Convective cells embedded within an area of stratiform rain developed in association with a strong low level jet. While the cells were generally weak, they were able to generate damaging wind gusts as they tapped the gradient winds.
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.
Convective cells embedded within an area of stratiform rain developed in association with a strong low level jet. While the cells were generally weak, they were able to generate damaging wind gusts as they tapped the gradient winds.
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 Feb 21, 2:15 AM EST, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
215 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014
.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE TO THE CAROLINA COAST LATE TODAY AS HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. EXPECT
COOLER WEATHER NEXT WEEK AS AN UPPER TROUGH SETS UP OVER THE EASTERN
STATES.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
AS OF 210 AM EST FRIDAY...A WEAKENING LINE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING INTO THE WRN NC MTNS ATTM. THE ATMOSPHERE
OVER THE REGION IS CHARACTERIZED BY STEEP H7-H5 LAPSE RATES AND VERY
STRONG WIND SHEAR...BUT THERE IS A RELATIVE MINIMUM IN LLVL
DEWPOINTS OVER NRN GA AND THE WRN CAROLINAS. THIS SHOULD CONTINUE TO
RESULT IN A WEAKENING TREND OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. A SHORT WAVE
WILL LIFT QUICKLY ACROSS TN/KY THIS MORNING...STRENGTHENING DEEP
LAYER FORCING ACROSS THE REGION. SO EVEN THOUGH THE LINE SHOULD BE
FAIRLY WEAK...WIDESPREAD FRONTAL BAND PCPN IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD
ACROSS THE FA. WITH THE STRONG SHEAR THERE IS ALWAYS A CHANCE THAT
A STRONGER SHOWER OR A TSTM COULD MIX DOWN DAMAGING WINDS. I SUSPECT
THAT WE WILL ISSUE A FEW SEVERE TSTMS WARNINGS AS THE LINE MOVES
INTO THE MTNS. OVER THE ERN PART OF THE FA ADVECTION OF ATLANTIC
MOISTURE IS RESULTING IN MORE UNSTABLE CONDITIONS. THE LINE APPEARS
THAT IT WILL REACH THE I-77 CORRIDOR BETWEEN 12-14 UTC. EVEN IF IT
GETS THERE BEFORE MUCH DAYTIME HEATING...THERE IS STILL A CHANCE
THAT THE LINE COULD INTENSIFY BEFORE LEAVING THE FA. BY THIS TIME
THE LLVL WIND FIELD WILL START TO VEER MORE OUT OF
SOUTHWEST...HOPEFULLY LIMITING THE POTENTIAL FOR ANY KIND OF SPIN-UP
QLCS TORNADOES ALONG THE LINE. STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE IS STILL
POSSIBLE HOWEVER. THE LINE HAS SLOWED DOWN AS THE MAIN SHORT WAVE
HAS LIFTED OVER THE WRN GREAT LAKES AND THE SRN WAVE IS JUST NOW
STARTING TO EJECT. THE AREA OF RAIN WILL BEGIN TO ACCELERATE TO THE
EAST...BUT PARTS OF THE SW NC MTNS COULD STILL SEE AN INCH OR MORE
OF RAIN THROUGH SUNRISE. THIS WILL CAUSE SOME QUICK RISES ON
STREAMS BUT SHOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TO INDUCE FLASH FLOODING.
THE TRUE SFC COLD FRONT WILL WORK ACROSS THE FA LATER
TODAY...BRINGING MUCH DRIER AIR IN IT/S WAKE. DOWNSLOPE FLOW SHOULD
STILL HELP TEMPERATURES TO WARM WELL INTO THE 60S OVER MOST OF THE
FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT THIS AFTERNOON. QUIET AND COOLER CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 1 AM FRI...CONUS EAST OF THE ROCKIES WILL BE UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF A VERY BROAD UPPER TROUGH SATURDAY INTO THE EARLY PART
OF THE WEEK...SO BROAD IN FACT THAT THE FLOW IS NEARLY ZONAL. LLVL
RIDGE SHIFTS ONTO THE ATLANTIC EARLY SATURDAY AND LIGHT SOUTHERLY
FLOW WILL BEGIN TO PREVAIL AT THE SURFACE...BUT WITHOUT ENOUGH
MOISTURE FOR CLOUDS/PRECIP UNTIL LATE IN THE DAY SUNDAY. AT THIS TIME
LLVL RH INCREASES FROM THE SOUTH...WITH WEAK UPGLIDE ALSO PROVIDING A
BIT OF LIFT...SO POPS BEGIN TO RAMP UP GENTLY BEGINNING LATE SUN
AFTN. COLD FROPA SUNDAY NIGHT...PUSHING ACRS MOST OF THE AREA BY 12Z
MON. WINDS TURN UPSLOPE ALONG THE TENN BORDER POST FROPA WITH
SUFFICIENT LLVL RH TO EXPECT SOME RA/SN SHOWERS. TEMPS WILL REMAIN
PLEASANTLY WARM SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...PARTICULARLY HIGHS WHICH WILL
BE AROUND 10 DEG ABOVE NORMAL. LOWS WILL MAINLY BE IN THE 30S SAT
NIGHT...SLIGHTLY COOLER SUNDAY NIGHT OVER THE PIEDMONT BUT MORESO IN
THE MOUNTAINS WHERE THE FRONT WILL HAVE HAD A MORE SIGNIFICANT EFFECT
BY DAYBREAK.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 150 AM EST FRIDAY...NEARLY ZONAL UPPER FLOW FROM WEST TO EAST
AT 12Z MONDAY ALONG WITH FAIRLY GOOD MEDIUM MODEL AGREEMENT WILL
GIVE AWAY TO MODEL DIFFERENCES LATER IN THE WEEK.
HOWEVER...CONSENSUS IS FOR COOLER WEATHER IN MID TO LATE WEEK AS
SOME DEGREE OF UPPER TROFINESS WILL BE ESTABLISHED EAST OF THE
ROCKIES. MAIN GLARING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF LATER IN
THE WEEK IS THE GFS HAS A MUCH GREATER AMPLITUDE TROUGH OVER THE
EAST WITH THE DEEPER CLOSED OFF UPPER LOW CLOSER TO GREAT LAKES. THE
ECMWF ON THE OTHER HAND HAS A MUCH FLATTER TROUGH OVER THE EAST...IN
FACT NEARLY ZONAL FLOW THUR AND FRI.
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE EARLY IN THE WEEK WILL GIVE IN TO THE PASSAGE OF
A COLD FRONT IN MID WEEK. THE GFS INDICATES THIS IS A STRONG COLD
FRONT PASSING WED AFTERNOON BEING THE LEADING EDGE OF COLD AIR FROM
NW CANADIAN TERRITORIES WHICH WOULD BECOME ESTABLISHED THURS AND
FRI. THE ECMWF HAS A WEAKER COLD FRONT PASSING LATE TUES WITH THE
SOURCE REGION OF THE COLDER AIR COMING FROM THE CANADIAN PACIFIC
RATHER THAN THE COLDER NW CANADA. WITH WIDE DIFFERENCES AT THIS
POINT IT SEEMS BEST TO CONTINUE THE SLIGHT POPS IN ROUGHLY THE SAME
PERIODS WE HAVE BEEN CARRYING FOR DAYS AS THE FRONT PASSES. FORECAST
BUFKIT SOUNDINGS ARE NOW MORE IN FAVOR OF EITHER RAIN OR SNOW
ALTHOUGH EARLY IN THE POSSIBLE PRECIP PERIOD IN BEST CHANCE OF
SEEING SLEET OR FREEZING RAIN. NOT MUCH FAN FAIR EITHER WAY WITH
THE FRONT WITH NO INSTABILITY AND LITTLE SHEAR. COOLER OR COLDER
HIGH PRESSURE IN CONTROL LATE IN THE WEEK.
TEMPERATURES GO FROM A LITTLE ABOVE NORMAL MONDAY TO A LITTLE BELOW
NORMAL BY THURSDAY. IF THE GFS IS RIGHT...COULD BE MUCH MORE BELOW
NORMAL ON THE TEMPS LATE IN THE WEEK.
&&
.AVIATION /07Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AT KCLT...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS STILL ON TRACK TO
CROSS THE AIRFIELD BETWEEN 12 AND 15 UTC THIS MORNING. CIGS WILL
GRADUALLY FALL AHEAD OF THE LINE WITH IFR CIGS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP
AROUND 10 UTC. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 25 KTS AT TIMES THIS
MORNING. THE WINDS ARE AS HIGH AS 60KTS JUST 3KFT OFF THE
GROUND...THOUGH AS THEY ARE FROM THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE SFC WINDS
AND THE ATMOSPHERE IS MIXED...I DIDN/T THINK THIS WARRANTED A LOW
LEVEL WIND SHEAR GROUP. ISOLD TO SCT SHRA MAY ALSO DEVELOP AHEAD OF
THE LINE WHICH I HAVE HANDLED WITH A FEW HOURS OF VCSH. THE LOW
CLOUDS SHOULD CLEAR QUICKLY BY LATE MORNING AS THE TRUE SFC COLD
FRONT MOVES THROUGH...GRADUALLY VEERING THE WINDS TO WNW BY EARLY
AFTN.
ELSEWHERE...SIMILAR CONDITIONS TO KCLT BUT WITH RESTRICTIONS AND
PRECIP MOVING IN AN HOUR OR TWO EARLIER AND ENDING EARLIER AS WELL.
KAVL HAS THE LEAST CHC OF SEEING ANY TS...SO NO PROB30 THERE. KAVL
WILL ALSO SEE SOME LLWS AS THE LINE MOVES THRU GIVEN THE STRONG SLY
JET LOW LEVEL JET.
OUTLOOK...VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
CONFIDENCE TABLE...
07-13Z 13-19Z 19-01Z 01-07Z
KCLT HIGH 81% MED 72% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KGSP MED 71% MED 70% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KAVL LOW 58% HIGH 99% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KHKY MED 71% MED 65% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KGMU LOW 57% MED 69% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KAND MED 65% MED 72% 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...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR NCZ033-
048>052-058-059-062>064.
SC...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS...DEO
NEAR TERM...MCAVOY
SHORT TERM...WIMBERLEY
LONG TERM...DEO
AVIATION...MCAVOYHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 231 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014 GAZ018-026-028-029-NCZ035>037-056-057-065-068>072-082-501>510- SCZ001>014-019-220745- STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-CATAWBA-ROWAN- 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- 231 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...THE PIEDMONT AND FOOTHILLS OF NORTH CAROLINA...AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA THIS MORNING...BRINGING WITH IT A BAND OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND THUNDERSTORMS. DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF ESPECIALLY STRONG WINDS ALOFT...STRONG WIND GUSTS MAY ACCOMPANY PRECIPITATION. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE A THREAT WITH ANY OF THE THUNDERSTORMS...BUT A FEW OF THEM COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. ..SATURDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..MONDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..THURSDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. NCZ048-051-052-058-059-062-063-220745- MADISON-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON- 231 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING ABOVE 3500 FEET... ...TORNADO WATCH 19 IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. WIND ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. ..SATURDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..MONDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..THURSDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. NCZ033-049-050-053-064-220745- AVERY-YANCEY-MITCHELL-BUNCOMBE-TRANSYLVANIA- 231 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING ABOVE 3500 FEET... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A PORTION OF THE MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA THIS MORNING...BRINGING WITH IT A BAND OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND THUNDERSTORMS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE A THREAT WITH ANY OF THE THUNDERSTORMS IN ADDITION TO THE WIND THREAT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. ..SATURDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..MONDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..THURSDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. GAZ010-017-220745- RABUN-HABERSHAM- 231 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014 ...TORNADO WATCH 19 IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR FAR NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND 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. ..SATURDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..MONDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..THURSDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. 08
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
326 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014
NCZ051-058-062-210930-
GRAHAM-MACON-SWAIN-
326 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WESTERN SWAIN...NORTHWESTERN
MACON AND GRAHAM COUNTIES THROUGH 430 AM EST...
AT 324 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES NORTH OF
FONTANA VILLAGE TO 15 MILES WEST OF MURPHY...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
* OTHER LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO AQUONE...
CHEOAH...DEALS GAP...NANTAHALA...CLINGMANS DOME...SANTEETLAH
LAKE...FONTANA LAKE...WESSER...TAPOCO...STECOAH...SANTEETLAH...
ROBBINSVILLE...NEWFOUND GAP...NANTAHALA LAKE...LUADA...KYLE...
FONTANA VILLAGE AND ALMOND.
WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL 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 INSIDE 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 3537 8401 3541 8403 3553 8388 3553 8383
3557 8377 3557 8349 3567 8334 3566 8330
3569 8325 3515 8366 3516 8374 3523 8370
3525 8371 3525 8384 3521 8396 3523 8401
3531 8404 3536 8404
JOHThe Knoxville radar (KMRX), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:19 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down in downtown Robbinsville with another tree down on Highway 28 near Fontana Lake (8 NNE).
A tree blown down in the Whittier area and a tree was down on power lines near Sylva.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, February 2014
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: 500258, 501065.