Isolated thunderstorms developed along the Blue Ridge during the late afternoon and moved east. One storm produced brief damaging winds in the Morganton area.
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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 along the Blue Ridge during the late afternoon and moved east. One storm produced brief damaging winds in the Morganton area.
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 7, 4:04 PM EST, 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
504 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019
.SYNOPSIS...
Drier air briefly moves in Thursday before afternoon showers and
thunderstorms return for the end of the work week. Smaller chances
of showers and thunderstorms are expected for the weekend with
better chances early next week. Hot and humid conditions will
persist into next week.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
As of 5pm EDT Wednesday: A couple widely scattered thunderstorms
exist this evening in Western North Carolina, moving east-
southeastward off the mountains into the foothills. Development of
a few sub-severe thunderstorms will continue until after dark, with
a possible shower at any location in the CWA.
Significant downdraft cape and steep lapse rates will likely support
at least a few stronger thunderstorms with damaging wind potential.
Cold pool development combined with upper level support may support
loosely organized storms which may increase their strength and
forward movement. Mostly clear skies tonight will likely support fog
again in some areas, especially prone mountain valleys. Light
northwest winds will largely limit fog formation east of the
mountains. Drier northwest flow atop the region will support mostly
sunny skies outside high clouds at times and some ridgetop cumulus.
Seasonably warm conditions are expected through the period.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
As of 220 pm Wednesday: The axis of a long wave trough will persist
along the East Coast through the short term period, with relatively
inactive convective weather generally expected to persist Thu night
into early Fri. The only possible exception surrounds the potential
for remnant organized convection to drop into the forecast area
within W/NW flow, possibly as early as Fri morning, at which time
pops increase to 20% across far western NC.
Otherwise, the leading edge of E/W oriented frontal boundary will
drop into the area by Fri afternoon. Although instability is forecast
to be somewhat muted for mid-summer, the boundary should act as a
focus for isolated to scattered convection, with pops ranging from
around 50% near the TN border to a slight chance across the
Piedmont. The surface wind shift axis is forecast to slip south of
the forecast area by Saturday, allowing slightly drier air to advect
into the region, which should limit buoyancy to weak-at-best levels
Sat afternoon, and slight chance pops will be limited to the mtns
and southern tier of zones. Temps are forecast to be very close to
normal through the period.
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 2 PM Wednesday: Starting Saturday evening with a 500mb trough
over the East Coast and ridge over the central CONUS creating a NW
flow over our region. The surface front that crosses our region
Friday and Saturday will be just south of our area Sunday and into
the start of the week. Low POPs on Sunday into early Monday with
very minor waves of energy passing across the area. On the 500mb
pattern a closed low drops from Hudson Bay toward Montreal with this
energy bringing the next weak cold front SE across the Great Lakes
and Ohio Valley. Although the medium range models start out this
weekend fairly similar, the timing of the shortwave energy into mid
week is certainly different among the various models. The GFS and
ECMWF have the first wave bringing convection late Monday to the
mountains . After that going into mid week, big differences. The GFS
has our region rather wet in mid week. There should be good CAPE
values in late afternoons next week for strong convection outside of
the mountains. Generally 2000 to 2500 CAPE in the piedmont and even
around 3000 in GFS late Wednesday. Temperatures should be near or
slightly above normal.
&&
.AVIATION /21Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
At KCLT and elsewhere: Below normal confidence in convection threat
for this afternoon. A mid level disturbance is expected to help
initiate isolated to widely scattered tsra from west to east between
thru 22Z with most activity exiting the region by around 01Z. Light
northwest winds behind the disturbance should limit any IFR or lower
cigs/vsbys to some mountain valleys and isolated foothill locations
with a 40 percent chance of occurring at KAVL and KHKY. VFR conds and
light nw winds expected Thursday.
Outlook: Convective activity is expected to return Friday with
another lull in activity for Saturday. Overnight and morning fog
will be possible each day, especially for prone mountain valleys.
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 94% High 100%
KHKY High 100% High 100% Low 59% 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...DEO
NEAR TERM...Munroe/WJM
SHORT TERM...JDL
LONG TERM...DEO
AVIATION...MunroeHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC 457 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-082100- 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- 457 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Georgia, piedmont North Carolina, western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are expected to develop across the mountains today and spread east across the area into early evening. The main risk with these storms will be strong gusts in storm outflows and frequent lightning. Although a storm could develop anywhere over the area, the highest chance will be along and east of the I-77 corridor. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... None.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC 414 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019 GAZ017-018-026-SCZ001-072045- Franklin GA-Stephens GA-Habersham GA-Oconee Mountains SC- 414 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN FRANKLIN... STEPHENS...CENTRAL HABERSHAM AND SOUTHWESTERN OCONEE COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM EDT... At 413 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 4 miles east of Clarkesville, moving southeast at 15 mph. Locations to be impacted include... Toccoa, Clarkesville, Demorest, Mount Airy, Cornelia, Hollywood, Boydville, Eastanolee and Turnerville. Wind gusts up to 35 mph and pea size hail 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. && LAT...LON 3471 8348 3465 8315 3440 8328 3454 8356 TIME...MOT...LOC 2013Z 293DEG 12KT 3461 8344 HG
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
430 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019
NCZ507>510-072100-
Greater Rutherford NC-Polk Mountains NC-Rutherford Mountains NC-
Eastern Polk NC-
430 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL RUTHERFORD AND CENTRAL
POLK COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM EDT...
At 429 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 10
miles west of Rutherfordton, or 4 miles southeast of Lake Lure,
moving southeast at 10 mph.
Locations to be impacted include...
Rutherfordton, Forest City, Spindale, Lake Lure, Chimney Rock State
Park, Shingle Hollow, Green Hill, Mill Spring, Green Creek and Lake
Adger.
Wind gusts up to 40 mph, pea size hail and very heavy rainfall rates
up to 1 to 2 inches per hour 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.
&&
LAT...LON 3540 8185 3519 8203 3519 8205 3536 8227
3552 8214
TIME...MOT...LOC 2029Z 305DEG 11KT 3541 8213
HGSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
442 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019
NCZ037-072115-
Davie NC-
442 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN DAVIE COUNTY UNTIL 515
PM EDT...
At 442 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Yadkinville, moving east at 30 mph.
Locations to be impacted include...
Bermuda Run, Farmington and Advance.
Wind gusts up to 40 mph, pea size hail and very heavy rainfall rates
up to 1 to 2 inches per hour 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.
&&
LAT...LON 3600 8070 3605 8069 3605 8050 3604 8049
3605 8047 3606 8047 3606 8046 3603 8044
3600 8041 3599 8042 3596 8038 3593 8037
TIME...MOT...LOC 2042Z 279DEG 27KT 3610 8066
HGSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
500 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019
NCZ508-072130-
Greater Rutherford NC-
500 PM EDT Wed Aug 7 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN RUTHERFORD COUNTY
UNTIL 530 PM EDT...
At 459 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Rutherfordton, moving east at 15 mph.
Locations to be impacted include...
Forest City, Rutherfordton, Spindale, Ellenboro, Bostic, Cliffside,
Green Hill, Henrietta, Harris and Sunshine.
Wind gusts up to 40 mph and very heavy rainfall rates up to 1 to 2
inches per hour 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.
&&
LAT...LON 3543 8170 3539 8170 3518 8179 3525 8197
3526 8198 3527 8200 3528 8200 3530 8203
3533 8205 3534 8208 3535 8208 3536 8209
3549 8204
TIME...MOT...LOC 2059Z 288DEG 15KT 3538 8200
HGThe Greer radar (KGSP), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:56 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Spotter reported trees fell along E Parker Rd and Bethel Rd, with one tree falling on a vehicle.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 2019
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: 852600.