Alert archive / South Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Charleston, SC

July 15, 2011Beaufort County, Colleton County, Jasper County, South Carolina

NWS Charleston, SC issued this flash flood warning at Jul 15, 2011, 2:32 AM EDT for Beaufort County, Colleton County, Jasper County, South Carolina. It was in force for 118 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 15, 2011, 2:32 AM EDT (06:32 UTC)
Expired
Jul 15, 2011, 4:30 AM EDT
In force
118 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Beaufort County, SC, Colleton County, SC, Jasper County, SC

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 57 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:36 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 nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 00:00Z, 6.5 hours before the alert went out and 74 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 2011-07-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1086 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 2011-07-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -26 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
1086 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-55 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
807 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-26 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
34 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.

342 
WGUS52 KCHS 150632
FFWCHS
SCC013-029-053-150830-
/O.NEW.KCHS.FF.W.0004.110715T0632Z-110715T0830Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
232 AM EDT FRI JUL 15 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  BEAUFORT COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...
  SOUTHEASTERN COLLETON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...
  EAST CENTRAL JASPER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 430 AM EDT

* AT 226 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
  THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN AFFECTING MUCH OF
  BEAUFORT COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE DRIFTING SLOWLY NORTH.

  RADAR ESTIMATES UP TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN SOME
  AREAS. AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN COULD FALL THROUGH
  430 AM WHICH WILL LIKELY PRODUCE SOME FLASH FLOODING. LAW
  ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS RECENTLY REPORTED SOME ROADWAYS ARE
  BEGINNING TO FLOOD AND SOME VEHICLES ARE STALLING.

* FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED IN AND AROUND...
  BEAUFORT...PORT ROYAL...LADYS ISLAND...BEAUFORT MARINE CORPS AIR
  STATION...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AVOID DRIVING INTO WATER ON THE ROAD. THE WATER IS USUALLY DEEPER
THAN IT APPEARS AND THE ROAD MAY BE WASHED OUT. ONLY ONE FOOT OF
WATER WILL STALL A VEHICLE AND LESS THAN TWO FEET OF WATER CAN FLOAT
AND CARRY AWAY A VEHICLE. FLOODING IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER-RELATED
CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS
MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

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

&&

LAT...LON 3247 8039 3246 8041 3249 8043 3248 8047
      3243 8046 3241 8042 3234 8044 3231 8043
      3232 8046 3227 8055 3226 8060 3220 8065
      3217 8080 3256 8096 3271 8057 3244 8034

$$
2 follow-up statements
811 
WGUS72 KCHS 150722
FFSCHS

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
322 AM EDT FRI JUL 15 2011

SCC053-150730-
/O.CAN.KCHS.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110715T0830Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
JASPER SC-
322 AM EDT FRI JUL 15 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR EAST CENTRAL JASPER
COUNTY...

LAT...LON 3247 8039 3246 8041 3249 8043 3248 8047
      3243 8046 3241 8042 3234 8044 3231 8043
      3232 8046 3227 8055 3226 8060 3220 8065
      3258 8080 3271 8057 3244 8034

$$

SCC013-029-150830-
/O.CON.KCHS.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110715T0830Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
COLLETON SC-BEAUFORT SC-
322 AM EDT FRI JUL 15 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 AM EDT FOR
EASTERN BEAUFORT AND SOUTHEASTERN COLLETON COUNTIES...

AT 318 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED
TO INDICATE VERY HEAVY RAINS FALLING ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTIONS
OF BEAUFORT COUNTY AND FAR SOUTHERN COLLETON COUNTY. RADAR
ESTIMATES BETWEEN 2 AND 6 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS PORTIONS
OF BEAUFORT COUNTY OVER THE PAST TWO HOURS. EXPECT AN ADDITIONAL
1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN THROUGH 430 AM. 

FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED IN AND AROUND BEAUFORT...BEAUFORT MARINE
CORPS AIR STATION...BENNETTS POINT...BURTON...DALE...FRIPP ISLAND...
GARDENS CORNER...LADYS ISLAND...PARRIS ISLAND AND PORT ROYAL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WATER DEPTH IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE AT NIGHT. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER ON THE ROADWAY EVEN IF IT APPEARS SHALLOW.
FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. A SHORT DELAY IN YOUR TRAVEL PLANS IS BETTER
THAN LOSING YOUR CAR...OR YOUR LIFE.

TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 OR EMAIL YOUR
REPORTS TO CHS.SKYWARN@NOAA.GOV. REPORTS CAN ALSO BE SENT THROUGH
TWITTER USING #WXREPORT.

&&

LAT...LON 3247 8039 3246 8041 3249 8043 3248 8047
      3243 8046 3241 8042 3234 8044 3231 8043
      3232 8046 3227 8055 3226 8060 3220 8065
      3258 8080 3271 8057 3244 8034

$$
138 
WGUS72 KCHS 150820
FFSCHS

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
420 AM EDT FRI JUL 15 2011

SCC013-029-150830-
/O.EXP.KCHS.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110715T0830Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
COLLETON SC-BEAUFORT SC-
420 AM EDT FRI JUL 15 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 430 AM EDT FOR FOR EASTERN
BEAUFORT AND SOUTHEASTERN COLLETON COUNTIES...

ALTHOUGH THE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING HAS ENDED...DRAINAGE SYSTEMS AND
CULVERTS WILL REMAIN FULL. PONDING WATER WILL PERSIST IN LOW-LYING
AREAS AND MAY POSE A HAZARD TO MOTORISTS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO ALL-HAZARDS FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE IN CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 OR EMAIL YOUR
REPORTS TO CHS.SKYWARN@NOAA.GOV. REPORTS CAN ALSO BE SENT THROUGH
TWITTER USING #WXREPORT.

LAT...LON 3247 8039 3246 8041 3249 8043 3248 8047
      3243 8046 3241 8042 3234 8044 3231 8043
      3232 8046 3227 8055 3226 8060 3220 8065
      3258 8080 3271 8057 3244 8034

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 15, 1:04 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCHSBeaufort, Jasper56 min
Jul 15, 2:28 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCHSBeaufort32 min
Jul 15, 2:37 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchCHS20 hr
Jul 15, 4:14 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCHSCharleston, Colleton91 min
Jul 15, 3:45 PM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryCHS7 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in South Carolina, 2011Every flash flood warning in 2011

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.