Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 7, NWS Columbia, SC
NWS Columbia, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 17, 1998, 11:33 AM EST for Newberry County, South Carolina. It was in force for 42 min. 1 report 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 17, 1998, 11:33 AM EST (16:33 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 17, 1998, 12:15 PM EST
- In force
- 42 min
- Issued by
- NWS Columbia, SC
- Area
- Whole counties
County Newberry County, SC
The radar
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:34 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 11:45 AM EST | Hail 1.75 | Silverstreet, SC | County EOC reported golfball size hail in Silverstreet. |
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.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 9:30 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 4.6 hours before the alert went out and 214 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
- 1239 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 73 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 177 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 124 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
568 WUUS1 KCAE 171634 RRA SVRCAE SCC071-171715- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 1133 AM EST TUE FEB 17 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN COLUMBIA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN SOUTH CAROLINA ...NEWBERRY COUNTY AT 1130 AM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR CHAPPELLS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE OVER NEWBERRY AT 1145 AM. 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. DONT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. AMATEUR RADIO AND OTHER SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO MONITOR THIS STORM AND RELAY REPORTS PROMPTLY TO THE NEAREST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. SJN
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, Feb 17, 5:50 AM EST, 5 hours 43 minutes before
SCZ015-016-018-020-021-022-025-026-027-028-029-030-031-035- 036-037-038-041-GAZ040-063-064-065-077-171819- THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 550 AM EST TUE FEB 17 1998 THE OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA: AIKEN BAMBERG BARNWELL CALHOUN CHESTERFIELD CLARENDON EDGEFIELD FAIRFIELD KERSHAW LANCASTER LEE LEXINGTON MCCORMICK NEWBERRY ORANGEBURG RICHLAND SALUDA SUMTER AND THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN GEORGIA: BURKE COLUMBIA LINCOLN MCDUFFIE RICHMOND ...LARGE HAIL POSSIBLE TODAY... A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE NORTHWARD THROUGH WESTERN TENNESSEE EARLY TODAY. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SETUP FOR THE MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GEORGIA IS THAT WARM AND MOIST AIR WILL PERSIST AT THE SURFACE...WHILE COOL AND DRY AIR MOVES IN ALOFT. THE RESULT WILL BE EXPLOSIVE INSTABILITY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN DEVELOPING OVER THE WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA BY 10 AM AND THEN SPREAD EASTWARD AND BECOME MORE NUMEROUS BY NOON. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL. BECAUSE AN UNUSUALLY LARGE PORTION OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE IS BELOW FREEZING...ANY HAIL THAT FORMS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW TO 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER. ISOLATED GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGEST STORMS. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY MOVE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 50 MPH. THE FORWARD MOTION OF THESE STORMS COMBINED WITH ANY DOWNDRAFTS CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR WIND GUSTS OF 55 MPH IN THE STRONGEST STORMS. ALL INTERESTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND KEEP POSTED ON WEATHER STATEMENTS...WATCHES...OR WARNINGS WHICH MAY BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. GERAPETRITIS
Special weather statement, Feb 17, 5:50 AM EST, 5 hours 43 minutes before
SCZ015-016-018-020-021-022-025-026-027-028-029-030-031-035- 036-037-038-041-GAZ040-063-064-065-077-171819- THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 550 AM EST TUE FEB 17 1998 THE OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA: AIKEN BAMBERG BARNWELL CALHOUN CHESTERFIELD CLARENDON EDGEFIELD FAIRFIELD KERSHAW LANCASTER LEE LEXINGTON MCCORMICK NEWBERRY ORANGEBURG RICHLAND SALUDA SUMTER AND THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN GEORGIA: BURKE COLUMBIA LINCOLN MCDUFFIE RICHMOND ...LARGE HAIL POSSIBLE TODAY... A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE NORTHWARD THROUGH WESTERN TENNESSEE EARLY TODAY. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SETUP FOR THE MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GEORGIA IS THAT WARM AND MOIST AIR WILL PERSIST AT THE SURFACE...WHILE COOL AND DRY AIR MOVES IN ALOFT. THE RESULT WILL BE EXPLOSIVE INSTABILITY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN DEVELOPING OVER THE WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA BY 10 AM AND THEN SPREAD EASTWARD AND BECOME MORE NUMEROUS BY NOON. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL. BECAUSE AN UNUSUALLY LARGE PORTION OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE IS BELOW FREEZING...ANY HAIL THAT FORMS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW TO 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER. ISOLATED GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGEST STORMS. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY MOVE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 50 MPH. THE FORWARD MOTION OF THESE STORMS COMBINED WITH ANY DOWNDRAFTS CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR WIND GUSTS OF 55 MPH IN THE STRONGEST STORMS. ALL INTERESTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND KEEP POSTED ON WEATHER STATEMENTS...WATCHES...OR WARNINGS WHICH MAY BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. GERAPETRITIS
Special weather statement, Feb 17, 10:45 AM EST, 48 minutes before
SCZ015-016-018-020-021-022-025-026-027-028-029-030-031-035- 036-037-038-041-GAZ040-063-064-065-077-171819- THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 1045 AM EST TUE FEB 17 1998 THE OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA: AIKEN BAMBERG BARNWELL CALHOUN CHESTERFIELD CLARENDON EDGEFIELD FAIRFIELD KERSHAW LANCASTER LEE LEXINGTON MCCORMICK NEWBERRY ORANGEBURG RICHLAND SALUDA SUMTER AND THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN GEORGIA: BURKE COLUMBIA LINCOLN MCDUFFIE RICHMOND ...LARGE HAIL POSSIBLE TODAY... A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE NORTHWARD THROUGH WESTERN TENNESSEE EARLY TODAY. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SETUP FOR THE MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GEORGIA IS THAT WARM AND MOIST AIR WILL PERSIST AT THE SURFACE...WHILE COOL AND DRY AIR MOVES IN ALOFT. THE RESULT WILL BE EXPLOSIVE INSTABILITY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN DEVELOPING OVER THE WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA BY 10 AM AND THEN SPREAD EASTWARD AND BECOME MORE NUMEROUS BY NOON. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL. BECAUSE AN UNUSUALLY LARGE PORTION OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE IS BELOW FREEZING...ANY HAIL THAT FORMS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW TO 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER. ISOLATED GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGEST STORMS. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY MOVE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 50 MPH. THE FORWARD MOTION OF THESE STORMS COMBINED WITH ANY DOWNDRAFTS CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR WIND GUSTS OF 55 MPH IN THE STRONGEST STORMS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS WELL AS MUCH OF THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GEORGIA UNTIL 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON. SPOTTER NETWORK ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED BY THIS AFTERNOON IF CONDITIONS WARRENT. ALL INTERESTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND KEEP POSTED ON FURTHER WEATHER STATEMENTS...WATCHES... OR WARNINGS WHICH MAY BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. CHERRY
Special weather statement, Feb 17, 10:45 AM EST, 48 minutes before
SCZ015-016-018-020-021-022-025-026-027-028-029-030-031-035- 036-037-038-041-GAZ040-063-064-065-077-171819- THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 1045 AM EST TUE FEB 17 1998 THE OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA: AIKEN BAMBERG BARNWELL CALHOUN CHESTERFIELD CLARENDON EDGEFIELD FAIRFIELD KERSHAW LANCASTER LEE LEXINGTON MCCORMICK NEWBERRY ORANGEBURG RICHLAND SALUDA SUMTER AND THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN GEORGIA: BURKE COLUMBIA LINCOLN MCDUFFIE RICHMOND ...LARGE HAIL POSSIBLE TODAY... A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE NORTHWARD THROUGH WESTERN TENNESSEE EARLY TODAY. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS SETUP FOR THE MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GEORGIA IS THAT WARM AND MOIST AIR WILL PERSIST AT THE SURFACE...WHILE COOL AND DRY AIR MOVES IN ALOFT. THE RESULT WILL BE EXPLOSIVE INSTABILITY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN DEVELOPING OVER THE WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA BY 10 AM AND THEN SPREAD EASTWARD AND BECOME MORE NUMEROUS BY NOON. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL. BECAUSE AN UNUSUALLY LARGE PORTION OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE IS BELOW FREEZING...ANY HAIL THAT FORMS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW TO 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER. ISOLATED GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE STRONGEST STORMS. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY MOVE FROM SOUTH TO NORTH AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 50 MPH. THE FORWARD MOTION OF THESE STORMS COMBINED WITH ANY DOWNDRAFTS CREATES THE POTENTIAL FOR WIND GUSTS OF 55 MPH IN THE STRONGEST STORMS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AS WELL AS MUCH OF THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GEORGIA UNTIL 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON. SPOTTER NETWORK ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED BY THIS AFTERNOON IF CONDITIONS WARRENT. ALL INTERESTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND KEEP POSTED ON FURTHER WEATHER STATEMENTS...WATCHES... OR WARNINGS WHICH MAY BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. CHERRY
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998
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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.