A line of showers and thunderstorms, with embedded strong-to-severe storms moved across western North Carolina through the morning into the early afternoon. Several isolated, weak tornadoes occurred, along with sporadic pockets of 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.
A line of showers and thunderstorms, with embedded strong-to-severe storms moved across western North Carolina through the morning into the early afternoon. Several isolated, weak tornadoes occurred, along with sporadic pockets of 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 Mar 16, 1:55 AM EST, 3 hours 24 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
255 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Sped up the severe thunderstorm timing in line with radar and latest
guidance.
Issued a Winter Weather Advisory for locations above 3500 feet along
the TN border as confidence has increased in the probability of
accumulating snowfall.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1. A line of severe thunderstorms will cross the area this morning
with a threat for damaging wind and tornadoes. Make sure you have
multiple ways to receive warnings and think about where you would
seek safe shelter if a warning was issued for your location.
2. Precipitation will change to snow across the higher mountain
elevations this afternoon with period of northwest flow snow
through this evening. Gusty winds will develop behind the cold
front this afternoon and continue through Tuesday.
3. Cold air mass lingers through Wednesday night, with freezing
temperatures returning Tuesday night and possibly again Wednesday
night. Warmer temperatures return Thursday into the weekend,
with mostly dry conditions continuing.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Key message 1: A line of severe thunderstorms will cross the area
this morning with a threat for damaging wind and tornadoes. Make
sure you have multiple ways to receive warnings and think about
where you would seek safe shelter if a warning was issued for your
location.
A line severe thunderstorms is moving into E TN and NW GA at this
time. This line moves into our area this morning and quickly moves
east by this afternoon. Instability,shear, and forcing will be
sufficient for these severe storms to remain intact as they cross
the mountains and spread across the rest of the forecast area. The
latest CAMs have sped up the movement of this line with storms
entering the mountains as early as 4 AM and them east of the area by
noon. Have followed suit with our forecast. Low level shear remains
high along with strongly curved hodographs even though SBCAPE is
relatively weak. However, it is strong enough, along with the
forcing, for damaging winds and isolated tornadoes to develop as the
line crosses the area.
Expect gusty S to SW winds to develop across the area outside of any
thunderstorms given the strong low level winds and good mixing. An
area of generally light showers will move in behind the line and
remain over the area into the afternoon before the cold front moves
through with clearing outside of the mountains.
Highs will be earlier than the normal diurnal curve today with a
cold air mass rushing in behind the front.
Key message 2: Precipitation will change to snow across the higher
mountain elevations this afternoon with period of northwest flow
snow through this evening. Gusty winds will develop behind the cold
front this afternoon and continue through Tuesday.
Strong cold advection behind the front will bring a precipitation
changeover to snow across the higher mountain elevations during the
afternoon. These northwest flow snow showers will continue into the
evening before tapering off after midnight. The latest guidance has
increased snowfall totals with amounts of 2 to 6 inches above 3500
feet in the higher elevations along the TN border. Amounts around 8
inches are possible in the highest elevations of the Smokies. The
guidance has increased the probability of these amounts high enough
to increase confidence that a Winter Weather Advisory is needed for
elevations above 3500 feet for the counties along the TN border.
Some valley locations will see a dusting to perhaps an inch. Winds
turn to the NW and become very gusty behind the front. High
elevations of the NC mountains will see gusts as high as 55 mph, so
the Wind Advisory still looks well placed. That said, gusts to 35
mph and possibly 40 mph will be possible for the lower mountain
elevations, and some locations outside of the mountains. The gusty
winds linger into Tuesday, but not as strong as today's winds. The
cold air mass will bring lows 10 to 20 degrees below normal. Highs
Tuesday 15 to 20 degrees below normal.
Key message 3: Cold air mass lingers through Wednesday night, with
freezing temperatures returning Tuesday night and possibly again
Wednesday night. Warmer temperatures return Thursday into the
weekend, with mostly dry conditions continuing.
Upper troughing remains over the region through Friday before
pushing east over the weekend. At the surface, cool and dry high
pressure continues building over the East Coast through Wednesday,
bringing much cooler and well below normal temperatures. Lows
Tuesday night are likely to fall below freezing again, with the NBM
showing a 100% chance of temperatures falling below 33 degrees
across nearly the entire GSP CWA. Lows Wednesday night could fall
below freezing again, but the NBM shows lower probabilities (~40% to
70%) of T<33, mainly for locations east of the mountains. Thus,
confidence on freezing temperatures east of the mountains Wednesday
night is lower compared to Tuesday night. Regardless of lows falling
below freezing again Wednesday night, sensitive plants that have
already bloomed from the recent abnormally warm weather will remain
particularly vulnerable to these cold temperatures each night.
The southern periphery of the surface ridge will extend across the
Southeast through Thursday night before getting pinched off Friday
into Friday night as a cold front sinks southward across the Great
Lakes and Ohio Valley. The area of high pressure will then center
itself over Florida/the eastern Gulf over the weekend while a mostly
dry and weak cold front tracks across Georgia and the Carolinas late
Saturday. This pattern will allow much warmer, well above normal
temperatures to return Friday into the weekend. Thursday will be
warmer as well, but will most locations will see highs end up near
to just below normal. Mostly dry conditions should linger for most
areas as well.
&&
.AVIATION /06Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
At KCLT and elsewhere: Scattered showers and a variety of
restrictions early this morning before a line of thunderstorms moves
in before daybreak for all but KCLT where it's closer to 13Z. Gusty
S to SW winds pick up ahead of the convection and continue through
the morning. MVFR to IFR in SH and TSRA with the line. Behind the
line scattered showers and generally MVFR conditions continue until
a cold front crosses the area later in the afternoon. KAVL will see
LLWS this morning as well. Behind the front, gusty W to NW winds
develop, NW at KAVL. Skies clear by evening with winds dropping off
after midnight for all but KAVL. They will also see lingering low
VFR to MVFR cigs. There is also a low chance of flurries there, but
too low for the TAF at this time.
Outlook: Gusts subside on Tuesday and come to an end by Wednesday
morning, with VFR through Friday
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...None.
NC...Winter Weather Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 3 AM EDT
Tuesday for NCZ033-048>052-058.
Wind Advisory from 4 PM this afternoon to 5 AM EDT Tuesday for
NCZ033-048>053-058-059-063-064.
SC...None.
&&
AR/RWHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
417 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
SCZ010-102-103-105-106-160845-
Central Greenville SC-Anderson SC-Pickens Mountains SC-
Greater Pickens SC-Greenville Mountains SC-
417 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN GREENVILLE...NORTH
CENTRAL ANDERSON AND PICKENS COUNTIES THROUGH 445 AM EDT...
At 417 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Pickens, moving northeast at 60 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...
Greenville Downtown, Easley, Clemson, Pickens, West Greenville,
Taylors, Berea, Welcome, Powdersville, and Travelers Rest.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3491 8290 3517 8250 3517 8248 3488 8227
3462 8282
TIME...MOT...LOC 0817Z 240DEG 51KT 3486 8277
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
ARSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
431 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
SCZ010-106-107-160900-
Central Greenville SC-Anderson SC-Southern Greenville SC-
431 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EAST CENTRAL GREENVILLE AND
NORTHEASTERN ANDERSON COUNTIES THROUGH 500 AM EDT...
At 431 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles southeast of Clemson, or 4 miles north of Northlake, moving
northeast at 60 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...
Greenville Downtown, Greenville Eastside, Mauldin, Five Forks,
Powdersville, Piedmont, Northlake, Pendleton, Donaldson Center, and
West Greenville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3464 8283 3465 8282 3490 8226 3479 8220
3453 8275
TIME...MOT...LOC 0831Z 225DEG 51KT 3463 8270
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
ARSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
451 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
NCZ065-508>510-SCZ103-106-108-160915-
Greater Rutherford NC-Henderson NC-Polk Mountains NC-Eastern Polk NC-
Northern Spartanburg SC-Central Greenville SC-
Greenville Mountains SC-
451 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN RUTHERFORD...
SOUTHEASTERN HENDERSON...POLK...NORTHEASTERN GREENVILLE AND
NORTHWESTERN SPARTANBURG COUNTIES THROUGH 515 AM EDT...
At 451 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 7 miles west of Columbus to 10 miles northeast
of Greenville Downtown. Movement was northeast at 50 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...
Columbus, Landrum, Tryon, Campobello, Saluda, Tigerville, Lake Bowen,
Lake Robinson, Paris Mountain State Park, and Green Hill.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 AM EDT for
western North Carolina...and Upstate South Carolina.
&&
LAT...LON 3552 8204 3512 8202 3491 8239 3527 8240
3540 8222 3540 8219 3545 8215
TIME...MOT...LOC 0851Z 228DEG 42KT 3525 8233 3498 8231
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
ARKSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
455 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
SCZ010-012-106>109-160930-
Northern Spartanburg SC-Central Greenville SC-Laurens SC-
Southern Spartanburg SC-Anderson SC-Southern Greenville SC-
455 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN LAURENS...
SOUTHEASTERN GREENVILLE...WESTERN SPARTANBURG AND NORTHEASTERN
ANDERSON COUNTIES THROUGH 530 AM EDT...
At 454 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 7 miles northwest of Greenville Downtown to 8
miles east of Anderson. Movement was northeast at 50 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...
Greenville Downtown, Greenville Eastside, West Greenville, Greer,
Mauldin, Taylors, Simpsonville, Berea, Five Forks, and Fountain Inn.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 AM EDT for
Upstate South Carolina.
&&
LAT...LON 3480 8252 3483 8248 3493 8251 3511 8204
3465 8206 3449 8253
TIME...MOT...LOC 0854Z 242DEG 41KT 3492 8249 3454 8250
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
ARKSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
544 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
NCZ051-059-161015-
Swain NC-Northern Jackson NC-
544 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN JACKSON AND
NORTHEASTERN SWAIN COUNTIES THROUGH 615 AM EDT...
At 544 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 5
miles north of Bryson City, or near Smoky Mountains-Deep Creek,
moving northeast at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Bryson City, Cherokee, Smoky Mountains-Newfound Gap, Smoky
Mountains-Deep Creek, Smoky Mountains-Kuwohi, Smoky
Mountains-Oconaluftee, Smoky Mountains-Balsam Mountain, B.R.
Parkway-Smoky Mountains To Balsam Gap, and Great Smoky Mountains
National Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 AM EDT for
western North Carolina.
&&
LAT...LON 3557 8353 3557 8349 3561 8345 3562 8340
3567 8334 3566 8330 3569 8326 3569 8322
3568 8319 3567 8318 3564 8320 3563 8318
3560 8319 3556 8316 3551 8318 3550 8319
3540 8350 3554 8357
TIME...MOT...LOC 0944Z 243DEG 44KT 3550 8346
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
ARSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
601 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
NCZ035-036-056-068-069-501-502-504-161030-
Caldwell Mountains NC-Iredell NC-Cleveland NC-Lincoln NC-
Greater Burke NC-Greater Caldwell NC-Alexander NC-Catawba NC-
601 AM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CATAWBA...ALEXANDER...
NORTHWESTERN LINCOLN...NORTHWESTERN IREDELL...EASTERN CALDWELL...
NORTH CENTRAL CLEVELAND AND SOUTHEASTERN BURKE COUNTIES THROUGH 630
AM EDT...
At 600 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 10 miles east of Blowing Rock to 14 miles
southeast of Morganton. Movement was northeast at 45 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...
Hickory, Statesville, Lenoir, Newton, Taylorsville, St. Stephens,
Conover, Longview, Sawmills, and Granite Falls.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 AM EDT for
western and the Piedmont of North Carolina.
&&
LAT...LON 3607 8141 3604 8140 3602 8135 3600 8133
3603 8127 3604 8120 3603 8117 3604 8113
3603 8107 3606 8098 3605 8078 3581 8082
3543 8161 3610 8155 3611 8153
TIME...MOT...LOC 1000Z 233DEG 39KT 3607 8149 3556 8158
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
ARKThe Knoxville radar (KMRX), 86 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:15 UTC.
19 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
NWS employee reported trees blown down along Highway 74 just west of Sylva.
NWS employee reported multiple trees blown down on Highway 74 west of Waynesville. Utility company reported sporadic power outages due to downed trees from the Waynesville and Maggie Valley areas across Clyde and Canton.
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines and causing an outage off of Highway 107.
Multiple sources reported a smattering of trees blown down across northeast Buncombe County, from the Woodfin area, across Weaverville to the Dillingham community. Several trees were down across roads, and a barn was damaged by a fallen tree near Weaverville.
Public reported 3/4 inch hail on Cedar Hill Rd.
A brief, weak tornado with touched down just south of Mars Hill between Interstate-26 and South Main St. It traveled for about half a mile, uprooting several trees and snapping branches before lifting near Bold Springs Dr.
NWS storm survey and emergency manager reported a few trees blow down due to downburst winds across the southeast corner of Madison County from Holcombe Branch Rd to Metcalf Creek Loop.
A weak tornado touched down several miles east of Mars Hill, uprooting and snapping numerous trees. A path of damage was evident for a little over two miles along Paint Fork Road before disappearing into the higher terrain approaching Chestnut Mountain, just past Metcalf Creek Loop.
Spotter reported multiple trees and power lines blown down with power outages in the Fairview area.
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines and causing an outage along Highway 64 west of Hendersonville.
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines and causing an outage along Snow Creek Rd.
Emergency manager reported a tree blown down on Highway 221 South. Utility company reported a tree down on power lines and causing an outage on nearby Hines Rd.
County comms reported multiple trees blown down along Highway 70 west of Morganton.
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines and causing an outage along Parker Farm Rd.
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines and causing an outage along Emmanuel Church Rd.
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines and causing outages in Belmont and vicinity.
Spotter reported multiple trees blown down off Highway 115 and additional trees down on Highway 901 in the Harmony area.
Spotter reported multiple trees blown down in the Statesville area.
Several sources reported multiple trees and some power lines blown down near Uptown Charlotte. Wind equipment on Bank of America stadium meaured a gust of 61 mph.
A weak tornado touched down along N Graham St near the intersection of Moretz Ave, where several small trees were snapped. The tornado moved northeast into a residential area, where additional large limbs were snapped. The tornado reached peak intensity of 85 mph as it crossed Atando Ave where sheet metal was peeled back off a large industrial building. Another warehouse sustained more significant roof damage with a large section of roofing removed. Several large pine trees were snapped behind the warehouse. The tornado weakened and eventually dissipated as it moved into another residential area along Drury Dr where a few small limbs were downed.
Spotter reported trees blown down on Highway 150, with another tree down on Main St on the west side of Salisbury.
Public reported multiple trees blown down in a wooded area off of Transport Pl NW.
Utility company reported trees blown down on power lines and causing an outage along Dutch Rd.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Carolina, 2026Warnings in North Carolina, March 2026
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: 1326571, 1326570, 1328434, 1326574, 1328441, 1326567, 1326576, 1326568, 1326579, 1328435, 1328436, 1326602, 1326583, 1328437, 1328438, 1328439, 1326622, 1326625, 1326629, 1326569, 1326628, 1328461, 1328440.