An upper level disturbance in combination with the sea breeze in a highly unstable air mass, resulted in scattered thunderstorm development across southeast Georgia.
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.
An upper level disturbance in combination with the sea breeze in a highly unstable air mass, resulted in scattered thunderstorm development across southeast Georgia.
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 Jul 27, 3:33 PM EST, 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 433 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009 .SYNOPSIS... ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY BUILD OVER THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/... UPDATED TEXT AND GRIDDED PRODUCTS TO INCLUDE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. NO OTHER CHANGES WERE MADE. AFTERNOON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A WELL DEFINED MID-UPPER LEVEL SHEAR AXIS ACROSS THE MIDLANDS AND CENTRAL GEORGIA WITH A RATHER POTENT IMPULSE MOVING NORTHEAST ACROSS ACROSS FAR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND TSTMS ARE DEVELOPING ACROSS THE INTERIOR WITH BROAD LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE SEA BREEZE AND WEAK LEE-SIDE TROUGHING OVER THE MIDLANDS. ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND IN BOTH COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AS THE SHEAR AXIS NUDGES CLOSER TO THE COAST. WE STILL BELIEVE THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE INTERIOR AS UVM BECOMES LOCALLY ENHANCED ALONG THE HEAD OF THE IMPULSE MOVING INTO COASTAL SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. WILL INCREASE POPS SLIGHTLY WITH POPS RANGING FROM 70 PERCENT INLAND TO THE 40-60 PERCENT AT THE COAST THROUGH EARLY EVENING. MESOSCALE PLOTS INDICATE MLCAPE HAS RISING TO 2000-2500 J/KG WITH LIFTED INDICES AS LOW AS -8C. DCAPE IS NOW AS HIGH AS 1000 J/KG INDICATING THERE IS A SOMEWHAT ELEVATED RISK FOR DAMAGING WINDS. WBZ HEIGHTS REMAINS HIGH BUT LARGE HAIL IS STILL A POSSIBILITY WHERE STRONGER REFLECTIVITY CORES PUNCH THROUGH THE -20C LEVEL. HAIL WAS REPORTED EARLIER WITH A SEVERE TSTMS IN BARNWELL COUNTY. THE RISK FOR STRONG TSTMS WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING WITH ISOLATED SEVERE TSTMS POSSIBLE WHERE MESOSCALE BOUNDARY COLLISIONS OCCUR. LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE LOWER 70S INLAND TO THE UPPER 70S NEAR 80 AT THE BEACHES. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... PESKY 500-250MB SHEAR AXIS IS FORECAST TO BE WELL OFFSHORE BY SUNRISE TUESDAY WHICH WILL ALLOW THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC TO BUILD WEST THROUGH THE DAY. EXPECT MORE OF A STANDARD DIURNAL CONVECTIVE PATTERN TO EVOLVE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EARLY EVENING WITH INFLUENCES FROM THE UPPER RIDGE BECOMING MORE APPARENT AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. MODIFIED MODEL SOUNDINGS YIELD MODEST SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY DESPITE THE RISING HEIGHTS ALOFT WITH SBCAPES RISING OVER 2500 J/KG WITH LIFTED INDICES OF -6 TO -8C. EXPECT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED TSTMS TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE SEA BREEZE...WITH MOST OF THE ACTIVITY LIKELY HOLDING OFF UNTIL AFTER 3 PM WHEN CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES WILL MOSTLY LIKELY BE REACHED. WILL MAINTAIN 20-30 PERCENT POPS WITH THE HIGHEST GRIDDED POPS CENTERED WEST OF INTERSTATE 95. THE BEACHES SHOULD REMAIN DRY WITH THE SEA BREEZE EXPECTED TO TAKE ON MORE OF A PURE SEA BREEZE ORIENTATION. HIGHS WILL RANGE FROM THE LOWER 90S INLAND TO THE MID-UPPER 80S AT THE COAST WITH LOWS FROM THE LOWER 70S INLAND TO THE UPPER 70S TO AROUND 80 AT THE BEACHES. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... LITTLE CHANGE TO THE EXTENDED FORECAST WAS NEEDED WITH THE AFTERNOON ISSUANCE...AS MODELS REMAIN IN DECENT AGREEMENT REGARDING THE EVOLUTION OF THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST COAST THROUGH THE LONG TERM...WHILE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY AND ASSOCIATED WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE TRACK FROM THE LOWER MISS VALLEY INTO THE WESTERN CAROLINAS. THE FORECAST AREA WILL GENERALLY REMAIN BETWEEN INLAND SURFACE TROUGHING AND THE ATLANTIC SURFACE RIDGE. THUS EXPECT A DEEP SOUTH-SOUTHWEST FLOW TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT MOISTURE AND SUPPORT A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY. A SUMMERTIME DIURNAL CONVECTIVE PATTERN WILL DEVELOP...CHARACTERIZED BY MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS ENHANCED BY SEABREEZE AND BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS. STRONGEST SHORTWAVE ACTIVITY WILL AFFECT THE REGION WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...AND HAVE INDICATED HIGHEST POPS IN THE 40 TO 50 PERCENT RANGE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AFTERNOON ACCORDINGLY. UPPER TROUGHING OVER THE CENTRAL U.S. WILL THEN FLATTEN BY LATE IN THE WEEK...ALLOWING ATLANTIC RIDGING TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OVER THE AREA. ALTHOUGH SHORTWAVE ENERGY WILL BE WEAKER AND SOME SUBSIDENCE WILL RESULT...A MORE SOLID ONSHORE FLOW WILL KEEP DEEP MOISTURE ACROSS SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA...SUSTAINING A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH MONDAY...AND HAVE ADVERTISED HIGH TEMPERATURES MAINLY IN THE LOW TO MID 90S AWAY FROM THE COAST. && .AVIATION /21Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... EXPECT MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE 00Z TAF PERIOD FOR KCHS AND KSAV OUTSIDE ANY AFTERNOON CONVECTION. CURRENT RADAR SHOWS SCATTERED DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE REGION WHICH WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES. THUS...WILL MAINTAIN A CB GROUP FOR BOTH SITES THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH VCTS UNTIL 00Z...ESPECIALLY FOR KSAV. EXPECT MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS IN ANY THUNDERSTORM...ALONG WITH GUSTY WINDS. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR LATEST RADAR TRENDS AND WILL AMEND THE TAFS AS NECESSARY. SOME MODELS SHOW PRECIP CHANCE CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING YET EXPECT PRECIP CHANCE TO DECREASE AFTER 00Z DUE TO LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. WINDS AND CLOUD COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE TO DECREASE OVERNIGHT WITH ANY PRECIP CHANCES FOR TUESDAY AFTERNOON TO LOW TO INCLUDE IN TAFS AT THIS TIME. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PREVAIL OUTSIDE OF MAINLY AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH FRIDAY. && .MARINE... CONDITIONS WILL FAVOR ANOTHER MODEST NOCTURNAL SURGE TONIGHT WITH SUBTROPICAL HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED WELL OFFSHORE. MODELS HAVE CONSISTENTLY UNDERPLAYED THE STRENGTH OF THE SURGE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL NIGHTS AND ARE LIKELY UNDER FORECAST SPEEDS AGAIN TONIGHT. WILL CAP WINDS AT 15-20 KT...ALTHOUGH WINDS MAY GUST AS HIGH AS 25 KT AT TIMES. DO NOT THINK A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE NEEDED... BUT CONDITIONS WILL BE CAREFULLY MONITORED THROUGH THE EVENING. SPEEDS WILL DIMINISH TO 10-15 KT AFTER 3 AM. SEAS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN 2-3 FT. MESOSCALE INFLUENCES WILL OCCUR ALONG THE LAND/SEA INTERFACE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AS A SEA BREEZE MATURES AND MOVES INLAND. SPEEDS LOOK TO GO NO HIGHER THAN 15 KT WITH THE HIGHEST WINDS OCCURRING IN THE CHARLESTON HARBOR. SEAS GENERALLY 2-3 FT. ANOTHER NOCTURNAL SURGE LOOKS TO OCCUR TUESDAY NIGHT WITH WINDS 15-20 KT AND SEAS 2-4 FT. WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL...KEEPING A PREDOMINANT SOUTH OR SOUTHWEST FLOW IN PLACE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS INTO THE WEEKEND. THE AFTERNOON SEA BREEZE AND NOCTURNAL SURGING COULD ELEVATE WINDS AT TIMES...BUT OVERALL WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA THROUGH THE PERIOD. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 329 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047>051-281030- 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- 329 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009 ...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT MUCH OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA THROUGH MID EVENING. A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL BEING THE PRIMARY HAZARDS...ALONG WITH CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. PEOPLE ACROSS SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH MID EVENING.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
456 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0455 PM HAIL BLUFFTON 32.24N 80.86W
07/27/2009 E0.50 INCH BEAUFORT SC TRAINED SPOTTER
DIME SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN CENTRAL BLUFFTON.
&&
REBSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 456 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009 GAZ137-140-141-272145- COASTAL MCINTOSH-INLAND MCINTOSH-LONG- 456 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT MCINTOSH AND SOUTHEASTERN LONG COUNTIES THROUGH 545 PM EDT... AT 456 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 1/2 INCH HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES WEST OF COX... OR ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GARDI...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND TIBET...COX...TOWNSEND...HUXFORD...ARDICK... EULONIA...WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH 545 PM EDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING. POSTPONE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PROMPTLY. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE AN ENCLOSED BUILDING. HAVE AN ACTION PLAN READY IN THE EVENT THIS STORM STRENGTHENS OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. CONTINUE TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. &&
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 508 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009 GAZ088-SCZ040-042-272145- ALLENDALE-HAMPTON-SCREVEN- 508 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHERN HAMPTON...ALLENDALE AND NORTHERN SCREVEN COUNTIES THROUGH 545 PM EDT... AT 507 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 1/2 INCH HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES EAST OF MILLHAVEN TO GIFFORD...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 14 MILES WEST OF ALLENDALE TO HAMPTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND GIFFORD...MILLHAVEN...ROUSE...MILLETT... AVERILL...BARTON...AVERILL...HAMPTON...WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH 545 PM EDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THIS THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD DITCHES AND LOW-LYING AREAS. REDUCE VEHICLE SPEED TO LOWER THE RISK OF HYDROPLANING. DO NOT DRIVE INTO PLACES WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. SEEK AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. &&
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
509 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0442 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NE LEVY 32.21N 81.02W
07/27/2009 JASPER SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES BLOWN DOWN AT MUNGIN CREEK.
&&
79PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
520 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0518 PM TSTM WND DMG LEVY 32.20N 81.03W
07/27/2009 JASPER SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWNTOWN THROUGHOUT THE LEVY AND BELLINGER
HILL AREAS.
&&SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 525 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009 SCZ045-272200- BERKELEY- 525 PM EDT MON JUL 27 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTH CENTRAL BERKELEY COUNTY THROUGH 600 PM EDT... AT 525 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 1/2 INCH HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SAINT STEPHEN... OR ABOUT OVER SAINT STEPHEN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND RUSSELLVILLE...WILDER...SAINT STEPHEN...WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH 600 PM EDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THIS THUNDERSTORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD DITCHES AND LOW-LYING AREAS. REDUCE VEHICLE SPEED TO LOWER THE RISK OF HYDROPLANING. DO NOT DRIVE INTO PLACES WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. SEEK AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. 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), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:25 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The public reported that a brief wind gust ahead of an approaching thunderstorm broke several limbs off a 60 year old oak tree in downtown Savannah, Georgia.
The public reported penny size hail in Port Wentworth, Georgia.
The public reported large tree limbs fell and knocked down power lines in front of a residence in Savannah, Georgia.
The public reported a 10 foot long and 8 inch diameter limb off a Long Sweet Gum tree was knocked down at their residence in Savannah, Georgia.
The public reported a tree and a power line down at the intersection of Montgomery Cross Road and Clark Avenue in Savannah, Georgia.
The public reported a tree down on the road near the intersection of White Bluff Road and Coffee Bluff Road in the White Bluff area of Savannah, Georgia.
A trained weather spotter reported a tree down on the road near the intersection of Edgewater Road and Highway 204 in the Chippewa Terrace area of Savannah, Georgia.
A trained weather spotter reported 5 trees down and blocking Paxton Drive and Central Avenue in the Isle of Hope area of Savannah, Georgia.
Law Enforcement reported that numerous roads were flooded in downtown Savannah, Georgia, with several cars having stalled out in high water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, July 2009
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: 190492, 190488, 190494, 190496, 190509, 190499, 190502, 190507, 190486.