Scattered thunderstorms developed over the mountains and foothills during the afternoon and evening, and organized into a few clusters. The clusters produced brief damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, and dangerous cloud to ground lightning, with the Spartanburg area seeing the most significant impacts.
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 thunderstorms developed over the mountains and foothills during the afternoon and evening, and organized into a few clusters. The clusters produced brief damaging winds, very heavy rainfall, and dangerous cloud to ground lightning, with the Spartanburg area seeing the most significant impacts.
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 Jul 16, 1:53 PM EST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
253 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
.SYNOPSIS...
A weak frontal boundary will remain stalled across the area through
the weekend, enhancing rain and thunderstorm chances. Another weak
front will approach the region on Tuesday, keeping the area in an
active summertime pattern of afternoon and evening showers and
thunderstorms.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/...
As of 250 PM...Little change from this morning's thinking with
respect to the eventual cvrg of thunderstorms into the evening
hours. The the biggest threat from storms today remains locally
heavy rainfall, isolated wet microbursts and to a lesser extent
hail, maybe up to the size of pennies. Will go with a more
definite lowering of shower chances as the evening wears on and
heading into the overnight hours with weak shear axis slipping
east of the cwfa, and mid-lvl flow assuming a wnw direction. Blyr
moisture is progged to remain high, so low clouds and locally
dense fog remain probable, especially where is has rained today.
For Sunday, it is shaping up to be a typically warm and humid mid-
July day, maybe max temperatures a degree or two higher than
today's readings. Would expect more in the way of climo diurnal
tstm cvrg with the upper pattern a tad less favorable for storm
development featuring weak upper level anticyclone development.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
As of 250 PM Saturday...Mid level ridging will nose into the area
Sunday night through Monday night. This will lead to a relative
lull in convection with the focus during this period being Monday
afternon and evening mainly in the mountains. The ridge will pull
back west on Tuesday allowing a trof to develop along the east
coast. This pattern shift will lead to more widespread storms
Tuesday afternoon and evening across the area. Temperatures will
remain a few degrees above normal through the period.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 250 PM Saturday...The medium range fcst picks up at 00Z on
Wednesday with very steep upper ridging over the central CONUS and
a positively tilted upper trof axis over New England. The upper
trof is slow to move offshore, but eventually does by the start of
the weekend. The ridge begins to spread farther east on Wednesday
and Thursday, but makes little progress and then begins to flatten
on Friday. By the end of the period, another upper trof attempts
to dig down over Ontario and Quebec, pushing the center of the
ridge farther west. At the sfc, a weak cold front is expected to
lay across the fcst area by the start of the period with drier,
reinforcing high pressure behind it. Over the next couple of days,
model guidance has the high sliding SE and eventually becoming
absorbed into the prevailing Bermuda High. This will put the CWFA
back into a more typical southerly, moist flow regime by the start
of the weekend. The models also bring another cold front to our
doorstep by the very end of the period late Sat. As for the
sensible fcst, most of the period should be drier overall with
less than climo POPs for mid/late July with better chances for
widespread convection on Sat. Temps should start out around
climatology and increase above it for Fri and Sat.
&&
.AVIATION /19Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
At KCLT...With the NC piedmont being the last region to loose their
low clouds today, it lags behind in the diurnal destabilization
process early this afternoon. However, with favorable moisture
profiles regionwide, and the convection allowing model consensus
translating tstms into the region later this afternoon, feel that
there is a better than even money threat for thunder to affect the
terminal at some point during the 5 hour period after 20z. With
diurnal lessening of cvrg this evening, feel that additional storm
chances are not greater than 30 percent after 03z to include a
prob30 mention. Unless considerable rain does fall atop the
terminal later today (which typically increases the chances for IFR
during the warm season), similar blyr moisture levels and flow are
progged to develop early Sunday morning, so a period of MVFR
conditions looks to be probable.
Elsewhere...Based on the expected cvrg of tstms this afternoon and
evening a tempo tsra will be carrier at all terminals into about
early evening. Widespread flight restrictions should develop
overnight with localized LIFR conditions, just like this morning.
Outlook...Fairly typical midsummer weather with afternoon showers
and thunderstorms expected each day through at least the middle of
next week. A frontal boundary will sag south into the region by
early tomorrow and stall out, keeping daily coverage enhanced. Each
day, AM fog and low stratus will be possible in the mountain river
valleys and also in locations that receive heavy rainfall in the
preceding PM.
Confidence Table...
19-01Z 01-07Z 07-13Z 13-18Z
KCLT High 99% High 100% High 95% High 100%
KGSP High 100% High 100% High 86% High 100%
KAVL High 92% High 95% High 94% High 93%
KHKY High 92% High 100% High 96% High 100%
KGMU High 100% High 100% High 96% High 100%
KAND High 100% High 100% High 86% 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...JPT
NEAR TERM...CSH
SHORT TERM...SW
LONG TERM...JPT
AVIATION...CSHHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC 211 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-171815- 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- 211 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST GEORGIA...PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA...WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND GUSTY WINDS. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT. ANY HAIL PRODUCED MAY BE UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. ..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. ..WEDNESDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..THURSDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ..FRIDAY...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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
411 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
NCZ036-056-162045-
IREDELL NC-CATAWBA NC-
411 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN CATAWBA AND
SOUTHWESTERN IREDELL COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM EDT...
AT 411 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES EAST OF NEWTON TO 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF
LINCOLNTON...AND MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... MAIDEN...CATAWBA...LAKE NORMAN
STATE PARK...LAKE NORMAN...SHERRILLS FORD... TERRELL AND BANDYS.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
LAKE NORMAN IS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS. CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS BOATING CONDITIONS.
MOVE TO SHORE IMMEDIATELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3568 8087 3554 8095 3555 8096 3556 8123
3572 8108
TIME...MOT...LOC 2011Z 279DEG 19KT 3570 8110 3555 8118
LANESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
418 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
NCZ059-063-162045-
NORTHERN JACKSON NC-SOUTHERN JACKSON NC-
418 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTY UNTIL 445
PM EDT...
AT 417 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10
MILES SOUTH OF SYLVA...OR NEAR LAKE GLENVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CASHIERS...LAKE GLENVILLE AND TUCKASEGEE.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
LAKE GLENVILLE IS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM. CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS BOATING CONDITIONS.
MOVE TO SHORE IMMEDIATELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3529 8321 3529 8297 3508 8306 3519 8322
3524 8322 3524 8323
TIME...MOT...LOC 2017Z 282DEG 13KT 3522 8318
LANEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
420 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0407 PM FLOOD 2 SW HICKORY 35.72N 81.36W
07/16/2016 CATAWBA NC BROADCAST MEDIA
HIGHWAY 70 AT US 321 IN SOUTHWEST HICKORY IS CLOSED DUE
TO FLOODING.
&&
KRENTZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
422 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0344 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 SSW NEWTON 35.63N 81.24W
07/16/2016 CATAWBA NC BROADCAST MEDIA
TREES AND POWERLINES REPORTED DOWN OFF SIGMON DAIRY RD,
SW OF NEWTON.
&&
JPTSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
423 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
NCZ036-056-068>070-SCZ008-009-162100-
CLEVELAND NC-IREDELL NC-CATAWBA NC-GASTON NC-LINCOLN NC-CHEROKEE SC-
YORK SC-
423 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN CATAWBA...GASTON...
SOUTHEASTERN CLEVELAND...SOUTH CENTRAL IREDELL...EASTERN LINCOLN...
NORTHWESTERN YORK AND NORTHEASTERN CHEROKEE COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM
EDT...
AT 423 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 12 MILES EAST OF NEWTON TO 6 MILES SOUTH OF
LINCOLNTON TO 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF GAFFNEY...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT
20 MPH.
LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GASTONIA...LINCOLNTON...KINGS MOUNTAIN...BESSEMER CITY...SOUTH GASTONIA...
DALLAS...STANLEY...RANLO...WESTPORT AND BLACKSBURG.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THESE STORMS 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.
LAKE NORMAN IS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS. CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE DANGEROUS BOATING CONDITIONS.
MOVE TO SHORE IMMEDIATELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3551 8089 3551 8091 3549 8094 3547 8095
3545 8094 3543 8096 3531 8105 3506 8141
3514 8156 3540 8128 3568 8100 3562 8080
TIME...MOT...LOC 2023Z 293DEG 16KT 3563 8101 3538 8123 3516 8156
LANESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
427 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
NCZ062-162100-
MACON NC-
427 PM EDT SAT JUL 16 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN MACON COUNTY UNTIL
500 PM EDT...
AT 427 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6
MILES SOUTHEAST OF FRANKLIN...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HIGHLANDS...ELLIJAY AND CULLASAJA.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.
LAT...LON 3521 8333 3519 8322 3516 8322 3513 8319
3511 8318 3509 8315 3507 8317 3506 8317
3501 8319 3510 8339
TIME...MOT...LOC 2027Z 288DEG 12KT 3513 8329
LANEThe Greer radar (KGSP), 25 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:29 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Highway Patrol reported multiple trees blown down across the south side of Spartanburg.
Newspaper reported lightning ignited a fire at an apartment complex on Turning Leaf Cir.
Highway Patrol reported a few trees blown down in the central part of the county.
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, July 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 651854, 651858, 651856.