Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 21, NWS Charleston, SC

December 24, 2020Colleton County, Hampton County, South Carolina

NWS Charleston, SC issued this tornado warning at Dec 24, 2020, 6:25 PM EST for Colleton County, Hampton County, South Carolina. It was in force for 35 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: Dec 24, 2020, 6:25 PM EST (23:25 UTC)
Expired: Dec 24, 2020, 7:00 PM EST
In force: 35 min
Issued by: NWS Charleston, SC
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.0 in

Counties Colleton County, SC, Hampton County, SC

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 32 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:24 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
Dec 24, 6:40 PM EST	TSTM WND DMG	7 Ese Islandton, SC	TREE IN ROADWAY AT SCUFFLETOWN RD AND GARNSEY LN.
Dec 24, 6:43 PM EST	TSTM WND DMG	7 S Ruffin, SC	HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED TREE DOWN AT BENTON FARM ROAD AND PINE GROVE ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

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, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 82 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: 108 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 774 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 165 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 208 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

246 
WFUS52 KCHS 242325
TORCHS
SCC029-049-250000-
/O.NEW.KCHS.TO.W.0021.201224T2325Z-201225T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Charleston SC
625 PM EST Thu Dec 24 2020

The National Weather Service in Charleston has issued a

* Tornado Warning for portions of...
  Hampton County in southeastern South Carolina...
  Colleton County in southeastern South Carolina...

* Until 700 PM EST.
    
* At 625 PM EST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Hampton, moving northeast at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  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...
  Walterboro, Hampton, Lake Warren State Park, Colleton, Varnville,
  Brunson, Gifford, Smoaks, Williams, Crocketville, Ruffin, Miley,
  Ashton, Islandton and Padgetts.

This warning includes I-95 in South Carolina between mile markers 53
and 63.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to 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.

&&

LAT...LON 3289 8061 3272 8117 3289 8126 3314 8075
TIME...MOT...LOC 2325Z 245DEG 38KT 3285 8114 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

2 follow-up statements

694 
WWUS52 KCHS 242334
SVSCHS

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston SC
634 PM EST Thu Dec 24 2020

SCC029-049-250000-
/O.CON.KCHS.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-201225T0000Z/
Hampton SC-Colleton SC-
634 PM EST Thu Dec 24 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EST FOR HAMPTON
AND COLLETON COUNTIES...
    
At 634 PM EST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Miley, moving northeast at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

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...
Walterboro, Colleton, Smoaks, Williams, Islandton, Ruffin, Padgetts,
Miley, Cummings and Ashton.

This warning includes I-95 in South Carolina between mile markers 53
and 63.
 
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
888-383-2024 when it is safe to do so.

&&

LAT...LON 3277 8101 3297 8110 3314 8075 3289 8061
TIME...MOT...LOC 2334Z 244DEG 39KT 3290 8101 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

408 
WWUS52 KCHS 242351
SVSCHS

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston SC
651 PM EST Thu Dec 24 2020

SCC029-049-250000-
/O.EXP.KCHS.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-201225T0000Z/
Hampton SC-Colleton SC-
651 PM EST Thu Dec 24 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR HAMPTON AND COLLETON COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE
AT 700 PM EST...
                
The storm which prompted the warning is expected to continue to 
weaken and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore the warning will be allowed to expire.  However gusty winds
are still possible.

LAT...LON 3277 8101 3297 8110 3314 8075 3289 8061
TIME...MOT...LOC 2350Z 245DEG 38KT 3295 8089 

$$

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Dec 24, 3:18 AM EST	Gale Watch	CHS		6 hr
Dec 24, 6:06 PM EST	Special Weather Statement	CHS	Allendale, Hampton, Jasper	39 min
Dec 24, 6:23 PM EST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CHS	Beaufort, Jasper	52 min
Dec 24, 6:41 PM EST	Special Marine Warning	CHS		2 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2020 Every tornado warning in 2020 Tornadoes in 2020

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.