A weak frontal boundary in combination with the sea breeze resulted in isolated 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 in combination with the sea breeze resulted in isolated 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 17, 3:05 PM EST, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 405 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK SURFACE FRONT WILL LINGER NEAR OR JUST SOUTH OF THE AREA THROUGH MONDAY...WHILE SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES SWING THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST STATES. THE FRONT WILL DISSIPATE BY TUESDAY WHILE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. TROPICAL CYCLONE FAY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE STEADILY NORTHWARD DURING THE MIDDLE PART OF THE WEEK...REACHING INTO THE SE STATES BY LATE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THE SYSTEM WILL THEN SHIFT FURTHER NORTH LATE IN THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/... CONVECTIVE TEMPS WERE REACHED AROUND 16Z...WHICH HELPED AID INTERACTION AMONG THE SEABREEZE...A RESIDUAL SFC FRONT WOBBLING OVER SRN PORTIONS OF THE CWFA...DEEPENING MOISTURE...THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF AN UPPER LEVEL JET AND SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVES. ACTIVITY HAS MAINLY OCCURRED ALONG AND BEHIND THE INLAND MOVING SEABREEZE...WITH THE MOST CONCENTRATED ACTIVITY OVER THE CHARLESTON TRI-COUNTY AREA AND IN SE GA NEAR THE ALTAMAHA RIVER. WITH ALL THESE INTERACTIONS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THE EVE HOURS...WILL MAINTAIN CHC POPS ALBEIT WITH A DIMINISHING TREND. STORM MOTIONS CONTINUE TO BE WEAK...GIVING RISE TO ISOLD FLOODING THREATS WITH ANY STORM. IN ADDITION...THE COOL POOL ALOFT AND WBZ HEIGHTS AROUND 12 KFT MAY ALSO PRESENT A HAIL THREAT FOR THE STRONGEST STORMS. AS THE STORMS WANE AND THE NIGHTLY INVERSION SETS IN...MOISTURE TRAPPED NEAR THE SFC WITHIN LIGHT TO CALM WINDS WILL ALLOW FOR FOG FORMATION ONCE AGAIN. AM NOT EXPECTING ANYTHING LESS THAN ISOLD 1SM VSBYS SO WILL MAINTAIN PATCHY FOG MENTION. MIN TEMPS WILL ONLY DROP TO THE LOW 70S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM MONDAY/... UPPER LEVEL JET DYNAMICS WILL SHIFT N AND E AWAY FROM THE AREA WHILE SLIGHTLY DRIER AIR MOVES INTO THE AREA. THESE FACTORS COMBINED WITH A MORE STABLE ONSHORE FLOW WILL HELP MITIGATE CONVECTIVE COVERAGE SO WILL HAVE LOW-MID CHC POPS FOR MAINLY THE LATE AFTN HOURS. THE ONLY QUESTIONABLE FACTOR WILL BE THE FORWARD SPEED OF TS FAY WHICH MAY BEGIN TO SPREAD OUTER BANDS AS FAR N AS SE GA AND SE SC. AM NOT EXPECTING THIS ATTM...BUT LATER FORECASTS FROM NHC/TPC MAY DICTATE AS SUCH. TEMPS WILL AGAIN REACH THE MID 80S WHICH CONTINUES TO RUN SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... MODEL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE WITH EVENTUAL EVOLUTION OF TROPICAL STORM FAY...WITH SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES NOTED IN STRENGTH...TRACK...AND TIMING. THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTERS OFFICIAL TRACK IS A GOOD COMPROMISE AMONG THE VARIOUS SOLUTIONS...AND WILL FOLLOW THIS TRACK CLOSELY THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED PERIOD. GUIDANCE IS IN GOOD AGREEMENT SHIFTING DEEPEST MOISTURE EAST AND SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...SO HAVE LOWERED POPS INTO THE SLIGHT CHANCE/LOW CHANCE RANGE THROUGH THE PERIOD. FAY IS EXPECTED TO TRACK NORTHWARD THROUGH NORTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA WEDNESDAY...AND THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA ON THURSDAY...THEN NORTHWARD INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES ON FRIDAY. WILL CARRY LIKELY OR HIGH CHANCE POPS WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...THEN TAPER POPS INTO THE CHANCE RANGE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. BASED ON THE GIVEN TRACK...WILL FORECAST CONDITIONS TO RETURN TO A MORE TYPICAL SUMMERTIME PATTERN WITH MAINLY DIURNALLY DRIVEN CONVECTION OVER THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO RUN NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW CLIMO TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...THEN SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN NORMAL OVER THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. ALL THOSE RESIDING OR VACATIONING IN SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND SE GEORGIA ARE URGED TO REMAIN ALERT TO THIS POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER SITUATION THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. KEEP IN MIND THAT ANY DEVIATION IN THE STRENGTH...TRACK AND/OR TIMING OF FAY COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO OUR FORECASTS. && .AVIATION /19Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... CONVECTIVE TEMPS HAVE BEEN REACHED AND THE CAP IS JUST ABOUT BROKEN SO SCATTERED SHOWERS/TSTMS ARE DEVELOPING ACRS THE AREA. DIFFICULT TO PIN DOWN WHERE TSTMS WILL DEVELOP AND THERE IS LITTLE USE IN TRENDING WITH STORM MOTIONS SINCE MOTIONS ARE LESS THAN 10 KT. PLUS...RESIDUAL OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES AND THE SEABREEZE WILL FURTHER HAMPER PINNING DOWN TIMING/LOCATION. USING CURRENT RADAR TRENDS...HAVE INITIALIZED BOTH SITES WITH VCTS AS THE CONVECTION BREAKING OUT IS WITHIN 10 NM OF EACH AIRPORT. AS DAYTIME HEATING PERSISTS AND A STRONG UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE APPROACHES FROM THE NW...CHCS WILL BE BETTER THAT EACH SITE WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IFR TSTMS SO HAVE INCLUDED TEMPO GROUPS FOR LATE THIS AFTN. CONVECTION SHOULD SETTLE DOWN AFTER DARK FOLLOWED BY THE NIGHTLY INVERSION SETTING UP WHICH WILL TRAP THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN PLACE. WILL LOOK FOR MVFR VSBYS TONIGHT INTO TMRW MRNG. WAS TEMPTED TO PUT IN TEMPO GROUPS FOR IFR VSBYS IN THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. HOWEVER... CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO GO THAT ROUTE BUT IT CANNOT BE RULED OUT. HAZY CONDITIONS WILL THEN PREVAIL LATE TMRW MRNG INTO EARLY TMRW AFTN. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...OCCASIONAL MVFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE IN NIGHTTIME/MORNING FOG AND CONVECTION EARLY IN THE WEEK. A CHANCE OF MORE PROLONGED MVFR CONDITIONS IS POSSIBLE BY MID WEEK PENDING EVOLUTION/TRACK OF TROPICAL CYCLONE FAY. && .MARINE... THE WEAK SFC FRONT WILL WOBBLE OVER SRN PORTIONS OF THE WATERS THROUGH MON ALTHOUGH ITS ASSOCIATED PRES GRAD WILL REMAIN RATHER WEAK. ONSHORE WINDS WILL GENERALLY PREVAIL OVER ALL WATERS WITH SPEEDS AOB 15 KT AND SEAS AOB 3 FT. THE PRES GRAD MAY BEGIN TO TIGHTEN LATE MON INTO MON EVE AS TS FAY TAKES A NWD TURN AND APPROACHES THE FL PENINSULA BUT NOTICEABLE EFFECTS LOOK TO OCCUR LATER IN THE FORECAST. A WEAK RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD NORTH OF THE WATERS MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...THEN BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN TUESDAY NIGHT AS TROPICAL STORM FAY BEGINS TO APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE SOUTH. BASED ON THE LATEST NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER FORECAST TRACK...FAY IS EXPECTED TO TRACK THROUGH NORTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA WEDNESDAY...THEN THROUGH SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA THURSDAY...BEFORE TRACKING INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES FRIDAY. THIS TRACK WOULD LIKELY RESULT IN TROPICAL STORM FORCE CONDITIONS ACROSS ALL COASTAL WATERS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. CONDITIONS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO IMPROVE SLOWLY THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY AS FAY CONTINUES TO TRACK NORTHWARD AND AWAY FROM THE REGION. OUR FORECAST OF WINDS AND SEAS COULD TURN OUT TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT DEPENDING UPON THE STRENGTH...TRACK AND/OR TIMING OF FAY. EVEN SO...ALL MARINE INTERESTS OVER THE SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND SE GEORGIA COASTAL WATERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. RIP CURRENTS...THE COMBINATION OF INCREASING ONSHORE WINDS AND BUILDING SWELLS AS FAY DRAWS CLOSER TO THE AREA WILL RESULT IN AN ENHANCED RISK OF RIP CURRENTS...BEGINNING EITHER TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY...AND CONTINUING THROUGH LATE WEEK. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && JPC/JRJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 434 AM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047>051-180845- 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- 434 AM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. HEAVY RAINS...WITH VARIOUS BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP. WHILE ISOLATED STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG WITH GUSTY WINDS AND LIGHTNING STRIKES...THE MAIN WEATHER HAZARD FOR TODAY IS HEAVY RAINS DUE TO A SLOW MOVEMENT TO THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. TROPICAL WEATHER...THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK INDICATES THAT TROPICAL STORM FAY WILL MOVE INTO THE SOUTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO EARLY THIS WEEK...THEN NORTHWARD INTO THE SOUTHEAST STATES BY MID WEEK. BASED ON THIS TRACK...DETERIORATING CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE LOCAL AREA FROM LATE TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY OR FRIDAY. HOWEVER...THERE REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE ACTUAL TRACK DURING THE MIDDLE AND LATTER PARTS OF THE WEEK...AND AS A RESULT THERE ARE STILL CONCERNS AS TO WHAT TYPE OF EFFECTS THERE MAY BE FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA DURING THIS TIME. DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY...YOU ARE URGED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON AND FROM YOUR NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER ABOUT TROPICAL STORM FAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. 33
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 413 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 SCZ045-050-172045- BERKELEY-CHARLESTON- 413 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL CHARLESTON AND SOUTH CENTRAL BERKELEY COUNTIES THROUGH 445 PM EDT... AT 409 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF WHITEHALL TERRACE TO SAINT ANDREWS...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MCCLELLANVILLE TO CHARLESTON...MOVING EAST AT 9 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND CAINHOY...CHARLESTON...DANIEL ISLAND...MOUNT PLEASANT...NORTH CHARLESTON...SULLIVANS ISLAND...WANDO...WEST ASHLEY AND ISLE OF PALMS WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH 445 PM EDT. 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. THIS THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR POSSIBLE...WHICH MAY FLOOD DITCHES AND LOW-LYING AREAS. AVOID FLOOD PRONE AREAS AND DO NOT DRIVE INTO PLACES WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 453 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 SCZ043-172130- INLAND COLLETON- 453 PM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL COLLETON COUNTY THROUGH 530 PM EDT... AT 448 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 HIOTTS...OR ABOUT 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF WALTERBORO. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. AREAS IN AND AROUND COTTAGEVILLE...ROUND O AND WALTERBORO WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH 530 PM EDT. THIS THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH LOCAL AMOUNTS UP TO 1.5 INCHES...WHICH MAY FLOOD POORLY DRAINED...LOW-LYING AREAS. AVOID FLOOD PRONE AREAS AND DO NOT DRIVE INTO PLACES WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. 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), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:51 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was reported down across Brocktown Road near Cottageville, South Carolina.
A tree was reported down across Combahee Road near Hendersonville, South Carolina.
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: 124547, 124548.