Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 72, NWS Charleston, SC

July 9, 2004Berkeley County, South Carolina

NWS Charleston, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 9, 2004, 4:57 PM EDT for Berkeley County, South Carolina. It was in force for 48 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 9, 2004, 4:57 PM EDT (20:57 UTC)
Expired
Jul 9, 2004, 5:45 PM EDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Berkeley County, SC

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 114 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:58 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 13 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 2004-07-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1530 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2004-07-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -12 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1530 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-49 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
898 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
12 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.

000 
WUUS52 KCHS 092057
SVRCHS
SCC015-092145-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
457 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN BERKELEY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 545 PM EDT

* AT 457 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
  WINDS OVER WANDO...OR ABOUT 12 MILES EAST OF GOOSE CREEK...        
  DRIFTING SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 10 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE...
  WANDO AND CAINHOY...
  DANIEL ISLAND...
  INTERSTATE 526 FROM THE DON HOLT BRIDGE TO THE WANDO BRIDGE...

BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AS STORMS APPROACH.
SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER ONLY...PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024.

LAT...LON 3293 7982 3299 7982 3295 7997 3285 7992

$$

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 Charleston, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 9, 3:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 3:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
3 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT AND SATURDAY/...CONVECTION IS FIRING ALONG AND
TO THE SOUTH OF THE LEESIDE TROF OVER THE CENTRAL CAROLINAS. BEING
DIURNAL IN NATURE THIS ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH THIS EVENING. WILL
CARRY HIGHEST POPS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST TIER OF COUNTIES WITH
DECREASING POPS SOUTH. MORE OF THE SAME IN STORE FOR SATURDAY.
DESPITE UPPER RIDGE COVERING THE FORECAST AREA AS LONG AS THE
ATMOSPHERE IS MOIST AND UNSTABLE THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CHANCE
FOR AFTERNOON CONVECTION. PLAN ON CARRYING 30 PERCENT ACROSS THE
BOARD.

&&

.LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
UPPER RIDGE WILL CONTINUE TO SHIFT WEST THROUGH NEXT WEEK. LEESIDE
TROF WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE CENTRAL CAROLINAS INTO GEORGIA.
ATMOSPHERE WILL REMAIN MOIST AND UNSTABLE THROUGH THE PERIOD SO WILL
KEEP CHANCE POPS GOING FOR EACH DAY...MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. GFS SHOWS A BACKDOOR FRONT DROPPING INTO THE AREA TUESDAY
AND REMAINING UNTIL WEDNESDAY...AFTER WHICH IT QUICKLY WASHES OUT.
OVERALL VERY LITTLE CHANGE TO CURRENT EXTENDED FORECAST.

&&

.MARINE...LITTLE CHANGE IN DAY TO DAY PATTERN THE NEXT FEW
DAYS...WITH LEE SIDE TROUGH AND ATLC RIDGE SUPPRESSED WELL TO THE S.
WHILE ALOFT...MID AND UPPER LEVEL RIDGING CONTINUES. THIS WILL
MAINTAIN A GENTLE TO MODERATE SWLY BREEZE THRU SUN...WITH TYPICAL
BACKING OF WINDS TO MORE SLY WITH THE AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE.

EARLY NEXT WEEK THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT THE MID AND UPPER RIDGE
WILL SHIFT SW...AS A TROUGH DEVELOPS IN THE E. THIS MAY ALLOW FOR A
BACKDOOR COLD FRONT TO APPROACH TH E MID ATLC REGION FROM THE
N...BUT CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT IT WILL NOT GET THIS FAR S.
THIS MAY ALLOW FOR A SLIGHT RISE IN WINDS OVER THE AREA...WITH STILL
THE TYPICAL BACKING OF WINDS DURING THE DAY AND VEERING AT NIGHT.

SEAS MAINLY 3 FT OR LESS THRU THE FCST PERIOD.

&&

.AVIATION...AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE NEAR US-17 IN SC...AND NEAR THE
INTRACOASTAL IN GA. WHILE LITTLE OR NO ACTIVITY IS FOUND ALONG THIS
BOUNDARY EXCEPT IN THE GEORGETOWN/MCCLELLANVILLE AREA...OTHER STORMS
HAVE BEEN FIRING FOR SEVERAL HOURS OVER THE N AND W SECTIONS OF THE
CWA. WITH WLY FLOW THE SEA BREEZE WILL HAVE A HARD TIME PENETRATING
TO THE TWO TERMINALS UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON OR EVE. FEEL MORE
CONFIDENT OF SOMETHING FORMING IN THE CHS AREA WITH MORE NEARBY
BOUNDARIES...BUT FOR NOW WILL CARRY ONLY CB IN BOTH THE TAFS. BEYOND
THIS EVE...GENERALLY A WIND FCST...AS LIGHT SSW WINDS VEER TO WLY BY
MORNING. BASED ON CROSSOVER TECHNIQUE IN AWIPS AND MOS
GUIDANCE...LIGHT FOG FORMATION SEEMS UNLIKELY.

&&

.CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
SC...NONE.
MARINE...NONE.

&&

HSA/PM
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 9, 5:00 AM EDT, 11 hours 57 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-
042>045-047>051-101000-
ALLENDALE-BEAUFORT-BERKELEY-BULLOCH-CANDLER-CHARLESTON-COASTAL BRYAN-
COASTAL CHATHAM-COASTAL COLLETON-COASTAL JASPER-COASTAL LIBERTY-
COASTAL MCINTOSH-DORCHESTER-EFFINGHAM-EVANS-HAMPTON-INLAND BRYAN-
INLAND CHATHAM-INLAND COLLETON-INLAND JASPER-INLAND LIBERTY-
INLAND MCINTOSH-JENKINS-LONG-SCREVEN-TATTNALL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALLENDALE...BEAUFORT...CHARLESTON...
CLAXTON...DARIEN...EDISTO BEACH...GOOSE CREEK...HAMPTON...
HILTON HEAD ISLAND...HINESVILLE...LUDOWICI...MCCLELLANVILLE...
METTER...MILLEN...MONCKS CORNER...PEMBROKE...REIDSVILLE...
RICHMOND HILL...RIDGELAND...SAINT GEORGE...SAINT STEPHEN...
SAVANNAH...SPRINGFIELD...STATESBORO...SUMMERVILLE...SYLVANIA...
WALTERBORO AND YEMASSEE
500 AM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS FROM SOUTH SANTEE
RIVER SOUTH CAROLINA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GEORGIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.
.STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...WIDELY SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG
WITH LOCALIZED GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. DUE TO SLOW STORM
MOVEMENTS...VERY HEAVY RAIN COULD OCCUR WITH MINOR FLOODING OF LOW
LYING AREAS AND PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.

.HOT AND HUMID WEATHER...ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND MODERATE
LEVELS OF HUMIDITY WILL PRODUCE A HEAT INDEX FROM 100 TO 105 DEGREES
THIS AFTERNOON.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
.THUNDERSTORMS...EACH DAY THERE WILL BE AT LEAST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THE
MAIN HAZARDS WILL BE DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES AND
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.

.HOT AND HUMID WEATHER...ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND MODERATE
LEVELS OF HUMIDITY WILL PRODUCE A HEAT INDEX CLOSE TO 105 DEGREES
AT SOME LOCATIONS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS THIS WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT
EXPECTED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

24

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 3:15 PM EDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
315 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

SCZ045-050-091945-
BERKELEY-CHARLESTON-
318 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL
IMPACT NORTHEASTERN BERKELEY COUNTY AND EXTREME NORTHEASTERN
CHARLESTON COUNTY THROUGH 345 PM EDT...

AT 318 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TWO
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.
THE FIRST STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR JAMESTOWN. THE SECOND WAS LOCATED
ALONG THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER...APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES NORTH OF
MCCLELLANVILLE. BOTH STORMS WERE DRIFTING EAST AT 5 TO 10 MPH. THESE
STORMS WILL IMPACT AREAS IN AND AROUND JAMESTOWN...FAREWELL
CORNER...BEUFORDTOWN...PALMERVILLE...SHULERVILLE...NEWLAND...WAMBAW
CORNER...SOUTH SANTEE AND GERMANTOWN THROUGH 345 PM EDT. THIS
INCLUDES HIGHWAY 17 AND 45.

EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH
AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS CAN BE EXPECTED.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER ONLY...PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024.
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 3:36 PM EDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
336 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

SCZ050-092000-
CHARLESTON-
336 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT AREAS NEAR THE SOUTH SANTEE
RIVER IN CHARLESTON COUNTY THROUGH 400 PM EDT...

AT 336 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED OVER GERMANTOWN...OR ABOUT 7 MILES NORTH
OF MCCLELLANVILLE...DRIFTING EAST AT 5 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM
WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND GERMANTOWN...HAMPTON PLANTATION
STATE PARK AND THE SOUTH SANTEE COMMUNITY THROUGH 400 PM EDT. THIS
INCLUDES HIGHWAY 17 AROUND THE SOUTH SANTEE RIVER.

HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER ONLY...PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024.
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 3:55 PM EDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
355 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

SCZ048-092030-
BEAUFORT-
355 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHERN BEAUFORT COUNTY THROUGH
430 PM EDT...

AT 355 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED OVER TOMOTLEY...OR ABOUT 5
MILES SOUTHEAST OF YEMASSEE...DRIFTING EAST AT 5 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND TOMOTLEY...
BREWTON...SHELDON...GARDENS CORNER AND BRIARS THROUGH 430 PM EDT.
THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAYS 21 AND 17.

EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH
AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS CAN BE EXPECTED.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER ONLY...PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024.
Local storm report, Jul 9, 4:45 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
445 PM EDT FRI JUL 09 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0411 PM     TSTM WND GST     MCCLELLANVILLE          33.09N 79.46W
07/09/2004  50 MPH           CHARLESTON         SC   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0435 PM     HAIL             AWENDAW                 33.04N 79.61W
07/09/2004  0.50 INCH        CHARLESTON         SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            HAIL REPORTED AT STEED CREEK ROAD AND US-17.

&&

PM
Local storm report, Jul 9, 4:45 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
445 PM EDT FRI JUL 09 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0411 PM     TSTM WND GST     MCCLELLANVILLE          33.09N 79.46W
07/09/2004  60 MPH           CHARLESTON         SC   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WIND REPORT ESTIMATED.

0435 PM     HAIL             AWENDAW                 33.04N 79.61W
07/09/2004  0.50 INCH        CHARLESTON         SC   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            HAIL REPORTED AT STEED CREEK ROAD AND US-17.

&&

PM
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 4:52 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
452 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

SCZ045-092115-
BERKELEY-
452 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN BERKELEY COUNTY THROUGH
515 PM EDT...

AT 45 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
NEARLY STATIONARY STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF
WANDO...OR ABOUT 10 MILES EAST OF GOOSE CREEK. THE STORM WILL AFFECT
AREAS IN AND AROUND CHARITY...CAINHOY AND WANDO THROUGH 515 PM EDT.

HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED.

THE STORM MAY MERGE WITH A LARGE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
SOUTHWEST OUT OF THE AWENDAW AREA AFTER 515 PM WHICH MAY CAUSE THIS
STORM TO ALSO BECOME SEVERE. PEOPLE ACROSS SOUTHERN BERKELEY COUNTY
SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING BE
ISSUED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 9, 3:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSCharleston28 min
Jul 9, 4:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSCharleston44 min
Jul 9, 5:43 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS47 min
Jul 9, 5:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSCharleston, Dorchester32 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Carolina, 2004Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2004

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.