Flash Flooding in South Carolina, August 11, 2017

Name: Flash Flooding in South Carolina, August 11, 2017
Start: 2017-08-11T11:00
End: 2017-08-11T14:00
Location: South Carolina

August 11, 2017 · NWS GSP · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Scattered to numerous slow-moving clusters of showers and thunderstorms developed across Upstate South Carolina throughout the morning and afternoon of the 11th. 5 inches of rain across the area from late morning into the afternoon.

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: $1,000
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.

Scattered to numerous slow-moving clusters of showers and thunderstorms developed across Upstate South Carolina throughout the morning and afternoon of the 11th. One area of nearly stationary showers and storms that developed over northern Greenville and Spartanburg Counties produced as much as 4.5 inches of rain across the area from late morning into the afternoon. This resulted in some localized flash flooding.

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 Aug 11, 10:33 AM EST, 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 11, 10:33 AM EST, 27 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 11, 3:47 AM EST, 7 hours 13 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 11, 6:29 AM EST, 4 hours 31 minutes before

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Local storm report, Aug 11, 10:36 AM EST, 24 minutes before

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Local storm report, Aug 11, 10:59 AM EST, 1 minute before

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The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Greenville

When: August 11, 11:00 AM EST to 1:00 PM EST
Where: Greenville County, 2.13 mi W of Gowensville to 2.33 mi SSW of Gowensville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 35.114, -82.257

NWS employee reported flash flooding developed after 2.5 to over 4 inches of rain fell over the Gowensville and Blue Ridge areas in just a few hours. Campbell Creek overflowed its banks and flooded portions of Tugaloo Rd and Stone Cottage Ln. A tributary of the Middle Tyger River also flooded a portion of Lister Rd.

Flash Flood, Spartanburg

When: August 11, 12:00 PM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Spartanburg County, 2.09 mi NNE of Campobello Arpt to 1.92 mi ENE of Campobello Arpt
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $500
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 35.106, -82.201

NWS employee reported flash flooding developed in the Campobello area after 3 to over 4 inches of rain fell in just a few hours. Motlow Creek overflowed its banks and flooded a portion of Macedonia Church Rd.

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Carolina in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in South Carolina, August 2017

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 720309, 720310.