Alert archive / South Carolina / Special Weather Statements in 2012
Special Weather Statement, NWS Charleston, SC
NWS Charleston, SC issued this special weather statement at May 15, 2012, 6:01 PM EDT for Dorchester County, South Carolina. 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
- May 15, 2012, 6:01 PM EDT (22:01 UTC)
- Expired
- May 15, 2012, 6:30 PM EDT
- In force
- 29 min
- Issued by
- NWS Charleston, SC
County Dorchester County, SC
The radar
The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:04 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 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 40 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
- 1682 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -6 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 555 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 22 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 51 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 74 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this special weather statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Charleston, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at May 15, 5:30 PM EDT, 31 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 15, 5:30 PM EDT, 31 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 530 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012 .SYNOPSIS... BROAD LOW PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT WILL LINGER ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD FROM THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST LATE IN THE WEEK AND PERSIST ACROSS THE REGION INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... UPDATED FORECASTS TO FINE TUNE POPS AND OTHER FORECAST PARAMETERS THROUGH EARLY EVENING OUTFLOW FROM ONGOING CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO PROMOTE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS INTO EARLY EVENING. BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS AND A FAVORABLE THERMODYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT WILL SUPPORT OCCASIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING MICROBURSTS. THUS...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT IN ADDITION TO BRIEF/PULSE SEVER EVENTS... ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM CLUSTERS COULD PERSIST SUCH AS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCED DAMAGING WINDS AND UP TO GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL WHICH IMPACTED AREAS ALONG I-95 FROM MCINTOSH COUNTY...THROUGH THE SAVANNAH AREA AND INTO JASPER COUNTY. OF INTEREST...THE MOST ACTIVE REGIME HAS REMAINED NORTH/WEST OF THE CHARLESTON TRI-COUNTY REGION...AND THERE REMAINS SOME QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER ANY THUNDERSTORMS WILL PUSH INTO THIS AREA. MAINTAINED ONGOING SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE POPS THROUGH EARLY EVENING AS UPSTREAM CONVECTION COULD STILL SPILL BACK TOWARD THE COAST. PER DIURNAL TRENDS...THUNDERSTORMS WILL DECREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY TONIGHT...AND THE REGION SHOULD BECOME MAINLY PRECIPITATION FREE OVERNIGHT. OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY...AREAS OF STRATUS AND/OR FOG COULD DEVELOP WHERE HEAVY RAIN OCCURS THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY/... ALTHOUGH A BROAD UPPER TROUGH WILL PERSIST OVER THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...THE PRIMARY UPPER LOW WILL MOVE THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY AND OFFSHORE BY FRIDAY. QUITE A BIT OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY LIFTING OUT OF THE NORTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...COINCIDENT WITH RELATIVELY MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER AND DIURNAL HEATING...SHOULD RESULT IN GOOD COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY IN THE AFTERNOONS. A COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO DROP INTO THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA ON THURSDAY WHICH WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL FOCUS FOR CONVECTION. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CANNOT BE RULED OUT WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY DUE TO THE ABUNDANCE OF FORCING MECHANISMS AND REASONABLY HIGH CONVECTIVE INDICES. THE FRONT WILL DROP THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING DOWN THE COAST ON FRIDAY. CONVECTION WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE OVER OUR FAR SOUTHERN GA ZONES AS THE FRONT STALLS ALONG THE ALTAMAHA RIVER. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... THE LONG TERM PERIODS ARE STILL SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. LATEST INDICATIONS ARE THAT A STRONG AND EXPANSIVE AREA OF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE IN THE NW ATLANTIC WILL EXTEND ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA LATE IN THE WEEK INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. MEANWHILE...FAR OFF THE COAST NEAR 30 WEST THERE ARE STILL SOME INDICATIONS THAT A COLD CORE OR HYBRID LOW WILL FORM AS A CLOSED LOW DEVELOPS ALOFT OVER OR NEAR THE SE COAST. IN REGARDS TO SENSIBLE WEATHER...AND PROVIDED ANY ATLANTIC LOW STAYS FAR OFFSHORE...WE/RE LOOKING AT CONDITIONS GENERALLY DRIVEN BY LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE WITHIN THE CLOCKWISE FLOW AROUND THE NW ATLANTIC RIDGE. THIS ALONG WITH A GRADUAL RETURN OF MOISTURE WILL CAUSE A DAY TO DAY INCREASE IN SHOWERS AS THEY PROGRESS FURTHER NORTH EACH DAY. SLIGHT CHANCE POPS WILL BE RESTRICTED TO SOUTH OF I-16 IN SE GA SATURDAY...WITH SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE POPS OVER EASTERN AND SOUTHERN SECTIONS SUNDAY. FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY WE/LL SHOW SLIGHT CHANCE POPS ALL AREAS. TEMPS WILL AVERAGE CLOSE TO WHAT IS EXPECTED FOR THAT TIME OF YEAR. && .AVIATION /21Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS COULD IMPACT KSAV INTO EARLY EVENING. THE PROBABILITY FOR THUNDERSTORMS IS LOWER AT KCHS BUT UPSTREAM THUNDERSTORMS COULD STILL PUSH INTO THAT AREA. EXPECT AMENDMENTS TO ADDRESS NEAR TERM CONVECTIVE TRENDS. OUTSIDE ANY THUNDERSTORMS..MAINLY VFR THROUGH AT LEAST THIS EVENING. THEN...LOW CHANCE OF MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY IN A SHOWER...STRATUS AND/OR FOG. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP WEDNESDAY...BUT MAINLY 18Z OR LATER. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...PERIODIC MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY DUE TO DIURNAL SHRA/TSRA. VFR CONDITIONS WITH GUSTY WINDS WILL OCCUR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. && .MARINE... THUNDERSTORMS COULD LOCALLY ALTER WINDS CLOSE TO THE COAST INTO THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE...WINDS/SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SCA CRITERIA THROUGH TONIGHT. THE LOCAL WATERS WILL REMAIN IN AN AREA OF S TO SW FLOW ON THE EAST SIDE OF BROAD LOW PRESSURE. SEA BREEZE ENHANCEMENT COULD SUPPORT LOCAL WINDS AS HIGH AS 15-20 KT THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING...ESPECIALLY ON CHARLESTON HARBOR. OTHERWISE...WINDS OF 15 KTS OR LESS ARE EXPECTED. MAINTAINED SEAS FROM 2-4 FT WITHIN 20 NM TO 4 FT 20-60 NM. OUTSIDE OF ISOLATED TO SCATTERED CONVECTION...WIND AND SEA CONDITIONS ACROSS THE MARINE AREA WILL BE SOMEWHAT QUIET WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. HOWEVER...CONDITIONS WILL CHANGE FOR THE WORSE ON FRIDAY...AS STRONG HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS FROM THE NORTH AND NE. THAT HIGH WILL THEN PERSIST OVER THE MARINE AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND... WITH A PINCHING OF THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TO CAUSE HIGHER WINDS AND LARGER SEAS FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES SEEM ALMOST A CERTAINTY DURING THAT TIME. RIP CURRENTS...AN ELEVATED RISK OF RIP CURRENTS APPEARS LIKELY AT THE BEACHES FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...WITH A PERSISTENT AND AT LEAST A MODERATE NE AND EAST WIND TO PREVAIL. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...SPR SHORT TERM...JRL LONG TERM... AVIATION...SPR MARINE...JRL/SPR
Hazardous weather outlook, May 15, 2:57 PM EDT, 3 hours 4 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 257 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012 AMZ330-350-352-354-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>116-118-137-138-140-SCZ040- 042>045-047-052-161900- CHARLESTON HARBOR- WATERS FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER TO EDISTO BEACH SC OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM EDISTO BEACH SC TO SAVANNAH GA OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA OUT 20 NM...INCLUDING GRAYS REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY-JENKINS-SCREVEN-CANDLER-BULLOCH- EFFINGHAM-TATTNALL-EVANS-INLAND BRYAN-INLAND CHATHAM-LONG- INLAND LIBERTY-INLAND MCINTOSH-ALLENDALE-HAMPTON-INLAND COLLETON- DORCHESTER-INLAND BERKELEY-INLAND JASPER-TIDAL BERKELEY- 257 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 278 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AMZ374-161900- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 257 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. GAZ117-119-139-141-SCZ048>051-161900- COASTAL BRYAN-COASTAL CHATHAM-COASTAL LIBERTY-COASTAL MCINTOSH- BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER- 257 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 278 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. RIP CURRENTS...MODERATE ONSHORE FLOW AND LOW END SWELLS WILL LEAD TO AN ELEVATED RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS LATE THIS WEEK INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER GROUPS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 15, 5:43 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Local storm report, May 15, 5:47 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Local storm report, May 15, 5:48 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Special weather statement, May 15, 5:48 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Local storm report, May 15, 5:54 PM EDT, 7 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Special weather statement, May 15, 6:01 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS Charleston, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 8:31 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | Candler | 29 min |
| May 14, 10:16 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | Tattnall | 29 min |
| May 15, 3:25 AM EDT | Special Marine Warning | CHS | 95 min | |
| May 15, 3:17 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | McIntosh | 28 min |
| May 15, 3:28 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS | Bryan, Liberty, Long, McIntosh | 62 min |
| May 15, 3:54 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS | Screven | 20 min |
| May 15, 4:19 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS | Bryan, Chatham, Liberty | 56 min |
| May 15, 4:42 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS | Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Liberty | 63 min |
| May 15, 5:28 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | McIntosh | 32 min |
| May 15, 5:01 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | Dorchester | 29 min |
| May 15, 5:25 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS | Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, Jasper | 65 min |
| May 15, 5:48 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | Allendale | 27 min |
| May 15, 6:34 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | Dorchester | 26 min |
| May 15, 6:36 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | Colleton | 24 min |
| May 15, 6:57 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CHS | Dorchester | 33 min |
Nearby
Special Weather Statements in South Carolina, 2012Every special weather statement in 2012
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.