Isolated thunderstorms developed over Upstate South Carolina during the late afternoon and evening. A couple of storms briefly became severe, producing 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 thunderstorms developed over Upstate South Carolina during the late afternoon and evening. A couple of storms briefly became severe, producing 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 17, 4:03 PM EST, 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
503 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
High pressure over the Western Atlantic will weaken and move eastward
while allowing a weak front to become stationary across our area
Thursday. This front will slowly dissipate as it acts as a focus for
afternoon showers and thunderstorms into the weekend. A stronger
cold front will move in from the northwest early next week, bringing
cooler and drier air by the middle of the week.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
As of 435 PM: Larger scale outflow boundary currently extends from
near Clemson in SC, to near Shelby in NC, to near the Statesville
area. Scattered activity will continue to develop as this feature
pushes steadily E/SE. Solid 40-50 pops will be carried in most areas
into the evening areas. The severe weather threat will continue to
be limited to the occl pulse-y updraft.
The HRRR keeps spotty activity going overnight while the NAMNest
solution is more outflow driven and generally clears the convection
out beyond this evening. Will keep at least isolated PoP going well
into the morning hours for lingering showers in a nod toward the
HRRR's run to run consistency.
Otherwise, the southeast ridge will continue to flatten through
Thursday. Weak lobes of vorticity will ride over the ridge but
generally stay N/NW of the area. A weak front/trough will settle
into the southern Appalachians overnight and stall/dissipate through
Thu. Continued instability arising from heating and 70s dewpoints,
along with a weak boundary in the vicinity, will yield another round
of scattered to numerous thunderstorms on Thursday. Mins will
continue 5 to 10 degrees above climo, with maxes a category or two
above climo.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 300 AM Wed: Expectations for Thu-Fri have not changed much
from the previous forecast cycle. A weak frontal boundary will
extend from low pressure near the Canadian Maritimes southwestward
into the southern Plains on Thursday morning. Thermal advection
invof the front over our area looks to be essentially nonexistent,
though it will provide a source of low-level convergence. In the
presence of abundant moisture and modestly unstable profiles,
it is logical to expect enhanced convective coverage, with
locally heavy rainfall rates likely (and profiles supportive of
training/backbuilding). One interesting development is that the 4km
NAM develops only isolated showers out of these ingredients. The
NAM has done a bit better of late in depicting convective coverage,
so seeing that I opted not to increase PoPs, keeping them in chance
range across the forecast area.
The front will lay out from west to east across GA/SC Friday as
the parent low moves even further away, eventually stalling. It's
hard to pick out exactly where, or if, there will be a band of
forcing. Models generally produce less activity overall on Friday,
compared to Thursday. However it remains prudent to maintain PoPs
in chance range. PWAT values are slightly higher, suggesting still
better rainfall rates, under the continued unidirectional flow
regime. Westerly low-level flow does imply upsloping will initiate
activity over the NC/TN border, but it is not distinct enough to
expect downsloping will have a negative effect over the Piedmont.
Max temps will be near normal, with mins a category or so above
normal due to overnight cloud cover and excessive moisture.
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 115 PM Wed: No major changes were made to the ext range fst.
The SE CONUS will remain in warm/moist environ Sun with Bermuda High
ridging aligned to the south while a cold front pushes into middle
TN. This front will cross into the NC mtns Sun night and lose its
definition through Mon. There will be a decent airmass change behind
the front...but the lower theta/e air will not start filtering into
the nrn CWFA until late afternoon Mon or early Tue. Thus...Mon will
be another warm and humid day for most areas...esp south of I-40.
Pops will remain fairly high across the mtns with increased llvl
convrg and low chances over the non/mtns. On Tue...the cP airmass
should mix across the entire CWFA and lower the pop/tstm potential
as llvl stability increases underneath broad ridging aloft. Low-end
pops will be confined across the higher ridge tops. A welcomed
lowering change in temps/tds from the recent dog day pattern will be
noticeable as max temps are held a cat or so below normal and tds
drop into the lower 60s.
&&
.AVIATION /21Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
KCLT: Weak piedmont convection has already developed in the
vicinity of KCLT, but has remained mainly east of the airfield thus
far. TEMPO TSRA has been moved up to 19Z to accommodate this
activity, with VCSH all evening. Any restrictions should be confined
to brief vsby restrictions under any downpours. Given the high
downdraft CAPE nearby, the TEMPO will also feature low end wind
gusts. Otherwise, expect VFR conditions with shower/thunderstorm
coverage diminishing overnight. The boundary layer remains quite
moist, but model/MOS consensus is for no nearby AM stratus on
Thursday. Will pick up PROB thunder again after 16Z. Light winds
will continue from the SW.
Elsewhere: Triggering along the high terrain will keep tstm coverage
the greatest from KAVL to near KHKY through early evening. The
mountain activity could get an eastward push out along I-40 in
westerly steering flow, but will keep only VCSH after 00Z at KHKY.
Convection will be spottier across the SC terminal sites with just
VCTS through late afternoon. Mountain valley fog and low stratus
will be hard to pin down given the likelihood of debris clouds from
the evening/upstream convection. Will feature a window of IFR fog at
KAVL starting at 09Z, but with restrictions less likely across the
foothills unless heavy rain falls at the airfield.
Outlook: Thunderstorms will gradually increase in coverage through
Friday and into the weekend as another cold front approaches from
the northwest. The front should arrive early next week to continue
the thunderstorm activity through Monday. Morning fog/stratus will
be possible each day in the NC mountain valleys, and possibly in
locations that receive soaking rains the previous aftn/evening.
Confidence Table...
21-03z 03-09Z 09-15Z 15-18Z
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 scheduled 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...HG/JDL
SHORT TERM...JAT
LONG TERM...SBK
AVIATION...HGHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 700 AM EDT WED AUG 17 2016 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ035>037-056-057-064-065-068>072-082- 501>510-SCZ001>014-019-181100- RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-ALEXANDER-IREDELL- DAVIE-CATAWBA-ROWAN-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- 700 AM EDT WED AUG 17 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA...SOUTH CAROLINA...AND NORTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION TO CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...ANY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ABLE TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. COVERAGE WILL DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET...BUT A FEW STORMS MAY LINGER OVER THE AREA INTO TONIGHT. .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. NCZ033-048>053-058-059-062-063-181100- AVERY-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-BUNCOMBE-GRAHAM- NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON- 700 AM EDT WED AUG 17 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A PORTION OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA NEAR THE TENNESSEE BORDER. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION TO CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...ANY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ABLE TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. WHILE COVERAGE WILL DIMINISH TO SOME DEGREE BY SUNSET...SCATTERED STORMS MAY LINGER OVER THE AREA INTO TONIGHT. .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. WIMBERLEY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 424 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016 NCZ035-036-056-172100- IREDELL NC-CATAWBA NC-ALEXANDER NC- 424 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH INTENSE LIGHTNING WILL IMPACT NORTH CENTRAL CATAWBA...NORTHWESTERN IREDELL AND EASTERN ALEXANDER COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM EDT... AT 424 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH INTENSE LIGHTNING NEAR TAYLORSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... TAYLORSVILLE...STATESVILLE...STONY POINT...LOVE VALLEY...LOOKOUT SHOALS LAKE...SCOTTS...OXFORD...HIDDENITE...VASHTI AND MILLERSVILLE. IN ADDITION TO INTENSE LIGHTNING...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. 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. DO NOT TAKE A SHOWER OR BATH. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY APPLIANCES BEFORE THE STORM APPROACHES. && LAT...LON 3576 8120 3594 8126 3605 8099 3579 8090 TIME...MOT...LOC 2024Z 253DEG 8KT 3588 8115 07
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 457 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016 SCZ010-011-172130- ABBEVILLE SC-ANDERSON SC- 457 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH INTENSE LIGHTNING WILL IMPACT CENTRAL ABBEVILLE AND SOUTHEASTERN ANDERSON COUNTIES UNTIL 530 PM EDT... AT 457 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH INTENSE LIGHTNING 13 MILES NORTHWEST OF ABBEVILLE...OR 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF LAKE SECESSION...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH. LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... HONEA PATH...DUE WEST...LAKE SECESSION AND ANTREVILLE. IN ADDITION TO INTENSE LIGHTNING...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. 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. DO NOT TAKE A SHOWER OR BATH. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY APPLIANCES BEFORE THE STORM APPROACHES. && LAT...LON 3421 8259 3439 8264 3448 8239 3422 8232 TIME...MOT...LOC 2057Z 257DEG 6KT 3432 8254 07
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
510 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0447 PM TSTM WND DMG KANNAPOLIS 35.49N 80.62W
08/17/2016 CABARRUS NC 911 CALL CENTER
911 CALL CENTER REPORTED NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES
DOWN IN KANNAPOLIS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
&&SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
517 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016
SCZ010-172145-
ANDERSON SC-
517 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH INTENSE LIGHTNING WILL IMPACT
NORTHEASTERN ANDERSON COUNTY UNTIL 545 PM EDT...
AT 517 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH
INTENSE LIGHTNING 7 MILES SOUTH OF EASLEY...OR 5 MILES WEST OF
PIEDMONT...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PIEDMONT AND POWDERSVILLE.
IN ADDITION TO INTENSE LIGHTNING...PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO
45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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. DO NOT TAKE A SHOWER OR BATH. TRY TO UNPLUG UNNECESSARY
APPLIANCES BEFORE THE STORM APPROACHES.
&&
LAT...LON 3466 8266 3474 8266 3478 8257 3478 8245
3472 8247 3471 8246 3471 8247 3470 8246
3468 8246 3467 8247 3466 8246
TIME...MOT...LOC 2117Z 257DEG 9KT 3472 8256
NEDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
528 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0449 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SSW HIDDENITE 35.88N 81.10W
08/17/2016 ALEXANDER NC BROADCAST MEDIA
BROADCAST MEDIA REPORTED TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN ON
LIBERTY CHURCH RD IN HIDDENITE
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
534 PM EDT WED AUG 17 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0445 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 W KANNAPOLIS 35.49N 80.64W
08/17/2016 CABARRUS NC TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A TREE DOWN ON POWER LINES ON
MOORESVILLE RD & RAINBOW DR IN KANNAPOLIS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM
RADAR.
&&The Greer radar (KGSP), 40 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:43 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
County comms reported a tree blown down on Big Creek Rd and Garren Rd. Highway Patrol reported another tree down at Mize Rd and Hammond Rd.
Spotter reported numerous large tree limbs up to 5 inches diameter blown down on N Main St.
Spotter reported 3/4 inch hail on N Main St.
Highway Patrol reported a tree blown down in the Hickory Tavern area and another tree down on Fairview Rd in Laurens.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, August 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: 658266, 658267, 658272, 658271.