Evening Storms Disrupt Western North Carolina and North Georgia Amid Unsettled Weather Pattern

Western North Carolina and North Georgia have experienced a series of evening storms over the past week, part of an unsettled weather pattern that has brought scattered thunderstorms, damaging winds, and hail to the region. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued multiple warnings and hazardous weather outlooks, urging residents to stay weather-aware as the stormy conditions persist.

Starting late April, the region saw an uptick in storm activity, with showers and thunderstorms primarily affecting western North Carolina on April 30. The NWS noted a low but possible risk of isolated strong to severe storms that evening. By May 1, the threat expanded, with isolated severe storms possible across the mountains, bringing damaging wind gusts and large hail. A marginal risk (Level 1 of 5) for severe weather was in place for both Friday and Saturday, May 1-2, across the area, according to NWS posts on X.

The storms intensified on May 2, with a line of strong to severe thunderstorms moving into the southwest North Carolina mountains and northern Georgia that evening. The NWS reported a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for areas including Cullowhee, Franklin, and Sylva, NC, lasting until 10:00 PM EDT. Damaging winds and small hail were the primary concerns, with cloud-to-ground lightning posing an additional hazard overnight east of the mountains. A hazardous weather outlook issued that day for Northeast Georgia, Piedmont North Carolina, Western North Carolina, and Upstate South Carolina highlighted the risk of damaging wind gusts and large hail continuing into Saturday night.

By May 3, another round of showers and thunderstorms swept through the region, with a few storms reaching severe levels. The NWS warned of a second wave of strong to severe thunderstorms starting after 7:00 PM in the North Carolina mountains and moving east, driven by a cold front. Residents were advised to have multiple ways to receive warnings as the stormy pattern showed no immediate signs of relenting.

The North Carolina State Climate Office has noted that a warming and moistening atmosphere can lead to heavier downpours and longer dry spells between events, a pattern evident in recent years with storms like Hurricane Helene in 2024, which caused catastrophic flooding in western North Carolina.