Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 1, NWS Wilmington, NC

February 22, 2003Darlington County, South Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 22, 2003, 12:45 PM EST for Darlington County, South Carolina. It was in force for 60 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Feb 22, 2003, 12:45 PM EST (17:45 UTC)
Expired: Feb 22, 2003, 1:45 PM EST
In force: 60 min
Issued by: NWS Wilmington, NC
Area: Whole counties

County Darlington County, SC

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 115 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:48 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.

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 22, 9:45 AM EST	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 5.8 hours before the alert went out and 159 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 392 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -61 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 520 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 0 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 0 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 0 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

785 
WUUS52 KILM 221745
SVRILM
SCC031-221845-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1245 PM EST SAT FEB 22 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  DARLINGTON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 145 PM EST

* AT 1240 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS FROM 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF
  SOCIETY HILL TO 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAMAR...MOVING NORTHEAST AT  
  55 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
   HARTSVILLE AT 1250 PM
   LAMAR AT 1255 PM
   SOCIETY HILL AT 100 PM
   MONT CLARE AT 105 PM
   PALMETTO AT 110 PM

MORE DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AND AFFECT OTHER COMMUNITIES
IN THE WARNED AREA.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY
WILL RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
OFFICE IN WILMINGTON NC.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM EST SATURDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 400 PM EST SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND
NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA.

AT...LON 3436 8027 3448 8005 3449 7989 3453 7984
          3448 7981 3447 7976 3444 7976 3433 7968
          3425 7982 3409 8008 3416 8015 3421 8010
          3436 8018 3432 8024

HAWKINS

$$

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.

NWS Wilmington, NC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Feb 22, 10:00 AM EST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 22, 10:00 AM EST, 2 hours 45 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
10 AM EST SAT FEB 22 2003

...RAISING TORNADO WATCH FOR CAROLINA INLAND COUNTIES THROUGH
AFTERNOON EXCEPT COLUMBUS FOR NOW...

INTENSE SQUALL LINE WELL BACK OVER THE WESTERN CAROLINAS THIS
MORNING...BUT CONVECTION IS POPPING OVER THE WESTERN PART OF CWA.
THIS CORRESPONDS WELL WITH MORNING ETA RUN OMEGA FIELD...WHICH WILL
PROGRESS ACROSS THE CWA INTO THE AFTERNOON.

WINDS A FEW THOUSAND FEET WILL APPROACH 50 KTS BY LATE MORNING...60
KT THIS AFTERNOON. DESTABILIZATION WITH COASTAL TEMPERATURES IN
UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S...AND SQUALL LINE SHIFTING EAST MAY WELL
CAUSE ENOUGH DIRECTIONAL SHEAR FOR TORNADOES. EXPECT MAIN SQUALL
LINE TO PASS THROUGH THE AREA BY 6 PM OR SO.

MARINE: WINDS ARE BEGINNING TO INCREASE AT FPSN7 TO NEAR 30 KTS AND
NEARSHORE TO 20 KTS. MINIMAL GALES INSIDE 20 NM FROM SHORE ARE
POSSIBLE THIS AFTN AS THE LOW LEVEL JET REALLY CRANKS AHEAD OF THE
SQUALL LINE. (ETA SHOWS 55-65 KTS OFF THE SURFACE BY THIS AFTN)
NEAR SHORE WATER TEMPS ARE NEAR THEIR COLDEST OF THE YEAR AND THE
AIR OVER THE WATER IS VERY STABLE. VIS SATELLITE SHOWS SEA FOG
CONTINUES NEAR SHORE AROUND MYR AND ALSO FROM WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH N
TO SURF CITY. FEW CHANGES FROM CURRENT FORECAST.

.ILM...
.NC...TORNADO WATCH NCZ087-096-
GALE WARNING SURF CITY TO LITTLE RIVER INLET.
.SC...TORNADO WATCH SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-
GALE WARNING LITTLE RIVER INLET TO S SANTEE RIVER.

TM/TRA

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 22, 4:30 AM EST, 8 hours 15 minutes before

NCZ087-096-097-099>101-SCZ017-023-024-032>034-039-046-221145-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
430 AM EST SAT FEB 22 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
AND NORTHEASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF A STRONG
COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO PASS THROUGH THE EASTERN CAROLINAS TODAY. THE
POTENTIAL WILL EXIST FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND
ISOLATED TORNADOES.

IN ADDITION...STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF UP TO 25 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS WILL DEVELOP DURING THE DAY AND CONTINUE INTO THE
EVENING HOURS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY.

KREITNER

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 22, 10:02 AM EST, 2 hours 43 minutes before

NCZ087-096-099-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-221901-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1002 AM EST SAT FEB 22 2003

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM...

A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA WILL
QUICKLY MOVE TO THE EAST THIS MORNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL
APPROACH DARLINGTON AND MARLBORO COUNTIES AROUND NOON...AND WILL
CONTINUE EAST ACROSS LUMBERTON...DILLON...MARION...FLORENCE AND LAKE
CITY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS WILL AFFECT WHITEVILLE AND
ELIZABETHTOWN MAINLY AFTER 2 PM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OUT
IN ADVANCE OF THE MAIN SQUALL LINE AND BRING THEATENING WEATHER
SOONER.

THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS
OF 60 MPH AND EVEN TORNADOES. KEEP A CLOSE EYE TO THE SKY THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS THE AREA. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...MOVE
INSIDE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE
NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES...INCLUDING SEVERE WEATHER STATMENTS AND WARNINGS.

&&

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEB SITE
AT HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ILM

TRA

Special weather statement, Feb 22, 10:02 AM EST, 2 hours 43 minutes before

NCZ087-096-SCZ017-023-024-032-033-039-221900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED UGC CODING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
1002 AM EST SAT FEB 22 2003

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM...

A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA WILL
QUICKLY MOVE TO THE EAST THIS MORNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL
APPROACH DARLINGTON AND MARLBORO COUNTIES AROUND NOON...AND WILL
CONTINUE EAST ACROSS LUMBERTON...DILLON...MARION...FLORENCE AND LAKE
CITY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS WILL AFFECT WHITEVILLE AND
ELIZABETHTOWN MAINLY AFTER 2 PM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OUT
IN ADVANCE OF THE MAIN SQUALL LINE AND BRING THEATENING WEATHER
SOONER.

THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS
OF 60 MPH AND EVEN TORNADOES. KEEP A CLOSE EYE TO THE SKY THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS THE AREA. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...MOVE
INSIDE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE
NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES...INCLUDING SEVERE WEATHER STATMENTS AND WARNINGS.

&&

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEB SITE
AT HTTP://WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ILM

TRA

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Feb 22, 1:42 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Florence	63 min
Feb 22, 1:55 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Darlington, Dillon, Marlboro	50 min
Feb 22, 2:41 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Georgetown, Williamsburg	64 min
Feb 22, 2:58 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Horry	62 min
Feb 22, 4:00 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Horry	45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 2003 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.