Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1991
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 9, NWS Columbia, SC
NWS Columbia, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 29, 1991, 1:47 PM EST for Fairfield County, South Carolina. It was in force for 43 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
- Mar 29, 1991, 1:47 PM EST (18:47 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 29, 1991, 2:30 PM EST
- In force
- 43 min
- Issued by
- NWS Columbia, SC
- Area
- Whole counties
County Fairfield County, SC
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 1:55 PM EST | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Fairfield, SC | |
| Mar 29, 2:15 PM EST | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Fairfield, 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
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 196 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
- 37 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -66 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 835 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 48 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 148 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 244 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KCAE 291848 SVRCAE SCC039-291930- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 147 PM EST FRI MAR 29 1991 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN COLUMBIA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 230 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN SOUTH CAROLINA ...FAIRFIELD COUNTY AT 146 PM EST RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WINNSBORO. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...WHICH MAY CAUSE SOME FLOODING OF ROADS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. THESE WINDS BLOW DOWN TREES...POWER LINES...AND SEVERELY DAMAGE MOBILE HOMES. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. REMEMBER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS. ZIMMERMAN
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Mar 29, 9:31 AM EST, 4 hours 16 minutes before
SCZALL-291730- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 930 AM EST FRI MAR 29 1991 ...THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES REMAINS HIGH FOR SOUTH CAROLINA TODAY INTO THIS EVENING... A MAJOR LOW PRESSURE AREA WAS LOCATED OVER WESTCENTRAL MISSISSIPPI EARLY THIS MORNING WITH A STATIONARY FRONT TO NEAR ASHVILLE NORTH CAROLINA. FROM THE LOW A COLD FRONT TRAILED INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE LOW WILL MOVE ALONG THE STATIONARY FRONT TODAY AND TONIGHT REACHING NORTHEAST ALABAMA EARLY AFTERNOON AND THE VICINITY OF ASHVILLE THIS EVENING. MOIST...UNSTABLE AIR IS STREAMING NORTH AHEAD OF LOW FROM EASTERN MISSISSIPPI TO SOUTH CAROLINA. VERY STRONG WINDS ALOFT AND AT THE SURFACE WILL INTERACT WITH DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE SYSTEM PRODUCING THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BEGIN OVER THE WESTERN PART OF SOUTH CAROLINA LATE MORNING. THIS INCLUDES THE AREA OF THE MOUNTAINS...FOOTHILLS AND PIEDMONT. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL THEN MOVE EAST ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND COASTAL AREA FROM EARLY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...AND AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND BE READY FOR ACTIVATION IF NECESSARY LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH EVENING. CHARNICK
Special weather statement, Mar 29, 10:35 AM EST, 3 hours 12 minutes before
GAZ007-SCZ004-006-291745- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUGUSTA GA 1035 AM EST FRI MAR 29 1991 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM FOR MUCH OF GEORGIA AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA...THIS INCLUDES ALL CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA COUNTIES EXCEPT BARNWELL AND ALLENDALE IN SOUTH CAROLINA... AT 1025 AM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHERN AND CENTRAL GEORGIA AND NORTHWEST SOUTH CAROLINA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. RESIDENTS OF THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAINS...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HAIL AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES.
Special weather statement, Mar 29, 11:18 AM EST, 2 hours 29 minutes before
SCZALL-291815- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 1117 AM EST FRI MAR 29 1991 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND WESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA UNTIL 500 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON... THE WATCH COVERS THE MOUNTAINS...FOOTHILLS...PIEDMONT...AND PORTIONS OF THE MIDLANDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. SOME OF THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE TORNADOES. AT 1115 AM RADAR SHOWED A WIDESPREAD AREA OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED HEAVIER SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RAIN EXTENDED FROM LANCASTER TO 15 MILES WEST OF COLUMBIA TO NEAR AUGUSTA GEORGIA. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RAIN WAS MOVING EASTWARD AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE HEAVIER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. RADARS IN ADJACENT STATES SHOWED HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS OVER GEORGIA AND SOUTHERN ALABAMA. THESE WILL BE MOVING INTO SOUTH CAROLINA BETWEEN NOON AND 200 PM. PERSONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD CONTINUE ON THE ALERT THROUGH AFTERNOON AND EVENING. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...STORM SPOTTER GROUPS... AND AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS SHOULD BE ACTIVA:TED IN THE WATCH AREA AND FORWARD ANY DAMAGE REPORTS TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. CHARNICK
Special weather statement, Mar 29, 12:25 PM EST, 1 hour 22 minutes before
GAZ007-SCZ004-006-291945- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUGUSTA GA 1230 PM EST FRI MAR 29 1991 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN GEORGIA AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA...THIS INCLUDES ALL CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA COUNTIES EXCEPT BARNWELL AND ALLENDALE IN SOUTH CAROLINA... 1220 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHWEST SOUTH CAROLINA EXTENDING SOUTHWEST TO THE MACON AREA. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST 45 MPH. RESIDENTS OF THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAINS...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HAIL AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES.
Special weather statement, Mar 29, 12:35 PM EST, 1 hour 12 minutes before
SCZALL-291930- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 1233 PM EST FRI MAR 29 1991 ...SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL REMAINS HIGH FOR SOUTH CAROLINA... ...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 5 PM EST FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA... AT 1215 PM EST RADAR SHOWED A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH CAROLINA GENERALLY WEST OF A CHESTERFIELD TO AUGUSTA GA LIN THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 50 MPH WHILE THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RAIN WAS MOVING EASTWARD AT ABOUT 25 MPH. IN ADDITION...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE RACING ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA MACON AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING OF VERY STRONG WINDS. THESE SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND WILL LIKELY AFFECT PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SEVERE WIND DAMAGE..TORNADOES..AND LARGE HAIL REMAIN A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY. OTHER SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES MAY BE ISSUED FOR THE REST OF SOUTH CAROLINA LATER TODAY. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...STORM SPOTTERS..AND AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS SHOULD BE ACTIVATED IN THE WATCH AREA. ALL INTERESTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK PROTECTIVE ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. PALMER
Special weather statement, Mar 29, 12:40 PM EST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
SCZALL-291930- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 1233 PM EST FRI MAR 29 1991 ...SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL REMAINS HIGH FOR SOUTH CAROLINA... ...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 5 PM EST FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA... AT 1215 PM EST RADAR SHOWED A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTH CAROLINA GENERALLY WEST OF A CHESTERFIELD TO AUGUSTA GA LINE. THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 50 MPH WHILE THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RAIN WAS MOVING EASTWARD AT ABOUT 25 MPH. IN ADDITION...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE RACING ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA NEAR MACON AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING OF VERY STRONG WINDS. THESE SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND WILL LIKELY AFFECT PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SEVERE WIND DAMAGE..TORNADOES..AND LARGE HAIL REMAIN A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY. OTHER SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES MAY BE ISSUED FOR THE REST OF SOUTH CAROLINA LATER TODAY. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...STORM SPOTTERS..AND AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS SHOULD BE ACTIVATED IN THE WATCH AREA. ALL INTERESTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT AND BE READY TO TAKE QUICK PROTECTIVE ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. PALMER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Columbia, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 2:09 PM EST | Tornado Warning | CAE | Lexington, Saluda | 51 min |
| Mar 29, 2:30 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Lexington | 45 min |
| Mar 29, 2:56 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Bamberg, Orangeburg | 64 min |
| Mar 29, 3:11 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Chesterfield | 49 min |
| Mar 29, 3:51 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Lee, Sumter | 39 min |
| Mar 29, 4:05 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Darlington, Florence | 40 min |
| Mar 29, 5:45 PM EST | Tornado Warning | CAE | Orangeburg | 45 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 1991Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1991
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.