Thunderstorm wind damage and flash flooding occurred in southeast Georgia due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Bonnie.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS CHS wrote it up.
Thunderstorm wind damage and flash flooding occurred in southeast Georgia due to the remnants of Tropical Storm Bonnie.
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 Aug 12, 4:20 PM EST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 520 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004 .UPDATE...HAVE DECIDED TO DROP LAKE WIND ADVISORY SINCE THE STRONGEST WINDS SHOULD REMAIN ALOFT. && .SHORT TERM /THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT/... 20Z SURFACE ANALYSIS INDICATED TD BONNIE CENTERED OVER THE PANHANDLE OF FLORIDA. RADAR IMAGERY SHOWED SHRA/TSRA AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE WHICH SHOULD MOVE RAPIDLY ACROSS CWFA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL REMAIN A CONCERN BUT WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED. RAINFALL ACTIVITY SHOULD BECOME MORE SCATTERED LATE TONIGHT. WINDS SHOULD INCREASE AS THE LOW MOVES NORTHWARD. && .LAKE WIND...SHRA/TSRA HAVE PRODUCED HIGH WINDS OVER LAKE MOULTRIE BUT HAVE OTHERWISE DISRUPTED THE PRESSURE GRADIENT. AS THE LOW APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTH...EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE THIS EVENING SO WILL LEAVE LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN PLACE. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... TPC WILL ISSUE A TROPICAL STORM WATCH JUST SOUTH OF THE ALTAMAHA RIVER THIS AFTERNOON WHICH MAY BE EXTENDED TO TAKE IN OUR GEORGIA COASTAL COUNTIES AND POSSIBLY SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTIES LATER TONIGHT. WILL HOLD OFF ON INLAND TROPICAL STORM WATCH ACCORDINGLY. BASED ON CURRENT HPC TRACK...CHARLEY WILL AFFECT CWFA SOMETIME STARTING FRIDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING INTO SATURDAY. EXPECT HEAVY RAINFALL TO OCCUR WITH HPC INDICATING UP TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN WITH CHARLEY. SINCE EVENT IS STILL FAR AWAY WILL HOLD OFF ON A FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW. SEVERE WEATHER WILL AGAIN BE A CONCERN ON SATURDAY AS PART OF CWFA MAY BE IN THE RIGHT QUADRANT OF THE STORM. TIDAL DEPARTURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE 2 TO 3 FEET WHICH SHOULD NOT CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS AT ANY LOCATION. AFTER CHARLEY PULLS AWAY CWFA WILL RETURN TO A DIURNAL PATTERN WITH SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .MARINE... BONNIE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST OVERNIGHT. WINDS AND WAVES TO INCREASE IN THE COASTAL WATERS AS BONNIE MOVES BY AND WILL CONTINUE WITH A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY OVERNIGHT AND FRIDAY. IMPACTS FROM CHARLIE NOT EXPECTED UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...WITH TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS POSSIBLE IN THE GEORGIA COASTAL WATERS BEGINNING BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 3 AM SATURDAY AND IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA COASTAL WATERS BEGINNING BETWEEN 3 AND 6 AM. WAVES INCREASE FRIDAY NIGHT AND BY EARLY AROUND SATURDAY MORNING COULD BE FROM 7 TO 10 FEET IN THE COASTAL WATERS AND 10 TO 15 FEET IN THE OFF SHORE WATERS. AS CHARLIE MOVES AWAY FROM THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT WINDS AND WAVES WILL DECREASE. && .AVIATION... LOTS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING WITH A DECREASING THREAT AFTER MIDNIGHT. EXPECT MAINLY MVFR CONDITION CIGS TONIGHT WITH MVFR VSBYS IN THUNDERSTORMS. IMPROVING CONDITIONS ON FRIDAY BETWEEN BONNIE AND CHARLIE WITH STILL THE THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS. THREAT FOR ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED INTO THE EVENING HOURS. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AMZ330-350-352-354-374. && SCW/EMLAW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 621 AM EDT THU AUG 12 2004 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047>051-131100- ALLENDALE SC-BEAUFORT SC-BERKELEY SC-BULLOCH GA-CANDLER GA- CHARLESTON SC-COASTAL BRYAN GA-COASTAL CHATHAM GA- COASTAL COLLETON SC-COASTAL JASPER SC-COASTAL LIBERTY GA- COASTAL MCINTOSH GA-DORCHESTER SC-EFFINGHAM GA-EVANS GA-HAMPTON SC- INLAND BRYAN GA-INLAND CHATHAM GA-INLAND COLLETON SC- INLAND JASPER SC-INLAND LIBERTY GA-INLAND MCINTOSH GA-JENKINS GA- LONG GA-SCREVEN GA-TATTNALL GA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALLENDALE...BEAUFORT...CHARLESTON... CLAXTON...DARIEN...EDISTO BEACH...GOOSE CREEK...HAMPTON... HILTON HEAD ISLAND...HINESVILLE...LUDOWICI...MCCLELLANVILLE... METTER...MILLEN...MONCKS CORNER...PEMBROKE...REIDSVILLE... RICHMOND HILL...RIDGELAND...SAINT GEORGE...SAINT STEPHEN... SAVANNAH...SPRINGFIELD...STATESBORO...SUMMERVILLE...SYLVANIA... WALTERBORO AND YEMASSEE 621 AM EDT THU AUG 12 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA... SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER SOUTH CAROLINA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. .TROPICAL WEATHER...TROPICAL STORM BONNIE WILL AFFECT THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE MAIN HAZARD EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM IS THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES. HEAVY RAIN WITH LOCALIZED FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE. SEE THE LATEST ADVISORIES AND STATEMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. .TROPICAL WEATHER...HURRICANE CHARLEY IS FORECAST TO IMPACT THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY WITH TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. SEE THE LATEST ADVISORIES AND STATEMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
251 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM TSTM WND DMG CROSS 33.33N 80.15W
08/12/2004 BERKELEY SC UTILITY COMPANY
POWERLINES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED.
0130 PM TSTM WND DMG RIDGEVILLE 33.10N 80.32W
08/12/2004 DORCHESTER SC UTILITY COMPANY
POWERLINES DOWN.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
251 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM TSTM WND DMG CROSS 33.33N 80.15W
08/12/2004 BERKELEY SC UTILITY COMPANY
POWERLINES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED.
0200 PM TSTM WND DMG RIDGEVILLE 33.10N 80.32W
08/12/2004 DORCHESTER SC UTILITY COMPANY
POWERLINES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
312 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM TSTM WND DMG 10 NW GOOSE CREEK 33.08N 80.15W
08/12/2004 BERKELEY SC UTILITY COMPANY
POWERLINES AND TREES DOWNEIS DHW LEBANON AREA.
&&
&$PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
317 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1215 PM DOWNBURST 5 NW CROSS 33.38N 80.21W
08/12/2004 BERKELEY SC PUBLIC
TREES DOWN ACROSS MUDVILLE ROAD. LOTS OF PEOPLE REPORTED
REMOVING TREES.
&&SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 317 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004 GAZ119-139-141-SCZ048-051-121945- BEAUFORT-COASTAL CHATHAM-COASTAL JASPER-COASTAL LIBERTY-COASTAL MCINTOSH- 317 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT JASPER COUNTY...BEAUFORT COUNTY...MCINTOSH COUNTY...CHATHAM COUNTY AND LIBERTY COUNTY THROUGH 345 PM EDT... AT 317 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 11 MILES SOUTH OF RIDGELAND TO 22 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SAVANNAH TO 11 MILES EAST OF DARIEN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND AROUND PRITCHARDVILLE...JASPER...GOLDEN ISLES...DAUFUSKIE ISLAND... CHELSEA...MYRTLE ISLAND...BRIGHTON BEACH...BLUFFTON...TYBEE ISLAND AND SAVANNAH BEACH THROUGH 345 PM EDT. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...EXCESSIVE CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 610 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004 GAZ087-088-099>101-115-118-119-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-122230- ALLENDALE SC-BEAUFORT SC-BERKELEY SC-BULLOCH GA-CANDLER GA- CHARLESTON SC-COASTAL CHATHAM GA-COASTAL COLLETON SC- COASTAL JASPER SC-DORCHESTER SC-EFFINGHAM GA-EVANS GA-HAMPTON SC- INLAND CHATHAM GA-INLAND COLLETON SC-INLAND JASPER SC-JENKINS GA- SCREVEN GA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALLENDALE...BEAUFORT...CHARLESTON... CLAXTON...EDISTO BEACH...GOOSE CREEK...HAMPTON... HILTON HEAD ISLAND...MCCLELLANVILLE...METTER...MILLEN... MONCKS CORNER...RIDGELAND...SAINT GEORGE...SAINT STEPHEN... SAVANNAH...SPRINGFIELD...STATESBORO...SUMMERVILLE...SYLVANIA... WALTERBORO AND YEMASSEE 610 PM EDT THU AUG 12 2004 ...TORNADO WATCH HAS EXPIRED... THE TORNADO WATCH THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA AND MUCH OF ADJACENT SOUTHEAST GEORGIA HAS EXPIRED. WIDESPREAD RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING BUT THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES HAS ENDED. AUSTIN
The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:08 UTC.
2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds knocked down trees and power lines.
Radar estimated around 4 inches of rain in just over an hour. This caused several roads to be closed including Highway 196, Live Oak Church Road, and Curtis Road.
Radar estimated around 4 inches of rain across parts of the county in around 1 hour. Flooding was reported in the Windsor Forest area and high water approached some homes.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, August 2004
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5422608, 5422609, 5422610.