Reporting Severe Weather

News Headlines

A Review of Tropical Cyclone Helene in the Southern Appalachians (Story Map)

Are you in the right place? These instructions are only intended for reporting weather in the western Carolinas and extreme northeast Georgia. If this isn't where you are, please click your approximate location on the map to find your local forecast office.

Reporting Severe Weather to the National Weather Service at Greenville-Spartanburg

By phone: 1-800-267-8101. Leave a message describing your report

***Online Form***

X @NWSGSP

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Your reports can be a vital component of our decision to issue vs. not to issue warnings for hazardous weather. It's important that you provide information that is as accurate as possible:

Location
- Latitude & Longitude (most preferred method of reporting location)
- Road/street and city or zip code
- Distance/direction from nearest city (e.g., 4 NE Charlotte; this is the least preferred method)
The type of weather you are reporting
Approximate time and duration that it occurred
Your phone number (in case more details are needed)

The following weather events meet reporting criteria:

Tornado or Funnel Cloud (watch for distinct counter-clockwise rotation in the "funnel" before reporting it as such)

Hail according to this chart:

Diameter (in inches)	Size Description
3/4	Dime or Penny Size
7/8	Nickel
1.0	Quarter
1.25	Half Dollar
1.5	Ping Pong Ball
1.75	Golf Ball
2.5	Tennis Ball
2.75	Baseball
4	Softball
4.5	Grapefruit

Wind Damage (structural damage or trees/power lines down)
Unusually strong Wind Gusts (measured or estimated according to the below chart)

Visual Clues and Damage Impacts	Speed (mph)	Description
Twigs and small branches breaking off trees, generally impedes walking	39-46	Gale
Minor structural damage occurs (chimney covers, roofing tiles). Ground covered with many twigs and small branches.	47-54	Strong Gale
Minor to moderate structural damage (considerable loss of roofing tiles, siding torn off). Small-to-medium size trees blown down or uprooted. Severe Thunderstorm Warning criteria: 58 mph and greater	55-63	Whole Gale
Widespread minor to moderate structural damage. Many trees up to large size blown down or uprooted.	64-75	Storm Force
Severe and extensive damage. Roofs peeled off and windows broken. RVs and mobile homes overturned. Many large trees uprooted and smaller trees snapped. Moving automobiles pushed off the road.	>75	Hurricane Force

Flooding/High Water Conditions:
- Water from a stream approaching structure(s)
- Water from a stream flowing over roads
- Water due to overflowing ditches or poor drainage making roads impassable
- Streams running at bankfull
Measurable Snowfall (i.e., more than a "dusting.")
Impacts from ice/freezing rain (downed trees/limbs/power lines, slick roads)