Flood, Charleston
- When
- March 20, 11:15 AM EST to 12:30 PM EST
- Where
- Charleston forecast zone
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
Flooding in South Carolina, March 20, 2003
Rainfall on March 20th fell on saturated ground from the previous two days of rainfall. The additional rainfall caused ponding of water in some areas that caused numerous roads to become impassable for awhile.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS CHS wrote it up.
Rainfall on March 20th fell on saturated ground from the previous two days of rainfall. The additional rainfall caused ponding of water in some areas that caused numerous roads to become impassable for awhile. Several cars stalled due to water across roadways.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Charleston, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 20, 9:53 AM EST, 1 hour 22 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 20, 9:53 AM EST, 1 hour 22 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
953 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003
PUBLIC...WARM FRONT REMAINS INLAND ACRS MUCH OF CWA. DEWPTS RANGE
FROM ABOUT 65 TO 72. SGFNT THREAT OF SVR REMAINS AS AIRMASS IS STILL
QUITE UNSTBL. TOR WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED THRU 3 PM FOR ALL COUNTIES
IN CWA XCP JENKINS...SCREVEN AND ALLENDALE.
MARINE...INCREASED WINDS AND SEAS SLGTLY TO BRING THEM IN LINE WITH
CUR OBS. NO OTHER SGFNT CHGS WERE MADE.
.CHS...
GA...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 3 PM EST FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES
GAZ087-088>099-101>114-119>137-141-AMZ354-374
SCA AMZ354-374.
FLOOD WATCH GAZ087-088>099-101>114-119>137-141 TODAY AND
TONIGHT.
SC...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 3 PM EST FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES
SCZ040-042>045-047>050 AMZ330-350-352
SCA AMZ330-350-352.
FLOOD WATCH SCZ040-042>045-047>050 TODAY AND TONIGHT.
JH/HSAHazardous weather outlook, Mar 20, 3:39 AM EST, 7 hours 36 minutes before
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>050-201030- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 339 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. .FLOODING...A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. RAINFALL IS FORECAST TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING...AND LASTING WELL INTO FRIDAY. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES MAY FALL OVER THE WATCH AREA CREATING FLOODING PROBLEMS FOR ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS. REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WATCH FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. .RIVER FLOODING...RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE LOWER SANTEE RIVER AT JAMESTOWN...THE OHOOPEE RIVER AT REIDSVILLE... THE EDISTO RIVER AT GIVHANS FERRY AND THE OGEECHEE RIVER AT DOVER... SCARBORO AND EDEN. RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS ARE ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE SAVANNAH RIVER AT CLYO AND BURTONS FERRY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD STATEMENTS FOR MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION. .SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE FROM LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE. REFER TO THE LATEST SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. .SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL COMBINE WITH A STRONG JET STREAM AND AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...TO CREATE CONDITIONS FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP. REFER TO THE LATEST DAY TWO OUTLOOK FROM THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. .RIVER FLOODING...MINOR TO MODERATE RIVER FLOODING WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD. REFER TO THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS FOR MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCW
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 20, 6:05 AM EST, 5 hours 10 minutes before
GAZ087-201145- BULLETIN SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 605 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT JENKINS COUNTY THROUGH 645 AM EST... AT 605 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED OVER ROGERS...OR ABOUT 6 MILES WEST OF MILLEN...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND ROGERS...HERNDON...EMMALANE...BIRDSVILLE... PERKINS...MILLEN AND LAWTON THROUGH 645 AM EST. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. SCW
Special weather statement, Mar 20, 6:33 AM EST, 4 hours 42 minutes before
GAZ088-201215- BULLETIN SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 633 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SCREVEN COUNTY THROUGH 715 AM EST... AT 633 AM EST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CENTERED 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF WOODCLIFF...OR ABOUT 8 MILES EAST OF MILLEN...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND WOODCLIFF... THOMASBORO...PARKERS...ZEIGLER...LEWIS...HILLTONIA...BASCOM AND GOLOID THROUGH 715 AM EST. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED. SCW
Local storm report, Mar 20, 8:45 AM EST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON, SC
845 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0816 AM JEDBURG SC 1.00 INCH HAIL
03/20/03 DORCHESTER REPORTED BY FORT HOOD FIRE
DEPT.
0830 AM ISLE OF PALMS SC 1.00 INCH HAIL
03/20/03 CHARLESTON
HSALocal storm report, Mar 20, 9:42 AM EST, 1 hour 33 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON, SC
942 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0940 AM 3 N RIDGELAND SC .88 INCH HAIL
03/20/03 JASPER REPORTED BY SPOTTERSSpecial weather statement, Mar 20, 10:30 AM EST, 45 minutes before
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>050-082100- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 1030 AM EST THU MAR 20 2003 ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY AND TONIGHT... AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALABAMA THIS MORNING WAS EXPECTED TO MOVE EASTWARD TOWARD GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA THIS AFTERNOON. AN UNSTABLE AIR MASS IN PLACE OVER OUR REGION WILL ALLOW FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP IN THIS AIR MASS THIS AFTERNOON. STRONG LOW-LEVEL WINDS...AND A WARM FRONT STALLED ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA WILL HELP TO ORGANIZE ANY THUNDERSTORMS WHICH DEVELOP TODAY. ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE...WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE HAIL. AN INITIAL AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EASTERN GEORGIA AND EASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA LATE THIS MORNING WAS WEAKENING...WITH LITTLE ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT BY THESE STORMS. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING. SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF ANY WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATIONS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER EVENT. ST. JEAN
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flood, Berkeley
- When
- March 20, 11:55 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
- Where
- Berkeley forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 33.198, -79.951 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flood, Dorchester
- When
- March 20, 12:30 PM EST to 1:00 PM EST
- Where
- Dorchester forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 33.080, -80.406 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Flood
- Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornado in Georgia, March 20, 2003
- Tornado in Georgia, March 20, 2003
- Tornado in Florida, March 20, 2003
- Flood in North Carolina, March 20 to 21, 2003
- Flood in North Carolina, March 20, 2003
- Flood in North Carolina, March 20, 2003
- Flood in South Carolina, March 20, 2003
- Flood in South Carolina, March 20 to 21, 2003
- Flood in North Carolina, March 20 to 24, 2003
- Flood in North Carolina, March 20, 2003
- Flood in North Carolina, March 20, 2003
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Virginia, March 20 to 24, 2003
More
Every storm in South Carolina in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, March 2003
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5347333, 5347334, 5347335.