A strong area of low pressure over the northern Gulf of Mexico along with a warm front off the South Carolina coast created strong gradient winds and uplift within a moist environment that led to heavy convective rainfall. The timing of the event coincided with an evening high tide along the Georgia coast, which aided in additional flooding problems near the Savannah, Georgia Harbor.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
A strong area of low pressure over the northern Gulf of Mexico along with a warm front off the South Carolina coast created strong gradient winds and uplift within a moist environment that led to heavy convective rainfall. The timing of the event coincided with an evening high tide along the Georgia coast, which aided in additional flooding problems near the Savannah, Georgia Harbor.
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 Oct 24, 4:35 PM EST, 12 minutes earlier.
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</html>PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
535 PM EDT FRI OCT 24 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0530 PM HIGH ASTR TIDES CHARLESTON 32.78N 79.94W
10/24/2008 CHARLESTON SC OTHER FEDERAL
3 TO 4 INCHES OF STANDING WATER WAS REPORTED NEAR MUSC ON
CALHOUN STREET...ASHLEY AVENUE AND RUTLEDGE AVENUE. THESE
STREETS WERE CLOSE TO BEING IMPASSABLE.
&&
REBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
543 PM EDT FRI OCT 24 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0538 PM HIGH ASTR TIDES CHARLESTON 32.78N 79.94W
10/24/2008 CHARLESTON SC OTHER FEDERAL
6 TO 8 INCHES OF WATER WAS REPORTED ON BEE STREET. WATER
WAS UP TO A PICKUP TRUCKS HEADLIGHTS.
&&
REBThe Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:00 UTC.
6 high wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Law enforcement reported that several power lines were down in Reidsville, Georgia.
Law enforcement reported that a tree fell down on a power line causing it to catch on fire in Hinesville, Georgia.
Law enforcement reported that a tree was down on Stoney Pond Road just outside the Sylvania, Georgia city limits.
Law enforcement reported a road closure due to standing water at the intersection of Maythrop and Augusta Street in downtown Savannah, Georgia.
Law enforcement reported that several powerlines were down near the intersection of Colt Road and Garrard Road 5 miles west southwest of Savannah, Georgia near the Hunter Army Airfield.
Law Enforcement reported that several powerlines were down near the intersection of Habersham Street and 37th Street in downtown Savannah, Georgia.
A utility company reported that 5 powerlines were down around the Millen, Georgia area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, October 2008
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 137190, 137191, 137192, 137187, 137195, 137196, 137197.