Scattered thunderstorms and storm clusters developed over the North Carolina mountains during the late afternoon and evening, with some storms moving out over the foothills during the evening. A few of the storms produced brief damaging wind gusts.
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.
Scattered thunderstorms and storm clusters developed over the North Carolina mountains during the late afternoon and evening, with some storms moving out over the foothills during the evening. A few of the storms produced brief damaging wind gusts.
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 16, 4:56 PM EST, 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC 556 PM EDT Fri Aug 16 2024 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will move through the area over the weekend, bringing scattered showers and thunderstorms. Drier conditions will return next week with below normal temperatures through most of next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... 600 PM Update...Storms are having a hard time forming strong deep updrafts as the environment ahead of an approaching sfc trof remains suppressed. An upper ridge is crossing the area and keeping mlvl LRs low-end while dCAPE values remain under 700 J/kg at most. Will likely need the added sfc convg to move in before stg or svr storms begin to develop across the wrn mtns...likely arnd 23z. Still expect this line to maintain itself within decent effShear of 30 kts as it crosses east thru CLT arnd 05z. Seeing LSRs upstream from WFO MRX of multiple trees blown down and large hail, so expect the same sort of impacts across the NC mtns thru 02z, altho some uncertainty exists with the high terrain interaction and possible disruptions of unstable inflows. There is a decent set up for fog overnight, but lingering convective debris could put damper on fog formation. Did include patchy fog for the normally more foggy locations. Lows will be a few degrees below normal. The guidance is now showing little convective development until very late in the day on Saturday. Have followed these trends as well which keeps convection limited to the western portions of the CWFA. There may be enough instability, bulk shear, and dCAPE for a severe storm or two across the mountains where coverage will be better. Highs will be as much as 5 degrees above normal with higher thickness values. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 120 PM EDT Friday: A mid level trough will extend from the Great Lakes states south into the Southeastern states for the short range period. A diffuse cold front will push across the area on Saturday night and Sunday. This will lead to the chance of showers and thunderstorms each of those periods. By Sunday night and Monday, drying will push into the Piedmont areas, while there will still remain the chance of showers for the mountainous areas as the mid level trough swings through. High temperatures will be above normal on Sunday, but will trend cooler than normal for most of the area, except near the Savannah River, on Monday. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... As of 130 PM EDT Friday: Surface high pressure will push into the region for the middle of next week. This will lead to temperatures a few degrees below normal and comfortable dewpoints as low as 60 degrees on Tuesday. No rainfall is expected either day. The high will push off to the east on Thursday with some return moisture, but only a slight chance of diurnal showers. Temperatures are expected to remain below normal. && .AVIATION /22Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... At KCLT and elsewhere: Isolated convection beginning across the mountains and foothills. CAMs show better coverage first for KAVL and KHKY then delayed until 23Z or so for the rest of the sites. Have updated TEMPO timing for these trends. S to SW wind with low end gusts possible this afternoon becomes light SW or light and variable overnight. There could be quite a bit of convective debris clouds around tonight which would limit fog in an otherwise good set up. Have gone MVFR for now at KAVL and KHKY which will be the most likely locations should fog form. WSW wind, WNW at KAVL, picks back up with mixing on Saturday. Expect VFR Cu through the day. Guidance is not as excited about convection, so have kept out of the TAF for now. Outlook: A cold front will track over the forecast area Sunday with convection expected possibly into Monday. Drier conditions return behind the front by Tuesday. Patchy fog and low stratus will be possible each morning in the mountain valleys and in any locations that received heavy rainfall the day prior. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. NC...None. SC...None. && SYNOPSIS...SCW NEAR TERM...RWH/SBK SHORT TERM...SCW LONG TERM...SCW AVIATION...RWH
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC 403 PM EDT Fri Aug 16 2024 GAZ029-NCZ071-072-082-SCZ009-011>014-019-172015- Elbert-Mecklenburg-Cabarrus-Union NC-York-Abbeville-Laurens-Union SC- Chester-Greenwood- 403 PM EDT Fri Aug 16 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Georgia, piedmont North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Isolated thunderstorms are expected this evening. Any storm which develops will be capable of producing cloud-to-ground lightning and gusty winds. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. There is a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms on Sunday across the region. The main threats will be damaging wind gusts, frequent lightning, and locally heavy rainfall. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... None. GAZ010-017-018-026-028-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>070-501>510-SCZ008-010-101>109-172015- Rabun-Habersham-Stephens-Franklin-Hart-Avery-Alexander-Iredell-Davie- Madison-Yancey-Mitchell-Swain-Haywood-Buncombe-Catawba-Rowan-Graham- Northern Jackson-Macon-Southern Jackson-Transylvania-Henderson- Cleveland-Lincoln-Gaston-Caldwell Mountains-Greater Caldwell- Burke Mountains-Greater Burke-McDowell Mountains-Eastern McDowell- Rutherford Mountains-Greater Rutherford-Polk Mountains-Eastern Polk- Cherokee-Anderson-Oconee Mountains-Pickens Mountains- Greenville Mountains-Greater Oconee-Greater Pickens- Central Greenville-Southern Greenville-Northern Spartanburg- Southern Spartanburg- 403 PM EDT Fri Aug 16 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Georgia, piedmont North Carolina, western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening. Any storm which develops will be capable of producing cloud-to-ground lightning and gusty winds. One or two of the storms could become severe, with damaging wind gusts and small hail, especially across the mountains. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. There is a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms on Saturday and Sunday across the region. The main threats will be damaging wind gusts, frequent lightning, and locally heavy rainfall. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... None. PM
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
601 PM EDT Fri Aug 16 2024
NCZ051-058-162245-
Graham NC-Swain NC-
601 PM EDT Fri Aug 16 2024
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL SWAIN AND GRAHAM COUNTIES
THROUGH 645 PM EDT...
At 601 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 15 miles southeast of Maryville to 15 miles
northwest of Robbinsville to 16 miles southeast of Madisonville.
Movement was southeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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...
Bryson City, Robbinsville, Town Of Santeetlah, Smoky Mountains-Deep
Creek, Smoky Mountains-Fontana Area, Lake Santeetlah, Fontana Lake,
Fontana Village, Smoky Mountains-Twentymile Creek, and Smoky
Mountains-Clingmans Dome.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3537 8401 3541 8402 3546 8396 3547 8392
3552 8388 3553 8382 3556 8377 3557 8367
3546 8337 3530 8351 3528 8367 3525 8370
3526 8372 3524 8376 3526 8379 3525 8385
3522 8396 3523 8400 3529 8403 3535 8404
TIME...MOT...LOC 2201Z 307DEG 22KT 3554 8385 3549 8398 3537 8414
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
CACSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
612 PM EDT Fri Aug 16 2024
NCZ048-049-053-162245-
Buncombe NC-Yancey NC-Madison NC-
612 PM EDT Fri Aug 16 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EAST CENTRAL MADISON...
NORTHEASTERN BUNCOMBE AND SOUTHERN YANCEY COUNTIES THROUGH 645 PM
EDT...
At 612 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles east of Marshall, or over Mars Hill, moving southeast at 30
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...
Mars Hill, B.R. Parkway-East Asheville To Craggy Gardens, Mount
Mitchell State Park, Weaverville, B.R. Parkway-Craggy To Little
Switzerland, Faust, Barnardsville, Flat Creek, and Swiss.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3583 8269 3594 8260 3585 8221 3561 8241
TIME...MOT...LOC 2212Z 300DEG 24KT 3582 8256
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
CACThe Knoxville radar (KMRX), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:33 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
County comms reported multiple trees blown down on Sweetwater Rd.
Public reported multiple trees blown down in the Maggie Valley area. County comms reported multiple trees and power lines blown down in the Waynesville area.
County comms reported trees and power lines blown down on Beaver Creek Rd and on Lucky Morgan Lane.
County comms reported multiple trees blown down along Highway 64 between Rosman and Brevard.
County comms reported multiple trees blown down with one blocking the road on Rodeo Dr.
County comms reported scattered trees and large limbs blown down across the county.
County comms reported multiple trees blown down from Forest City through the Sandy Mush community, with some blocking roadways.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, August 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: 1211243, 1211244, 1211245, 1211246, 1211247, 1211248, 1211250.