Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Wilmington, NC

April 16, 2011Florence County, Williamsburg County, South Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 2011, 4:18 PM EDT for Florence County, Williamsburg County, South Carolina. It was in force for 42 min. 3 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, 4:18 PM EDT (20:18 UTC)
Expired: Apr 16, 2011, 5:00 PM EDT
In force: 42 min
Issued by: NWS Wilmington, NC
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Florence County, SC, Williamsburg County, SC

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 117 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:21 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, 4:26 PM EDT	HAIL 1.75	Greeleyville, SC
Apr 16, 4:33 PM EDT	HAIL 1	Kingstree, SC	QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.
Apr 16, 4:48 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	8 Ssw Cades, SC	TREES DOWN ON HWY 521 NEAR SALTERS.

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 PDS	SPC	11 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 88 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

690 
WFUS52 KILM 162018
TORILM
SCC041-089-162100-
/O.NEW.KILM.TO.W.0005.110416T2018Z-110416T2100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
418 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY IN NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA
  SOUTHERN FLORENCE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 500 PM EDT

* AT 412 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 15 MILES WEST OF
  GOURDIN...OR ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTH OF MANNING...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
  50 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
   GOURDIN...
   SALTERS...
   KINGSTREE...
   CADES...
   LAKE CITY...
   INDIANTOWN...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND DANGEROUS 
CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

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.

GET UNDER A TABLE OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. SEEK SHELTER ON
THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH
AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING 
FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA.

&&

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...DOWNED TREES OR DAMAGING WINDS TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC...TOLL FREE AT 877-633-6772...WHEN
YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3371 8000 3372 7998 3377 7999 3383 7991
      3388 7989 3388 7990 3390 7987 3394 7963
      3361 7943 3352 7969 3346 7992 3350 7998
      3350 8002 3351 8005 3350 8010
TIME...MOT...LOC 2016Z 242DEG 42KT 3354 8011

$$

DCH

2 follow-up statements

821 
WWUS52 KILM 162055
SVSILM

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
455 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

SCC041-089-162100-
/O.CON.KILM.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-110416T2100Z/
FLORENCE SC-WILLIAMSBURG SC-
455 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM EDT FOR
WILLIAMSBURG AND SOUTH CENTRAL FLORENCE COUNTIES...

AT 450 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 8
MILES SOUTHWEST OF INDIANTOWN...OR 8 MILES EAST OF KINGSTREE...MOVING
EAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO SCRANTON...
MORRISVILLE...HENRY...NESMITH AND STUCKEY.

ADDITIONAL STORMS OVER GREELEYVILLE ALSO INDICATE SOME WEAK ROTATION 
AND COULD QUICKLY STRENGTHEN AND PRODUCE A TORNADO.  

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. SEEK
SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR
ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND
ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA.

&&

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...DOWNED TREES OR DAMAGING WINDS TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC...TOLL FREE AT 877-633-6772...WHEN
YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3371 8000 3372 7998 3377 7999 3383 7991
      3388 7989 3388 7990 3390 7987 3394 7963
      3361 7943 3352 7969 3346 7992 3350 7998
      3350 8002 3351 8005 3350 8010
TIME...MOT...LOC 2052Z 248DEG 44KT 3368 7966

$$

DCH

655 
WWUS52 KILM 162109
SVSILM

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
509 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

SCC041-089-162115-
/O.EXP.KILM.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-110416T2100Z/
FLORENCE SC-WILLIAMSBURG SC-
509 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WILLIAMSBURG AND SOUTH CENTRAL FLORENCE 
COUNTIES HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A NEW TORNADO WARNING...

AT 502 PM EDT...ADDITIONAL STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES 
HAVE CONTINUED TO REFIRE ACROSS THE REGION AND AS A RESULT...A NEW 
TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE PREVIOUSLY 
WARNED AREA.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA.

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...DOWNED TREES OR DAMAGING WINDS TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC...TOLL FREE AT 877-633-6772...WHEN
YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3371 8000 3372 7998 3377 7999 3383 7991
      3388 7989 3388 7990 3390 7987 3394 7963
      3361 7943 3352 7969 3346 7992 3350 7998
      3350 8002 3351 8005 3350 8010
TIME...MOT...LOC 2055Z 248DEG 44KT 3369 7962

$$

DCH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Wilmington, NC issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 16, 12:07 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Dillon, Horry, Marion	37 min
Apr 16, 1:16 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	ILM	Horry	29 min
Apr 16, 2:16 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marlboro	44 min
Apr 16, 2:48 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Darlington, Dillon, Marlboro	42 min
Apr 16, 3:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Dillon, Marlboro	70 min
Apr 16, 3:27 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Dillon, Marlboro	48 min
Apr 16, 3:40 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Dillon, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, Williamsburg	35 min
Apr 16, 4:17 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Dillon, Horry, Marion	58 min
Apr 16, 4:49 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Dillon, Florence, Horry, Marion, Williamsburg	41 min
Apr 16, 5:03 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, Williamsburg	42 min
Apr 16, 5:03 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Dillon, Horry	57 min
Apr 16, 5:28 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Georgetown, Williamsburg	47 min
Apr 16, 5:48 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Horry	42 min
Apr 16, 6:19 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Georgetown	26 min
Apr 16, 6:47 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	ILM		43 min
Apr 16, 7:10 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	ILM		110 min
Apr 16, 7:48 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	ILM		57 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2011 Every tornado warning in 2011 Tornadoes 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.