Isolated thunderstorms developed across western North Carolina during the afternoon. One of the storms produced brief damaging wind gusts in Iredell County.
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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 across western North Carolina during the afternoon. One of the storms produced brief damaging wind gusts in Iredell 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 21, 1:12 PM EST, 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC 212 PM EDT Thu May 21 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... The wet and cool forecast continues through the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Wet and near normal through the rest of the period. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1. A cold front will drop down from the northwest tonight, ushering in a change in our weather for the Memorial Day weekend. The new pattern will support a period of cooler and more unsettled weather that could ultimately put a dent in our drought as it persists into the middle of next week. At this time, the risk of severe thunderstorms and flooding rain appears low. && .DISCUSSION... Key message 1: A cold front will drop down from the northwest tonight, ushering in a change in our weather for the Memorial Day weekend. The new pattern will support a period of cooler and more unsettled weather that could ultimately put a dent in our drought as it persists into the middle of next week. At this time, the risk of severe thunderstorms and flooding rain appears low. Convection ramping up across the area and will continue into the evening. Despite the cloud cover, instability is increasing with 1500 J/kg of CAPE across most of the area. Bulk shear is weak and the best DCAPE is off to our east. Can't rule out a few strong or possibly even a severe storm, but the overall chance is low. Some brief, heavy rainfall is possible with any storm, but unless there is some training, the overall flood threat is low as well. Once the front slips southward overnight, a sfc high over eastern Canada will nose down east of the mtns and establish a cold air damming wedge across the region by daybreak Friday. Developing low level isentropic upglide early in the day should develop enough low cloudiness to lock in the cooler air mass that will be noticeable compared to our week thus far. For now, our forecast has high temps mainly in the 70s east of the mtns, undercutting what is in the NBM by several degrees, but that could easily be ten degrees too warm if we end up with extensive light rain. The guidance continues to suggest the wedge is likely to persist through Saturday even as the transitory parent high moves off the Canadian Maritimes. Temps were once again lowered from the model blend. Support for CAD fades Sunday as the southwesterly flow aloft increases. From that point onward, unsettled weather will continue as the Gulf remains open with a mean upper trof axis over the srn Plains/MS Valley region and a mean ridge off the East Coast. So, from Memorial Day onward, we are looking at a favorable period of above climo precip probs and rainfall coverage. If this persists as indicated by some guidance, we could eventually get to the point where flash flood risk creeps upward, but for now we will manage expectations. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... At KCLT and elsewhere: Convection popping up across portions of the area with more coverage expected through the afternoon as a backdoor cold front drops into the area. Have TEMPOs and PROB30s to cover this activity. Convection lingers into the evening before becoming more showery or stratiform overnight. Initially, restrictions will be limited to the convection; however, as the front crosses the area, MVFR then IFR clouds move in from the NE. MVFR vsby restrictions develop overnight as well. Cold air damming conditions set in Fri with IFR cigs and MVFR vsby and PROB30s for LIFR cigs and IFR vsby with shra continuing. Generally SW wind, NW at KAVL, this afternoon becomes N to NE this evening and continues into Saturday. Outlook: Cold-air damming persists thru Saturday. The CAD will likely produce widespread MVFR to IFR ceilings into Saturday. Periods of mainly diurnal convection will also continue atop the CAD wedge and into next week, even as the CAD erodes. The potential for overnight fog/low clouds will increase through the period as well. && .GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. NC...None. SC...None. && RWH
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
215 PM EDT Thu May 21 2026
NCZ036-057-211845-
Rowan NC-Iredell NC-
215 PM EDT Thu May 21 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL IREDELL AND NORTHWESTERN
ROWAN COUNTIES THROUGH 245 PM EDT...
At 215 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 4
miles west of Statesville, moving northeast at 30 mph.
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...
Statesville, Scotts, Turnersburg, Cool Springs, and Olin.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3591 8072 3590 8070 3585 8071 3585 8070
3586 8069 3585 8067 3584 8067 3584 8063
3581 8059 3571 8100 3571 8103 3581 8108
3596 8087
TIME...MOT...LOC 1815Z 238DEG 25KT 3580 8097
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
CPThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 149 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:27 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Fire dept reported multiple trees blown down across the road.
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 historyWarnings in North Carolina, May 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: 1341447.