Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Charleston, SC

March 3, 2012Liberty County, McIntosh County, Georgia

NWS Charleston, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 3, 2012, 1:41 PM EST for Liberty County, McIntosh County, Georgia. It was in force for 49 min. 2 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
Mar 3, 2012, 1:41 PM EST (18:41 UTC)
Expired
Mar 3, 2012, 2:30 PM EST
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Liberty County, GA, McIntosh County, GA

The radar

The Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 113 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:42 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 3, 1:57 PM ESTTSTM WND DMG5 Wsw Townsend, GAA TREE AND A POWER LINE WERE BLOWN DOWN ONTO BLUES REACH ROAD. TIME WAS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Mar 3, 2:00 PM ESTHAIL 13 Ese Cox, GATRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED QUATER SIZE HAIL.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 3, 1:04 PM ESTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Jacksonville, FL (KJAX), launched 12:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 112 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, Jacksonville, FL at 12:00Z on 2012-03-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2 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, Jacksonville, FL at 12:00Z on 2012-03-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 272 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-81 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
980 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
272 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
329 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

749 
WFUS52 KCHS 031841
TORCHS
GAC179-191-031930-
/O.NEW.KCHS.TO.W.0004.120303T1841Z-120303T1930Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
141 PM EST SAT MAR 3 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN LIBERTY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...
  MCINTOSH COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...

* UNTIL 230 PM EST

* AT 141 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 18 MILES WEST OF
  COX...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  COX...TOWNSEND...DARIEN...MERIDIAN...CARNIGAN...VALONA...
  CRESCENT...SAPELO ISLAND...SHELLMAN BLUFF...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS TORNADO 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.

REPORT HAIL...DOWNED TREES...LIMBS...AND POWER LINES DIRECTLY TO THE
CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 1-888-383-2024.

&&

LAT...LON 3135 8151 3143 8161 3147 8162 3151 8166
      3154 8167 3169 8113 3163 8112 3155 8117
      3148 8119 3138 8126 3138 8128 3139 8129
      3138 8130
TIME...MOT...LOC 1841Z 257DEG 41KT 3140 8179

$$

JAQ
3 follow-up statements
377 
WWUS52 KCHS 031858
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
158 PM EST SAT MAR 3 2012

GAC179-191-031930-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120303T1930Z/
LIBERTY GA-MCINTOSH GA-
158 PM EST SAT MAR 3 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM EST FOR MCINTOSH
AND EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN LIBERTY COUNTIES...

AT 157 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR COX...OR ABOUT 10
MILES WEST OF DARIEN...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...BLACKBEARD
ISLAND...CARNIGAN...COX...CRESCENT...DARIEN...EULONIA...HARRIS
NECK...MERIDIAN...PINE HARBOR...RIDGEVILLE...SAPELO ISLAND...SHELLMAN
BLUFF...ST. CATHERINES ISLAND...TOWNSEND AND VALONA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO MAY FORM AT ANY TIME. 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.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER SUCH AS HAIL...DOWNED TREES...LIMBS...AND
POWER LINES...PLEASE CONTACT THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 OR EMAIL YOUR REPORTS TO
CHS.SKYWARN@NOAA.GOV.

&&

LAT...LON 3135 8151 3143 8161 3147 8162 3151 8166
      3154 8167 3169 8113 3163 8112 3155 8117
      3148 8119 3138 8126 3138 8128 3139 8129
      3138 8130
TIME...MOT...LOC 1857Z 257DEG 41KT 3142 8158

$$

JAQ
117 
WWUS52 KCHS 031912
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
212 PM EST SAT MAR 3 2012

GAC179-191-031930-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120303T1930Z/
LIBERTY GA-MCINTOSH GA-
212 PM EST SAT MAR 3 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM EST FOR MCINTOSH
AND EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN LIBERTY COUNTIES...

AT 211 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ARDICK...OR ABOUT
OVER DARIEN...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...BLACKBEARD
ISLAND...CARNIGAN...CRESCENT...DARIEN...EULONIA...HARRIS NECK...
MERIDIAN...PINE HARBOR...RIDGEVILLE...SAPELO ISLAND...SHELLMAN
BLUFF...ST. CATHERINES ISLAND...TOWNSEND AND VALONA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO MAY FORM AT ANY TIME. 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.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER SUCH AS HAIL...DOWNED TREES...LIMBS...AND
POWER LINES...PLEASE CONTACT THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 OR EMAIL YOUR REPORTS TO
CHS.SKYWARN@NOAA.GOV.

&&

LAT...LON 3136 8145 3154 8154 3169 8113 3163 8112
      3155 8117 3148 8119 3138 8126 3138 8128
      3139 8129 3138 8130
TIME...MOT...LOC 1911Z 256DEG 40KT 3145 8142

$$

JAQ
097 
WWUS52 KCHS 031927
SVSCHS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
227 PM EST SAT MAR 3 2012

GAC179-191-031937-
/O.EXP.KCHS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120303T1930Z/
LIBERTY GA-MCINTOSH GA-
227 PM EST SAT MAR 3 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR MCINTOSH AND EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN LIBERTY
COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 230 PM EST...

AT 227 PM EST...RADAR INDICATED THAT THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH
PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED AREA...THUS THE
TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

ALTHOUGH THE TORNADO WARNING IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT...THUNDERSTORMS
ARE STILL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT
LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAINFALL. THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION IS TO
REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER SUCH AS HAIL...DOWNED TREES...LIMBS...AND
POWER LINES...PLEASE CONTACT THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 OR EMAIL YOUR REPORTS TO
CHS.SKYWARN@NOAA.GOV.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EST SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA.

LAT...LON 3136 8145 3154 8154 3169 8113 3163 8112
      3155 8117 3148 8119 3138 8126 3138 8128
      3139 8129 3138 8130
TIME...MOT...LOC 1927Z 256DEG 40KT 3147 8121

$$

JAQ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 3, 3:34 AM ESTGale WatchCHS13 hr
Mar 3, 11:03 AM ESTTornado WarningCHSEffingham27 min
Mar 3, 12:58 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBryan, Liberty, Long, McIntosh47 min
Mar 3, 1:00 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningCHS90 min
Mar 3, 1:52 PM ESTTornado WarningCHSBryan, Chatham, Liberty38 min
Mar 3, 2:17 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningCHS88 min
Mar 3, 2:30 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningCHS2 hr
Mar 3, 2:50 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSMcIntosh40 min
Mar 3, 3:53 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningCHS37 min
Mar 3, 4:28 PM ESTSpecial Marine WarningCHS62 min
Mar 3, 4:32 PM ESTGale WarningCHS27 hr
Mar 3, 4:32 PM ESTSmall Craft AdvisoryCHS41 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.