Isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms developed across the mountains and foothills of North Carolina during the afternoon and evening. A couple of the storms briefly became severe, producing localized damaging wind gusts.
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.
Isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms developed across the mountains and foothills of North Carolina during the afternoon and evening. A couple of the storms briefly became severe, producing localized damaging wind gusts.
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 Aug 14, 1:28 PM EST, 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
228 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A WEAK
COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE NORTHWEST EARLY NEXT WEEK
AND WASH OUT ACROSS THE AREA ON TUESDAY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED
TO APPROACH THE CAROLINAS BY THURSDAY AND BRING INCREASED CHANCES OF
WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AT 230 PM EDT FRIDAY...THE UPPER TROUGH OVER THE EASTERN USA WILL
TAKE ON A POSITIVE TILT BY SATURDAY...AS THE NORTHERN PORTION
PROGRESSES OVER ME...AND THE SOUTHERN PORTION RETROGRESSES INTO THE
TN AND LOWER MS RIVER VALLEYS. AT THE SURFACE...A WEAK STATIONARY
FRONT WILL REMAIN OVER THE GULF STREAM AND FL. THE MODELS SHOW
MOISTURE BANKING UP AGAINST THE APPALACHIANS IN A LIGHT SOUTHERLY
LOW LEVEL FLOW. THIS MOISTURE...COUPLED WITH GENERALLY INCREASING
INSTABILITY...WILL SUPPORT GREATER DAYTIME CONVECTIVE COVERAGE THAN
IN RECENT DAYS. WITH LIGHT STEERING WINDS...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL
COULD ACCOMPANY STORMS. TEMPERATURES WILL RUN NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW
NORMAL.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
AS OF 225 PM EDT FRIDAY...A WEAK UPPER LEVEL TROUGH JUST WEST OF THE
MOUNTAINS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE LATTER HALF OF THE
WEEKEND...WHILE THE CENTER OF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE MIGRATES
OFFSHORE. THE RESULTING LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW COMPONENT WILL
ALLOW MOISTURE TO GRADUALLY RETURN TO THE PROFILES. MID LEVEL
TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO DROP SLIGHTLY TO DECREASE CAPPING A BIT FOR
SUNDAY AFTERNOON...BUT SOME MEASURE OF MID AND HIGH CLOUDS IN
PROFILES MAY INHIBIT HEATING AND KEEP TEMPS IN THE 80S ALL BUT THE
FAR SRN PIEDMONT. A SOLID CHANCE OF MTN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
SHOULD RESULT...WITH FAIRLY HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE UNDER ANY SLOW
MOVING TSTMS LATE SUNDAY.
THE LINGERING UPPER LEVEL SHEAR AXIS WEST OF THE SOUTHERN
APPALACHIANS WILL COMBINE WITH HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING WESTWARD FROM
THE ATLANTIC TO GENERATE A NARROW UPPER JETLET...AND POSSIBLY SOME
ASSOCIATED UPPER DIVERGENCE...OVER THE MOUNTAINS ON MONDAY. LOW
LEVEL FLOW WILL BECOME MORE SOUTHERLY...ALBEIT LIGHT...AND THIS WILL
OPEN UP THE REGION TO BETTER GULF AND ATLANTIC MOISTURE. THIS SETUP
WILL INCREASE PW VALUES IN PROFILES ABOVE 1.6 INCHES THROUGHOUT...
HOWEVER...THE GEFS ANOMALIES SUGGEST THAT ANY DEPARTURES ABOVE ONE
STANDARD DEVIATION IN PWAT VALUES SHOULD REMAIN GENERALLY TO THE SE
THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON. MID AND UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE MAY CONTINUE
TO INHIBIT HEATING AND CURTAIL INSTABILITY SOMEWHAT. HOWEVER...THE
BETTER MOISTURE AND POSSIBLE UPPER FORCING WILL PERMIT AN UPTICK IN
MTN CONVECTIVE COVERAGE MONDAY...WITH BETTER SCATTERED COVERAGE
STARTING TO EXPAND WELL INTO THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT. WILL SHADE
MAXES TO THE COOL SIDE OF GUIDANCE GIVEN THE EXPECTED MID AND HIGH
CLOUDS MONDAY.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
AS OF 155 PM FRIDAY...THE MEDIUM RANGE FCST PICKS UP AT 00Z ON TUESDAY
WITH UPPER RIDGING OVER THE EASTERN CONUS AND COMPACT UPPER TROFFING
DIGGING DOWN OVER THE PACIFIC NW. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS...HEIGHTS ARE
EXPECTED TO GRADUALLY LOWER AS THE TROF MAKES ITS WAY ACROSS THE WESTERN
STATES/PLAINS AND APPROACHES OUR AREA BY THURS. THE LATEST LONG RANGE
GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT THE TROF WILL LIFT NORTHWARD AS IT APPROACHES THE
CAROLINAS WITH RIDGING STARTING TO BUILD AGAIN AFTERWARDS. AT THE SFC...THE
LARGE SCALE BERMUDA HIGH SHOULD REMAIN IN CONTROL OF THE SFC PATTERN
FOR MOST OF THE PERIOD. THE WEAK COLD FRONT THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO MOVE
INTO THE AREA ON TUES APPEARS TO WASH OUT AS IT APPROACHES THE CWFA.
THE MODELS GENERATE A FAIRLY STRONG CENTRAL PLAINS LOW LATE TUES/EARLY WED
AND MOVE IT OVER THE GREAT LAKES BY EARLY THURS. THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT
WILL LIKELY MOVE ACROSS THE CWFA IN THE LATE THURS/EARLY FRI TIMEFRAME
AND COULD STALL OUT JUST TO OUR SOUTH ON FRI. AS FOR THE SENSIBLE FCST...NO
MAJOR CHANGES WERE NEEDED TO THE FCST WITH FAIRLY TYPICAL MID TO LATE
SUMMERTIME CHANCES FOR MOSTLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN CONVECTION EACH DAY/EVENING.
CHANCES FOR MORE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION INCREASE ON THURS AND FRI WITH THE
FROPA. WINDS WILL REMAIN PREDOMINATELY LIGHT AND SLY WITH TEMPS RIGHT AROUND
CLIMO IF NOT JUST ABOVE.
&&
.AVIATION /19Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AT KCLT...VFR...WITH MOSTLY SCATTERED LOW VFR CLOUDS AND LIGHT
SE WINDS EVENTUALLY FAVORING THE SW. ALTHOUGH CONVECTIVE CHANCES ARE
LIMITED...A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS AND ACCOMPANYING LOW VFR CIGS ARE
POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. CONVECTIVE CHANCES IMPROVE SLIGHTLY ON
SATURDAY...BUT AFTER THIS FORECAST PACKAGE....AND PROBABLY NOT
ENOUGH TO WARRANT A MENTION ANYWAY. GUIDANCE DOES NOT SUPPORT
DAYBREAK FOG.
ELSEWHERE...LIGHT AFTERNOON SHOWERS WITH LOW VFR CIGS ARE POSSIBLE IN
THE FOOTHILLS...WITH THUNDER AND MVFR CIGS POSSIBLE AT KAVL. MODEL
GUIDANCE AGAIN SUPPORTS DAYBREAK IFR FOG AT KAVL. ALTHOUGH LOW
DAYBREAK CIGS ARE NOT SUPPORTED AT KAVL BY THE GUIDANCE...IT IS HARD
TO IMAGINE IFR LEVEL CLOUDS WOULD NOT OCCUR AGAIN GIVEN THE
GRADUALLY MOISTENING PATTERN. VFR IS EXPECTED AT OVERNIGHT INTO
SATURDAY AT FOOTHILLS SITES...WITH JUST SCATTERED LOW VFR CLOUDS.
LIGHT WINDS WINDS WILL EVENTUALLY FAVOR THE SW...EXCEPT NW AT KAVL.
CONVECTIVE CHANCES IMPROVE EVERYWHERE ON SATURDAY...BUT MAINLY AFTER
THIS FORECAST PACKAGE...AND PERHAPS NOT ENOUGH IN THE FOOTHILLS TO
MENTION.
OUTLOOK...HIGH PRESSURE WILL YIELD GENERALLY DRY VFR CONDITIONS THRU
THE WEEKEND...WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF EARLY MORNING
FOG/STRATUS MAINLY WITHIN THE MOUNTAIN VALLEYS. DIURNAL SHRA/TSRA
CHANCES WILL INCREASE INTO THE NEW WORK WEEK WITH THE BEST CHANCES
ONCE AGAIN BEING OVER THE MOUNTAIN RIDGES.
CONFIDENCE TABLE...
18-24Z 00-06Z 06-12Z 12-18Z
KCLT HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KGSP HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KAVL HIGH 100% HIGH 94% LOW 56% MED 69%
KHKY HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 86% HIGH 97%
KGMU HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100% HIGH 100%
KAND HIGH 100% HIGH 100% 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...NONE.
SC...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS...JPT
NEAR TERM...JAT
SHORT TERM...HG
LONG TERM...JPT
AVIATION...JATHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 507 AM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015 GAZ010-017-018-026-NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065-501>510-SCZ001>005- 150915- RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL- SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON- SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-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- 507 AM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY...WITH BEST CHANCES LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE CAPABLE OF DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN. .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. GAZ028-029-NCZ035>037-056-057-068>072-082-SCZ006>014-019-150915- HART-ELBERT-ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-CLEVELAND-LINCOLN- GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG- CHEROKEE-YORK-ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-LAURENS-CHESTER-GREENWOOD- 507 AM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
155 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015
NCZ033-141845-
AVERY NC-
155 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015
...THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF
EASTERN AVERY COUNTY UNTIL 245 PM EDT...
AT 154 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF NEWLAND...OR OVER SUGAR
MOUNTAIN. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL
RATES UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
RAPID RISES ON STREAMS AND CREEKS...AND DEEP PONDING OF WATER IN LOW
LYING AREAS...IS EXPECTED.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NEWLAND...BANNER ELK...BEECH MOUNTAIN IN AVERY COUNTY...SUGAR
MOUNTAIN...SEVEN DEVILS...GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN...GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN
STATE PARK...B.R. PARKWAY-LINVILLE FALLS TO GRANDFATHER...PINEOLA AND
LINVILLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL 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 3619 8188 3619 8186 3616 8183 3611 8181
3609 8176 3607 8175 3607 8174 3598 8180
3605 8194 3620 8189
TIME...MOT...LOC 1754Z 106DEG 2KT 3613 8185
HGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 242 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015 NCZ052-141900- HAYWOOD NC- 242 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF CENTRAL HAYWOOD COUNTY UNTIL 300 PM EDT... AT 241 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES NORTH OF WAYNESVILLE...OR 5 MILES EAST OF CATALOOCHEE...MOVING SOUTH AT 15 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH AND EXTREME RAINFALL RATES IN EXCESS OF 3 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... LAKE JUNALUSKA...CLYDE...CANTON...MAGGIE VALLEY AND COVE CREEK. LAT...LON 3564 8303 3566 8293 3555 8284 3551 8305 TIME...MOT...LOC 1841Z 349DEG 12KT 3563 8298 LANE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 245 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015 NCZ053-141900- BUNCOMBE NC- 245 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN BUNCOMBE COUNTY UNTIL 300 PM EDT... AT 245 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES EAST OF DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE...OR NEAR BLACK MOUNTAIN...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH. HALF INCH HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND EXTREME RAINFALL RATES IN EXCESS OF 3 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BLACK MOUNTAIN AND SWANNANOA. LAT...LON 3560 8238 3561 8231 3553 8223 3549 8239 TIME...MOT...LOC 1845Z 344DEG 8KT 3557 8233 LANE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
300 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015
NCZ052-141915-
HAYWOOD NC-
300 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF CENTRAL HAYWOOD COUNTY
UNTIL 315 PM EDT...
AT 259 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
LAKE JUNALUSKA...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND EXTREME RAINFALL RATES
IN EXCESS OF 3 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WAYNESVILLE...LAKE JUNALUSKA...MAGGIE VALLEY AND B.R. PARKWAY-BALSAM
GAP TO BLACK BALSAM AREA.
LAT...LON 3557 8291 3540 8304 3542 8305 3543 8307
3546 8309 3546 8311 3552 8317 3560 8298
TIME...MOT...LOC 1859Z 028DEG 13KT 3553 8302
LANESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
302 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015
NCZ059-141930-
NORTHERN JACKSON NC-
302 PM EDT FRI AUG 14 2015
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTY
UNTIL 330 PM EDT...
AT 302 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4
MILES SOUTHEAST OF SYLVA...OR OVER CULLOWHEE...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10
MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND EXTREME RAINFALL RATES
IN EXCESS OF 3 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CULLOWHEE...WEBSTER...SAVANNAH AND TUCKASEGEE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL 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 3538 8317 3534 8308 3525 8313 3523 8319
3530 8332
TIME...MOT...LOC 1902Z 037DEG 9KT 3532 8318
LANEThe Knoxville radar (KMRX), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:12 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Newspaper reported four large pine trees were blown down, with one falling on a garage.
HAM radio operator reported multiple trees and large limbs blown down along Pond Rd, with one tree down on an unoccupied vehicle.
Spotter reported nickel to quarter size hail at Highway 18 and Piedmont Rd.
FD reported a tree blown down on a home on 2nd St in Morganton. County comms reported power lines blown down on Powell Rd near Drexel.
County comms reported multiple trees blown down along Highway 90 in eastern Caldwell County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 2015
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: 599737, 602792, 599738, 599735, 599736.