Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2018

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Charleston, SC

March 20, 2018Liberty County, McIntosh County, Georgia

NWS Charleston, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 20, 2018, 3:07 PM EDT for Liberty County, McIntosh County, Georgia. It was in force for 38 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 20, 2018, 3:07 PM EDT (19:07 UTC)
Expired
Mar 20, 2018, 3:45 PM EDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.5 in

Counties Liberty County, GA, McIntosh County, GA

The radar

The Jacksonville radar (KJAX), 120 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:10 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 20, 3:10 PM EDTHAIL 0.752 Nw Townsend, GAPENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY TOWNSEND BOMBING RANGE. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
Mar 20, 3:45 PM EDTMARINE TSTM WIND 485 Se Valona, GATHE SAPELO ISLAND NERRS SITE MEASURED A 41 KNOT WIND GUST.

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 20, 12:43 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Jacksonville, FL (KJAX), launched 12:00Z, 7.1 hours before the alert went out and 118 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 2018-03-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1315 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 2018-03-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 257 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
1315 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-48 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
494 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
257 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
271 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.1
Supercell composite
8.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

740 
WFUS52 KCHS 201907
TORCHS
GAC179-191-201945-
/O.NEW.KCHS.TO.W.0003.180320T1907Z-180320T1945Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Charleston SC
307 PM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

The National Weather Service in Charleston has issued a

* Tornado Warning for portions of...
  Liberty County in southeastern Georgia...
  McIntosh County in southeastern Georgia...

* Until 345 PM EDT
    
* At 306 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 8 miles southeast of Gardi, moving east at 55 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball size hail. 

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. 

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely. 

* Locations impacted include...
  Darien, Harris Neck, St. Catherines Island, Eulonia, Valona, Cox,
  Meridian and Townsend.

This warning includes I-95 in Georgia between mile markers 48 and 66.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Report damage directly to the Charleston National Weather Service at
1-888-383-2024 when it is safe to do so.

&&

LAT...LON 3143 8161 3145 8162 3147 8161 3152 8167
      3154 8166 3159 8156 3167 8126 3166 8124
      3167 8125 3171 8110 3162 8110 3140 8123
      3135 8152
TIME...MOT...LOC 1906Z 255DEG 47KT 3146 8168 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.50IN

$$
3 follow-up statements
532 
WWUS52 KCHS 201919
SVSCHS

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston SC
319 PM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

GAC179-191-201945-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-180320T1945Z/
Liberty GA-McIntosh GA-
319 PM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM EDT FOR LIBERTY
AND MCINTOSH COUNTIES...
    
At 319 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 9 miles north of Darien, moving east at 55 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball size hail. 

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. 

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely. 

Locations impacted include...
Harris Neck, St. Catherines Island, Eulonia, Valona, Meridian,
Townsend, Crescent and Carnigan.

This warning includes I-95 in Georgia between mile markers 51 and 64.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Report damage directly to the Charleston National Weather Service at
1-888-383-2024 when it is safe to do so.

&&

LAT...LON 3144 8151 3155 8153 3158 8148 3167 8126
      3166 8126 3166 8123 3167 8125 3167 8120
      3168 8121 3171 8110 3162 8110 3140 8123
      3138 8138
TIME...MOT...LOC 1919Z 256DEG 48KT 3150 8146 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.50IN

$$
164 
WWUS52 KCHS 201934
SVSCHS

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston SC
334 PM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

GAC179-191-201945-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-180320T1945Z/
Liberty GA-McIntosh GA-
334 PM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 345 PM EDT FOR LIBERTY
AND MCINTOSH COUNTIES...
    
At 334 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 11 miles northeast of Darien, moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball size hail. 

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. 

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely. 

Locations impacted include...
Blackbeard Island, Valona and Sapelo Island. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Report damage directly to the Charleston National Weather Service at
1-888-383-2024 when it is safe to do so.

&&

LAT...LON 3142 8131 3146 8137 3155 8135 3159 8129
      3161 8124 3163 8122 3164 8119 3164 8114
      3162 8110 3140 8123
TIME...MOT...LOC 1934Z 256DEG 37KT 3149 8129 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.50IN

$$
759 
WWUS52 KCHS 201944
SVSCHS

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston SC
344 PM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

GAC179-191-201954-
/O.EXP.KCHS.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-180320T1945Z/
Liberty GA-McIntosh GA-
344 PM EDT TUE MAR 20 2018

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR LIBERTY AND MCINTOSH COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE
AT 345 PM EDT...
    
The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Charleston.

LAT...LON 3142 8131 3146 8137 3155 8135 3159 8129
      3161 8124 3163 8122 3164 8119 3164 8114
      3162 8110 3140 8123
TIME...MOT...LOC 1944Z 255DEG 47KT 3152 8117 

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 19, 8:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCHSMcIntosh25 min
Mar 20, 2:50 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSJenkins, Screven55 min
Mar 20, 3:53 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCHSJenkins, Screven37 min
Mar 20, 4:15 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCHSEffingham30 min
Mar 20, 4:42 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSBulloch, Jenkins, Screven48 min
Mar 20, 2:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSChatham62 min
Mar 20, 3:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCHSLiberty, Long, McIntosh58 min
Mar 20, 4:43 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCHSMcIntosh32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2018Every tornado warning in 2018Tornadoes in 2018

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.