Alert archive / South Carolina / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 73, NWS Charleston, SC

July 9, 2004Charleston County, Dorchester County, South Carolina

NWS Charleston, SC issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 9, 2004, 5:43 PM EDT for Charleston County, Dorchester County, South Carolina. It was in force for 32 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, 5:43 PM EDT (21:43 UTC)
Expired
Jul 9, 2004, 6:15 PM EDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Charleston County, SC, Dorchester County, SC

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 92 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:44 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, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 10 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 092143
SVRCHS
SCC019-035-092215-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN DORCHESTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...
  NORTHERN CHARLESTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 615 PM EDT

* AT 542 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
  WINDS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NORTHWOODS MALL TO 3 MILES       
  SOUTHWEST OF GREGGS LANDING...DRIFTING SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 10 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE...
  NORTHWOODS MALL AND GREGGS LANDING...
  MIDDLETON PLACE...
  HIGHWAY 61...
  INTERSTATE 526 FROM THE CHARLESTON AIRPORT TO SUMMERVILLE...

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 3295 8004 3299 8004 3296 8014 3283 8024
      3282 8014

$$

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, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 3:00 PM EDT, 2 hours 43 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, 12 hours 43 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

Local storm report, Jul 9, 4:45 PM EDT, 58 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, 58 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, 51 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.
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 5:02 PM EDT, 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
502 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

SCZ048>051-092130-
BEAUFORT-CHARLESTON-COASTAL COLLETON-COASTAL JASPER-
502 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT JASPER COUNTY...CHARLESTON
COUNTY...BEAUFORT COUNTY AND COLLETON COUNTY THROUGH 530 PM EDT...

AT 502 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...FROM FENWICK TO 3 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF BEAUFORT TO 3 MILES WEST OF MYRTLE ISLAND...MOVING EAST AT 10
MPH.

THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND
HILTON HEAD...BEAUFORT...WILKINS...WIGGINS...WALLING
GROVE...PRITCHARDVILLE...PORT ROYAL...LEVY...FENWICK AND DANIELS
THROUGH 530 PM EDT.

HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND
LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED.

GET INSIDE A SAFE LOCATION IMMEDIATELY IF STORMS APPROACH.

PM
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 5:31 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
531 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

SCZ050-092200-
CHARLESTON-
531 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHERN CHARLESTON COUNTY
THROUGH 600 PM EDT...

AT 531 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED OVER NORTHWOODS MALL...OR ABOUT 2 MILES
SOUTH OF GOOSE CREEK...MOVING DRIFTING SOUTHWEST AT 5 MPH. THIS
STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND NORTH
CHARLESTON...NORTHWOODS MALL...GOOSE CREEK AND HANAHAN.

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, 5:33 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
533 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

SCZ044-092200-
DORCHESTER-
533 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 2004

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN DORCHESTER
COUNTY THROUGH 600 PM EDT...

AT 533 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
NEARLY STATIONARY STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED OVER GREGGS
LANDING...OR ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTH OF SUMMERVILLE. THIS STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND OAKBROOK...GREGGS
LANDING AND MIDDLETON PLACE THROUGH 600 PM EDT. THIS INCLUDES
HIGHWAY 61.

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 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, 4:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBerkeley48 min
Jul 9, 5:43 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS47 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.