North Carolina, 2015

Tornado in North Carolina, December 28, 2015

December 28, 2015 · NWS GSP · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Scattered showers and a thunderstorm or two developed along a cold front moving from northeast to southwest across the North Carolina Piedmont during the afternoon. One shower produced a brief, weak tornado in Union County.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$50,000
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.

Scattered showers and a thunderstorm or two developed along a cold front moving from northeast to southwest across the North Carolina Piedmont during the afternoon. One shower produced a brief, weak tornado in Union County.

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 Dec 28, 2:47 PM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 28, 2:47 PM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
247 PM EST MON DEC 28 2015

.SYNOPSIS...
WARM AND MOIST FLOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY AS A COLD FRONT
APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST. THE FRONT WILL STALL OVER THE
AREA BY MID WEEK...WITH HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY. AFTER
THE FRONT PASSES...MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL BUILD IN FOR NEW
YEARS DAY AND THE REST OF THE WEEKEND.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AS OF 230 PM EST...WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A STRONG LOW CENTER
LIFTING NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH SOUTHEAST MO. THE NEAR TERM MODELS
HAVE THIS FEATURE LIFTING INTO THE GREAT LAKES THIS EVENING.
MEANWHILE...SFC OBSERVATIONS SHOW A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT DRAPED
ALONG THE INTERSTATE 40 CORRIDOR AND SLOWLY SETTLING SOUTHWARD.
MODEL CONSENSUS BRINGS THIS BOUNDARY SOUTHWARD TOWARD THE NC/SC LINE
THROUGH LATE EVENING...BEFORE STALLING IT OUT AND RETURNING IT
NORHTWARD AS A WARM FRONT OVERNIGHT. RADAR COVERAGE CONTINUES TO
IMPROVE FROM THE VARIOUS MECHANISMS...WITH UPGLIDE OVER THE BOUNDARY
ACROSS THE NRN TIER...SHOWERS MOVING NW FROM THE MIDLANDS IN THE
MORE UNSTABLE AIR...UPSLOPE ALONG THE SRN/ERN ESCARPMENTS...AND
HEAVIER SHOWERS APPROACHING IN THE DEEPER MOISTURE FROM THE WEST.
THE COMBINATION OF THESE FORCING FEATURES SHOULD COME TOGETHER THIS
EVENING AND EARLY OVERNIGHT WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS
EXPECTED AT TIMES FOR MOST LOCATIONS. GIVEN THE HIGH VALUES OF
PRECIPITABLE WATER AND THE UPSLOPE FOCUS TO THE PRECIPITATION...THE
CURRENT FFA STILL APPEARS WELL PLACED. THE STOUT SRLY JET SHOULD
ALSO CONTINUE TO PRODUCE ADVISORY LEVEL GUSTS ALONG THE HIGHER
RIDGE TOPS...SO NO CHANGES TO THE WIND ADVISORY ARE PLANNED.

UPGLIDE SHOULD SLOWLY SHUT OFF FROM 09Z ONWARD AS THE 850 MB FLOW
VEERS MORE SWLY AND THE SFC BOUNDARY LIFTS BACK NORTH OF THE REGION.
THE TRAILING COLD FRONT SHOULD THEN CROSS THE AREA SLOWLY ON
TUE...BUT THERE IS CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY ON WHEN IT WILL MAKE IT
THROUGH THE REGION AS THE UPPER FLOW BECOMES PARALLEL TO THE
BOUNDARY. THE FASTER GFS HAS LITTLE INSTABILITY FOR TUE AFTN...WHILE
THE SLOWER NAM HAS 500 TO 1000 J/KG OF LATE AFTN CAPE. A BLENDED
SOLUTION WILL KEEP SCHC TO CHC SHOWERS GOING IN SE SECTIONS THROUGH
LATE DAY. TEMPS REMAIN WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR ANOTHER DAY.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
AS OF 200 PM MONDAY...THE SECOND ROUND OF RAIN IS STILL EXPECTED TO
DEVELOP FROM SW TO NE LATE OVERNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH PEAK POPS
AND RAIN RATES AROUND MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. THE MAIN FORCING MECHANISMS
WILL BE LLVL ISENT LIFT AND RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION JET DIVERGENCE
ALOFT. THE MODELS SEEM A BIT MORE MUTED ON QPF RESPONSE THAN WHAT I
SAW AT THIS TIME YESTERDAY. AND THE LATEST WPC QPF IS SIGNIFICANTLY
REDUCED. I BLENDED IN SOME OF THE OLD FCST AND CONSALL FOR QPF. THIS
STILL RESULTS IN AN ADDITIONAL 1-2" ACRS THE SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE AND
SW NC MTNS. THESE AMOUNTS WILL BE ENUF TO AGGRAVATE THE HYDRO
CONDITIONS (SEE HYDRO SECTION BELOW).

THE OTHER ISSUE WILL BE SOME INSTBY ACRS THE PIEDMONT...AS MODELS
ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT. I WILL KEEP A MENTION OF CHC OF THUNDER. THE
SEVERE THREAT LOOKS LOW...HOWEVER...AS LLVL FLOW WILL BE VEERED AND
NEARLY UNIDIRECTIONAL. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A GENERAL THUNDER AREA
FOR WEDNESDAY. TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO BE 20-30 DEG ABOVE NORMAL.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...THE UPPER JET AXIS WILL SHIFT
EAST...AND A VERY GRADUAL DRYING FROM THE BOTTOM UP IN THE PROFILES
IS EXPECTED. MODELS HOLD ONTO TO MOIST ISENT LIFT IN THE MID LVLS
THRU MOST OF THE DAY...SO CLOUDS WILL LINGER...AND POPS WILL ONLY
SLOWLY TAPER OFF. TEMPS WILL BE A LITTLE COOLER ON THURSDAY...BUT
STILL 10-20 DEG ABOVE NORMAL.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
AS OF 230 PM MONDAY...THE EXTENDED PERIOD BEGINS 00Z FRIDAY WITH A
RATHER DRAMATIC SHIFT IN THE OVERALL PATTERN. THE SURFACE COLD FRONT
WILL HAVE JUST PASSED THROUGH THE AREA BY SUNDOWN ON NEW YEARS
EVE...WITH A DEEP UPPER TROUGH DIGGING DOWN INTO THE REGION RIGHT ON
ITS HEELS. THE INITIAL UPPER TROUGH BASE WILL PASS ON
SATURDAY...WITH A SECONDARY TROUGH ARRIVING AS A SHORTWAVE AMPLIFIES
OVER THE APPALACHIANS ON MONDAY. A DRY SURFACE RIDGE CENTERED OVER
THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL BUILD IN AS THE SECOND UPPER TROUGH PASSES
MONDAY AND TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.

THE FRONTAL PASSAGE THURSDAY NIGHT APPEARS TO BE CLEAN...WITH MUCH
DRIER AND COOLER AIR ARRIVING IN TIME FOR NEW YEARS DAY. BOTH MAX
AND MIN TEMPS WILL DROP TO AVERAGE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS THE
FIRST UPPER TROUGH PASSES...WITH MUCH OF THE AREA DROPPING TO
FREEZING OVERNIGHT AND HIGHER TERRAIN POSSIBLY DIPPING INTO THE
UPPER TEENS. AS THE SECONDARY TROUGH DIPS DOWN ON MONDAY...MAX AND
MIN TEMPERATURES COULD EVEN DROP TO ABOUT 5 DEGREES BELOW AVERAGE
EARLY NEXT WEEK. POPS REMAIN VERY LOW FOR THE ENTIRE PERIOD ENDING
TUESDAY MORNING...PROVIDING A MUCH-NEEDED BREAK FROM THE VERY WET
PATTERN FEATURED THE PAST FEW WEEKS.

&&

.AVIATION /20Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AT KCLT...A WEDGE FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR TO THE
NORTH THIS AFTERNOON...WITH UPGLIDE INDUCED SHOWERS EXPECTED TO
BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD THROUGH LATE EVENING AS THE BOUNDARY SAGS
TOWARD THE AIRFIELD. AFTER A PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS THROUGH LATE
DAY...CIGS WILL TREND BACK DOWNWARD OVERNIGHT AS THE DEEPER MOISTURE
ARRIVES FROM THE WEST. THERE IS SOME QUESTION OVER WHETHER THE SFC
BOUNDARY MOVES THROUGH OR NOT...BUT WIND DIRECTIONS IN THE 080 TO
100 RANGE ARE EXPECTED FOR A BRIEF PERIOD LATE THIS EVENING UNTIL
THE WARM FRONT LIFTS BACK NWD. CANNOT RULE OUT ISOLD TSTMS
NEARBY...BUT PROFILES KEEP THIS AT A SLIGHT CHANCE WITH WARM POCKETS
ALOFT. MODERATE SHOWERS SHOULD MOVE EAST OVERNIGHT THROUGH TUE
MORNING...WITH CONDITIONS GRADUALLY IMPROVING TO MVFR CIGS ALONG
WITH MORE S TO SW SURFACE FLOW.

ELSEWHERE...WIDESPREAD UPSLOPE AND UPGLIDE INDUCED SHOWERS WILL FAN
OUT OVER THE MTN AND FOOTHILL TAFS THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON...AND
INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS EVENING THROUGH THE EARLY
OVERNIGHT HOURS AS THE BACKDOOR FRONT SAGS IN FROM THE N AND THE
DEEP MOISTURE BAND ARRIVES FROM THE WEST. EXPECT MAINLY MVFR CIGS
EARLY TO BECOME WIDESPREAD IFR CIGS AGAIN THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT. CIGS WILL TRANSITION DOWN INTO LIFR OVERNIGHT WITH IFR
VSBY AS THE HEAVY TO MODERATE SHOWERS MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. SLOW
IMPROVEMENT TO MVFR IS EXPECTED THROUGH LATE TUE MORNING ALONG WITH
A SHIFT TOWARD S TO SW SFC WINDS.

OUTLOOK...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SLOWLY THROUGH THE REGION FROM THE
WEST TUESDAY AFTERNOON...WITH A BRIEF LULL IN PRECIPITATION ACROSS
THE AREA. DEEP MOISTURE WILL RETURN TUE NIGHT THROUGH WED AS THE
FRONT MOVES BACK NORTHWARD. DRYING IS EXPECTED ON THURSDAY.

CONFIDENCE TABLE...

            19-01Z        01-07Z        07-13Z        13-18Z
KCLT       HIGH  93%     HIGH 100%     HIGH  96%     HIGH  96%
KGSP       HIGH  94%     HIGH  93%     HIGH 100%     HIGH  90%
KAVL       HIGH  90%     HIGH 100%     HIGH  93%     HIGH  81%
KHKY       HIGH 100%     HIGH 100%     HIGH  96%     HIGH 100%
KGMU       HIGH  97%     HIGH  85%     HIGH  96%     HIGH  93%
KAND       HIGH  90%     HIGH  92%     HIGH  96%     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

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
HEAVY RAIN REMAINS THE FOCUS OF THE FORECAST THROUGH WED NIGHT.

THE FIRST WAVE OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE OVER WESTERN
NC...NORTHEAST GA...AND THE WESTERN SC UPSTATE THROUGH TONIGHT AS
DEEP MOISTURE ARRIVES FROM THE WEST AND SOUTHERLY FLOW INCREASES.
PRECIPITABLE WATER ANOMALIES SHOULD BE 2 TO 3+ STD DEV ABOVE NORMAL
LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH THE EARLY OVERNIGHT. THIS MOISTURE WILL
COMBINE WITH AMPLE UPSLOPING POTENTIAL TO SET THE STAGE FOR THE
FLOODING THREAT THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. FORECAST RAINFALL
AMOUNTS APPROACHING 2 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING IN THE FAR SRN APPALACHIANS...TAPERING DOWN TO THE EAST WITH
JUST A HALF TO THREE QUARTER INCH AMOUNTS IN MOST PIEDMONT AREAS. NO
EXPANSION OF THE FLOOD WATCH IS WARRANTED AT THIS POINT.

THE SECOND WAVE WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECONDARY SLUG OF
MOISTURE EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTHEAST FROM THE GULF INTO THE SOUTHERN
APPALACHIANS LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. WITH SATURATED SOILS IN
PLACE FROM THE FIRST WAVE OF HEAVY RAIN...THIS SECOND WAVE COULD
RESULT IN MORE SERIOUS IMPACTS...ESPECIALLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE
LATEST WPC QPF VALUES HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED DOWN...AS MODELS HAVE
TRENDED A LITTLE LOWER. BUT STILL AN ADDITIONAL 1-2" OF RAIN THRU
WEDNESDAY AFTN MAY BE ENUF TO CAUSE WIDESPREAD FLOOD ISSUES.

STORM TOTAL QPF VALUES FOR THE TWO WAVES ARE WIDESPREAD 2.5 TO 3+
INCHES ACROSS THE FOOTHILLS AND MOUNTAINS...WITH TOTALS OF 4 TO 5+
INCHES ACROSS THE UPSLOPE AREAS OF THE FAR SRN MOUNTAINS. A FLOOD
WATCH IS IN EFFECT EVERYWHERE THAT IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE >2.5
INCHES THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY. WPC EXCESSIVE RAINFALL FORECASTS HAVE
THE SW MOUNTAINS IN MODERATE RISK AND MOST OF THE AREA IN SLIGHT
RISK FOR DAY 1...THE SW NC MOUNTAINS ALONG WITH THE GA AND MOST OF
THE SC COUNTIES IN SLIGHT RISK FOR DAY 2...AND JUST ABOUT ALL OF THE
FLOOD WATCH AREA IN SLIGHT RISK FOR DAY 3.

&&

.CLIMATE...
DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 28...

 AVL   73    1889
 CLT   77    1971
 GSP   75    1971

DAILY HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR MONDAY DEC 28...

 AVL   53    1982
 CLT   56    2008
 GSP   62    1982

DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 29...

 AVL   74    1984
 CLT   74    1984
 GSP   72    1984

DAILY HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR TUESDAY DEC 29...

 AVL   56    1954
 CLT   61    1954
 GSP   54    1996

&&

.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR GAZ010-017-018-026-
     028-029.
NC...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR NCZ033-048>053-058-
     059-062>065-501>510.
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR NCZ033-048>053-058-
     059-062>065.
SC...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR SCZ001>007-010-011.

&&

SYNOPSIS...LEV
NEAR TERM...HG
SHORT TERM...ARK
LONG TERM...LEV
AVIATION...HG
HYDROLOGY...HG/ARK
CLIMATE...
Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 28, 4:48 PM EST, 10 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
448 PM EST MON DEC 28 2015

NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062>065-292200-
AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-GRAHAM-
NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-
448 PM EST MON DEC 28 2015

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY ABOVE 3500 FEET...
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.
   WIND ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

..TUESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING LIKELY. A COUPLE MORE ROUNDS
OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED...ONE TONIGHT AND ANOTHER ON WEDNESDAY. DUE
TO NEARLY SATURATED SOILS AND HIGH RIVER LEVELS...SOME FLOODING IS
EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY IN THE MOUNTAINS.
..WEDNESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING LIKELY.
..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.

NCZ035>037-056-057-292200-
ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-
448 PM EST MON DEC 28 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

OCCASIONAL HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS MAY IMPACT THE PIEDMONT THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS ALONG A FRONT SAGGING IN FROM THE NORTH. ADDITIONAL
HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS MAY IMPACT THE AREA TONIGHT FROM THE WEST.
ISOLATED FLOODING COULD RESULT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

..TUESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING POSSIBLE. THE HEAVY RAIN
CHANCES ARE GREATEST IN THE MORNING.
..WEDNESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING POSSIBLE.
..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.

NCZ501>507-509-292200-
CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER CALDWELL-BURKE MOUNTAINS-GREATER BURKE-
MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-RUTHERFORD MOUNTAINS-
POLK MOUNTAINS-
448 PM EST MON DEC 28 2015

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

..TUESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING LIKELY. A COUPLE MORE ROUNDS
OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED...ONE TONIGHT AND ANOTHER ON WEDNESDAY. DUE
TO NEARLY SATURATED SOILS AND HIGH RIVER LEVELS...SOME FLOODING
WILL BE POSSIBLE.
..WEDNESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING LIKELY.
..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.

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ508-510-SCZ001>007-010-011-292200-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-GREATER RUTHERFORD-
EASTERN POLK-OCONEE MOUNTAINS-PICKENS MOUNTAINS-GREENVILLE MOUNTAINS-
GREATER OCONEE-GREATER PICKENS-GREATER GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG-
ANDERSON-ABBEVILLE-
448 PM EST MON DEC 28 2015

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...WESTERN
NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

..TUESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING LIKELY. A COUPLE MORE ROUNDS
OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED...ONE TONIGHT AND ANOTHER ON WEDNESDAY. DUE
TO NEARLY SATURATED SOILS AND HIGH RIVER LEVELS...SOME FLOODING
WILL BE POSSIBLE.
..WEDNESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING LIKELY.
..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.

NCZ068>072-082-SCZ008-009-012>014-019-292200-
CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION-CHEROKEE-YORK-
LAURENS-CHESTER-GREENWOOD-
448 PM EST MON DEC 28 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA AND
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

WEAK INSTABILITY COMBINED WITH STRONG VERTICAL WIND SHEAR WILL
PRESENT A NON ZERO CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING.
THE PRIMARY THREATS WITH ANY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE BRIEF
HEAVY RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS...AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

..TUESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING POSSIBLE. THE HEAVY RAIN
CHANCES ARE GREATEST IN THE MORNING.
..WEDNESDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLOODING POSSIBLE.
..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

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Union

When
December 28, 4:58 PM EST to 5:01 PM EST
Where
Union County, 0.31 mi SE of Alton to 0.83 mi NNE of Alton
Rating
EF0
Path length
0.9 mi
Path width
75 yd
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
34.877, -80.526

NWS Storm Survey found the path of a brief, weak tornado that touched down along Jug Broome Rd south of Monroe and moved northeast for less than a mile before lifting along E Sandy Ridge Rd. Five sheds and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed and multiple trees downed. The wall of one home sitting on concrete blocks was shifted about one foot. Additionally, a camper was rolled on its side.

What these are

Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Carolina, 2015Warnings in North Carolina, December 2015

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: 612739.