A squall line developed in advance of a cold front and tracked through the southeast United States, resulting in several severe thunderstorms across southern South Carolina.
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.
A squall line developed in advance of a cold front and tracked through the southeast United States, resulting in several 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 Dec 11, 12:19 PM EST, 21 minutes earlier.
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</html>HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 1216 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-121000- JENKINS-SCREVEN-CANDLER-BULLOCH-EFFINGHAM-TATTNALL-EVANS- INLAND BRYAN-COASTAL BRYAN-INLAND CHATHAM-COASTAL CHATHAM-LONG- INLAND LIBERTY-COASTAL LIBERTY-INLAND MCINTOSH-COASTAL MCINTOSH- 1216 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT STORM DAMAGE ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. SCZ040-042>044-047-121000- ALLENDALE-HAMPTON-INLAND COLLETON-DORCHESTER-INLAND JASPER- 1216 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 ...TORNADO WATCH 952 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. SCZ045-121000- BERKELEY- 1216 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST FRIDAY FOR LAKE MOULTRIE... ...TORNADO WATCH 952 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. TORNADO WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. SCZ048>051-121000- BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER- 1216 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 ...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST FRIDAY... ...TORNADO WATCH 952 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH SURF ADVISORY. TORNADO WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. COASTAL FLOODING...HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES ALONG WITH ONSHORE WINDS MAY LEAD TO SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING OVER THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AMZ330-350-352-121000- 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- 1216 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 ...TORNADO WATCH 952 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AMZ354-121000- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA OUT 20 NM...INCLUDING GRAYS REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY- 1216 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT STORM DAMAGE ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AMZ374-121000- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 1216 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT STORM DAMAGE ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
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</html>PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1145 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1118 AM TSTM WND DMG STATESBORO 32.45N 81.78W
12/11/2008 BULLOCH GA LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL TREES DOWN AT HIGHWAY 24 AND LANIER ROAD IN
CENTRAL STATESBORO.
1119 AM TSTM WND DMG MILLEN 32.80N 81.95W
12/11/2008 JENKINS GA LAW ENFORCEMENT
LARGE TREE DOWN ON POWERLINE ALONG HIGHWAY 17.
&&
VBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1152 AM EST THU DEC 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1125 AM TSTM WND DMG 4 ESE BROOKLET 32.36N 81.60W
12/11/2008 BULLOCH GA TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES DOWN AND NO POWER ON ARKOLA ROAD.
&&
VBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1207 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1120 AM TSTM WND DMG ROCKY FORD 32.66N 81.83W
12/11/2008 SCREVEN GA LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ALONG SCARBORO HIGHWAY.
&&
VBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1219 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1136 AM TSTM WND DMG SYLVANIA 32.75N 81.64W
12/11/2008 SCREVEN GA LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN IN 3 LOCATIONS IN SYLVANIA FROM MAIN STREET TO
HIGHWAY 21. 1 TREE ON A CAR AT THE MINIT MART. 1 TREE
DOWN ON A POWER LINE CAUSED A FIRE AT AN OFFICE.
1150 AM TSTM WND DMG GARDEN CITY 32.10N 81.18W
12/11/2008 CHATHAM GA PUBLIC
10 INCH DIAMETER PINE TRRE LIMBS DOWN
&&
VBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1227 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1150 AM TSTM WND DMG GARDEN CITY 32.10N 81.18W
12/11/2008 CHATHAM GA PUBLIC
10 INCH DIAMETER PINE TREE LIMBS DOWN
&&
VBThe Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 42 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:40 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Law enforcement reported a tree down on Middle Road in Beaufort, South Carolina.
Law enforcement reported two trees down in Walterboro, South Carolina. One was reported to be blocking the road at 2500 Ritter Road, and the other was blocking the road at 100 Lambert Road.
Law enforcement reported a large tree down and partially blocking Highway 78 in Saint George, South Carolina.
Law enforcement reported a tree down and partially blocking Central Avenue in Summerville, South Carolina.
Law enforcement reported a tree down due to strong winds in Knightsville, South Carolina.
Law enforcement reported a tree down due to strong winds 3 miles west of Ladson, 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, December 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 139285, 139286, 139287, 139288, 139289, 139290.