A weak frontal boundary across the southeast United States resulted in a couple severe thunderstorms across southern South Carolina.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 weak frontal boundary across the southeast United States resulted in a couple severe thunderstorms across southern South Carolina.
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 16, 2:55 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 355 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK SURFACE FRONT WILL DRIFT SOUTH THROUGH THE AREA TODAY THROUGH MONDAY...WHILE SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES SWING THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST STATES. THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK...TROPICAL STORM FAY IS EXPECTED TO BE MOVING ACROSS CUBA AND NEAR THE FLORIDA PENINSULA...AND WILL TRACK NORTHWARD INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/... ATTENTION USERS...TO INCORPORATE THE LATEST FORECAST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL HURCN CENTER REGARDING TS FAY...ALL PRODUCTS WILL BE SLIGHTLY DELAYED FROM NORMAL PRODUCT ISSUANCE TIME. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE. EXTENSIVE CLOUD DECK THAT PERSISTED INTO EARLY THIS AFTN HAS FINALLY SHOWN SIGNS OF BREAKING UP AND SCATTERED BUILDING CU CLOUDS ARE NOW EVIDENT ON THE LATEST VISIBLE SAT IMAGERY. THIS HAS HELPED TO MITIGATE ANY ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT BUT THE SEABREEZE IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT...AND ISOLD SHWRS/TSTMS IN THE CHARLESTON TRI-COUNTY AREA IS CURRENTLY BEING SUBJECTED TO SUCH ACTIVITY. AM STILL KEEPING HIGHEST POPS THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AFTN AND EARLY EVE HOURS IN THE NRN PORTION OF THE CWFA WHERE THE SEABREEZE SHOULD HAVE GREATEST INLAND PENETRATION ALONG WITH CLOSEST PROXIMITY TO THE LINGERING SFC FRONT AND UPR LVL JET ENTRANCE REGION. THE STRENGTH OF ANY CONVECTION SHOULD LESSEN AFTER SUNSET WITH THE LOSS OF GOOD INSOLATION BUT AS THE FRONT SLOWLY DROPS S THROUGH THE CWFA OVERNIGHT...THERE WILL BE A SLGT CHC THAT THE FRONT MAY WORK WITH THE DEEP MOISTURE TO PRODUCE A FEW SHWRS. OTHERWISE...THE ONLY OTHER CONCERN OVERNIGHT WILL BE FOG DEVELOPMENT WITH THE MOISTURE BECOMING TRAPPED UNDER THE NIGHTLY INVERSION AND WINDS GOING LIGHT IF NOT CALM OVERNIGHT. MIN TEMPS WILL REMAIN MILD IN THE UPR 60S...BUT SHOULD DEWPOINTS NOT FALL OFF FROM CURRENT VALUES THEN LOW TEMPS IN THE LOW 70S COULD BE MORE PREVALENT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM SUNDAY/... A LITTLE BETTER MODEL AGREEMENT SHOWS A SLOWLY SWD PROGRESSION OF THE FRONT THROUGH THE AREA ALONG WITH MORE CONSENSUS OF A LOW PRES CENTER DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT WHICH WILL SLIDE NEAR IF NOT THROUGH THE AREA. THIS WILL HELP ENHANCE LLVL CONVERGENCE THAT WILL TAP INTO MOISTURE BEING BROUGHT IN VIA A MORE ONSHORE FLOW ALONG AND ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE FRONT. THESE FEATURES...ALONG WITH THE PERSISTENT UPR LVL LONGWAVE TROUGH AND SEVERAL SHORTWAVES ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE TROUGH MAKE FOR MID-HIGH CHC POPS BEING FORECAST FOR THE AREA TMRW. CONFIDENCE IS NOT QUITE HIGH ENOUGH TO NUDGE POPS INTO THE LIKELY CATEGORY DUE TO MODEL UNCERTAINTIES IN TIMING AND/OR LOCATION...BUT AM CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO SAY THAT BEST CHCS FOR PRECIP WILL BE IN THE AFTN HOURS. STORM MOTIONS WILL AGAIN BE RELATIVELY WEAK SO ANY STORMS THAT FORM WOULD BE CAPABLE OF HEAVY RAIN. AM NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE SEVERE THREAT SO WILL NOT HAVE MENTION AS SUCH SINCE ANY STORMS THAT BUILD THAT STRONG WOULD BE VERY ISOLATED. AS FOR TEMPS...WITH A SFC ONSHORE FLOW AND CONTINUED EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER EXPECTED ALONG WITH ANY POSSIBLE SHWR/TSTM COMPLICATIONS...MAX TEMPS LOOK TO HOLD BELOW NORMAL VALUES AND ONLY REACH THE LOW-MID 80S. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... QUITE OF BIT OF UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES TO PLAGUE THE EXTENDED FORECAST ONCE AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE EVENTUAL TRACK... STRENGTH AND PROGRESSION OF TROPICAL STORM FAY HAVING HUGE IMPLICATIONS ON THE MID TO LATE WEEK FORECAST. MODEL GUIDANCE REMAINS SPLIT WITH RESPECT TO THE TRACK OF FAY... WITH THE GFS/NOGAPS/UKMET ALL SUGGESTING A MORE WESTERLY TRACK ALONG THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA...AND THE NAM/ECMWF/CANADIAN SUGGESTING A TRACK NEAR OR OVER SOUTHEAST FLORIDA THEN BACK OVER THE OPEN ATLANTIC WATERS AND UP THE EASTERN SEABOARD TOWARD THE FORECAST AREA. WITH SUCH A LARGE SPREAD IN SOLUTIONS AND A SYSTEM THAT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO GET WELL ORGANIZED OVER THE LAST 12 TO 18 HOURS DUE ITS TRACKING ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OVER HISPANIOLA... CONFIDENCE IN EITHER CLUSTER OF SOLUTIONS REMAINS LOW. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS SYSTEM WILL NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED OVER THE NEXT WEEK. AS FOR FORECAST DETAILS...A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH WILL WEAKEN NEAR OR JUST OFFSHORE SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. DEEP MOISTURE ALONG WITH FAVORABLE UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE FORECAST AREA...SO WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION SLIGHT CHANCE/LOW CHANCE POPS SUNDAY NIGHT AND CHANCE POPS ON MONDAY. THE SURFACE TROUGH WILL DISSIPATE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...WITH ATTENTION THEN TURNING TOWARD THE TRACK OF TROPICAL STORM FAY. DEEPEST MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO SHIFT EASTWARD AND INTO THE ATLANTIC PRIOR TO THE APPROACH OF FAY...AND WOULD EXPECT SUBSIDENCE ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE SYSTEM TO LIMIT SIGNIFICANT SHOWER/THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE...AND WILL KEEP POPS IN THE SLIGHT CHANCE/LOW CHANCE RANGE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. WILL CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE HIGH CHANCE POPS WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY AS FAY MAKES HER CLOSEST APPROACH ON THE AREA...WHEREVER THAT MAY END UP BEING. WILL TAPER POPS BACK INTO THE LOW CHANCE RANGE SATURDAY AS REMNANTS OF FAY WILL LIKELY BE QUICKLY DETERIORATING OR HAVE PUSHED OUT OF THE REGION. TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL GENERALLY RUN A COUPLE DEGREES BELOW CLIMO DURING THE DAY AND NEAR TO A COUPLE DEGREES ABOVE CLIMO AT NIGHT. ALL THOSE RESIDING OR VACATIONING IN SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA ARE URGED TO BE ALERT TO THIS POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER SITUATION THROUGHOUT THE UPCOMING WEEK. ANY DEVIATION IN THE STRENGTH...TRACK AND/OR TIMING OF FAY COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO OUR FORECASTS. && .AVIATION /20Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... EXTENSIVE HIGH CLOUDS WITH FEW/SCT MID CLOUDS ARE PERSISTING OVER BOTH TERMINALS AS A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY DROPS S OVER THE AREA. THIS IS HELPING TO MITIGATE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT...BUT CONSIDERING THE PROXIMITY OF THE FRONT TO BOTH TERMINALS ALONG WITH IMPRESSIVE UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS WILL NEED TO KEEP CB MENTION AT BOTH SITES FOR THE MID-LATE AFTN HOURS. THE SEABREEZE MAY ALSO PLAY A PART...BUT CHCS FOR CONVECTION AT EACH TERMINAL ARE DWINDLING. AFTER DARK...BOUNDARY LAYER MOISTURE WILL REMAIN HIGH UNDER THE NIGHTLY INVERSION SO WILL AGAIN LOOK FOR MVFR TO IFR VSBYS. SHOULD WINDS KICK UP OVERNIGHT...THE FOG MAY TRANSITION TO STRATUS BUT AM LOOKING MAINLY FOR A FOG EVENT. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE THAT OVERNIGHT PRECIP COULD AFFECT EACH TERMINAL BUT CHCS ARE TOO LOW TOO MENTION ATTM. CONDS WILL GRADUALLY RETURN TO VFR LEVELS AFTER SUNRISE TMRW...BUT WITH WINDS COMING FROM THE E...IT COULD BE UNTIL THE EARLY AFTN HOURS THAT THE FOG/HAZE GIVES WAY TO VFR LEVELS. CONFIDENCE IS LOW THAT ANY CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL OCCUR NEAR/AT EITHER TERMINAL BY 18Z SO WILL KEEP PRECIP MENTION OUT OF BOTH TAFS. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...OCNL MVFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE IN NIGHT TIME/MORNING FOG AND OCNL CONVECTION EARLY IN THE WEEK...WITH A CHANCE OF MORE PROLONGED MVFR CONDITIONS BY MID WEEK PENDING EVOLUTION/TRACK OF TROPICAL CYCLONE FAY. && .MARINE... ATTENTION USERS...TO INCORPORATE THE LATEST FORECAST INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL HURCN CENTER REGARDING TS FAY...ALL PRODUCTS WILL BE SLIGHTLY DELAYED FROM NORMAL PRODUCT ISSUANCE TIME. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE. A WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY WILL DROP SOUTH THROUGH THE COASTAL WATERS THROUGH SUNDAY. A WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT IS EXPECTED WITH THIS BOUNDARY THUS WIND SPEEDS WILL REMAIN AOB 15 KT WITH RATHER VARIABLE DIRECTIONS. GENERALLY...S OF THE BOUNDARY WILL HAVE S-SW WINDS WHILE N OF THE BOUNDARY WILL HAVE E-NE WINDS...BUT BY LATE SUN THE FRONT SHOULD MAKE GOOD PROGRESS THROUGH ALL MARINE AREAS ALLOWING FOR A PREDOMINANTLY ONSHORE FLOW BY SUN EVE. SEAS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE 1-2 FT RANGE THROUGH SUN. A WEAK TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL WEAKEN OVER THE WATERS SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY...THEN DISSIPATE MONDAY NIGHT. ATTENTION THEN QUICKLY TURNS TO THE TRACK...STRENGTH...AND TIMING OF TROPICAL STORM FAY AS IT APPROACHES THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES. UNCERTAINTY ON THE EVENTUAL TRACK OF FAY REMAINS HIGH...BUT AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THAT TROPICAL STORM FORCE CONDITIONS MAY BE FELT ACROSS ALL OR PORTIONS OF THE COASTAL WATERS IN THE WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY TIME FRAME. OUTSIDE OF WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY...WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW HEADLINE THRESHOLDS. RIP CURRENTS...EVENTUALLY SOME SWELL ENERGY EITHER DUE TO PERSISTING ONSHORE FLOW AND/OR AS A RESULT OF TROPICAL CYCLONE FAY WILL BEGIN TO IMPACT THE BEACHES DURING THE MID AND LATTER PARTS OF THE WEEK. THIS MAY LEAD TO AN ENHANCED RISK OF RIP CURRENTS WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && JPC/JRJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 439 AM EDT SAT AUG 16 2008 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047>051-170845- CHARLESTON HARBOR- WATERS FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER TO EDISTO BEACH SC OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM EDISTO BEACH SC TO SAVANNAH GA OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA OUT 20 NM...INCLUDING GRAYS REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM-JENKINS-SCREVEN-CANDLER-BULLOCH-EFFINGHAM-TATTNALL-EVANS- INLAND BRYAN-COASTAL BRYAN-INLAND CHATHAM-COASTAL CHATHAM-LONG- INLAND LIBERTY-COASTAL LIBERTY-INLAND MCINTOSH-COASTAL MCINTOSH- ALLENDALE-HAMPTON-INLAND COLLETON-DORCHESTER-BERKELEY-INLAND JASPER- BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER- 439 AM EDT SAT AUG 16 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY ALONG WITH SEVERAL STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL GRADUALLY MOVE SOUTH INTO THE AREA TODAY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA AS THE SERIES OF DISTURBANCES APPROACH. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME STRONG...PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES. HOWEVER...IF CLOUD COVER DIMINISHES THIS AFTERNOON AND ALLOWS FOR MORE ROBUST DAYTIME HEATING...THE INTERACTION OF THE FRONT WITH THE SEA BREEZE BOUNDARY COULD ALSO RESULT IN ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. THE MOST LIKELY AREAS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING IS NORTH OF A LINE FROM CHARLESTON TO WALTERBORO...CONTINUING TO HAMPTON AND MILLEN. IN ADDITION...DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...HEAVY RAINS ARE ALSO LIKELY. THIS MAY RESULT IN AN ENHANCED RISK OF AT LEAST MINOR FLOODING PROBLEMS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...TV...OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/CHS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. TROPICAL WEATHER...TROPICAL CYCLONE FAY IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO AND THROUGH THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO DURING THE EARLY AND MIDDLE PART OF THE UPCOMING WEEK. ALTHOUGH THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHAT TYPE OF EFFECTS THERE MAY BE FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...ALL ARE URGED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER ABOUT THIS SYSTEM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 423 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2008 SCZ045-050-162100- BERKELEY-CHARLESTON- 423 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL CHARLESTON AND SOUTH CENTRAL BERKELEY COUNTIES THROUGH 500 PM EDT... AT 420 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR RED BANK LANDING...OR ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GOOSE CREEK...MOVING WEST AT 7 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND CHARLESTON AIRPORT...DANIEL ISLAND...GOOSE CREEK...HANAHAN AND NORTH CHARLESTON WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH 500 PM EDT. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. IF OUTDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM ISOLATED HIGH OBJECTS. IF INDOORS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS. AVOID USING TELEPHONES UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AS STORMS APPROACH. BE READY TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION IN CASE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR LOCATION. PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 IF YOU OBSERVE SEVERE WEATHER SUCH AS HAIL...DOWNED TREES...LIMBS AND POWER LINES.
The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 98 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:15 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree fell on a house on Savage Road, resulting in minor roof damage. A large branch from an oak tree was also reported down.
A tree was reported down at the intersection of Highway 7 and Orleans Road. Another tree was reported down at the intersection of Rondo Street and Arlington Drive.
A power line was reported down across Gibson Road, 2 miles north of Islandton, South Carolina.
Law enforcement reported a tree down and blocking Dry Ridge Road near Highway 64 in Lodge, South Carolina.
Law enforcement reported a tree blocking one late on Forks Road, 2 miles southeast of Islandton, South Carolina.
A large tree was reported down and blocking one lane of traffic near mile marker 40 on Interstate 95.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, August 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 124540, 124542, 124543, 124544, 124545, 124546.