSED
THROUGH EARLY...LOW TEMPS SUN NIGHT WILL BE NOTABLY COOLER IN THE
MTNS...WITH LOWS IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S. THE FOOTHILLS WILL SEE LOWS
A COUPLE DEGREES COOLER THAN THOSE SAT NIGHT.
ON MONDAY DEEP MOISTURE IS LOWER AND WARM MIDLEVEL TEMPS UNDER HIGH
PRESSURE WILL PRECLUDE CONVECTION. CONSENSUS OF MAJOR GUIDANCE IS
FOR A DRY FCST WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. HIGH TEMPS WILL BE A FEW
DEGREES BELOW NORMAL IN THE CONTINENTAL AIRMASS. THICKNESS VALUES
BEGIN TO INCH BACK UP LATE MON...OFFSETTING FURTHER COOLING
MAKING FOR SIMILAR LOWS MON NIGHT.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
AS OF 200 PM FRIDAY...THE EXTENDED PERIOD BEGINS LATE MONDAY WITH
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN OVER THE EAST COAST BEHIND THE DEPARTING
FRONTAL SYSTEM...USHERING IN DRIER AIR OVER THE CWA FOR THE
BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. THE COMBINATION OF INVERSIONS AND WARMER AIR
ALOFT SHOULD KEEP MOST OF THE AREA CAPPED THROUGH MIDWEEK...ALLOWING
ONLY FOR SLIGHT CHANCE POPS MONDAY AND CHANCE POPS TUESDAY
AFTERNOON. THE AIRMASS BEGINS TO SATURATE AGAIN BY WEDNESDAY AS
ANOTHER TROUGH DIPS DOWN...AND THE MOIST AIR COMBINED WITH AN
APPROACHING SHORTWAVE WILL MAKE FOR GREATEST POPS WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON/EVENING. IMPROVED DEEP LAYER MOISTURE AND GENERAL
TROUGHINESS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN CONUS WILL KEEP THE PATTERN
UNSETTLED WITH MORE DIURNALLY DRIVEN CONVECTION THROUGH THE END OF
NEXT WEEK.
CLOUD COVER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD WILL KEEP HIGH TEMPS
BELOW AVERAGE...AND HIGHS WILL REMAIN COOLER THAN NORMAL THROUGH THE
END OF NEXT WEEK DUE TO LOWER THICKNESS ADVECTION. LOWS WILL BE NEAR
AVERAGE FOR THE ENTIRE MEDIUM RANGE.
&&
.AVIATION /08Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AT KCLT...A LINE OF CONVECTION EXTENDING FROM THE NORTHERN NC
FOOTHILLS TO I-26 CORRIDOR WAS RATHER SLOWLY MOVING EAST TOWARD THE
AIRFIELD OVERNIGHT HOURS. THIS LINE MAY AFFECT THE TERMINAL BETWEEN
7Z AND 9Z SAT AND TEMPO THUNDER WAS MENTIONED ACCORDINGLY. CURRENT
VFR CONDITIONS WILL DEGRADE TO MVFR ONCE THE LINE MOVES THE FIELD
AND MVFR CLOUD DECK WITH INTERMITTENT SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH
THE MORNING HOURS. WITH DIURNAL HEATING AND THE PASSAGE OF UPPER
SHORT WAVE ENERGY ON SAT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL
RE-DEVELOPER DURING THE PRIME HEATING HOURS. LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS
WILL PREVAIL THRU THE PERIOD THOUGH STRONGER WIND GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE
IN THUNDERSTORMS.
ELSEWHERE...A LINE OF SHRA/TSTMS WAS MOVING EAST ACROSS THE NC
FOOTHILLS AND UPSTATE SC OVERNIGHT HOURS. AREAS BEHIND THIS LINE
WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY QUIET THOUGH INTERMITTENT SHOWERS WILL BE
SEEN INTO THE MORNING HOURS. ONCE AGAIN...KAVL MAY SEE PATCHY FOG
WITH BRIEF IFR VISBY/CEILING TOWARD THE SUNRISE. AN UPPER SHORT WAVE
ENERGY WILL SWING ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE DAY ON SAT. THIS WILL
COMBINE WITH DIURNAL INSTABILITY TO TRIGGER CONVECTION DURING THE
AFTERNOON HOURS. LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL PREVAIL FOR MOST
LOCATIONS THOUGH STRONGER WIND GUSTS CAN NOT BE RULED OUT IN
THUNDERSTORMS. KAVL WILL SEE WINDS VEERING TO THE NORTH BY THE
EVENING HOURS.
OUTLOOK...CONVECTION WILL DEVELOP AGAIN SUNDAY...BUT COVERAGE SHOULD
BE DIMINISHING. BRIEF DRYING IS POSSIBLE ON MON AND TUE WITH HIGH
PRES FOLLOWING FROPA.
CONFIDENCE TABLE...
07-13Z 13-19Z 19-01Z 01-07Z
KCLT MED 66% MED 74% HIGH 92% HIGH 87%
KGSP MED 77% MED 74% MED 79% MED 67%
KAVL HIGH 95% MED 72% HIGH 80% LOW 53%
KHKY MED 70% HIGH 84% MED 67% MED 71%
KGMU MED 79% MED 77% MED 78% MED 67%
KAND MED 76% HIGH 85% HIGH 86% MED 61%
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...WIMBERLEY
NEAR TERM...JOH
SHORT TERM...WIMBERLEY
LONG TERM...VISIN
AVIATION...JOHHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 410 AM EDT SAT JUL 27 2013 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-280815- 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- 410 AM EDT SAT JUL 27 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION TODAY...WITH SOME ACTIVITY CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE FREQUENT AT TIMES...AND LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. CONDITIONS ARE ALSO FAVORABLE FOR SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER...MAINLY IN THE FORM OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. BRIEF TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. .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...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE. WIMBERLEY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
112 AM EDT SAT JUL 27 2013
NCZ507-509-510-SCZ003-007-270600-
EASTERN POLK-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-POLK MOUNTAINS-RUTHERFORD
MOUNTAINS-SPARTANBURG-
112 AM EDT SAT JUL 27 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN GREENVILLE...
NORTHWESTERN SPARTANBURG...WESTERN POLK AND WESTERN RUTHERFORD
COUNTIES THROUGH 200 AM EDT...
AT 103 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM DANA TO 4 MILES
NORTHEAST OF GREER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO CHIMNEY
ROCK...TRYON...MILL SPRING...LAKE LURE...LAKE ADGER...COLUMBUS...
LANDRUM...GOWENSVILLE AND CAMPOBELLO.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
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 3542 8216 3540 8219 3540 8215 3516 8205
3495 8219 3503 8222 3506 8222 3506 8224
3529 8234 3532 8231 3539 8226 3541 8228
3553 8221
MCAVOYSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
207 AM EDT SAT JUL 27 2013
NCZ505-506-508-270645-
EASTERN MCDOWELL-GREATER RUTHERFORD-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-
207 AM EDT SAT JUL 27 2013
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL RUTHERFORD AND EASTERN
MCDOWELL COUNTIES THROUGH 245 AM EDT...
AT 201 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES EAST OF LAKE LURE...OR 8 MILES NORTHWEST
OF RUTHERFORDTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
THERMAL CITY...
GLENWOOD...
MARION...
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAIN 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 3569 8187 3563 8184 3530 8201 3534 8207
3540 8213 3541 8217 3553 8208 3552 8214
3552 8215 3579 8211
MCAVOYThe Greer radar (KGSP), 129 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:01 UTC.
10 flash flood, 3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The event started with several streets flooded in Hickory. Over the next couple hours numerous roads and even several homes were flooded in western Catawba County as extremely heavy rain continued to fall. In excess of 10 inches of rain was measured in this area.
Several streams were out of their banks and roads flooded in and around Conover. Flooding then became widespread across the central and northern part of the county. Several structures were damaged by the flood waters. A few roads were washed out|as well. til 10 am EDT.
Several roads were flooded in the northwest part of the county. Several swift water rescues were conducted. Some paved county roads completely washed out.
Forty sixth Ave Dr NE completely washed out. 10 feet deep trench where road was.
Widespread flash flooding continued across western Catawba County. As the flood crest moved downstream, flash flooding gradually transitioned into a longer duration flood event during the afternoon hours.
Widespread flash flooding continued across the central and northern part of the county. Several roads and structures were flooded. The Hickory Motor Speedway was completely flooded. Numerous swift water rescues were conducted in Newton and Conover. Several businesses in Conover and the east side of Hickory were flooded as were parts of the campus of Catwaba Valley Community College. As the flood crest begin to move downstream, flash flooding transitioned into a longer duration flood event during the afternoon.
Parts of Island Ford Road were flooded by streams between Old Mountain Road and Sharon School Road.
Several additional roads began to flood during the late morning hours over northwest Lincoln County as the flood crest worked downstream. Over 10 roads were closed by flooded streams. Road closures continued well into the afternoon hours.
Buffalo Creek flooded Stroupe Road. Also, Brackett Road was flooded by Knob Creek (2 N Lawndale). Other roads remained flooded in the northeast part of the county.
Numerous roads remained flooded into the evening hours across central and western Catawba County. New flooding also developed as the flood crest moved further downstream along the South Fork Catawba and the Catawba Rivers.
Woodward Road closed by a flooded stream.
Numerous roads remained flooded across the northwest part of Lincoln County into the evening hours. While the flooding then receded in the western part of the county, new flooding developed along the South Fork Catawba River and it's tributaries, lasting through much of the day on the 28th.
The South Fork Catwaba River went into flood starting during the early morning hours of the 28th. Several roads along the river flooded. Back water effects also flooded some roads along tributaries of the river. The river gauge at Lowell crested at 17.5 feet early on the 29th, the second highest crest at that location in over 70 years of gauge readings. Many streets along the river in downtown Cramerton were flooded. Water entered a few buildings, though sand bagging efforts prevented water from entering most structures.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 471388, 471389, 471391, 471604, 471603, 471395, 471594, 471600, 471605, 472663, 471602, 472665, 472666.