Flooding in South Carolina, December 23 to 24, 2015

Name: Flooding in South Carolina, December 23 to 24, 2015
Start: 2015-12-23T16:30
End: 2015-12-24T04:30
Location: South Carolina

December 23 to 24, 2015 · NWS GSP · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Rain redeveloped across northern South Carolina on the 23rd, resulting in the second round of flooding across York County in less than 36 hours.

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: $2,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

Rain redeveloped across northern South Carolina on the 23rd, resulting in the second round of flooding across York County in less than 36 hours.

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 23, 2:50 PM EST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 23, 2:50 PM EST, 1 hour 40 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 23, 1:23 PM EST, 3 hours 7 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
123 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

NCZ051-052-058-059-062>064-241830-
SWAIN-HAYWOOD-GRAHAM-NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-
TRANSYLVANIA-
123 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

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

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

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

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.
   WIND ADVISORY.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...AND
POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED TORNADO.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

..THURSDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLASH FLOODING LIKELY. SEE FLASH
FLOOD WATCH.
..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...

SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF DAMAGING
WINDS OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>050-053-056-057-065-
068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-241830-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-AVERY-ALEXANDER-
IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-BUNCOMBE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-
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-
123 PM EST WED DEC 23 2015

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING...

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

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

   FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...AND
POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED TORNADO. THE ENVIRONMENT APPEARS THE MOST
SUPPORTIVE FOR SEVERE WEATHER EAST OF INTERSTATE 85.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

..THURSDAY...HEAVY RAIN WITH FLASH FLOODING LIKELY. SEE FLASH
FLOOD WATCH.
..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...

SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF DAMAGING
WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE.

NED

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Dec 23, 10:38 AM EST, 5 hours 52 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
1038 AM EST WED DEC 23 2015

SCZ011-019-231630-
ABBEVILLE SC-GREENWOOD SC-
1038 AM EST WED DEC 23 2015

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF CENTRAL GREENWOOD AND
SOUTHEASTERN ABBEVILLE COUNTIES UNTIL 1130 AM EST...

AT 1037 AM EST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7
MILES SOUTHWEST OF ABBEVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GREENWOOD...ABBEVILLE...WARE SHOALS...NINETY SIX...COKESBURY...
HODGES...NINETY SIX HISTORIC SITE...SHOALS JUNCTION...GREENWOOD STATE
PARK AND LAKE GREENWOOD.

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 3406 8233 3406 8237 3417 8247 3442 8228
      3437 8219 3433 8217 3432 8214 3431 8212
      3430 8208 3424 8201 3424 8198 3420 8194
      3419 8192 3418 8192 3418 8191 3417 8191
      3404 8232
TIME...MOT...LOC 1537Z 234DEG 36KT 3408 8245

CDG

Special weather statement, Dec 23, 2:58 PM EST, 1 hour 32 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, York

When: December 23, 4:30 PM EST to December 24, 4:30 AM EST
Where: York County, 2.51 mi NNE of Newport to 1.27 mi NNW of Rock Hill Bryant Arp
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 35.011, -81.077

After the flooding that developed on the 22nd, another round of heavy rain moved into York County on the 23rd, resulting in flooding of the same streams and locations that were affected on the 22nd. Stream gauges on Big Dutchman Creek and Wildcat Creek overflowed established flood stages near Rock Hill. Big Dutchman likely flooded part of W Oak Dr, as well as the back yards of some homes on Mt Gallant Rd. Wildcat Creek flooded part of McConnells Highway and Saluda Rd near Highway 324.

Flood, Greenville

When: December 24, 12:00 AM EST to 3:30 AM EST
Where: Greenville County, 0.77 mi SE of Brandon to 0.68 mi ESE of Brandon
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 34.841, -82.392

After around 2 inches of rain fell in the Greenville area in about 24 hours, minor flooding developed along the Reedy River near downtown. A stream gauge on the river at Westfield St exceeded established flood stage, indicating flooding of Cleveland Park.

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Carolina in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in South 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 612540, 612737.