Alert archive / South Carolina / Flash Flood Warnings in 2014

Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS Charleston, SC

April 19, 2014Berkeley County, Charleston County, South Carolina

NWS Charleston, SC issued this flash flood warning at Apr 19, 2014, 2:05 AM EDT for Berkeley County, Charleston County, South Carolina. It was in force for 4 hr. 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
Apr 19, 2014, 2:05 AM EDT (06:05 UTC)
Expired
Apr 19, 2014, 6:00 AM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Berkeley County, SC, Charleston County, SC

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 123 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:06 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
Apr 19, 4:20 AM EDTFLASH FLOODCharleston, SCNUMEROUS ROADS REMAIN CLOSED DUE TO FLASH FLOODING IN DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON.

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 00:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 23 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, Charleston AFB, SC at 00:00Z on 2014-04-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Charleston AFB, SC at 00:00Z on 2014-04-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 384 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
433 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
384 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
810 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.

770 
WGUS52 KCHS 190605
FFWCHS
SCC015-019-191000-
/O.NEW.KCHS.FF.W.0003.140419T0605Z-140419T1000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
205 AM EDT SAT APR 19 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN BERKELEY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...
  CHARLESTON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA...

* UNTIL 600 AM EDT

* AT 156 AM EDT...BANDS OF HEAVY RAIN CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH
  ACROSS SOUTHEAST BERKELEY AND MUCH OF CHARLESTON COUNTY. RADAR 
  AND SPOTTERS REPORT AS MUCH AS 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS 
  FALLEN ACROSS THE WARNED AREA OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS. ALTHOUGH 
  HIGH TIDE HAS PASSED AND LEVELS ARE FALLING...IT WILL TAKE 
  SEVERAL MORE HOURS FOR FLOOD WATERS TO RECEDE AS HEAVY RAINS 
  FALL. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE
  THROUGH 6 AM. IN ADDITION...NUMEROUS ROADS THROUGHOUT THE 
  DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON REMAIN CLOSED DUE TO FLOOD WATERS. AVOID
  TRAVEL IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA IF POSSIBLE.

* FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED IN AND AROUND...
  DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON...WEST ASHLEY...NORTH CHARLESTON...
  JOHNS ISLAND...FOLLY BEACH...KIAWAH ISLAND...WADMALAW ISLAND...
  DANIEL ISLAND...HUGER...MOUNT PLEASANT...ISLE OF PALMS...
  AWENDAW...MCCLELLANVILLE...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AVOID DRIVING INTO WATER ON THE ROAD. THE WATER IS USUALLY DEEPER
THAN IT APPEARS AND THE ROAD MAY BE WASHED OUT. ONLY ONE FOOT OF
WATER WILL STALL A VEHICLE AND LESS THAN TWO FEET OF WATER CAN FLOAT
AND CARRY AWAY A VEHICLE. FLOODING IS THE NUMBER ONE WEATHER-RELATED
CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS
MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

TO REPORT FLOODING...CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024.

&&

LAT...LON 3300 7936 3302 7956 3299 7955 3301 7956
      3295 7961 3293 7961 3297 7955 3290 7958
      3275 7984 3277 7992 3276 7987 3268 7989
      3253 8024 3286 8017 3293 8008 3296 8011
      3330 7967 3314 7927

$$
2 follow-up statements
871 
WGUS72 KCHS 190730
FFSCHS

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
330 AM EDT SAT APR 19 2014

SCC015-019-191000-
/O.CON.KCHS.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-140419T1000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CHARLESTON SC-BERKELEY SC-
330 AM EDT SAT APR 19 2014

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BERKELEY AND CHARLESTON COUNTIES...

AT 316 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE RAIN MOVING OVER THE WARNED AREA. WHEN ADDED TO HEAVY RAIN 
THAT HAS ALREADY FALLEN...OCCASIONAL RAINFALL RATES EXCEEDING ONE 
INCH PER HOUR WILL PRODUCE ADDITIONAL FLASH FLOODING THROUGH THE 
EARLY MORNING HOURS. NUMEROUS ROADS THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON
REMAIN CLOSED DUE TO FLOOD WATERS. AVOID TRAVEL IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA 
IF POSSIBLE.

FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED IN AND AROUND...DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON...
WEST ASHLEY...NORTH CHARLESTON...JOHNS ISLAND...FOLLY BEACH...KIAWAH 
ISLAND...WADMALAW ISLAND...  DANIEL ISLAND...HUGER...MOUNT 
PLEASANT...ISLE OF PALMS...AWENDAW AND MCCLELLANVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WATER DEPTH IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE AT NIGHT. DO NOT 
ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER ON THE ROADWAY EVEN IF IT APPEARS SHALLOW. 
FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. A SHORT DELAY IN YOUR TRAVEL PLANS IS BETTER
THAN LOSING YOUR CAR...OR YOUR LIFE. AVOID TRAVEL IN DOWNTOWN 
CHARLESTON. 

&&

LAT...LON 3300 7936 3302 7956 3299 7955 3301 7956
      3295 7961 3293 7961 3297 7955 3290 7958
      3275 7984 3277 7992 3276 7987 3268 7989
      3253 8024 3286 8017 3293 8008 3296 8011
      3330 7967 3314 7927

$$
606 
WGUS72 KCHS 190853
FFSCHS

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
453 AM EDT SAT APR 19 2014

SCC015-019-191000-
/O.CON.KCHS.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-140419T1000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CHARLESTON SC-BERKELEY SC-
453 AM EDT SAT APR 19 2014

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BERKELEY AND CHARLESTON COUNTIES...

AT 446 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT HEAVIEST RAIN WAS GRADUALLY SHIFTING OUT OF THE WARNING AREA. 
HOWEVER...DUE TO HEAVY RAIN THAT HAD ALREADY FALLEN...FLASH FLOODING 
CONTINUED IN SOME AREAS. IN PARTICULAR...LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED 
THAT NUMEROUS ROADS IN DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON REMAINED CLOSED DUE TO 
FLASH FLOODING. SOME ROADS WILL REMAIN INUNDATED THROUGH THE EARLY 
MORNING. 

FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED IN AND AROUND...DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON... 
WEST ASHLEY...NORTH CHARLESTON...JOHNS ISLAND...FOLLY BEACH...KIAWAH 
ISLAND...WADMALAW ISLAND...DANIEL ISLAND...HUGER...MOUNT PLEASANT...
ISLE OF PALMS...AWENDAW AND MCCLELLANVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WATER DEPTH IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE AT NIGHT. DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER ON THE ROADWAY EVEN IF IT APPEARS SHALLOW.
FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. A SHORT DELAY IN YOUR TRAVEL PLANS IS BETTER
THAN LOSING YOUR CAR...OR YOUR LIFE.

&&

LAT...LON 3300 7936 3302 7956 3299 7955 3301 7956
      3295 7961 3293 7961 3297 7955 3290 7958
      3275 7984 3277 7992 3276 7987 3268 7989
      3253 8024 3286 8017 3293 8008 3296 8011
      3330 7967 3314 7927

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 18, 8:41 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS2 hr
Apr 18, 9:38 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCHSBerkeley, Colleton, Dorchester3 hr
Apr 18, 9:50 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS115 min
Apr 18, 10:42 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS2 hr
Apr 18, 11:27 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCHSBerkeley, Charleston3 hr
Apr 18, 11:47 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS118 min
Apr 19, 3:57 AM EDTGale WatchCHS23 hr
Apr 19, 5:59 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCHSCharleston3 hr
Apr 19, 3:01 PM EDTLake Wind AdvisoryCHSBerkeley20 hr
Apr 19, 3:03 PM EDTGale WarningCHS23 hr
Apr 19, 3:09 PM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryCHS11 hr
Apr 19, 3:09 PM EDTRip Current StatementCHS20 hr
Apr 19, 5:50 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningCHS115 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in South Carolina, 2014Every flash flood warning in 2014

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.