Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2011
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Charleston, SC
NWS Charleston, SC issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 2011, 4:53 PM EDT for Berkeley County, South Carolina. It was in force for 37 min. 11 reports 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
- Apr 16, 2011, 4:53 PM EDT (20:53 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 16, 2011, 5:30 PM EDT
- In force
- 37 min
- Issued by
- NWS Charleston, SC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
County Berkeley County, SC
The radar
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 120 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:55 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 4:53 PM EDT | HAIL 1.75 | 7 Sw Cross, SC | GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED NEAR TREE FARM LANE AND HWY 311. |
| Apr 16, 4:54 PM EDT | HAIL 0.75 | 8 Sw Cross, SC | DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED. |
| Apr 16, 4:57 PM EDT | HAIL 0.88 | Cross, SC | THE PUBLIC REPORTED DIME TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL IN CROSS SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Apr 16, 5:03 PM EDT | TORNADO | 3 Nw Bonneau Beach, SC | EF-1 TORNADO CONFIRMED. TORNADIC WATERSPOUT FORMED OVER N. LAKE MOULTRIE AT 503 PM AND TRAVELED E NE 2 MILES BEFORE COMING ONSHORE 2.5 MILES SW OF RUSSELLVILLE. TORNADO TRAVELED E NE BEFORE DISSIPATING 1 MILE SE OF ST. STEPHEN. THE TORNADO LIFTED A ROOF OFF A |
| Apr 16, 5:09 PM EDT | HAIL 1 | Bonneau Beach, SC | THE PUBLIC REPORTED QUARTER SIZE HAIL IN BONNEAU BEACH SOUTH CAROLINA. |
| Apr 16, 5:16 PM EDT | TORNADO | 1 S Saint Stephen, SC | A FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL REPORTED A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN RIPPING THE ROOF OFF A BUILDING ALONG WITH KNOCKING NUMEROUS POWER LINES DOWN JUST OUTSIDE OF SAINT STEPHEN SOUTH CAROLINA. |
| Apr 16, 5:16 PM EDT | TORNADO | 1 Ssw Saint Stephen, SC | *** 6 INJ *** NWS DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM HAS CONFIRMED A TORNADO MOVED VERY NEAR SAINT STEPHEN SOUTH CAROLINA. THE TORNADO DESTROYED A CHURCH AND INJURED 6 PEOPLE. TEAM IS STILL EVALUATING THE SEVERITY AND EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. INITIAL TOUCH DOWN MAY HAVE OCCURRED |
| Apr 16, 5:16 PM EDT | TORNADO | 2 Ene Bonneau, SC | A FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL REPORTED A FULLY COLLAPSED CHURCH WITH 6 PEOPLE INJURED IN BETWEEN SAINT STEPHEN SOUTH CAROLINA AND BONNEAU SOUTH CAROLINA ALONG WITH LIVE POWER LINES DOWN ON THE GROUND. |
| Apr 16, 5:20 PM EDT | TORNADO | 2 S Saint Stephen, SC | TORNADO SIGHTED ALONG 2000 BLOCK OF MENDEL RIVERS ROAD. |
| Apr 16, 5:20 PM EDT | TORNADO | Saint Stephen, SC | TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED AT LEAST 100 TREES DOWN NEAR SAINT STEPHEN. TREES WERE 12 TO 18 INCHES IN DIAMETER. SHINGLE DAMAGE ALSO SEEN ON 1 HOME. |
| Apr 16, 5:21 PM EDT | TORNADO | Saint Stephen, SC | TORNADO ON GROUND...REPORTED VIA LAW ENFORCEMENT. REPORTED NEAR INTERSECTION OF S MAIN ST AND HOOD ST IN SAINT STEPHEN. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 12:02 PM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 11 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 52 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 421 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -9 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 687 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
815
WFUS52 KCHS 162053
TORCHS
SCC015-162130-
/O.NEW.KCHS.TO.W.0004.110416T2053Z-110416T2130Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
453 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHERN BERKELEY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...
* UNTIL 530 PM EDT
* AT 451 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO...NEAR CROSS...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
CROSS...EADYTOWN...NORTHERN LAKE MOULTRIE...SOUTHERN LAKE
MOULTRIE...BONNEAU BEACH...BONNEAU...SAINT STEPHEN...JAMESTOWN...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT HAIL...DOWNED TREES...LIMBS...AND POWER LINES DIRECTLY TO THE
CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 1-888-383-2024.
&&
LAT...LON 3319 8023 3328 8028 3330 8025 3338 8024
3340 8022 3345 8022 3346 8015 3350 8014
3352 8007 3351 7996 3345 7988 3340 7983
3339 7979 3332 7974 3329 7960 3328 7960
TIME...MOT...LOC 2054Z 242DEG 41KT 3333 8015
$$2 follow-up statements
734
WWUS52 KCHS 162110
SVSCHS
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
510 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011
SCC015-162130-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110416T2130Z/
BERKELEY SC-
510 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 530 PM EDT FOR NORTHERN
BERKELEY COUNTY...
AT 506 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR NORTHERN LAKE
MOULTRIE...OR ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SAINT STEPHEN...MOVING EAST
AT 40 MPH.
ANOTHER POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS DETECTED NEAR CHICORA AND WILL MOVE
ACROSS LAKE MOULTRIE IN PRIOR TO 515 PM.
SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...BONNEAU
BEACH...BONNEAU...CROSS...JAMESTOWN...NORTHERN LAKE MOULTRIE...
PINOPOLIS...SAINT STEPHEN AND SOUTHERN LAKE MOULTRIE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THESE TORNADOES MAY BE WRAPPED IN RAIN AND NOT EASILY SEEN. IF YOU
WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE OR HEAR IT COMING IT MAY BE TOO LATE. TAKE
SHELTER NOW.
&&
LAT...LON 3319 8023 3328 8028 3330 8025 3336 8021
3339 8019 3341 8014 3345 8013 3348 8010
3350 8006 3351 7996 3345 7988 3340 7983
3339 7979 3332 7974 3329 7960 3328 7960
TIME...MOT...LOC 2107Z 250DEG 36KT 3337 7999
$$769
WWUS52 KCHS 162121
SVSCHS
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
521 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011
SCC015-162130-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110416T2130Z/
BERKELEY SC-
521 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 530 PM EDT FOR NORTHERN
BERKELEY COUNTY...
AT 519 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR WILDER...OR ABOUT OVER SAINT
STEPHEN...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...BONNEAU
BEACH...BONNEAU...JAMESTOWN...NORTHERN LAKE MOULTRIE...SAINT STEPHEN
AND SOUTHERN LAKE MOULTRIE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
&&
LAT...LON 3325 8010 3330 8015 3332 8013 3335 8011
3337 8008 3340 8006 3341 8002 3342 7999
3344 7997 3345 7995 3345 7988 3340 7983
3339 7979 3332 7974 3329 7960 3328 7960
TIME...MOT...LOC 2120Z 250DEG 36KT 3334 7988
$$The office that day
Everything else NWS Charleston, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 12:35 PM EDT | High Wind Warning | CHS | Berkeley | 7 hr |
| Apr 16, 2:05 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS | Allendale, Colleton, Hampton | 40 min |
| Apr 16, 3:18 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | Dorchester | 27 min |
| Apr 16, 4:11 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | Dorchester | 49 min |
| Apr 16, 4:22 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS | Berkeley, Colleton, Dorchester | 53 min |
| Apr 16, 5:28 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CHS | Berkeley | 32 min |
| Apr 16, 5:29 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS | Berkeley | 61 min |
| Apr 16, 5:53 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CHS | Berkeley | 52 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.