Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Wilmington, NC

May 15, 2012Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina

NWS Wilmington, NC issued this tornado warning at May 15, 2012, 2:04 PM EDT for Georgetown County, Horry County, South Carolina. It was in force for 26 min. 1 report 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: May 15, 2012, 2:04 PM EDT (18:04 UTC)
Expired: May 15, 2012, 2:30 PM EDT
In force: 26 min
Issued by: NWS Wilmington, NC
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Georgetown County, SC, Horry County, SC

The radar

The Wilmington radar (KLTX), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:04 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 15, 2:05 PM EDT	HAIL 1	1 Sse Plantersville, SC	NICKEL TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL FELL AT PLANTERSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 111 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: 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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

281 
WFUS52 KILM 151804
TORILM
SCC043-051-151830-
/O.NEW.KILM.TO.W.0005.120515T1804Z-120515T1830Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
204 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WILMINGTON NC HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN HORRY COUNTY IN NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA
  EASTERN GEORGETOWN COUNTY IN NORTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA

* UNTIL 230 PM EDT

* AT 159 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR JACKSON...
  OR ABOUT 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF GEORGETOWN...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
   LITCHFIELD BEACH...
   MURRELLS INLET...



PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

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.

&&

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 3355 7933 3372 7885 3371 7885 3364 7893
      3353 7902 3347 7909 3340 7913 3338 7927
TIME...MOT...LOC 1804Z 253DEG 12KT 3349 7920

$$

BACON

3 follow-up statements

885 
WWUS52 KILM 151810
SVSILM

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
210 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

SCC043-051-151830-
/O.CON.KILM.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120515T1830Z/
GEORGETOWN SC-HORRY SC-
210 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM EDT FOR EXTREME
SOUTH CENTRAL HORRY AND EAST CENTRAL GEORGETOWN COUNTIES...

AT 208 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR JACKSON...OR 10
MILES SOUTHWEST OF MURRELLS INLET...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO PAWLEY'S
ISLAND...LITCHFIELD BEACH AND BURGESS.

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 3340 7927 3355 7932 3361 7902 3356 7900
      3353 7902 3347 7909 3342 7912
TIME...MOT...LOC 1811Z 253DEG 12KT 3349 7918

$$

BACON

434 
WWUS52 KILM 151822
SVSILM

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
222 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

SCC051-151832-
/O.CAN.KILM.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120515T1830Z/
HORRY SC-
222 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EXTREME SOUTH CENTRAL HORRY COUNTY IS
CANCELED...

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 3341 7924 3356 7924 3359 7910 3357 7910
      3357 7901 3356 7900 3353 7902 3347 7909
      3342 7912
TIME...MOT...LOC 1822Z 253DEG 12KT 3350 7914

$$

SCC043-151830-
/O.CON.KILM.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120515T1830Z/
GEORGETOWN SC-
222 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 PM EDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL GEORGETOWN COUNTY...

AT 217 PM EDT...A TORNADO WAS REPORTED.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED
NEAR JACKSON...OR 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MURRELLS INLET...MOVING EAST
AT 15 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL OTHERWISE REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF THE
INDICATED COUNTY.

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 3341 7924 3356 7924 3359 7910 3357 7910
      3357 7901 3356 7900 3353 7902 3347 7909
      3342 7912
TIME...MOT...LOC 1822Z 253DEG 12KT 3350 7914

$$

BACON

843 
WWUS52 KILM 151830
SVSILM

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON NC
230 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

SCC043-151840-
/O.EXP.KILM.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120515T1830Z/
GEORGETOWN SC-
230 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL GEORGETOWN COUNTY HAS
EXPIRED...

AT 227 PM EDT...THE TORNADO WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS
DISSIPATED...THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING WAS ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

AT 227 PM EDT...THE TORNADO WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT
OF THE WARNED AREA...THUS THE TORNADO WARNING WAS ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

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 3341 7924 3356 7924 3359 7910 3357 7910
      3357 7901 3356 7900 3353 7902 3347 7909
      3342 7912
TIME...MOT...LOC 1822Z 253DEG 12KT 3350 7914

$$

BACON

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 14, 11:36 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	ILM	Horry	54 min
May 14, 11:50 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	ILM	Horry	26 min
May 15, 1:36 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	ILM	Horry	39 min
May 15, 1:54 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	ILM	Georgetown	36 min
May 15, 1:59 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Georgetown, Horry	46 min
May 15, 2:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Horry	38 min
May 15, 2:29 PM EDT	Areal Flood Warning	ILM	Georgetown, Horry, Marion	37 min
May 15, 4:03 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ILM	Dillon	34 min
May 15, 4:42 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	ILM	Georgetown	63 min
May 15, 5:05 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	ILM	Marlboro	40 min
May 15, 5:22 PM EDT	Areal Flood Warning	ILM	Georgetown	2 hr
May 15, 7:39 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	ILM	Dillon	66 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2012 Every tornado warning in 2012 Tornadoes 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.