South Carolina, 2023

Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in South Carolina, July 2, 2023

July 2, 2023 · NWS GSP · 9 events in 5 counties and zones

A cluster of thunderstorms moved into upstate South Carolina from northeast Georgia during the evening. A few of the embedded cells produced brief damaging wind gusts.

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
$530,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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.

A cluster of thunderstorms moved into upstate South Carolina from northeast Georgia during the evening. A few of the embedded cells produced brief damaging wind gusts.

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 Jul 2, 6:35 PM EST, 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 2, 6:35 PM EST, 28 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 2, 5:43 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 2, 6:23 PM EST, 40 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 2, 6:27 PM EST, 36 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 2, 6:29 PM EST, 34 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 2, 6:45 PM EST, 18 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 2, 6:54 PM EST, 9 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 2, 6:55 PM EST, 8 minutes before
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The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 91 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:05 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Oconee

When
July 2, 7:03 PM EST to 7:10 PM EST
Where
Oconee County, 4.51 mi SE of Madison to 0.93 mi ESE of Westminster
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
34.598, -83.152

County comms reported multiple trees blown down from the Stephens County, GA line to the Westminster area. One tree fell on power lines and another fell on a vehicle in Westminster.

Lightning, Anderson

When
July 2, 7:56 PM EST
Where
Anderson County, 5.07 mi ENE of La France
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
34.654, -82.671

County comms reported lightning struck a house, causing a structure fire.

Lightning, Greenville

When
July 2, 8:09 PM EST
Where
Greenville County, 1.82 mi SSW of Highland
Property damage
$300,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
35.055, -82.330

Media reported lightning caused a structure fire that destroyed a church at Camp Creek Rd and North Blue Ridge Dr.

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenville

When
July 2, 8:10 PM EST to 8:21 PM EST
Where
Greenville County, 1.19 mi W of Judson to 0.79 mi NE of Cherokee Forest
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$100,000
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
34.829, -82.441

Multiple sources reported multiple trees and power lines blown down from the Welcome and Berea communities, across the city of Greenville, to the Eastside and Taylors area. Trees fell on multiple structures and at least one vehicle.

Thunderstorm Wind, Spartanburg

When
July 2, 8:17 PM EST
Where
Spartanburg County, 0.93 mi ENE of Campobello to 2.19 mi NE of Landrum Fairview Arp
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
35.127, -82.136

Ham radio operator reported power lines blown down at Redland Rd and Highway 11 and a large tree down at Loop Rd and Pacolet Rd.

Thunderstorm Wind, Spartanburg

When
July 2, 8:37 PM EST to 8:50 PM EST
Where
Spartanburg County, 2.07 mi S of Startex to 0.55 mi N of Roebuck
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
34.900, -82.101

Multiple sources reported multiple trees and large limbs blown down from the Duncan/Moore area to Roebuck. Impacted roads included Highway 290, Reidville Rd, and Hickory Dr.

Thunderstorm Wind, Spartanburg

When
July 2, 8:50 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where
Spartanburg County, 1.01 mi NW of Valley Falls to 2.44 mi ESE of Cooley Spgs
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
35.029, -81.994

County comms reported multiple trees blown down, some on power lines from the Boiling Springs area to near Chesnee.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherokee

When
July 2, 9:10 PM EST
Where
Cherokee County, 7.85 mi W of Grassy Pond to 0.18 mi SE of Thicketty
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$75,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
35.130, -81.809

County comms and emergency manager reported a wide swath of wind damage across western Cherokee County, from Cowpens National Battlefield, across the Macedonia and Thicketty communities. The most significant damage was in Macedonia, where numerous trees were blown down and minor structural damage occurred to several homes and a church.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherokee

When
July 2, 9:18 PM EST
Where
Cherokee County, 0.89 mi SW of Gaffney
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.060, -81.640

Public reported (via Social Media) reported a tree and several large limbs blown down in Gaffney.

What these are

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.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, July 2023

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: 1125019, 1125028, 1125031, 1125020, 1125021, 1125022, 1125023, 1125025, 1125027.