South Carolina, 2014

Damaging Wind in South Carolina, February 21, 2014

February 21, 2014 · NWS GSP · 1 event in 1 county or zone

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.

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
1

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.

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.

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 Feb 21, 4:44 AM EST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 21, 4:44 AM EST, 1 hour 32 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 21, 5:06 AM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 21, 3:26 AM EST, 2 hours 50 minutes before
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

JOH
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 4:39 AM EST, 1 hour 37 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 21, 4:57 AM EST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 21, 5:43 AM EST, 33 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Feb 21, 5:51 AM EST, 25 minutes before
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The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 60 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:14 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Anderson

When
February 21, 6:16 AM EST
Where
Anderson County, 2 mi W of Anderson
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.500, -82.685

A flag pole snapped on West Whitner St (2 W Anderson), and a tree was blown down across Highway 81 south of Starr.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, February 2014

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: 500257.