Hail and Damaging Wind in South Carolina, March 30, 2017

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in South Carolina, March 30, 2017
Start: 2017-03-30T16:55
End: 2017-03-30T22:55
Location: South Carolina

March 30, 2017 · NWS GSP · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

Scattered thunderstorms developed in the vicinity of a warm front across Upstate South Carolina during the late afternoon and evening. A few of the storms produced severe weather, mainly in the form of 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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.

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 Mar 30, 1:43 PM EST, 3 hours 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 30, 1:43 PM EST, 3 hours 12 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 30, 2:56 PM EST, 1 hour 59 minutes before

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The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 51 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:56 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Laurens

When: March 30, 4:55 PM EST
Where: Laurens County, 2.88 mi SE of Laurens
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.467, -81.989

Spotters reported penny to nickel size hail south and east of Laurens.

Hail, Laurens

When: March 30, 5:03 PM EST
Where: Laurens County, 2.15 mi SSE of Laurens Co Arpt
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 34.470, -81.940

County comms reported up to quarter-sized hail between Laurens and Clinton.

Hail, Anderson

When: March 30, 5:10 PM EST
Where: Anderson County, 1.14 mi W of Evergreen Hills
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 34.530, -82.700

Amateur radio reported penny size hail.

Hail, Anderson

When: March 30, 5:42 PM EST
Where: Anderson County, 4.75 mi WNW of Williamston
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.640, -82.560

Spotter reported hail up to quarter size.

Hail, Greenville

When: March 30, 6:40 PM EST
Where: Greenville County, 2.37 mi ESE of Mauldin
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 34.770, -82.260

FD reported up to quarter size hail.

Hail, Pickens

When: March 30, 10:55 PM EST
Where: Pickens County, 2.65 mi WSW of Nine Times
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.900, -82.860

Public reported pea to quarter sized hail at the Reserve at Lake Keowee.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pickens

When: March 30, 10:55 PM EST
Where: Pickens County, 3.15 mi WSW of Nine Times
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 34.900, -82.870

Public reported multiple trees blown down at the Reserve at Lake Keowee.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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, March 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 689580, 689579, 689581, 689582, 689908, 689899, 689909.