Isolated thunderstorms developed across the Piedmont during the afternoon. A couple of brief severe storms produced damaging wind gusts east of I-77.
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 thunderstorms developed across the Piedmont during the afternoon. A couple of brief severe storms produced damaging wind gusts east of I-77.
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 Jun 22, 1:09 PM EST, 1 hour 8 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
209 PM EDT WED JUN 22 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
A weak area of surface low pressure will remain across the foothills
and Piedmont through Thursday...before a slow moving cold front
pushes in from the north early Friday. This front will become
stationary across the region over the weekend. Another weak cold
front is forecast to reach the forecast area early next week.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
As of 2:00 PM EDT Wednesday: Northwest flow aloft continues through
the day along with a weak lee surface trough east of the
Appalachians. Temperatures today and tomorrow will remain 5 to 10
degrees above normal. A weak shortwave embedded in upper flow will
help sustain thunderstorms this afternoon that initiate over the
Appalachians. Surfaced dewpoints have so far held-up better than
yesterday and mesoanalysis currently has 2000 to 2500 j/kg of SBCAPE
with deep layer shear of 30 to 35kts, but very weak low-level
shear. Moderate capping layer in soundings has held so far, but
should give-way over higher terrain later this afternoon, with some
thunderstorms moving southeast into Piedmont areas. There is some
chance for severe wind gusts this afternoon in this environment,
especially over higher terrain where instability will be better.
Various CAMs have some thunderstorms moving southeast off the
mountains and weakening diurnally after 01Z. Situation on Thursday
is similar to today, with another impulse in the northwesterly flow
aloft aiding the development of afternoon thunderstorms.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
As of 200 PM Wednesday...A backdoor cold front will sag into the
area overnight Thursday night, as an upper trough digs slightly
along the East Coast. The front will stall out over the area thru
Friday, then drift a little further south by Saturday morning. The
operational models and CAMs that go out through Thursday night agree
on convection entering the area from the north or northwest, as
instability lingers with the approaching front. PoPs will remain in
the chance range through the night across NC and slight chance over
most of the Upstate and NE GA. Thursday night temps will be elevated
with the increased moisture as the front moves in.
Friday...the environment looks similar to Wednesday's, with an axis
of 1500-2500 J/kg of SBCAPE and 25-35 kt of northwesterly bulk shear
over the CWFA. The main difference is that the front will be over
the area to provide better convergence for convection. So solid
chance PoPs will be forecast for the entire CWFA. The environment
should support a few severe storms, with enough shear for possibly
some rotating updrafts and/or multicell clusters. The Day 3 SPC
convective outlook has a slight risk from the Charlotte area and
south and east, with a marginal risk across the rest of the CWFA.
High temps will be in the mid 90s south of the front and upper 80s
to lower 90s elsewhere.
Friday night and Saturday...the front is expected to continue to
drift to the south into central GA and southern SC. However,
moisture and instby will linger across the mountains and the upper
Savannah Valley. The eastern half of the CWFA looks less unstable,
but still some CAPE to warrant a slight chc. Temps will be closer to
normal as slightly cooler air filters in from the north.
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 155 PM Wednesday...No sigfnt changes were needed to the going
fcst. The ulvl ridge will dominate the pattern Sun as a sfc bndry
remains just south of the fcst area. The models keep the best
moisture flux focused across the wrn zones with e/ly upslope llvl
flow. Thus...will keep pops in the low/mid chance range west and
slgt chances east. The atmos becomes moist through the column Sun
night with pwats reaching arnd 1.7 inches. This will occur in
advance of weak cold front...which will allow for better afternoon
tstm coverage cwfa/wide. The front will have little upper support
nor a distinct thermo bndry as the associated occluded sfc low will
cross nrn Canada...so will not anticipate a sigfnt svr threat with
the fropa. However...the op models are in good agreement with the
amount of destabilization Mon with around 1500 J/kg developing by
mid afternoon. So...will expect increased tstm coverge Mon and the
going mid chance to mtn likelys still look good. The front will
stall/wash out over the area as broad trof encompasses the region
Tue...so similar -shra/tstm coverage is anticipated. Max temps will
remain arnd normal through the period...with mins held a cat or so
above normal.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
As of 1:20pm EDT Wednesday:
At KCLT: Main issue will be chances for thunderstorms this
afternoon and evening. Various high-res models have a round of
thundershowers initiating off higher terrain and moving towards KCLT from
approximately 21Z decreasing diurnally after 00Z. Overall chance
for a thunder at KCLT is 40 to 50%. Showers are moving
southeasterly on upper northwest flow. Outside of thunderstorms,
general pattern will persists with a weak trough in the lee of the
Appalachians producing weak southwesterly surface winds with
occasional gust of 10 to 15kts in the afternoon today and tomorrow.
Elsewhere: General pattern of northwesterly flow aloft and a weak
surface trough in the lee of the mountains will continue for another
day. There is sufficient instability for thunderstorms this
afternoon initiating over higher terrain and moving to the
southeast. Dewpoints are holding up better this afternoon, leading
to a better chance of convective activity over Piedmont areas than
we have seen in previous days. KAND is the only TAF site where TS
will not be mentioned due to its position away from the expected
path of showers following initiation. As storms move southeast,
they will weaken diurnally after 01Z. Winds will be variable to
southwesterly with occasional gust to 15kts in the afternoon. If
sufficient rain falls, some patchy fog may form thursday morning.
Outlook: Diurnal convection each day may lead to brief restrictions
through the weekend. Chances for early morning mountain valley fog
and low stratus will also gradually increase through the week.
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 100% High 100% High 100%
KHKY High 100% High 100% High 100% High 100%
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 schedule TAF issuance flight rule category. Complete hourly
experimental aviation forecast consistency tables and ensemble forecasts
are available at the following link:
www.weather.gov/gsp/aviation
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...None.
NC...None.
SC...None.
&&
SYNOPSIS...SBK
NEAR TERM...WJM
SHORT TERM...ARK
LONG TERM...SBK
AVIATION...WJMHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 609 AM EDT WED JUN 22 2016 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-231015- 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- 609 AM EDT WED JUN 22 2016 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 FORECAST DEVELOP ACROSS THE WESTERN CAROLINAS AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE OCCASIONAL TO FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. SEVERAL STORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OR HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS. .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... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD ANY REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES OR FLASH FLOODING TO OUR OFFICE. NED
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
309 PM EDT WED JUN 22 2016
NCZ057-072-221945-
CABARRUS NC-ROWAN NC-
309 PM EDT WED JUN 22 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN ROWAN AND NORTHEASTERN
CABARRUS COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM EDT...
AT 308 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7
MILES WEST OF SALISBURY...OR 5 MILES NORTH OF CHINA GROVE...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... SALISBURY...KANNAPOLIS...CHINA
GROVE...LANDIS...GRANITE QUARRY...ROCKWELL... MT
PLEASANT...FAITH...HIGH ROCK LAKE AND PIEDMONT RESEARCH STATION.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3554 8021 3550 8025 3550 8029 3541 8036
3534 8043 3563 8075 3571 8068 3576 8060
TIME...MOT...LOC 1908Z 311DEG 26KT 3565 8061
07The Roanoke radar (KFCX), 155 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:16 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
EM reported two helicopters damaged by severe winds at the Rowan County Airport, where an automated sensor measured a 58 mph gust. County comms reported a couple of trees blown down near Glover Rd and St Paul Church Rd.
County comms reported power lines blown down near Highway 49 and Lacoma Ln and a tree on a house on Vanderhorst Dr, with occupants briefly trapped inside.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, June 2016
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: 646277, 646278.