Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1991

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 13, NWS Charleston, SC

March 3, 1991Williamsburg County, South Carolina

NWS Charleston, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 3, 1991, 5:19 PM EST for Williamsburg County, South Carolina. It was in force for 41 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 3, 1991, 5:19 PM EST (22:19 UTC)
Expired
Mar 3, 1991, 6:00 PM EST
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Whole counties

County Williamsburg County, SC

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 84 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Charleston AFB, SC at 12:00Z on 1991-03-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Charleston AFB, SC at 12:00Z on 1991-03-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 637 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
0 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
637 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
883 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KCHS 032220
SVRCHS
SCC089-032300-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
519 PM EST SUN MAR 3 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN  SOUTH CAROLINA
 
   ...WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY
 
THIS INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES OF KINGSTREE
 
AT 520 PM EST A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
KINGSTREE SC MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.
 
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.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DON'T USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCXY UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

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 3, 1:48 PM EST, 3 hours 31 minutes before
SC007-008-031900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
140 PM EST SUN MAR 3 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM EST...

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS NOTED FROM  20 MILES NORTHEAST OF
AUGUSTA TO 55 MILES WEST OF SAVANNAH...AND FROM 20 TO 40 MILES
WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF SAVANNAH.  THESE AREAS WILL BE CLOSELY
WATCHED FOR SIGNS OF SEVERE WEATHER.

A LARGE AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM THE WILMING-
TON AREA OFFSHORETO 60 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON THEN TO 80
MILES SOUTHEAST OF SAVANNAH.  MOVEMENT WAS TOWARD THE NORTH-
NORTHEAST AT 55 MILES AN HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO RADIO OR TV..OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST
STATEMENTSx AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
JFT
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 2:49 PM EST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
GAZ010-013-014-015-031900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAVANNAH GA
248 PM EST SUN MAR 3 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN GEORGIA UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON...

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...
EASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS UNTIL
7 PM EST...

AT 240 PM EST THE SAVANNAH WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 5 MILES SOUTH OF STATESBORO TO 10 MILES
WEST OF HINESVILLE. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO EFFINGHAM AND WEST CHATHAM
COUNTIES BY 315 PM EST.

BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED
WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND POSSIBLE
TORNADOES THIS AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 2:51 PM EST, 2 hours 28 minutes before
SC007-008-032000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
245 PM EST SUN MAR 3 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM EST...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH HAIL..WERE NOTED FROM HAMPTON
COUNTY INTO JASPER AND BEAUFORT COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA.
ANOTHER AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF
COLUMBIA THROUGH THE AUGUSTA AREA TO 50 MILES NORTHWEST OF SAVANNAH.

A LARGE AREA OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM THE WILMING-
TON AREA OFFSHORE TO 75 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON THEN TO 100
MILES SOUTHEAST OF SAVANNAH.  MOVEMENT WAS TOWARD THE NORTH-
NORTHEAST AT 55 MILES AN HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO RADIO OR TV..OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
JFT
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 2:56 PM EST, 2 hours 23 minutes before
GAZ010-013-014-015-032045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO EXP. TIME CODE...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAVANNAH GA
248 PM EST SUN MAR 3 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
AND SOUTHERN GEORGIA UNTIL 5 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON...

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...
EASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS UNTIL
7 PM EST...

AT 240 PM EST THE SAVANNAH WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 5 MILES SOUTH OF STATESBORO TO 10 MILES
WEST OF HINESVILLE. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO EFFINGHAM AND WEST CHATHAM
COUNTIES BY 315 PM EST.

BRIEF HEAVY& RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED
WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND POSSIBLE
TORNADOES THIS AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 3:50 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
SC007-008-032200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
345 PM EST SUN MAR 3 1991

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM EST...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH HAIL..WERE NOTED FROM BARNWELL
COUNTY INTO JASPER AND BEAUFORT COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA.
ANOTHER AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM JUST SOUTH OF CHARLOTTE
NORTH CAROLINA TO JUST WEST OF COLUMBIA THEN TO 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
AUGUSTA.

RAIN CONTINUED OFFSHORE FROM CAPE FEAR NORTH CAROLINA TO 150 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF SAVANNAH.  MOVEMENT OF ALL PRECIPITATION WAS TOWARD THE
NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO RADIO OR TV..OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
JFT
Special weather statement, Mar 3, 4:05 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
GAZ010-013-014-015-032300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAVANNAH GA
400 PM EST SUN MAR 3 1991

...THE TORNADO WATCHES THAT WERE IN EFFECT FOR GEORGIA UNTIL 5
   AND 7 PM EST HAVE BEEN CANCELLED...

A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA WAS PRODUCING
VERY STRONG SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA THIS
AFTERNOON. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 35 MPH WITH FREQUENT GUSTS TO 55 MPH
HAVE BEEN OCCURRING AT THE SAVANNAH AIRPORT. THE HIGHEST WIND
RECORDED SO FAR WAS 63 MPH AT 348 PM EST.

SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUED IN AN AREA BETWEEN STATESBORO...GLENVILLE
AND SAVANNAH. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

THE STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOONt AND EVENING AS THE
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES NORTHEAST INTO THE CAROLINAS.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Charleston, SC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 3, 4:42 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSDorchester48 min
Mar 3, 9:00 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBerkeley, Dorchester30 min
Mar 3, 9:09 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSCharleston36 min
Mar 3, 9:26 AM ESTTornado WarningCHSBerkeley, Williamsburg64 min
Mar 3, 9:36 AM ESTTornado WarningCHSBerkeley, Williamsburg54 min
Mar 3, 9:52 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSGeorgetown38 min
Mar 3, 10:14 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSHorry61 min
Mar 3, 2:11 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSJasper64 min
Mar 3, 2:11 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBeaufort64 min
Mar 3, 3:16 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSHampton, Jasper59 min
Mar 3, 3:54 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSColleton66 min
Mar 3, 4:26 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSDorchester64 min
Mar 3, 4:39 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBerkeley, Charleston66 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.