Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Charleston, SC

March 7, 2008Chatham County, Georgia

NWS Charleston, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 7, 2008, 10:36 AM EST for Chatham County, Georgia. It was in force for 39 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 7, 2008, 10:36 AM EST (15:36 UTC)
Expired
Mar 7, 2008, 11:15 AM EST
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Chatham County, GA

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 80 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:37 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 7, 10:45 AM ESTTSTM WND GST 40Thunderbolt, GA

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 141 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 2008-03-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 26 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 12:00Z on 2008-03-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 129 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
26 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-23 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
562 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
129 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
118 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 071536
TORCHS
GAC051-071615-
/O.NEW.KCHS.TO.W.0004.080307T1536Z-080307T1615Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1036 AM EST FRI MAR 7 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EAST CENTRAL CHATHAM COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...

* UNTIL 1115 AM EST

* AT 1033 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR SKIDAWAY
  ISLAND...OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF SAVANNAH...MOVING NORTH AT 35
  MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE...
  SKIDAWAY ISLAND...
  ISLE OF HOPE...
  WILMINGTON ISLAND...THUNDERBOLT...
  RIVERSIDE...RIVERSIDE...

THIS TORNADO MAY BE WRAPPED IN RAIN AND NOT EASILY SEEN. IF YOU WAIT
UNTIL YOU SEE OR HEAR IT COMING IT MAY BE TOO LATE. TAKE SHELTER NOW.

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 3184 8106 3191 8110 3209 8104 3210 8099
      3204 8094 3202 8083 3197 8084 3194 8092
      3195 8095 3193 8097 3191 8092 3185 8098
      3186 8104 3183 8104
TIME...MOT...LOC 1536Z 202DEG 32KT 3193 8103

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KCHS 071549
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1050 AM EST FRI MAR 7 2008

GAC051-071615-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080307T1615Z/
CHATHAM GA-
1050 AM EST FRI MAR 7 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 AM EST FOR EAST
CENTRAL CHATHAM COUNTY...

AT 1046 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR WILMINGTON
ISLAND...OR ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SAVANNAH...MOVING NORTH AT 45
MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
RIVERSIDE...THUNDERBOLT AND WILMINGTON ISLAND.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

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 3199 8106 3208 8104 3209 8103 3210 8099
      3209 8099 3207 8096 3204 8094 3203 8090
      3197 8093
TIME...MOT...LOC 1550Z 202DEG 32KT 3205 8097

$$
000 
WWUS52 KCHS 071600
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1100 AM EST FRI MAR 7 2008

GAC051-071615-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080307T1615Z/
CHATHAM GA-
1100 AM EST FRI MAR 7 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 AM EST FOR EAST
CENTRAL CHATHAM COUNTY...

AT 1059 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR RIVERSIDE...OR
ABOUT 7 MILES EAST OF SAVANNAH...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
RIVERSIDE...THUNDERBOLT AND WILMINGTON ISLAND.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

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 3200 8106 3208 8104 3209 8103 3210 8099
      3209 8099 3206 8096 3204 8094 3202 8095
      3199 8097
TIME...MOT...LOC 1600Z 211DEG 35KT 3209 8097

$$
000 
WWUS52 KCHS 071616
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1116 AM EST FRI MAR 7 2008

GAC051-071626-
/O.EXP.KCHS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080307T1615Z/
CHATHAM GA-
1116 AM EST FRI MAR 7 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL CHATHAM COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
1115 AM EST...

AT 1112 AM EST...RADAR INDICATED THAT THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH
PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD WEAKENED AND MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED 
AREA...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 3200 8106 3208 8104 3209 8103 3210 8099
      3209 8099 3206 8096 3204 8094 3202 8095
      3199 8097
TIME...MOT...LOC 1600Z 211DEG 35KT 3209 8097

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 7, 4:33 AM ESTFlood WatchCHSBulloch, Candler, Effingham, Evans, Jenkins, Long and 2 more16 hr
Mar 7, 10:30 AM ESTTornado WarningCHSLong, McIntosh60 min
Mar 7, 11:55 AM ESTRiver Flood WarningCHSBryan, Effingham11 hr
Mar 7, 4:13 PM ESTWind AdvisoryCHSBulloch, Candler, Effingham, Evans, Jenkins, Long and 2 more27 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.