An isolated thunderstorm that developed over the mountains became briefly severe as it moved into the Jocassee Gorges area in northern Pickens County.
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.
An isolated thunderstorm that developed over the mountains became briefly severe as it moved into the Jocassee Gorges area in northern Pickens County.
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 May 26, 12:41 PM EST, 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
141 PM EDT MON MAY 26 2014
.SYNOPSIS...
BERMUDA HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE THE REGION THROUGH
MIDWEEK...RESULTING IN A MORE TYPICAL SUMMERTIME PATTERN...WITH
AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND STORMS EACH DAY. A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT WILL
SAG SOUTHWARD INTO THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY...AND GRADUALLY SETTLE
SOUTH OF THE AREA INTO THE WEEKEND.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
AS OF 140 PM...CONVECTION DEVELOPING ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE AND NEAR
THE TN LINE A LITTLE LATER THAN EXPECTED. HOWEVER...EXPECT THE
COVERAGE TO INCREASE THRU THE AFTERNOON AND SPREAD SOUTH AND EAST
INTO THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT BEFORE DISSIPATING EARLY THIS
EVENING. BUMPED UP HIGHS SLIGHTLY BASED ON CURRENT OBS.
AS OF 1025 AM...LOW CLOUDS AND FOG HAVE ALMOST COMPLETELY BURNED OFF
ATTM...AND SHOULD BE GONE BEFORE NOON. ALTHOUGH A FEW SHRA WERE OVER
THE MTNS AT DAYBREAK...THEY HAVE DISSIPATED AS WELL. 12Z OBS RAOBS
SHOW THE UNSTABLE AIRMASS REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA. FCST WAS
FOR LESS STEERING FLOW AND SHEAR ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. THE RAOBS DO
SHOW SLIGHTLY LOWER WINDS...BUT NOT SIGNIFICANTLY SO. THE LATEST
CONVECTION ALLOWING GUIDANCE SUGGESTS A SLOWER START TO CONVECTION
DESPITE THE CONVECTION OVER NRN GA THIS MORNING. THEREFORE...HAVE
SLOWED THE ONSET SLIGHTLY...BUT ALLOW IT TO BUILD TO PREVIOUSLY
EXPECTED COVERAGE. SVR STORM COVERAGE MAY BE LESS THAN SUNDAY...BUT
STILL EXPECT A FEW SVR STORMS TO DEVELOP GIVEN THE CONTINUED
INSTABILITY AND ONLY SLIGHTLY LOWER SHEAR. IF SLOWER STORM MOVEMENT
DOES DEVELOP...THEN AN ISOLATED FLOOD PROBLEM CANNOT BE RULED OUT.
ALSO SLOWED ONSET OF CLOUDS GIVEN CURRENT SAT PIX. OTHERWISE...ONLY
MINOR CHANGES TO GOING FCST.
AS OF 700 AM EDT...THE FORECAST HAS BEEN UPDATED TO FINE TUNE FOG
MENTION OVER THE NC FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT...WHILE REMOVING MOST FOG
IN THE CENTRAL UPSTATE WHERE MID CLOUDS HAVE THICKENED. IN
ADDITION...ISOLD TO SCATTERED SHOWERS ARE POPPING IN TERRAIN FLOW
NEAR THE SMOKIES...SO POPS HAVE BEEN ARRANGED AROUND THIS.
OTHERWISE...A 500 MB RIDGE EXTENDS FROM THE MS RIVER VALLEY TO THE
APPALACHIANS...AND THIS FEATURE WILL MIGRATE EWD OVER THE FORECAST
AREA THROUGH TONIGHT. LOW LEVEL S TO SW FLOW MIGHT PROVIDE SOME
ISOLD SHRA TRIGGERING ALONG THE MTNS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS.
OTHERWISE...LOW LEVEL FLOW WILL VEER WESTERLY THROUGH THE
DAY...LEADING TO LEE TROUGHING THROUGH THE AFTN HOURS. EXPECT THAT
SCATTERED CONVECTIVE TRIGGERING WILL BEGIN IN EARNEST ALONG THE
HIGHER TERRAIN BY MIDDAY...WITH LIGHT W TO NW STEERING FLOW ALOFT
CARRYING CONVECTION EASTWARD ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT
THROUGH THE AFTN AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. LAPSE RATES WILL BE FAIRLY
UNIMPRESSIVE TODAY...BUT SB CAPE VALUES SHOULD STILL REACH 1000 TO
1500 J/KG IN MOST AREAS WITH MARGINAL INSOLATION AND DEWPOINTS IN
THE 60S. CELLS WILL TAKE ON A MORE PULSE TYPE CHARACTER GIVEN THE
WEAK SHEAR IN PROFILES. CLOUDS TODAY SHOULD CAP MAX TEMPS AROUND
CLIMO...OR PERHAPS SLIGHTLY ABOVE IN NW PIEDMONT SECTIONS WITH A BIT
MORE SUN.
CANNOT RULE OUT ISOLD SHOWERS TONIGHT OVER THE MTNS GIVEN THE
ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND CONTINUED WEAK TERRAIN FLOW
TRIGGERING. MID AND HIGH CLOUDINESS SHOULD INCREASE ATOP THE RIDGE
TONIGHT WHICH MAY KEEP DENSE FOG AT BAY. OTHERWISE...EXPECT
PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES TO INCREASE GRADUALLY IN PROFILES AROUND
THE AREA...WITH MINS RUNNING 5 TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE CLIMO TONIGHT.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 215 AM MONDAY...THE SHORT TERM WILL FEATURE AN ENVIRONMENT
MORE LIKE MID SUMMER...WITH WEAK DEEP LAYER FLOW...AND MODEST INSTBY
BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AFTNS. A LARGE UPPER LOW WILL DRIFT INTO
THE SRN PLAINS UNDER A LARGE UPPER RIDGE CENTERED OVER THE MIDWEST.
TO THE EAST...SUBTROPICAL RIDGE LINGERS ALONG THE SOUTH ATLANTIC
COAST...WHILE NWLY FLOW REMAINS ACRS THE NORTHEAST STATES. THIS WILL
PUT OUR CWFA IN A COL IN THE MID AND UPPER LVLS...RESULTING IN
LITTLE FORCING AND WEAK STEERING FLOW FOR CONVECTION.
I THINK THE GOING TEMPS AND POPS LOOK GOOD. SO I ONLY MADE MINOR
TWEAKS BY BLENDING IN THE LATEST CONSENSUS GUIDANCE. EXPECT TEMPS TO
BE ABOVE NORMAL...WITH SCATTERED DIURNALLY-DRIVEN CONVECTION BOTH
DAYS...WITH MAIN FOCUS BEING DIFFERENTIAL HEATING IN THE MTNS AND
ALONG A TROF ACRS THE MIDLANDS TO EASTERN NC. A FEW PULSE SEVERE
STORMS CAN BE EXPECTED...WITH 1000-2000 J/KG OF SBCAPE. FCST SNDGS
SHOW MID LVLS REMAIN RELATIVELY MOIST. HOWEVER...STEEP LLVL LAPSE
RATES AND WEAK SHEAR MAY SUPPORT A FEW MICROBURSTS...ALONG WITH
QUARTER-SIZED HAIL.
&&
.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS OF 100 PM EDT MONDAY...LATEST GLOBAL MODELS CONTINUE TO AGREE
THAT A BROAD UPPER RIDGE OF HIGH WILL COVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL
CONUS AND SOUTHEAST STATES THU NIGHT INTO FRI WITH AN UPPER LOW
PRESSURE TROUGH ROTATING DOWN ACROSS THE NORTHEAST. THE UPPER LOW
WILL MOVE OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST BY SAT...ALLOWING THE UPPER
RIDGE AXIS OVER THE CENTRAL STATES TO SLOWLY SHIFT EASTWARD. BY
SUN...AN UPPER H5 HIGH (+585DM) WILL BUILD ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AS A
BROAD UPPER TROUGH DEEPENS ACROSS THE WESTERN STATES.
AT THE SURFACE...A STATIONARY FRONT WILL BISECT THE CWA THU NIGHT
AND FRI...BEFORE IT DROPS SOUTH OF THE AREA SAT. HAVE INHERITED
SOLID CHANCE POPS FRI AFTERNOON AS ATMOS WILL BE UNCAPPED WITH CAPE
VALUES REACHING TO AROUND 2000 TO 2500 J/KG ACROSS MUCH OF THE
REGION. SAT NIGHT AND SUNDAY...COOLER HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN
FROM THE NORTH BRINGING COOLER AND DRIER CONDITIONS TO THE REGION.
MODEL SOUNDING SUGGEST ATMOS WILL BE WEAKLY CAPPED EAST OF THE MTNS.
HENCE...HAVE MENTIONED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF DIURNAL CONVECTION OVER
THE PIEDMONT WITH LOW END CHANCE IN THE MTNS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE
AROUND 2-3 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL FRI AND SAT WITH NEAR NORMAL ON
SUNDAY.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AT KCLT...TSRA CHC LESS HERE THAN OTHER TAF SITES. HOWEVER...
CONVECTION ALLOWING MODELS AND CCFP SHOW POTENTIAL THERE THIS
AFTERNOON. THEREFORE...HAVE GONE WITH A SHORT TEMPO FOR VFR TS FROM
21Z TO 24Z. OTHERWISE...EXPECT SCT CU WITH INCREASING CONVECTIVE
DEBRIS CLOUDS THRU THE AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING WITH SSW WINDS.
WINDS DROP OFF THIS EVENING WITH LINGERING DEBRIS CLOUDS. CANNOT
RULE OUT ANOTHER BRIEF PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS NEAR DAYBREAK...BUT
GUIDANCE IS IN TOO MUCH DISAGREEMENT TO INCLUDE ATTM. SWLY WINDS
DEVELOP THRU THE MORNING TUE. EXPECT ANY CONVECTION TUE WILL BE
AFTER THIS TAF PERIOD.
ELSEWHERE...SIMILAR CONDITIONS TO KCLT...BUT WITH BETTER CHANCE OF
CONVECTION...BUT TRICKY TIMING. THEREFORE...HAVE INCLUDED VCTS AND
WILL AMEND AS NEEDED. ALSO...LOW END GUSTS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
AT THE SC SITES. IFR VSBY AND CIGS LIKELY AGAIN AT KAVL TOWARD
DAYBREAK WHICH BURN OFF BEFORE MID MORNING...WITH MVFR LIKELY AT
KAND/KHKY AND POSSIBLE AT KGSP/KGMU. CONVECTION POSSIBLE BEFORE THE
END OF THE PERIOD AT KAVL/KHKY...BUT SHUD BE AFTER ELSEWHERE.
OUTLOOK...UNSETTLED WEATHER WITH SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING
THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED DAILY THROUGH THE WEEK. MORNING FOG AND
LOW CLOUDS ARE LIKELY EACH DAY IN THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS AND AT
FOOTHILL/PIEDMONT LOCATIONS WHERE APPRECIABLE RAIN FELL THE PREVIOUS
DAY.
CONFIDENCE TABLE...
17-23Z 23-05Z 05-11Z 11-17Z
KCLT HIGH 93% HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KGSP HIGH 93% HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KAVL HIGH 100% HIGH 100% MED 70% LOW 57%
KHKY HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KGMU MED 63% HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KAND HIGH 85% HIGH 100% HIGH 100% LOW 57%
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...ARK
NEAR TERM...HG/RWH
SHORT TERM...ARK
LONG TERM...ARK
AVIATION...HG/RWHHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 450 AM EDT MON MAY 26 2014 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-270900- 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- 450 AM EDT MON MAY 26 2014 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 INTO THIS EVENING. THE HIGHEST COVERAGE WILL BE IN THE MOUNTAINS EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON...THEN STORMS WILL GENERALLY DRIFT SOUTHEAST INTO THE PIEDMONT. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE CLOUD- TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. ..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. ..FRIDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..SATURDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..SUNDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. ARK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
101 PM EDT MON MAY 26 2014
NCZ052-261730-
HAYWOOD-
101 PM EDT MON MAY 26 2014
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT CENTRAL HAYWOOD COUNTY THROUGH
130 PM EDT...
AT 1254 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTH OF LAKE JUNALUSKA...OR 10 MILES
NORTH OF WAYNESVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
LAKE JUNALUSKA...
PEA SIZE HAIL...AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ARE 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.
LAT...LON 3563 8285 3562 8285 3562 8284 3560 8281
3547 8295 3562 8316 3574 8299
NEDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
118 PM EDT MON MAY 26 2014
NCZ064-SCZ001-002-261800-
OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-TRANSYLVANIA-
118 PM EDT MON MAY 26 2014
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN PICKENS...
NORTHEASTERN OCONEE AND SOUTHERN TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES THROUGH 200 PM
EDT...
AT 117 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LAKE JOCASSEE...OR 16 MILES NORTHWEST OF
PICKENS...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
ROCKY BOTTOM...
PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
GUSTY WINDS CAN BLOW DOWN TREES THAT ARE DEAD...OR THAT HAVE WEAKENED
ROOT SYSTEMS. OUTDOOR FURNITURE AND SIMILAR ITEMS CAN BE TOSSED
AROUND IF NOT ANCHORED. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS.
LAT...LON 3513 8298 3512 8269 3510 8269 3510 8272
3506 8276 3505 8274 3506 8271 3506 8270
3490 8276 3499 8303
JOHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
128 PM EDT MON MAY 26 2014
GAZ010-018-SCZ001-002-004-005-261815-
GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS
MOUNTAINS-RABUN-STEPHENS-
128 PM EDT MON MAY 26 2014
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WESTERN PICKENS...OCONEE...EAST
CENTRAL RABUN AND NORTHERN STEPHENS COUNTIES THROUGH 215 PM EDT...
AT 124 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MOUNTAIN REST TO
TOCCOA...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
THESE STORMS WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
OCONEE STATE PARK...
LAKE HARTWELL...
SALEM...
DEVILS FORK STATE PARK...
KEOWEE TOXAWAY STATE PARK...
OCONEE NUCLEAR STATION...
PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
GUSTY WINDS CAN BLOW DOWN TREES THAT ARE DEAD...OR THAT HAVE WEAKENED
ROOT SYSTEMS. OUTDOOR FURNITURE AND SIMILAR ITEMS CAN BE TOSSED
AROUND IF NOT ANCHORED. SEEK SHELTER INDOORS.
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 3493 8326 3501 8270 3464 8283 3454 8293
3452 8337
JOHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
131 PM EDT MON MAY 26 2014
NCZ501-502-261815-
CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER CALDWELL-
131 PM EDT MON MAY 26 2014
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN CALDWELL COUNTY
THROUGH 215 PM EDT...
AT 127 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR PATTERSON...OR 9 MILES NORTH OF LENOIR...
MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL IMPACT LOCATIONS NEAR...
CEDAR ROCK...
KINGS CREEK...
SMALL HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND WET SOIL CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE
SCATTERED TREES AND POWER LINES TO FALL. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE AN
INTERIOR ROOM.
LAT...LON 3610 8151 3610 8146 3608 8144 3608 8142
3602 8134 3587 8135 3594 8164 3612 8164
3613 8157 3613 8155
JOHThe Greer radar (KGSP), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:50 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
State Park employee reported multiple trees blown down across Horse Pasture Rd in the Jocassee Gorges area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, May 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: 517304.