South Carolina, 2016

Hail in South Carolina, May 2, 2016

May 2, 2016 · NWS GSP · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Scattered thunderstorms moved into the Piedmont from the Midlands during the afternoon. One storm became briefly severe across Chester County, producing large hail.

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
None recorded
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 thunderstorms moved into the Piedmont from the Midlands during the afternoon. One storm became briefly severe across Chester County, producing large hail.

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 May 2, 1:52 PM EST, 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 2, 1:52 PM EST, 46 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
252 PM EDT MON MAY 2 2016

.SYNOPSIS...
A WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS WILL PERSIST AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT
APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST THROUGH TONIGHT. THIS FRONT WILL
SLOWLY CROSS THE AREA ON TUESDAY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE
REGION ON THURSDAY AND BRING A COOLER AND DRIER AIR MASS FROM CANADA
THAT SHOULD PERSIST INTO THE WEEKEND.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AS OF 150 PM...AS EXPECTED...THE REGION IS SEEING CONVECTION POPPING
UP ON RADAR IMAGERY...AS SBCAPE HAS INCREASED TO 1500-2500 J/KG AND
CONVECTIVE TEMPS HAVE BEEN MADE. FORCING IS STILL SUBTLE
OVERALL...BUT WILL INCREASE AS THE AFTN AND EVENING PROGRESSES. THE
RAP SHOWS 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR AROUND 20-30 KTS...WITH 30-40 KTS ALONG
THE I-40 CORRIDOR. IN THAT AREA...THE SHEAR AND INSTBY WILL COMBINE
FOR A BETTER SEVERE STORM THREAT...WITH SUPERCELL-LIKE STORMS
POSSIBLE. SO A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH WILL BE ISSUED FROM
BUNCOMBE COUNTY NORTH AND EAST UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING. TO THE
SOUTH...GIVEN THE STRONG INSTBY...EXPECT AT LEAST A FEW SEVERE
STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AS WELL.

THIS EVENING...GUIDANCE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT A COLD FRONT WILL
PUSH INTO THE NC MTNS FROM THE WEST...WHILE AN AREA OF DECENT UPPER
DIVERGENCE WILL SET UP WITHIN A RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF A JET
STREAK. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW LINGERING ELCAPE OF 800-1500 J/KG
WITH IMPROVING SHEAR. CAMS AREA ALSO IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON A MAXIMUM
OF CONVECTIVE COVERAGE THIS EVENING. SO POPS ARE MAXIMIZED IN THE
LIKELY TO CATEGORICAL RANGE FROM 0-6Z...THEN START TO TAPER OFF FROM
WEST TO EAST THRU DAYBREAK. LOW TEMPS WILL BE ABOUT 10 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL.

TUESDAY...THE ENTRANCE REGION OF THE UPPER JET WILL SHIFT EAST...BUT
PERIODS OF MID-UPPER LEVEL DPVA WILL CONTINUE AS A POSITIVELY TILTED
TROUGH MAKES LITTLE PROGRESS EAST ACROSS THE MID MS VALLEY. A SFC
COLD FRONT WILL STALL ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE IN THE MORNING...AND
LIKELY BE A FOCUS FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF AFTN SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF I-85. BULK SHEAR LOOKS
BETTER THAN MONDAY...BUT THE BETTER CAPE WILL BE TO THE EAST AS DRY
AIR STARTS TO WORK IN FROM THE WEST. A DAY 2 MARGINAL SEVERE RISK IS
JUST TO OUR EAST. TEMPS WILL BE ABOUT 5-10 DEG ABOVE NORMAL UNDER
PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
AS OF 230 PM EDT MONDAY...AN EASTERN CONUS TROUGH WILL DEEPEN FROM THE
GREAT LAKES TO THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS THROUGH WEDNESDAY...WHILE A
DEPARTING SURFACE COLD FRONT SETTLES SOUTHEAST OF THE REGION. A LEAD
SHORTWAVE WILL CROSS THE MOUNTAINS TUESDAY NIGHT AHEAD OF THE MAIN
TROUGH...BUT LIKELY WITH LIMITED MOISTURE AND PRECIPITATION. THE
CLOSED UPPER LOW CENTER WILL THEN CROSS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA WED
NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AND STEEPER LAPSE RATES UNDER THIS SYSTEM
SHOULD PROVIDE FOR BETTER SHOWER COVERAGE OVER THE HIGH
TERRAIN...WITH LESSER CHANCES EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS IN DRIER AIR AND
LOW LEVEL DOWNSLOPE FLOW.

MOST OF THE MOISTURE IN THE DEEP LAYER NW FLOW UNDER THE PASSING
TROUGH WILL BE CONFINED TO THE MOUNTAINS...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE TN
BORDER. 850 MB TEMPERATURES MAY BOTTOM OUT NEAR FREEZING BY 12Z ON
THURSDAY...BUT MODEL PROFILES OVER THE HIGH MOUNTAIN HAVE A SURFACE
WARM LAYER TO KEEP MINS IN THE MID 30S WITH MAINLY RAIN.
OTHERWISE...BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS OVER THE MOUNTAINS WILL BE
THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON THURSDAY. MINS WILL BE A CATEGORY BELOW
CLIMO...WITH THU AFTERNOON MAXES 10 TO 15 DEGREES BELOW CLIMO IN THE
COOLER AIRMASS.

&&

.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
AS OF 240 PM EDT MONDAY...THE PASSING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS WILL
DEPART THE EASTERN SEABOARD ON FRIDAY. HEIGHTS WILL THEN BUILD FROM
THE WEST OVER THE WEEKEND WITH SPRAWLING SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE FROM
THE LOWER MS RIVER VALLEY TO THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. THIS WILL
KEEP THE WEATHER DRY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A BACKDOOR BOUNDARY WILL
SETTLE JUST NORTH OF THE AREA ON SUNDAY...HOWEVER ANY PRECIPITATION
WITH THIS FEATURE SHOULD REMAIN JUST NORTH OF OUR FORECAST
AREA...WITH THE BOUNDARY LIFTING BACK NORTHWARD THROUGH MONDAY.
ISOLATED CONVECTION ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE COULD RETURN AS EARLY AS
MONDAY AFTERNOON IN THE WARM SECTOR. TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY
RECOVER TO WELL ABOVE CLIMO SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
AT KCLT...THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS BEGINNING TO PICK UP RAPIDLY THIS
AFTN...WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS EXPECTED BY LATE AFTN. GIVEN
THE SHOTGUN APPEARANCE ON RADAR...TIMING WHEN CELLS WILL IMPACT
STILL TOO UNCERTAIN...SO WILL GO WITH FOUR HOUR TEMPO FROM 18-22Z.
THE INSTBY IS FAIRLY ROBUST...SO GUSTY WINDS AND/OR HAIL THREAT WILL
EXIST WITH THE AFTN ACTIVITY. LATER THIS EVENING...STORMS FROM THE
WEST ARE EXPECT TO CROSS THE AREA...AS MOISTURE AND FORCING SHOULD
SUPPORT CONVECTION WELL PASSED SUNSET. WILL CONTINUE THE PREVAILING
TSRA WITH LOWERING CIGS TO MVFR. CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN TO TAPER
OFF IN THE 6-9Z TIME FRAME. LOW CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO LIFT LATE
TUESDAY MORNING. WINDS WILL FAVOR A SW DIRECTION THRU THE
PERIOD...WITH A FEW LOW-END GUSTS POSSIBLE THIS AFTN...BUT MAINLY
GUSTS WILL BE WITH CONVECTION.

ELSEWHERE...SIMILAR TO KCLT ABOVE. HAVE VCTS AND/OR TEMPO FOR TSRA
THIS AFTN...AS RADAR ECHOES ARE BLOSSOMING QUICKLY. MORE STORMS WILL
ENTER THE AREA FROM THE WEST THIS EVENING...WITH MOISTURE AND
FORCING SUPPORTING CONVECTION WELL PAST SUNSET. PREVAILING TSRA AND
PROB30 FOR TS THRU MOST OF THE NIGHT. CONVECTION SHOULD TAPER OFF
FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. WINDS WILL FAVOR A S TO
SW DIRECTION THRU THE PERIOD...EXCEPT SWITCHING TO NW AROUND 6Z AT
KAVL AS A FRONT PUSHES IN FROM THE WEST. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO
GET HUNG UP ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE THRU 18Z TUESDAY. AS FOR FOG AND/OR
STRATUS...GUIDANCE IS MIXED...BUT I EXPECT THAT IF WE GET WIDESPREAD
RAIN OVERNIGHT AND SOME CLEARING OF MID CLOUDS AND PRECIP ENDS
BEFORE DAYBREAK...MAY SEE MORE IFR OR LOWER RESTRICTIONS. WILL GO
WITH MVFR FOR NOW. CIGS WILL BEGIN TO LIFT LATE TUESDAY MORNING.

OUTLOOK...AFTN SHRA/TSRA EXPECT AGAIN TUESDAY...BUT MOSTLY EAST OF
THE MTNS. DRY AIR WILL WORK IN FROM THE WEST TUESDAY NIGHT THRU
WEDNESDAY. A STRONG UPPER LOW WILL SWING THRU THE AREA WED NIGHT
THRU THU...AND WILL BRING SHRA AND TSRA MAINLY TO THE MTNS.

CONFIDENCE TABLE...

            18-24Z        00-06Z        06-12Z        12-18Z
KCLT       HIGH 100%     HIGH  98%     HIGH  86%     HIGH  80%
KGSP       HIGH 100%     HIGH  91%     MED   71%     HIGH  83%
KAVL       HIGH 100%     HIGH  80%     MED   75%     HIGH  81%
KHKY       HIGH 100%     HIGH  91%     HIGH  85%     HIGH  80%
KGMU       HIGH 100%     HIGH  89%     MED   70%     HIGH  84%
KAND       HIGH 100%     HIGH  87%     MED   62%     HIGH  86%

THE PERCENTAGE REFLECTS THE NUMBER OF GUIDANCE MEMBERS AGREEING
WITH THE SCHEDULE TAF ISSUANCE FLIGHT RULE CATEGORY.  COMPLET 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...HG
NEAR TERM...ARK
SHORT TERM...HG
LONG TERM...HG
AVIATION...ARK
Hazardous weather outlook, May 2, 1:28 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
228 PM EDT MON MAY 2 2016

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ051-052-058-059-062>065-068>072-082-
507>510-SCZ001>014-019-031830-
RABUN-HABERSHAM-STEPHENS-FRANKLIN-HART-ELBERT-SWAIN-HAYWOOD-GRAHAM-
NORTHERN JACKSON-MACON-SOUTHERN JACKSON-TRANSYLVANIA-HENDERSON-
CLEVELAND-LINCOLN-GASTON-MECKLENBURG-CABARRUS-UNION-
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-
228 PM EDT MON MAY 2 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.

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME
SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS BEING THE PRIMARY
THREAT. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED AS WELL.

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

..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.
..SATURDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..SUNDAY...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.

NCZ033-035>037-048>050-053-056-057-501>506-031830-
AVERY-ALEXANDER-IREDELL-DAVIE-MADISON-YANCEY-MITCHELL-BUNCOMBE-
CATAWBA-ROWAN-CALDWELL MOUNTAINS-GREATER CALDWELL-BURKE MOUNTAINS-
GREATER BURKE-MCDOWELL MOUNTAINS-EASTERN MCDOWELL-
228 PM EDT MON MAY 2 2016

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 138 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA AND
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.

   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AS WELL...AND
ISOLATED FLOODING COULD RESULT.

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

..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.
..SATURDAY...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
..SUNDAY...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.

HG

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 2, 2:17 PM EST, 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
317 PM EDT MON MAY 2 2016

SCZ009-014-021945-
CHESTER SC-YORK SC-
317 PM EDT MON MAY 2 2016

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN YORK
AND EASTERN CHESTER COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM EDT...

AT 316 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
CHESTER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CHESTER...ROCK HILL...FORT LAWN...RICHBURG...CHESTER STATE PARK...CORNWELL
AND EDGEMOOR.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3468 8088 3457 8116 3473 8128 3492 8101
      3473 8087 3470 8086
TIME...MOT...LOC 1916Z 237DEG 14KT 3469 8115

KRENTZ
Local storm report, May 2, 2:20 PM EST, 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
320 PM EDT MON MAY 02 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0305 PM     HAIL             3 SSE OLD FORT          35.59N 82.16W
05/02/2016  E0.88 INCH       MCDOWELL           NC   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

HG
Local storm report, May 2, 2:23 PM EST, 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
323 PM EDT MON MAY 02 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0320 PM     HAIL             3 SE CONCORD            35.37N 80.55W
05/02/2016  E1.00 INCH       CABARRUS           NC   PUBLIC

            QUARTER HAIL AT HIGHWAYS 49 AND 601.

&&

HG
Local storm report, May 2, 2:24 PM EST, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
324 PM EDT MON MAY 02 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0321 PM     HAIL             4 S MARION              35.62N 82.01W
05/02/2016  E1.00 INCH       MCDOWELL           NC   PUBLIC

            UP TO 1 INCH HAIL SOUTH OF MARION, NC.

&&

JPT
Special weather statement, May 2, 2:26 PM EST, 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
326 PM EDT MON MAY 2 2016

SCZ014-022015-
CHESTER SC-
326 PM EDT MON MAY 2 2016

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF CENTRAL CHESTER
COUNTY UNTIL 415 PM EDT...

AT 326 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6
MILES SOUTH OF CHESTER...OR 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF BLACKSTOCK...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CHESTER...CHESTER STATE PARK AND CORNWELL.

NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE IN
THESE AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3456 8121 3456 8126 3465 8132 3480 8109
      3461 8095 3457 8118
TIME...MOT...LOC 1926Z 238DEG 20KT 3462 8119

KRENTZ
Special weather statement, May 2, 2:33 PM EST, 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
333 PM EDT MON MAY 2 2016

NCZ057-070>072-082-022015-
CABARRUS NC-ROWAN NC-UNION NC-GASTON NC-MECKLENBURG NC-
333 PM EDT MON MAY 2 2016

...A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF MECKLENBURG...
ROWAN...EASTERN GASTON...WESTERN UNION AND CABARRUS COUNTIES UNTIL
415 PM EDT...

AT 333 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE LEADING EDGE OF A CLUSTER
OF THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
SALISBURY TO 8 MILES WEST OF UPTOWN CHARLOTTE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 35 MPH.

LOCATIONS TO BE IMPACTED INCLUDE...
UPTOWN CHARLOTTE...HUNTERSVILLE...KANNAPOLIS...DOWNTOWN CONCORD...
SALISBURY...MONROE...GASTONIA...CENTRAL CHARLOTTE...SOUTH CHARLOTTE AND
SOUTHWEST CHARLOTTE.

PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES
UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

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 MAY ALSO RISE RAPIDLY. SEEK
HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENED BY FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT DRIVE ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS.

FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. 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 STORMS APPROACH.

&&

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT FOR
CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA.

LAT...LON 3550 8030 3519 8051 3517 8047 3516 8044
      3488 8067 3495 8079 3511 8093 3507 8100
      3509 8105 3515 8105 3516 8117 3541 8100
      3540 8096 3548 8094 3552 8088 3551 8074
      3560 8075 3567 8064 3572 8034 3551 8019
TIME...MOT...LOC 1933Z 236DEG 28KT 3556 8039 3519 8099

TDP

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:37 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Chester

When
May 2, 2:38 PM EST
Where
Chester County, Blackstock
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.570, -81.150

Public reported quarter size hail via Social Media.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, May 2016

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: 638359.