Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 16, NWS Charleston, SC

March 15, 2008Beaufort County, Charleston County, Colleton County, South Carolina

NWS Charleston, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 15, 2008, 9:25 PM EDT for Beaufort County, Charleston County, Colleton County, South Carolina. It was in force for 50 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
Mar 15, 2008, 9:25 PM EDT (01:25 UTC)
Expired
Mar 15, 2008, 10:15 PM EDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Beaufort County, SC, Charleston County, SC, Colleton County, SC

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 60 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:29 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 15, 4:36 PM EDTTornado Watch PDSSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 61 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 00:00Z on 2008-03-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 966 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Charleston AFB, SC at 00:00Z on 2008-03-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 0 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
966 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-56 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
741 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.

000 
WFUS52 KCHS 160125
TORCHS
SCC013-019-029-160215-
/O.NEW.KCHS.TO.W.0016.080316T0125Z-080316T0215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
925 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN BEAUFORT COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...
  SOUTHWESTERN CHARLESTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...
  SOUTHEASTERN COLLETON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 1015 PM EDT

* AT 925 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR DALE...OR
  ABOUT 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF BEAUFORT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE...
  DALE...MARINE CORPS AIR STATION...
  BENNETTS POINT...
  EDISTO BEACH...EDISTO ISLAND...
  SEABROOK ISLAND...

A TORNADO MAY FORM AT ANY TIME. TAKE COVER NOW. ABANDON MOBILE HOMES
AND VEHICLES. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IN A HOME OR
BUSINESS IS AN INTERIOR ROOM OR HALLWAY ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE.
AVOID WINDOWS.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER SUCH AS HAIL...DOWNED TREES...LIMBS...AND
POWER LINES...PLEASE CONTACT THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024.

LAT...LON 3248 8075 3268 8066 3258 8013 3253 8017
      3255 8020 3246 8032 3249 8036 3246 8042
      3249 8044 3249 8047 3244 8046 3242 8041
      3233 8044
TIME...MOT...LOC 0125Z 284DEG 39KT 3255 8061

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KCHS 160134
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
935 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

SCC013-019-029-160215-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-080316T0215Z/
COLLETON SC-CHARLESTON SC-BEAUFORT SC-
935 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN BEAUFORT...SOUTHWESTERN CHARLESTON AND SOUTHEASTERN
COLLETON COUNTIES...

AT 929 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR COOSAW ISLAND...OR
ABOUT 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF BEAUFORT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...BENNETTS
POINT...DALE...EDISTO ISLAND...SEABROOK ISLAND...EDISTO BEACH AND
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION.

DO NOT USE HIGHWAY OVERPASSES FOR SHELTER. OVERPASSES DO NOT PROVIDE
PROTECTION FROM TORNADIC WINDS. VEHICLES STOPPED UNDER BRIDGES BLOCK
TRAFFIC AND PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING OUT OF THE STORMS PATH AND
TO SHELTER. IF YOU CANNOT DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...GET OUT OF
YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE FLAT IN A DITCH AS A LAST RESORT.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER SUCH AS HAIL...DOWNED TREES...LIMBS...AND
POWER LINES...PLEASE CONTACT THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 OR EMAIL YOUR REPORTS TO
CHS.SKYWARN@NOAA.GOV.

LAT...LON 3248 8075 3268 8065 3258 8013 3253 8017
      3255 8020 3246 8032 3249 8036 3246 8042
      3249 8044 3249 8047 3244 8046 3242 8041
      3233 8044
TIME...MOT...LOC 0132Z 284DEG 39KT 3253 8055

$$
000 
WWUS52 KCHS 160210
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1009 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

SCC013-019-029-160219-
/O.EXP.KCHS.TO.W.0016.000000T0000Z-080316T0215Z/
COLLETON SC-CHARLESTON SC-BEAUFORT SC-
1009 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN BEAUFORT...SOUTHWESTERN
CHARLESTON AND SOUTHEASTERN COLLETON COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 1015 PM
EDT...

AT 1009 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED THAT THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH
PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD MOVED OFF THE COAST...THUS THE TORNADO 
WARNING BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEW
SOURCE FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER
OR STORM RELATED DAMAGE TO LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OR LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND ASK THEM TO IMMEDIATELY RELAY THE REPORT TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER SUCH AS HAIL...DOWNED TREES...LIMBS...AND
POWER LINES...PLEASE CONTACT THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 OR EMAIL YOUR REPORTS TO
CHS.SKYWARN@NOAA.GOV.

LAT...LON 3248 8075 3268 8065 3258 8013 3253 8017
      3255 8020 3246 8032 3249 8036 3246 8042
      3249 8044 3249 8047 3244 8046 3242 8041
      3233 8044
TIME...MOT...LOC 0209Z 284DEG 39KT 3243 8009

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 15, 8:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSHampton17 min
Mar 15, 8:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSAllendale, Hampton57 min
Mar 15, 8:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSAllendale, Colleton, Hampton52 min
Mar 15, 8:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBerkeley20 min
Mar 15, 8:40 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS2 hr
Mar 15, 8:44 PM EDTTornado WarningCHSCharleston, Colleton, Dorchester46 min
Mar 15, 8:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSJasper56 min
Mar 15, 8:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBeaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton, Jasper66 min
Mar 15, 9:03 PM EDTTornado WarningCHSBeaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Hampton, Jasper42 min
Mar 15, 9:17 PM EDTTornado WarningCHSHampton, Jasper34 min
Mar 15, 9:34 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS116 min
Mar 15, 9:34 PM EDTTornado WarningCHSJasper33 min
Mar 15, 9:38 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS97 min
Mar 15, 9:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBeaufort, Jasper35 min
Mar 15, 9:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBeaufort, Charleston, Colleton26 min
Mar 15, 9:59 PM EDTTornado WarningCHSBeaufort, Jasper31 min
Mar 15, 10:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSJasper45 min
Mar 15, 10:16 PM EDTTornado WarningCHSJasper29 min
Mar 15, 10:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBeaufort, Jasper50 min
Mar 15, 10:43 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS92 min
Mar 15, 10:45 PM EDTTornado WarningCHSBeaufort, Jasper30 min
Mar 15, 10:58 PM EDTLake Wind AdvisoryCHSBerkeley15 hr
Mar 15, 11:04 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS55 min
Mar 16, 12:38 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS67 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2008Every tornado warning in 2008Tornadoes in 2008

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.