Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Charleston, SC

March 28, 2009Bryan County, Chatham County, Effingham County, Georgia

NWS Charleston, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 28, 2009, 4:01 PM EDT for Bryan County, Chatham County, Effingham County, Georgia. It was in force for 29 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 28, 2009, 4:01 PM EDT (20:01 UTC)
Expired
Mar 28, 2009, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
29 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Bryan County, GA, Chatham County, GA, Effingham County, GA

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 63 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:01 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 28, 12:47 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 145 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 2009-03-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 18 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 2009-03-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 84 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
18 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-65 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
857 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
84 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
60 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 282001
TORCHS
GAC029-051-103-282045-
/O.NEW.KCHS.TO.W.0003.090328T2001Z-090328T2045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
401 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL BRYAN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...
  NORTHERN CHATHAM COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...
  SOUTHEASTERN EFFINGHAM COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...

* UNTIL 445 PM EDT

* AT 401 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTH OF
  MELDRIM...OR ABOUT 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF RICHMOND HILL...MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE...
  MELDRIM...
  BLOOMINGDALE...
  POOLER...
  SAVANNAH AIRPORT...GARDEN CITY...
  PORT WENTWORTH...MONTEITH...

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.

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 3194 8142 3208 8151 3230 8113 3228 8112
      3224 8116 3219 8111 3211 8112 3208 8106
      3209 8100 3193 8139
TIME...MOT...LOC 2001Z 240DEG 21KT 3205 8136

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS52 KCHS 282013
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
413 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009

GAC029-282023-
/O.CAN.KCHS.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-090328T2045Z/
BRYAN GA-
413 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL BRYAN COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

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 3213 8137 3229 8114 3228 8112 3224 8116
      3219 8111 3211 8112 3204 8129
TIME...MOT...LOC 2013Z 232DEG 34KT 3214 8127

$$

GAC051-103-282045-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-090328T2045Z/
EFFINGHAM GA-CHATHAM GA-
413 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM EDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN CHATHAM AND SOUTHEASTERN EFFINGHAM COUNTIES...

AT 410 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR BLOOMINGDALE...OR
ABOUT 13 MILES NORTH OF RICHMOND HILL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
BLOOMINGDALE...GARDEN CITY...MEINHARD...MONTEITH...POOLER...PORT
WENTWORTH AND SAVANNAH AIRPORT.

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...STRONG
ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY BE OCCURRING
OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS
DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE LOWEST LEVEL OF THE
BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO NOT SEEK SHELTER
UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

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 3213 8137 3229 8114 3228 8112 3224 8116
      3219 8111 3211 8112 3204 8129
TIME...MOT...LOC 2013Z 232DEG 34KT 3214 8127

$$
000 
WWUS52 KCHS 282030
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
430 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009

GAC051-103-282040-
/O.CAN.KCHS.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-090328T2045Z/
EFFINGHAM GA-CHATHAM GA-
430 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN CHATHAM AND SOUTHEASTERN
EFFINGHAM COUNTIES HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

AT 430 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED THAT THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH
PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED...AND WAS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING TORNADOES OR OTHER SEVERE WEATHER. THE TORNADO WARNING HAS
THEREFORE BEEN CANCELED.

ALTHOUGH THE TORNADO WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT...ADDITIONAL
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES...DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL MAY AFFECT THE AREA LATER THIS EVENING. CONTINUE
TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS...
WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE 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 3213 8137 3229 8114 3228 8112 3224 8116
      3219 8111 3211 8112 3204 8129
TIME...MOT...LOC 2030Z 232DEG 34KT 3224 8112

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 28, 4:31 AM EDTGale WarningCHS23 hr
Mar 28, 9:42 AM EDTMarine Weather StatementCHS5 hr
Mar 28, 4:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSEvans, Long, Tattnall64 min
Mar 28, 5:14 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS61 min
Mar 28, 5:34 PM EDTTornado WarningCHSLiberty, Long, McIntosh41 min
Mar 28, 5:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty50 min
Mar 28, 5:43 PM EDTTornado WarningCHSBryan, Chatham, Liberty47 min
Mar 28, 5:51 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS72 min
Mar 28, 5:52 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS53 min
Mar 28, 6:06 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCHSBryan, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty, Long, McIntosh and 1 more114 min
Mar 28, 6:25 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS95 min
Mar 28, 6:41 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS94 min
Mar 28, 7:35 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS55 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes in 2009

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.