Alert archive / Georgia / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Charleston, SC

December 17, 2012Long County, Georgia

NWS Charleston, SC issued this special weather statement at Dec 17, 2012, 3:20 PM EST for Long County, Georgia. It was in force for 25 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: Dec 17, 2012, 3:20 PM EST (20:20 UTC)
Expired: Dec 17, 2012, 3:45 PM EST
In force: 25 min
Issued by: NWS Charleston, SC

County Long County, GA

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 126 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:23 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

Jacksonville, FL (KJAX), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 140 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 620 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 158 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.

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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 Dec 17, 3:16 PM EST, 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 17, 3:16 PM EST, 4 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
316 PM EST MON DEC 17 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY
TUESDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE RETURNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A STRONGER
COLD FRONT WILL THEN PUSH THROUGH LATE THURSDAY BRINGING MUCH
COOLER WEATHER THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/...
UPDATE...A NEW TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED TO INCLUDE ALL
COUNTIES TO THE EAST THROUGH SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA. PREVIOUS
DISCUSSION CONTINUES BELOW.

UPDATE TO INCLUDE TORNADO WATCH 684 FOR MOST OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA
AND THE NEARSHORE GEORGIA COASTAL WATERS. THE UPSTREAM LINE OF
CONVECTION HAS HELD TOGETHER NICELY AND A DISTINCT MESOSCALE
BOUNDARY HAS SET UP IN THIS AREA. THE BOUNDARY STRETCHES SOMEWHERE
BETWEEN CLAXTON AND STATESBORO AND EXTENDS A BIT TO THE EAST.
TEMPS SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY ARE IN THE LOW 70S WITH DEWPOINTS
APPROACHING THE MID 60S. NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY TEMPS ARE IN THE
LOW 60S WITH A CLEAR WIND SHIFT FROM SOUTHERLY TO EASTERLY. 0-6 KM
SHEAR VALUES ARE ON THE ORDER OF 70 KTS AND 0-3 KM SHEAR IS
APPROACHING 40-45 KTS...WITH SURFACE BASED CAPE VALUES RANGING UP
TO AROUND 500 J/KG. THE FAVORED MODE OF CONVECTION WILL BE BOWING
LINE SEGMENTS...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR EMBEDDED LOW TOPPED
SUPERCELL STRUCTURES. DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES ARE THE PRIMARY
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IN THE WATCH AREA.

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY/...
TONIGHT...THE UPPER TROUGH AND ANY ONGOING PRECIP/CONVECTION WILL
BE PUSHING OFFSHORE. EXPECT PRECIP TO BE OVER BEFORE MIDNIGHT.
MODEL SOUNDINGS AND CROSS SECTIONS SHOW THAT THE LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE AND CLOUDS WILL BE SLOW TO SCOUR OUT...WITH MOSTLY CLOUDY
SKIES LIKELY TO PERSIST THROUGH EARLY MORNING...THEN PARTLY CLOUDY
BY SUNRISE TUESDAY. MIN TEMPS FALLING BACK INTO THE LOWER TO MID
50S...BUT STILL WELL ABOVE NORMAL.

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...DRY HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD AND BECOME
CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHEAST TUESDAY BEHIND A COLD FRONT SHIFTING
WELL OFFSHORE. TEMPS WILL GRADUALLY REBOUND THROUGHOUT THE DAY UNDER
SUNNY SKIES...IN THE MID/UPPER 60S. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL RANGE IN THE
UPPER 30S INLAND TO MID 40S ALONG THE COAST. DRY CONDITIONS WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS RIDGING PEAKS OVER THE SOUTHEAST AHEAD
OF ANOTHER TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE SHIFTING THROUGH THE CENTRAL
UNITED STATES. EXPECT OVERALL TEMPS TO PEAK IN THE UPPER 60S/LOWER
70S UNDER MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE WARMER...IN THE
MID 40S INLAND TO MID 50S ALONG THE COAST.

THURSDAY...A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MAKE WAY THROUGH THE
MIDWEST WITH A SOUTHWARD EXTENDING COLD FRONT INTO THE GULF OF
MEXICO. STRONG ISENTROPIC ASCENT AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL LIKELY
LIMIT SFC HEATING POTENTIAL AS CLOUD COVER EXPANDS OVER THE FORECAST
AREA. HOWEVER...TEMPS WILL STILL REACH THE LOW 70S ALONG AND AHEAD
OF THE COLD FRONT BEFORE IT SWEEPS THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST DURING
EVENING HOURS. CHANCES OF SHOWERS WILL PEAK OVER SOUTHEAST SOUTH
CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AS COLD FROPA OCCURS LATE.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY BE SHIFTING THROUGH THE FORECAST
AREA LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING...BRINGING THE BEST
CHANCES OF PRECIP OVER THE LONG TERM. COLD AND DRY HIGH PRESSURE
WILL THEN FOLLOW THE FRONT...RESULTING IN TEMPS 10-15 DEGREES COOLER
THAN PREVIOUS DAYS. OVERALL TEMPS WILL REMAIN COOL UNDER A ZONAL
FLOW PATTERN THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WITH A GRADUAL WARMING OF 1-2
DEGREES EACH DAY. EXPECT OVERALL TEMPS TO BE IN THE MID/UPPER 50S
THROUGH EARLY WEEKEND...BEFORE WARMING TO AROUND 60 EARLY NEXT WEEK.
OVERNIGHT TEMPS WILL LIKELY REACH THE LOW 30S AWAY FROM COAST
FRIDAY...BEFORE GRADUALLY WARMING INTO THE MID 30S TO LOW 40S BY
THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK.

&&

.AVIATION /20Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
THE MOST BIGGEST NEAR TERM CONCERN FOR THE TERMINALS WILL BE THE
INCOMING LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS. KSAV HAS THE BEST CHANCE TO SEE
THUNDER AND STRONG WINDS SINCE IT IS IN THE MORE UNSTABLE AIR. FOR
NOW HAVE ONLY INCLUDED A TEMPO FOR HEAVY RAIN BUT WILL AMEND AS
IT BECOMES MORE CLEAR WHETHER OR NOT THUNDER WILL REACH THE
TERMINAL. KCHS COULD ALSO SEE A PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN
AND EVEN SOME THUNDER...THOUGH CONFIDENCE IS LOWER THERE.

BEHIND THE LINE OF STORMS AND PRECIP...PLENTY OF LOW LEVEL
MOISTURE WILL LINGER THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT AND CEILINGS APPEAR TO
BE AN INCREASING CONCERN. GUIDANCE IS HINTING AT LOW END
MVFR...HIGH END IFR CIGS FOR A TIME AT BOTH SITES. CHANCES APPEAR
BETTER AT KSAV BUT FOR NOW HAVE LEFT BOTH WITH MVFR CIGS AND
SCATTERED IFR. SOUNDINGS AND TIME HEIGHTS APPEAR TO LINGER FOR A
FEW HOURS AFTER SUNRISE BEFORE DEEP DRYING COMMENCES. LOW END
GUSTS POSSIBLE INTO THE AFTERNOON.

EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...VFR CIGS/VSBYS WILL PREVAIL BY TUESDAY
AFTERNOON AND PERSIST THROUGH WEDNESDAY...BEFORE DETERIORATING
THURSDAY AS A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. PERIODS OF
MVFR OR LOWER CIGS/VSBYS ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH EARLY
FRIDAY WITH SHOWERS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE PASSING COLD FRONT. VFR
CIGS/VSBYS WILL THEN RETURN BY EARLY WEEKEND.

&&

.MARINE...
AN INCREASING SOUTHWEST PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL RESULT IN LOW END
SCA CONDITIONS FOR THE OFFSHORE GA WATERS LATER THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON. WINDS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 15 TO 20
KTS BY THIS AFTERNOON WITH SEAS 3 TO 4 FEET NEAR SHORE...AND
BUILDING TO 5 TO 7 FEET OFFSHORE BY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
PERSISTING THROUGH TONIGHT. WINDS WILL VEER GRADUALLY FROM SW
TODAY TO WESTERLY LATER TONIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH
THE REGION.

TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL BE
ONGOING FOR OUTER GEORGIA WATERS BEHIND A COLD FRONT SHIFTING OVER
THE WESTERN ATLANTIC. EXPECT WINDS BETWEEN 20-25 KT AND SEAS UP TO 6
FT UNTIL TUESDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE CONDITIONS GRADUALLY IMPROVE WITH
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING OVER THE WATERS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. WINDS/SEAS
WILL THEN INCREASE/BUILD AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHING
FROM THE WEST THURSDAY. CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY MEET SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORIES LEVELS AS THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS OVER THE WATERS THURSDAY
EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND THE
FRONT ALONG WITH A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT MAY PRODUCE FREQUENT
GUSTS BETWEEN 30-35 KNOTS OVER WATERS BEYOND 10 NM FROM THE COAST.
SHOULD CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO FAVOR THIS SCENARIO...GALE WATCHES OR
WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY.

&&

.CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...NONE.
SC...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST TUESDAY FOR AMZ374.

&&

NEAR TERM...BSH
SHORT TERM...79
LONG TERM...DPB
AVIATION...BSH/79
MARINE...BSH/79

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 17, 3:14 PM EST, 6 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
314 PM EST MON DEC 17 2012

AMZ330-350-352-354-GAZ099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ042>045-047>052-
182015-
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-CANDLER-BULLOCH-EFFINGHAM-
TATTNALL-EVANS-INLAND BRYAN-COASTAL BRYAN-INLAND CHATHAM-
COASTAL CHATHAM-LONG-INLAND LIBERTY-COASTAL LIBERTY-INLAND MCINTOSH-
COASTAL MCINTOSH-HAMPTON-INLAND COLLETON-DORCHESTER-INLAND BERKELEY-
INLAND JASPER-BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER-
TIDAL BERKELEY-
314 PM EST MON DEC 17 2012

...TORNADO WATCH 684 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST 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.

   TORNADO WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

PLEASE RELAY ANY REPORTS OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER INCLUDING...BUT NOT
LIMITED TO LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES AND FLOODING
TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON AT 1-888-383-2024.

AMZ374-GAZ087-088-SCZ040-182015-
WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA EXTENDING FROM 20 TO
60 NM-JENKINS-SCREVEN-ALLENDALE-
314 PM EST MON DEC 17 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL
WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ASSISTANCE IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 17, 3:04 PM EST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
304 PM EST MON DEC 17 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0245 PM     TSTM WND DMG     7 S REGISTER            32.27N  81.88W
12/17/2012                   BULLOCH            GA   911 CALL CENTER

            BULLOCH COUNTY 911 CALL CENTER REPORTED A TREE DOWN ON
            A POWERLINE ON HIGHWAY 301 SOUTH.

&&

EVENT NUMBER CHS1200853

BDC

Special weather statement, Dec 17, 3:09 PM EST, 11 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
309 PM EST MON DEC 17 2012

GAZ116-137-138-172045-
INLAND BRYAN-INLAND LIBERTY-LONG-
309 PM EST MON DEC 17 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF LIBERTY...BRYAN AND
LONG COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EST...

AT 304 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM...16 MILES WEST OF LETFORD...MOVING EAST AT 55
MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...
FORT STEWART...

PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS...
GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ALTHOUGH LITTLE OR NO LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS WHICH MAY BLOW OVER TENTS...OUTDOOR
FURNITURE...AND HANGING OBJECTS. IF TIME PERMITS SECURE VULNERABLE
OBJECTS AND GO INSIDE A STURDY SHELTER.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE
TORNADOES SUDDENLY...SOMETIMES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING. BE ALERT
FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY TO ACT QUICKLY
IF SEVERE WEATHER IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

&&

LAT...LON 3183 8195 3185 8192 3188 8192 3189 8189
      3197 8188 3197 8186 3202 8182 3202 8181
      3205 8176 3212 8147 3188 8146 3181 8195
TIME...MOT...LOC 2009Z 260DEG 49KT 3200 8180

Special weather statement, Dec 17, 3:20 PM EST, 0 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
320 PM EST MON DEC 17 2012

GAZ137-138-172045-
INLAND LIBERTY-LONG-
320 PM EST MON DEC 17 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF LIBERTY AND LONG
COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EST...

AT 318 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM...6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF JONES CREEK...MOVING EAST
AT 50 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...
ALLENHURST...DONALD...GUM BRANCH...LUDOWICI...MCINTOSH AND
WALTHOURVILLE...

PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS...
GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AS STORMS APPROACH.
BE READY TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IN CASE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR LOCATION.

&&

LAT...LON 3181 8195 3184 8194 3183 8149 3162 8155
      3165 8183 3167 8186 3171 8188 3173 8191
      3175 8192 3179 8198 3180 8198
TIME...MOT...LOC 2020Z 275DEG 45KT 3173 8188

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 17, 3:37 AM EST	Small Craft Advisory	CHS		39 hr
Dec 17, 2:46 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CHS	Bryan, Bulloch, Effingham	44 min
Dec 17, 3:09 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	CHS	Long	36 min
Dec 17, 3:31 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	CHS	Bryan, Chatham	29 min
Dec 17, 3:41 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	CHS	Liberty, McIntosh	49 min
Dec 17, 3:47 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CHS	Bryan, Chatham	34 min
Dec 17, 4:01 PM EST	Special Marine Warning	CHS		119 min
Dec 17, 4:19 PM EST	Special Marine Warning	CHS		116 min
Dec 17, 3:57 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CHS	Beaufort, Charleston, Colleton, Jasper	63 min
Dec 17, 4:42 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CHS	Berkeley, Charleston	52 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Georgia, 2012 Every 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.