Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Greer, SC
Issued by NWS Greer, SC
553 NOUS42 KGSP 060738 CCB PNSGSP GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065- 068>072-082-501>510-SCZ008>014-019-101>109-111400- Public Information Statement National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC 338 AM EDT Thur June 6 2024 ...NWS Damage Survey for 5/8-9/24 Tornado Event Update #3... .Update...Two tornadoes in Jackson County from early in the morning on May 9th have been added. This will be the final update for this event pending any additional information. .Polkville-Cherryville Tornado... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 110 mph Path Length /statute/: 21.99 miles Path Width /maximum/: 100 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 05/08/2024 Start Time: 03:00 PM EDT Start Location: 1 NNW Polkville / Cleveland County / NC Start Lat/Lon: 35.4339 / -81.651 End Date: 05/08/2024 End Time: 03:44 PM EDT End Location: 4 NNW Bessemer City / Gaston County / NC End Lat/Lon: 35.3399 / -81.288 Survey Summary: This tornado touched down along Polkville Road, just on the north side of Polkville, where several trees were uprooted. The tornado moved southeast across Casar Road where additional trees were uprooted and snapped. Tree damage continued along W Stage Coach Trail as the tornado moved through the Lawndale area. The tornado crossed Fallston Road just south of Fallston where more tree damage was noted. The tornado reached peak intensity as it approached and moved through Cherryville, uprooting and snapping numerous trees. The greatest area of damage was observed near the intersection of Helton Road and Greenway Ave where dozens of trees were uprooted or snapped. The tornado took another turn to the southeast and downed several more trees near Tryon School Road and Dameron Road. The tornado lifted in a wooded area along Abel Road. .Gastonia-Belmont Tornado... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 110 mph Path Length /statute/: 8.29 miles Path Width /maximum/: 60 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 2 Start Date: 05/08/2024 Start Time: 03:40 PM EDT Start Location: 3 WNW Gastonia / Gaston County / NC Start Lat/Lon: 35.2807 / -81.2094 End Date: 05/08/2024 End Time: 03:50 PM EDT End Location: 1 ENE Mcadenville / Gaston County / NC End Lat/Lon: 35.2693 / -81.0648 Survey Summary: This tornado touched down near West Davidson Ave snapping several trees. The tornado quickly moved to the east and crossed US Highway 321 near the I-85 interchange, reaching peak intensity. Several buildings sustained minor roof damage, multiple power poles were snapped, and numerous trees were uprooted or snapped in a wooded area/Sims Legion Park. The tornado snapped additional trees as it crossed I-85 and moved through East Gastonia. Numerous trees were downed or snapped as the tornado moved through East Gastonia along with a warehouse sustaining roof damage. The tornado continued to produce tree damage as it moved through the Lowell area and crossed the South Fork Catawba River. Several more trees were downed in Belmont before the tornado lifted near Oak Street in the Springwood Community. .Black Mountain Tornado... Rating: EF0 Estimated Peak Wind: 85 mph Path Length /statute/: 2.47 miles Path Width /maximum/: 30 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 05/09/2024 Start Time: 12:15 AM EDT Start Location: 2 NW Black Mountain / Buncombe County / NC Start Lat/Lon: 35.6423 / -82.3492 End Date: 05/09/2024 End Time: 12:18 AM EDT End Location: 1 NE Black Mountain / Buncombe County / NC End Lat/Lon: 35.6199 / -82.3177 Survey Summary: This tornado touched down along North Fork Road where several trees were uprooted. The tornado moved southeast across Allen Mountain and across the Black Mountain Golf Course where additional trees were uprooted along with large limbs snapped. The most concentrated damage occurred from Laurel Ave to just north of downtown Black Mountain where multiple trees were uprooted along with numerous large limbs snapped. Several homes sustained damage from falling trees. A communications tower at the Black Mountain fire station was also toppled. The tornado lifted along East State Street. .Glenville Tornado #1... Rating: EF2 Estimated Peak Wind: 115 mph Path Length /statute/: 9.54 miles Path Width /maximum/: 400 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 05/09/2024 Start Time: 12:15 AM EDT Start Location: 4 N Ellijay / Jackson County / NC Start Lat/Lon: 35.246 / -83.2586 End Date: 06/09/2024 End Time: 12:26 AM EDT End Location: 4 SSE Tuckasegee / Jackson County / NC End Lat/Lon: 35.2038 / -83.1006 Survey Summary: This tornado touched down in a heavily wooded area in the Cowee Mountains just east of Pumpkintown and near the Macon County line. The tornado produced minor tree damage as it ascended a ridge near Kirby Knob. The tornado rapidly strengthened as it descended through Cullowhee Gap and crossed Tilley Creek Road. Multiple trees were uprooted along the road with numerous large branches snapped. The tornado quickly reached peak intensity of EF-2 with 115mph winds just east of Tilley Creek Road where an extensive swath of trees received considerable damage. Approximately 80% of the trees in this swath were either snapped or uprooted with the trees still standing having multiple branches snapped off. The tornado weakened back to a high-end EF- 1 snapping or uprooting many trees as it passed just below Moss Knob. The tornado turned southeast remaining in a remote and heavily wooded area as it continued to down numerous trees between Pine Knob and Low Ridge with the damage path focused near Whiterock Creek. Several trees were uprooted where the tornado crossed White Rock Road near Cullowhee Mountain Road. The tornado then entered the Cullowhee Forest community where numerous trees were downed along Walking Stick Trail as the tornado paralleled Hunter Jim Creek. After exiting Cullowhee Forest, the tornado crossed the West Fork Tuckasegee River and Highway 107 just below Trout Creek Road. High-end EF-1 damage was once again noted as the tornado crossed Highway 107 and ascended a ridge where a stand of trees received modest damage with approximately 60% of the trees felled. The tornado then passed through the northern portion of the Sims Valley community just on the south side of Trout Creek. Numerous trees were downed along the mountainside with several trees brought down in the Trout Creek Campground, which was on the northern fringes of the tornadic circulation. The tornado turned southeast one more time before dissipating in a wooded area near Big Ridge. This tornado occurred across very rugged terrain with limited to no vehicle access across large portions of the damage path. High resolution satellite imagery, drone imagery, and personal photographs from residents were used to help fill data gaps and estimate start/end points. NWS Greenville-Spartanburg would like to thank Jackson County Emergency Management for providing drone imagery and residents for sharing their personal damage pictures and video. .Glenville Tornado #2... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 105 mph Path Length /statute/: 1.54 miles Path Width /maximum/: 200 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 05/09/2024 Start Time: 12:23 AM EDT Start Location: 4 SSW Tuckasegee / Jackson County / NC Start Lat/Lon: 35.207 / -83.1515 End Date: 05/09/2024 End Time: 12:25 AM EDT End Location: 4 S Tuckasegee / Jackson County / NC End Lat/Lon: 35.2166 / -83.1276 Survey Summary: This brief tornado touched down in a wooded area just below Lake Glenville near Shoal Creek Mountain Road. The tornado crossed Shoal Creek Mountain Road twice where the road takes a sharp hairpin turn. The tornado reached peak intensity of 105mph in this area where numerous trees were uprooted or snapped with large branches also snapped off. The tornado crossed Highway 107 and moved northeast where it ascended Pilot Mountain, passing very close to the summit. A narrow and focused swath of downed trees was documented where the tornado crossed Big Pilot Mountain Road. The tornado descended Pilot Mountain and into the Simms Valley community where a couple trees were uprooted and numerous large branches snapped. This tornado occurred at the same time as the main tornado (Glenville Tornado #1) was passing through the Trout Creek area. This tornado (Glenville Tornado #2) quickly turned to the north as it moved towards Trout Creek and dissipated as it merged with the broader area of rotation associated with the main tornado (Glenville Tornado #1). NWS Greenville-Spartanburg would like to thank Jackson County Emergency Management for providing drone imagery of the damage path and residents of the Simms Valley community who provided additional damage pictures that helped determine the presence of a second concurrent tornado that crossed over Pilot Mountain. .NWS Storm Survey Findings from Anderson and Laurens Counties South Carolina... The National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg SC has completed a storm survey in Anderson and Laurens counties of South Carolina. The survey is in relation to the severe storms that moved through the area Wednesday evening, May 8, 2024. The survey team began in Anderson County, traveling a path including Northlake, Anderson, Belton, and Princeton. The team found evidence only of straight-line winds, with peak intensity of 75 mph in downtown Anderson, where minor structural damage occurred to a building. Numerous trees were on houses. This damage was all west of US Highway 25 and extended into far western Laurens County. The team picked up the survey again near US Highway 221 north of Waterloo in Laurens County, traveling generally southeast to near Mountville and Cross Hill. The observed damage was not along a clear path indicative of a tornado, so this too was attributed to straight-line winds of less than 75 mph. The survey ended before the team reached the Newberry County line. && EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: EF0.....65 to 85 mph EF1.....86 to 110 mph EF2.....111 to 135 mph EF3.....136 to 165 mph EF4.....166 to 200 mph EF5.....>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data. $$