Scattered clusters of thunderstorms developed across much of western North Carolina during early afternoon and continued into the evening hours. A couple of storms produced brief severe weather in the form of damaging winds, while a cluster of storms produced significant flash flooding in southern portions of the Charlotte metro area for the second evening in a row.
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.
Scattered clusters of thunderstorms developed across much of western North Carolina during early afternoon and continued into the evening hours. A couple of storms produced brief severe weather in the form of damaging winds, while a cluster of storms produced significant flash flooding in southern portions of the Charlotte metro area for the second evening in a row.
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 19, 1:37 PM EST, 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
237 PM EDT WED AUG 19 2015
.SYNOPSIS...
A WEAK FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON THURSDAY...PRECEDED BY
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SOME DRYING IS EXPECTED OVER THE WEEKEND.
ANOTHER WEAK FRONT APPROACHES OUR AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 230 PM WED...RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW INCREASING COVERAGE AND
EXPECT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH
THE AFTERNOON. SOME MORE STRATIFORM TYPE PRECIP WITH EMBEDDED
THUNDER MAY LINGER INTO THE EVENING HOURS OVER EASTERN AREAS. SPC
MESOANAL SHOWING CAPES IN THE 2000-3000J/KG RANGE OUTSIDE THE
MOUNTAINS. ALSO...THE DCAPE HIGHER TODAY THAN PREVIOUS DAYS NOW
HAVING INCREASED TO OVER 1000J EASTERN AREAS. HENCE...SEVERE STORM
CHANCES HIGHER THIS AFTERNOON AND WE SHOULD SEE SEVERAL PULSE SEVERE
STORMS. THE SEVERE THREAT WILL BE ALONG SIDE THE LOCALIZED HYDRO
THREAT.
IN REGARD TO THE BIG PICTURE...A VORT MAX IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS
THE AREA DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS WHICH IS THE
PRIMARY TRIGGER OF THE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS. NVA BEHIND THIS
FEATURE SHOULD RESULT IN A LULL IN PRECIP COVERAGE DURING THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS. MINIMUM TEMPS ARE EXPECGTED TO BE ABOUT A CATEGORY
ABOVE CLIMO.
ON THURSDAY...A DEEP UPPER TROUGH SWINGING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES
WILL PUSH A COLD FRONT SOUTHEASTWARD AND IT IS FORECAST TO REACH THE
MOUNTAINS DURING THE AFTERNOON. WITH DEEP LAYER MOISTURE STILL IN
PLACE...THERE STILL SHOULD BE DECENT COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MOUNTAINS. HOWEVER EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS...WITH
FLOW BECOMING MORE ZONAL/DOWNSLOPE THE COVERAGE SHOULD BE SCT. MODEL
FORECAST SOUNDINGS ALSO INDICATE LESS CAPE...SO SEVERE THREAT
APPEARS ON THE LOW END. MAX TEMPS WILL BE NEAR TO CLIMO.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AS OF 200 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...THE SHORT TERM FCST PERIOD INITIALIZES
THURSDAY EVENING AMIDST AN ONGOING COLD FRONTAL INTRUSION.
THE UPPER PATTERN WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED BY A DEEP NEGATIVELY TILTED
LONGWAVE TROF EJECTING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES WHILE BROAD RIDGING
PREVAILS OVER THE DEEP SOUTH AND EASTERN GULF. AS STATED ABOVE...A
COLD FRONT WILL BE WORKING ITS WAY INTO/THROUGH THE NC HIGH TERRAIN
BY THURSDAY EVENING WITH DEEP SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW PREVAILING OUT
AHEAD. IN RESPONSE...EXPECTING ONGOING CONVECTION IN THE WARM
SECTOR AT FCST INITIALIZATION POSSIBLY AIDED BY ENHANCED SHEARING
AND VORT ADVECTION ALOFT. SHORT TERM GUIDANCE IS NOW IN BETTER
AGREEMENT WITH REGARDS TO THE TRACK/DEPTH OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE
WITH BOTH THE GFS/NAM ALONG WITH THE ECMWF PUSHING THE BOUNDARY
SOUTH OF THE CWFA...LIKELY WASHING OUT OVER THE LOWCOUNTRY/MIDLANDS
BY MID MORNING FRIDAY.
BROAD SFC HIGH PRESSURE IS FCST TO ADVECT IN FROM THE MIDWEST
INTO THE OHIO VALLEY JUST BEHIND THE FRONT...BEFORE SLIDING OVER
THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL APPS LATER IN THE DAY. AS A RESULT...DRIER
NORTHERLY FLOW WILL WARRANT DECREASED PRECIPITATION POTENTIAL
AND PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN NC. DUE TO CLOSER
PROXIMITY TO ANY REMNANT FRONTAL MOISTURE...LOCATIONS ALONG AND
SOUTH OF THE I85 CORRIDOR WILL SEE SLIGHTLY HIGH PROBABILITIES AND
THUS PARTLY/MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES. NEVERTHELESS...PROFILES ARE NOT
SUPPORTIVE OF ANY DEEP CONVECTION AT THIS TIME THEREFORE NOTHING
MORE THAN GARDEN VARIETY SHOWERS WITH PERHAPS A FEW RUMBLES OF
THUNDER ARE EXPECTED. SATURDAY IS SHAPING UP TO BE THE NICEST DAY
OF THE PERIOD WITH MODELS INDICATING FURTHER DRY AIR INTRUSION
AS THE ABOVE MENTIONED SURFACE RIDGE MOVES EAST OF THE APPS.
MOSGUIDE AND TO SOME EXTENT EVEN THE RAW NAM INDICATES DEWPOINTS
IN THE UPPER 50S ACROSS NORTHWEST NC INCREASING TO THE LOWER 60S
ALONG THE I85 CORRIDOR. THUS EXPECTING MOSTLY SUNNY TO PARTLY
CLOUDY SKIES AND TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL ALLOWING
FOR A BEAUTIFUL MID/LATE AUGUST DAY. THAT SAID...NAM GUID DOES
FAVORS AT LEAST SOME CHANCE FOR LOW END DESTABILIZATION OVER THE
SOUTHWEST NC MOUNTAINS AND NORTHEAST GA...THEREFORE WILL INCLUDE
POPS TO ACCOUNT FOR SUCH WITH MAX HEATING ON SATURDAY.
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
AT 230 PM EDT WEDNESDAY...ON SUNDAY AN UPPER RIDGE WILL BE OVER THE
WESTERN USA...WITH A MEAN TROUGH OVER THE EAST. THE PATTERN
AMPLIFIES SLIGHTLY INTO TUESDAY AS A CLOSED UPPER LOW CROSSES SOUTH
CENTRAL CANADA. THE PATTERN DEAMPLIFIES SLIGHTLY BY THURSDAY AS THE
CANADIAN LOW APPROACHES THE ATLANTIC....BY WHICH TIME SOME
PROGRESSION TAKES PLACE...AND THE UPPER TROUGH REACHES THE EASTERN
SEABOARD...WHILE THE RIDGE UPSTREAM CROSSES THE PLAINS AND EXTENDS
INTO THE GULF STATES.
AT THE SURFACE...SUNDAY STARTS OUT WITH HIGH PRESSURE ALONG THE
EASTERN SEABOARD...WITH A COLD FRONT UPSTREAM FORM THE GREAT LAKES
TO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THIS FRONT REACHES THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS
ON MONDAY...MOVING TO THE COASTAL PLAIN BY TUESDAY...WHERE IT STALLS
AND REMAINS INTO WEDNESDAY. OUR AREA CAN EXPECT AN ACTIVE PATTERN
AHEAD OF AND ALONG THE FRONT...WITH A DRYING TREND IN THE
WAKE OF THE FRONT. AT THIS TIME...PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ARE NOT
EXPECTED TO BE EXCESSIVE AS THE FRONT DOES NOT STALL UNTIL EAST OF
OUR AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL RUN NEAR NORMAL.
&&
.AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
AT KCLT...LOOKS LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE ACTIVE DAY FOR CONVECTION AS
RADAR BEGINNING TO SHOW QUITE A BIT OF COVERAGE. CURRENT TRENDS
INDICATE THAT TEMPO TSRA WILL OCCUR FROM 19Z-23Z WITH PERHAPS SOME
MORE STRATIFORM TYPE PRECIP EXTENDING INTO THE EVENING HOURS AS A
VORT MAX MOVES THROUGH. IFR RESTRICTIONS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE IN THE
HEAVIER CONVECTIVE CELLS. AFTER ABOUT 03Z PRECIP SHOULD END WITH
CONDITIONS VFR. GUIDANCE NOT TOO EXCITED ABOUT EARLY MORNING
FOG/STRATUS BUT NOT CONVICNED IT WILL NOT OCCUR...SO MENTIONED SOME
LIGHT FOG WITH SCT010 CIRCA 12Z.
ELSEWHERE...FAIRLY SIMILAR CONDITIONS TO KCLT WITH TEMPO TSRA AND
POSSIBLE IFR RESTRICTIONS INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. PRECIP
SHOULD END BY 03Z. EXPECT ONLY PATCHY IFR STRATUS/FOG EARLY
THURSDAY. CONFIDENCE NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO PUT INTO TAF EXCEPT AT KAVL.
OUTLOOK...A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA LATE THURSDAY AND
THURSDAY NIGHT. ASSOCIATED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORSM ARE EXPECTED TO END
THURSDAY NIGHT. LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE MAY RESULT IN
RESTRICTIONS IN FOG/STRATUS EARLY FRIDAY. DRY HIGH PRESSRUE BUILDING
IN FROM THE NORTH WILL LIMIT RESTRICTIONS THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
CONFIDENCE TABLE...
18-24Z 00-06Z 06-12Z 12-18Z
KCLT HIGH 100% MED 68% HIGH 100% HIGH 94%
KGSP HIGH 94% MED 71% HIGH 99% HIGH 88%
KAVL HIGH 89% HIGH 93% HIGH 93% HIGH 86%
KHKY HIGH 100% HIGH 93% MED 73% HIGH 97%
KGMU HIGH 83% MED 72% HIGH 99% HIGH 88%
KAND HIGH 91% HIGH 90% HIGH 94% HIGH 91%
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
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
NC...NONE.
SC...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS...JAT
NEAR TERM...LG
SHORT TERM...CDG
LONG TERM...JAT
AVIATION...LGHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 633 AM EDT WED AUG 19 2015 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-201045- 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- 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-CHESTER-GREENWOOD- 633 AM EDT WED AUG 19 2015 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 SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE AGAIN TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAVY PRECIPITATION OVER ALREADY SOAKED AREAS COULD LEAD TO ADDITIONAL FLASH FLOODING DURING THIS TIMEFRAME. ALSO...A FEW ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CANNOT BE RULED OUT WITH GUSTY WINDS AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING BEING THE PRIMARY THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ..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. ..MONDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..TUESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... NONE. JPT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
147 PM EDT WED AUG 19 2015
NCZ035-036-191815-
IREDELL NC-ALEXANDER NC-
147 PM EDT WED AUG 19 2015
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IREDELL
AND NORTHEASTERN ALEXANDER COUNTIES UNTIL 215 PM EDT...
AT 147 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6
MILES NORTH OF TAYLORSVILLE...OR 6 MILES SOUTH OF MORAVIAN FALLS...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL
RATES UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TAYLORSVILLE...LOVE VALLEY...UNION GROVE AND VASHTI.
LAT...LON 3605 8076 3589 8117 3589 8118 3602 8127
3604 8120 3603 8118 3603 8117 3604 8113
3603 8107 3606 8098
TIME...MOT...LOC 1747Z 240DEG 49KT 3601 8115
LGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
213 PM EDT WED AUG 19 2015
NCZ506-508-191900-
GREATER RUTHERFORD NC-EASTERN MCDOWELL NC-
213 PM EDT WED AUG 19 2015
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF CENTRAL RUTHERFORD AND
SOUTHEASTERN MCDOWELL COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM EDT...
AT 213 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8
MILES NORTH OF RUTHERFORDTON...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RUTHERFORDTON...FOREST CITY...SPINDALE...BOSTIC...DYSARTSVILLE...
UNION MILLS...SHINGLE HOLLOW...THERMAL CITY...FERO AND SUNSHINE.
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.
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 3564 8185 3558 8183 3558 8181 3538 8170
3534 8171 3534 8208 3535 8208 3540 8213
3540 8219 3543 8216 3556 8206
TIME...MOT...LOC 1813Z 257DEG 18KT 3547 8201
CDGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
233 PM EDT WED AUG 19 2015
SCZ002-005-191915-
PICKENS MOUNTAINS SC-GREATER PICKENS SC-
233 PM EDT WED AUG 19 2015
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF PICKENS COUNTY UNTIL
315 PM EDT...
AT 233 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9
MILES WEST OF PICKENS...OR NEAR LAKE KEOWEE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
EASLEY...PICKENS...SIX MILE...LAKE KEOWEE...KEOWEE TOXAWAY STATE
PARK...TABLE ROCK STATE PARK...JOCASSEE GORGES...LAKE JOCASSEE...
LIBERTY AND PUMPKINTOWN.
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.
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 3482 8290 3495 8291 3499 8294 3508 8278
3507 8278 3505 8274 3506 8270 3507 8258
3507 8257 3505 8260 3501 8260 3501 8254
3498 8253 3498 8255 3497 8253 3488 8249
3482 8249 3478 8288
TIME...MOT...LOC 1833Z 255DEG 20KT 3489 8287
CDGThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 143 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:53 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain, 1 lightning, 1 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
FD reported a tree and power lines blown down on a garage off Wilkesboro Highway and multiple trees and power lines blown down in the area around the I-77 and Highway 21 intersection.
Media reported a combination of gusty thunderstorm winds and saturated soil due to heavy rainfall caused a tree to fall on a house on Scaleybark Rd.
County comms reported a few trees blown down in the Concord area when two severe storms moved over the city within a few minutes of each other.
FD reported water flooded the basement of a home on Saddlewood Circle after about 2 inches of rain fell in a short period of time. The flooding was described as being the result of poor drainage.
County comms reported multiple trees blown down in the Farmington area, including one tree on Mallard Rd.
Public reported via Social Media that lightning struck the chimney of a home on Taunton Dr. Debris from the chimney fell on and injured a man and caused damage to the roof and deck of the home.
Flash flooding developed for the second night in a row across northwest Union County, after 2 to 3 inches of rain fell in a short period of time on top of soil saturated from the 3 to 6 inches that fell on the evening of the 18th. In addition to urban flooding issues, the main stream affected was Goose Creek, where an official NWS stream on Highway 1524 far exceeded the estimated flood stage. In fact, the 13 feet reading was a record for this site. Fire dept reported multiple water rescues on flooded roads that included Red Lanter Rd, Briarwood Ct, Redwood Rd, and Indian Trail Fairview Rd.
Although heavy rain ended in the Goose Creek basin by mid-evening of the 19th, continued runoff resulted in the stream remaining out of its banks and flooding several roads, including the intersection of Highways 218 and 601, until well after midnight.
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: 600031, 600443, 600035, 600461, 600036, 600445, 600066, 600444.