Isolated thunderstorms developed over north Georgia during the afternoon and evening. One severe storm produced large hail and brief damaging wind gusts in Elbert County.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 over north Georgia during the afternoon and evening. One severe storm produced large hail and brief damaging wind gusts in Elbert County.
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 24, 1:26 PM EST, 3 hours 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC 226 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Temperatures will remain above normal through the holiday weekend with a chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms. A cold front on Monday brings a better chance of showers and thunderstorms. Cooler and drier conditions move in behind the front and remain through the end of the work week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... As of 217 PM EDT Friday: It's quiet across the forecast area as convection initiates over east-central GA ahead of an upper wave exiting the Mississippi Valley. The latest mesoscale analysis depicts 1500-2000 J/kg sbCAPE across the forecast area, corroborated by a few recent observed ACARS soundings. So, we're more or less waiting for the arrival of the synoptic forcing associated with that upper wave to provide a trigger. Temperatures are on track to climb into the mid-80s this afternoon. The 12z cycle of hi-res guidance has finally come into agreement surrounding the evolution of this system as it arrives in the Carolinas. sbCAPE should continue to increase over the coming hours, with the 12z HREF mean depicting peak instability of nearly 2000 J/kg...and higher-end values in excess of 2500 J/kg. Shear, meanwhile, is forecast to be moderate at best. Once the wave arrives, a weak 500mb speed max will skirt the southern zones, but its core will remain displaced to the south such that even more aggressive CAM guidance like the 12z cycles of the NSSL-WRF and FV3 only depict some 25-30 kts of deep shear. Enough for some organization, most certainly, but not enough to expect a groundbreaking severe event. Rather, SPC's Marginal Risk still looks reasonable. Given a distinct lack of low-level shear, tornadoes once again appear unlikely, with the main threats being large hail due to strong updrafts, and perhaps a secondary threat of wind from areas of convection that manage to get organized. At least upstream, cells aren't moving especially fast, so despite PWs of barely 1.5", there's an outside chance of locally heavy rainfall. Convection should wrap up earlier tonight than it did last night (although the latest run of the HRRR has come in with a band of showers crossing the Upstate after midnight) and give way to initially cloudy skies, which will gradually clear up as residual cirrus drifts east. Areas that get rain this evening can expect some patchy fog before dawn, but that won't last long before skies clear. Lows will fall into the mid-60s again. Another round of convection is expected tomorrow, but should be even less active than today. Weak ridging will begin to develop over the Southeast CONUS overnight, and the only supporting upper feature for convection will be an embedded shortwave that dips across the Appalachians and into the Piedmont by afternoon. CAMs suggest that a line of showers and thunderstorms will cross the area during the mid-afternoon, organized more by their supporting upper feature than by any inherent storm-scale dynamics. Sans much of an upper wave to work with, there's pretty good consensus that deep shear will be <20kts, and so severe risk looks muted compared to today's. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 200 PM Friday: A short wave ridge builds in on Sunday but there is a short wave trough that weakens as it moves through the ridge. Guidance has backed off on precip chances in response, with chc PoP north of the I-85 corridor and slight chc along and south. Have followed this trend as well. Any storms that do fire could become severe with moderate instability and shear, along with dry mid level air, in place. Precip chances increase late Sunday night into Monday as the ridge moves east and a stronger short wave digs across the area. PoP still favors the area north of the I-85 corridor with likely PoP and chance along and south. Severe storms look less likely even though shear remains moderate. There is less mid level dry air and low level lapse rates aren't as steep. Temps will be up to 10 degrees above normal both days, with 90 possible along and south of I-85. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 220 PM Friday: A series of short waves dig out a trough across the eastern CONUS which remains in place through the end of the period. Moisture lingers behind the the cold front moving through Monday night, keeping a small chance of convection on Tuesday. Drier and cooler high pressure builds in for the rest of the period. Temps will remain above normal on Tuesday then fall to near normal for Thursday and Friday. && .AVIATION /19Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... At KCLT and elsewhere: Somewhat more clarity on the convective forecast for today, with hi-res guidance now indicating that convection will arrive in the Savannah River Valley and cross into the Upstate around 5pm. In light of this, TEMPOs for the Upstate sites will begin 20-21z. As the system pushes east, guidance depicts it deteriorating. This actually introduces a little new uncertainty as to whether convection will actually make it to KCLT...but have chosen to retain mention of TS, in a shortened TEMPO group, for the evening. Thereafter, some lingering sprinkles may persist in the wake of the main wave. Sites which receive ample rainfall this evening are likely to see patchy MVFR fog again overnight, as residual debris cloudiness thins out and skies clear. That will scatter out quickly in the morning, giving way to another convectively-active day. Timing is uncertain, but guidance is in decent agreement on another wave of SHRA/TS making its way across the area during the afternoon. Outlook: A unsettled pattern will linger thru the rest of the weekend and into early next week, allowing for diurnal shower and thunderstorm chances each day and fog development each night/morning. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. NC...None. SC...None. && SYNOPSIS...RWH NEAR TERM...MPR SHORT TERM...RWH LONG TERM...RWH AVIATION...MPR
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC 321 AM EDT Fri May 24 2024 GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ008>014-019-101>109-250730- 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 NC- Caldwell Mountains-Greater Caldwell-Burke Mountains-Greater Burke- McDowell Mountains-Eastern McDowell-Rutherford Mountains- Greater Rutherford-Polk Mountains-Eastern Polk-Cherokee-York- Anderson-Abbeville-Laurens-Union SC-Chester-Greenwood- Oconee Mountains-Pickens Mountains-Greenville Mountains- Greater Oconee-Greater Pickens-Central Greenville- Southern Greenville-Northern Spartanburg-Southern Spartanburg- 321 AM EDT Fri May 24 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Georgia, piedmont North Carolina, western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Scattered thunderstorms expected this evening and tonight. Coverage will be greatest over the Piedmont but some storms are expected to move over the mountains late tonight. Any of these thunderstorms will be capable of cloud-to- ground lightning. A few of the storms could become severe, posing risks of damaging wind and large hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Scattered thunderstorms also are in the forecast through Monday. Conditions will remain favorable for a few of these storms to produce damaging winds and possible hail each day. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are requested to forward any reports of large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes, or flash flooding to our office.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
442 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024
NCZ065-SCZ103-242130-
Henderson NC-Greenville Mountains SC-
442 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTH CENTRAL HENDERSON AND
NORTH CENTRAL GREENVILLE COUNTIES THROUGH 530 PM EDT...
At 441 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles south of Hendersonville, or 6 miles northeast of Jones Gap
State Park. This storm was nearly stationary.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Jones Gap State Park, Dupont State Forest, Tuxedo, and North Saluda
Reservoir.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3514 8235 3510 8255 3522 8258 3525 8243
TIME...MOT...LOC 2041Z 336DEG 2KT 3519 8250
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
TWSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
513 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024
GAZ029-242200-
Elbert GA-
513 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WESTERN ELBERT COUNTY THROUGH
600 PM EDT...
At 513 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles northeast of Danielsville, or near Bowman, moving east at 25
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Elberton, Bowman, Dewy Rose, Sweet City, and Vanna.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3401 8294 3403 8294 3404 8298 3408 8300
3410 8304 3411 8303 3412 8305 3415 8306
3417 8310 3423 8308 3423 8299 3422 8300
3421 8298 3422 8296 3418 8280 3400 8289
TIME...MOT...LOC 2113Z 291DEG 22KT 3417 8309
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
TWSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
525 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024
SCZ103-106-242215-
Central Greenville SC-Greenville Mountains SC-
525 PM EDT Fri May 24 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTH CENTRAL GREENVILLE COUNTY
THROUGH 615 PM EDT...
At 525 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 14
miles south of Hendersonville, or near Pleasant Ridge State Park,
moving southeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Slater-Marietta, Tigerville, Pleasant Ridge State Park, Cleveland,
and Glassy Mountain.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3510 8254 3514 8235 3506 8230 3500 8251
TIME...MOT...LOC 2125Z 325DEG 9KT 3511 8245
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
TWThe Greer radar (KGSP), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:39 UTC.
1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Ham radio operator reported quarter size hail near the intersection of Highways 368 and 77.
Spotter reported a couple of trees blown down near Russell Dam.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, May 2024
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: 1186616, 1186618.