Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 1, NWS Columbia, SC
NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Feb 21, 1989, 9:46 AM EST for Chesterfield County, South Carolina. It was in force for 59 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Feb 21, 1989, 9:46 AM EST (14:46 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 21, 1989, 10:45 AM EST
- In force
- 59 min
- Issued by
- NWS Columbia, SC
- Area
- Whole counties
County Chesterfield County, SC
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 21, 9:50 AM EST | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Chesterfield, SC | |
| Feb 21, 10:00 AM EST | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Chesterfield, SC |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.
The nearest sounding before it
Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 12:00Z, 2.8 hours before the alert went out and 162 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 480 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 63 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 42 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 127 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KCAE 211447
TORCAE
SCC025-211545-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
946 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN COLUMBIA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1045 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN SOUTH CAROLINA
...CHESTERFIELD
A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS NEAR JEFFERSON IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY MOVING
TOWARDS THE CITY OF CHESTERFIELD
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY. AVOID WINDOWS.What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 3:52 AM EST, 5 hours 54 minutes before
BULLETIN SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA, SC 350 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989 ...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT OVER NORTHWEST HALF OF STATE EARLY THIS MORNING... PATCHY DENSE FOG COVERS MUCH OF THE NORTHWEST HALF OF SOUTH CAROLINA THIS MORNING. IN MANY AREAS VISIBILITES HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO LESS THAN 1/2 MILE. LITTLE OR NO IMPROVEMENT IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 2 TO 3 HOURS MAKING HAZARDEOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS DURING THE EARLY MORNING TRAFFIC. A WARM FRONT LOCATED OVER THE COASTAL PLAINS WILL MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWARD THIS MORNING AND CONDTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE RAPIDLY BEHIND THE FRONT. MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION DRIVING DURING THE EARLY MORzNING HOURS WITH VISIBILITES NEAR ZERO IN MANY AREAS. ARDREY
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 7:26 AM EST, 2 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUGUSTA GA 725AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HANCOCK...WASHINGTON... JOHNSON...AND EMANUEL COUNTIES UNTIL 11 AM THIS MORNING... AT 720 AM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EMBEDDED IN LIGHT RAIN OVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTH CAROLINA WERE NEAR EDGEFIELD. A LEADING EDGE OF A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM NEAR LAKE GREENWOOD IN SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTHWEST ACROSS THURMOND LAKE INTO CENTRAL GEORGIA SOUTH OF MACON. STRONG GUSTY WINDS, BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE AS THIS LINE MOVES EAST AT 35 MPH.
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 8:32 AM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUGUSTA GA 830AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HANCOCK...WASHINGTON... JOHNSON...AND EMANUEL COUNTIES UNTIL 11 AM THIS MORNING... AT 820 AM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EMBEDDED IN LIGHT RAIN OVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA. THE LEADING EDGE OF LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM THE WESTERN REACHES OF LAKE MURRAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTHWEST INTO GEORGIA NEAR AUGUSTA INTO CENTRAL GEORGIA. STRONG GUSTY WINDS, BRIEF GUSTY WINDS, LIGHTNING AND HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THIS LINE AS IT MOVES EASTWARD AT 35 MPH. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IS LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF MILLEN GEORGIA IN SOUTHWEST JENKINS COUNTY. THIS STORM IS MOVING NORTHEAST 35 MPH. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 8:35 AM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUGUSTA GA 830AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR HANCOCK...WASHINGTON... JOHNSON...AND EMANUEL COUNTIES UNTIL 11 AM THIS MORNING... AT 820 AM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EMBEDDED IN LIGHT RAIN OVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA. THE LEADING EDGE OF A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM THE WESTERN REACHES OF LAKE MURRAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA SOUTHWEST INTO GEORGIA NEAR AUGUSTA INTO CENTRAL GEORGIA. STRONG BRIEF GUSTY WINDS, LIGHTNING AND HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THIS LINE AS IT MOVES EASTWARD AT 35 MPH. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IS LOCATED SOUTHWEST OF MILLEN GEORGIA IN SOUTHWEST JENKINS COUNTY. THIS STORM IS MOVING NORTHEAST 35 MPH. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
Special weather statement, Feb 21, 8:54 AM EST, 52 minutes before
BULLETIN SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA, SC 846 AM EST TUE FEB 21 1989 ...HEAVY SHOWERS AND A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS RUMBLING THROUGH THE MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA... AT 845AM EST THIS TUESDAY MORNING A LINE OF HEAVY SHOWERS WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS EMBEDDED IN THE LINE WAS DETECTED BY RADAR MOVING THROUGH THE MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. THE LINE EXTENDED FROM JUST SOUTH OF CHARLOTTE NORTH CAROLINA TO JUST WEST OF COLUMBIA SOUTH CAROLINA TO THE AUGUSTA GEORGIA AREA. THE HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THIS LINE IS IN AIKEN COUNTY JUST NORTHWEST OF WILLISTON WITH ADDITIONAL HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS IN THE COLUMBIA AREA. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY VERY STRONG GUSTY WINDS..SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ALONG WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS. ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT. THORPE
The office that day
Everything else NWS Columbia, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 21, 8:59 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Lexington, Richland | 61 min |
| Feb 21, 10:09 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Bamberg, Orangeburg | 66 min |
| Feb 21, 10:24 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Sumter | 66 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 1989Every tornado warning in 1989Tornadoes in 1989
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.