A developing trough of low pressure in the lee of the Appalachians in combination with the sea breeze and the approach of a strong upper level disturbance, resulted in scattered convection across southern South Carolina and 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.
A developing trough of low pressure in the lee of the Appalachians in combination with the sea breeze and the approach of a strong upper level disturbance, resulted in scattered convection across southern South Carolina and 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 Jun 12, 9:55 PM EST, 37 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 1055 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009 .SYNOPSIS... ON THE PERIPHERY OF AN UPPER RIDGE CENTERED WEST OF THE REGION... NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL GUIDE A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES THROUGH THE AREA INTO NEXT WEEK. MEANWHILE...A COLD FRONT WILL ADVANCE THROUGH AREA MONDAY OR TUESDAY...AND THIS FRONT WILL STALL SOUTH OF THE REGION AROUND MIDWEEK. BY LATE WEEK...THE UPPER RIDGE WILL EXPAND EAST ACROSS THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY MORNING/... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 391 WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AS SCHEDULED AT 11 PM. THE 00Z KCHS SOUNDING WAS RATHER IMPRESSIVE...WITH CAPE VALUES NEAR 4900 J/KG AND LI/S DOWN TO -8. ALTHOUGH STRONG TO SEVERE CONVECTION...WHICH INITIATED AHEAD OF THE LEE SIDE TROUGH... PROPAGATED ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA DURING THE EVENING...A WARM LAYER PRODUCED A CAP ABOVE 13K FT. THIS MAY HAVE LIMITED THE VERTICAL GROWTH OF THESE STORMS THUS LIMITING THE OVERALL COVERAGE OF SEVERE WEATHER. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT HAS NEARLY COME TO AN END...OUTSIDE OF A LINGERING STRONG STORM OVER COASTAL BEAUFORT COUNTY AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. STRONG UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE AND A POTENT SHORT WAVE OVER NORTHWEST GEORGIA HAS RESULTED IN ANOTHER CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WELL UPSTREAM. WHILE THESE STORMS SHOULD WEAKEN AND DIMINISH AS THEY SHIFT TOWARD THE SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA COAST...WILL STILL MAINTAIN ISOLATED CONVECTION IN THE FORECAST DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AS A MOIST AND SOMEWHAT UNSTABLE AIRMASS REMAINS IN PLACE. DEBRIS CLOUDINESS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE A FACTOR AT TIMES THROUGH THE NIGHT...BUT OVERALL WINDS WILL BE LIGHT. LOW TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S ACROSS THE AREA. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... VERY SIMILAR SYNOPTIC SCENARIO EXPECTED ON SATURDAY WITH ZONAL WSW-ESE FLOW ALOFT...WEAK LEE SIDE TROFFING INLAND AND HIGH PRES OVER THE ATLC. WITH DEEP WLY FLOW AGAIN EXPECTED...THE SEABREEZE SHOULD REMAIN PINNED NEAR THE COAST THROUGH MID-AFTN WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR GOOD WARMING DURING THE DAY. MAX TEMPS WILL AGAIN REACH THE LOW-MID 90S. WITH DEWPOINTS AGAIN IN THE LOW-MID 70S...HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL REACH THE LOW 100S. INSTABILITY WILL AGAIN BE SUBSTANTIAL...THUS ONCE THE AFTN CAP BREAKS AND CONVECTIVE TEMPS IN THE UPR 80S ARE REACHED...ISOLD TO SCT CONVECTION CAN BE EXPECTED. COVERAGE WILL REMAIN IN QUESTION DUE TO THE PINNED SEABREEZE BUT BEST COVERAGE SHOULD OCCUR DURING THE LATE AFTN HOURS SO WILL KEEP POPS NO HIGHER THAN 30 ATTM. ISOLD STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE WITH CAPES OVER 3500 J/KG... SUFFICIENT LOW LVL LAPSE RATES AND MIDLVL JETTING ARND 30 KT. NO OVERLY STRONG MIDLVL SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCES ARE EVIDENT ON THE NAM...GFS OR ECMWF MODELS FOR TMRW SO ANY ONGOING CONVECTION IN THE EVENING HOURS SHOULD DIMINISH WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. WINDS WILL AGAIN SETTLE DOWN AND IT IS POSSIBLE PATCHY FOG MAY DEVELOP BUT BECAUSE OF LOW CONFIDENCE IN THE COVERAGE... HAVE HELD OFF FOG MENTION ATTM. MIN TEMPS...JUST LIKE THE PREVIOUS FEW NIGHTS...WILL AGAIN RUN IN THE UPR 60S/LOW 70S AWAY FROM THE COAST AND MID 70S NEAR THE SHORES. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... SUNDAY...EXPECT ANOTHER HOT AND HUMID DAY...WITH HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S COMMON AWAY FROM THE COAST. 12Z GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT MID LEVEL CAPPING MAY PREVENT OR GREATLY LIMIT DIURNAL THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE. FOR THIS FORECAST...SLIGHT CHANCE POPS WILL SUFFICE DURING THE AFTERNOON. SUNDAY NIGHT...12Z GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT AN MCS MAY PUSH INTO THE REGION OVERNIGHT. WHILE CONFIDENCE IN THIS SCENARIO REMAINS LOW... LOW CHANCE POPS ARE JUSTIFIED ESPECIALLY FOR NORTHERN/WESTERN COUNTIES. 12Z GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT A SYNOPTIC COLD FRONT MAY STALL OVER OR JUST NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA FOR A TIME MONDAY. THEN...A SURFACE WAVE... STRENGTHENING HIGH PRESSURE TO THE NORTH AND CONTINUED NW FLOW ALOFT SHOULD COMBINE TO PUSH THIS BOUNDARY SOUTH AS A COLD FRONT BY TUESDAY. THIS BOUNDARY IS THEN PROGGED TO STALL AND DISSIPATE SOUTH OF THE REGION DURING THE WED-THU TIME FRAME. FORECAST UNCERTAINTY REMAINS QUITE HIGH THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK...ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE ONGOING POTENTIAL FOR MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEMS IN NW FLOW ALOFT TO IMPACT THE REGION. GIVE GUIDANCE TRENDS...LOWERED TEMPERATURES SOMEWHAT MON THROUGH WED...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHERN COUNTIES...AND RAISED POPS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR AN UNSETTLED REGIME DURING THAT PERIOD. BY LATE IN THE FORECAST PERIOD...MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE VARIES FROM A BUILDING UPPER RIDGE AND A RETURN TO HOT/HUMID CONDITIONS AS DEPICTED BY THE 0Z EUROPEAN...TO THE APPROACH OF A SHORTWAVE/ ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT FROM THE NW AS DEPICTED BY THE 12Z GFS. THIS FORECAST WILL FAVOR THE EUROPEAN SCENARIO...WHICH MAINTAINS BETTER FORECAST CONTINUITY. && .AVIATION /03Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HAVE LEFT A DRY FORECAST GOING THROUGH THE REST OF THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THERE IS SOME CONCERN THAT SOME REMNANTS FROM A POTENT MCS MOVING E THROUGH TN AND NRN PORTIONS OF THE GULF COAST STATES MAY CONTINUE PROGRESSING TWD THE CAROLINA COAST DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. CONFIDENCE IS LOW IN THIS IDEA SO HAVE RUN WITH THE DRY FCST. THE ONLY OTHER CONCERN OVERNIGHT WILL BE PRE-DAWN MVFR FOG SO HAVE INCLUDED TEMPO GROUPS JUST BEFORE 13/12Z. MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES TO START THE DAY TMRW WILL AGAIN GIVE WAY TO A DECENT CUMULUS CLOUD FIELD BY MIDDAY. ISOLD TO SCATTERED SHWRS/TSTMS ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE LATE TMRW AFTN...BUT LOW CONFIDENCE ON TIMING AND COVERAGE PRECLUDES MENTION ATTM. HAVE INCLUDED CB FOR THE LATE AFTN HOURS. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...ASIDE FROM MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MAY BRIEFLY DROP VSBYS TO IFR LEVELS...VFR CONDITIONS WILL GENERALLY PREVAIL. PATCHY FOG MAY REDUCE VSBY TO MVFR DURING EARLY MORNING HOURS. && .MARINE... ATLC HIGH PRES WILL REMAIN THE DOMINANT FEATURE THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEKEND...MAINTAINING A PREVAILING SW FLOW OVER THE WATERS WITH SPEEDS AOB 15 KT AND SEAS AOB 4 FT. SEABREEZE CIRCULATIONS THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AFTN AND AGAIN ON SAT AFTN MAY SHIFT WINDS NEAR THE COAST TO A MORE SLY DIRECTION...THEN WINDS WILL VEER BACK TO SW OR WSW AT NIGHT. WINDS/SEAS WILL REMAIN WELL BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THRESHOLDS THROUGH THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND. THE SEA BREEZE CIRCULATION WILL DOMINATE...AND MODEST NOCTURNAL SURGES OF S/SW WINDS AS HIGH AS 15 KT WILL REMAIN COMMON. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE WATERS EARLY NEXT WEEK...ALTHOUGH THE TIMING/STRENGTH OF THIS FROPA REMAIN UNCERTAIN. IF SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE NE OF THE REGION BECOMES SUFFICIENTLY STRONG...A PERIOD OF SCA CONDITIONS COULD DEVELOP LATE IN THE FORECAST PERIOD TUE-WED. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && JAQ/JPC
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 1059 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047>051-131000- 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- 1059 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 955 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009 SCZ047-048-051-130230- BEAUFORT-COASTAL JASPER-INLAND JASPER- 955 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT EAST CENTRAL JASPER AND CENTRAL BEAUFORT COUNTIES THROUGH 1030 PM EDT... AT 955 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR CHELSEA...OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF RIDGELAND...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND CALAWASSIE ISLAND...FOLLY FIELD...HILTON HEAD AIRPORT...JASPER...LEMON ISLAND...PARRIS ISLAND...PORT ROYAL AND ROSE HILL WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH 1030 PM EDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 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. &&
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1011 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0856 PM TSTM WND DMG JOHNS ISLAND 32.72N 80.07W
06/12/2009 CHARLESTON SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN ALONG RIVER ROAD.
&&
VBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1108 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0937 PM TSTM WND DMG EDISTO BEACH 32.49N 80.32W
06/12/2009 COLLETON SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
SIGNS DOWN. FENCE DESTROYED. WINDOWS OUT OF VEHICLES NEAR
THE PAVILION ON PALMETTO BLVD.
&&
VBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1114 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1007 PM TSTM WND DMG 7 ESE JASPER 32.30N 80.84W
06/12/2009 BEAUFORT SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN ON CALAWASSIE ISLAND.
&&
VBSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 1120 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009 GAZ100-101-130345- BULLOCH-EFFINGHAM- 1120 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL BULLOCH AND EXTREME NORTHWESTERN EFFINGHAM COUNTIES THROUGH 1145 PM EDT... AT 1119 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 1/2 INCH HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR HUNTERS POINTE... OR ABOUT OVER MIDDLEGROUND...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND LEEFIELD...MIDDLEGROUND AND STATESBORO WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH 1145 PM EDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 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. && JAQ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 1126 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009 GAZ137-130400- LONG- 1126 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL LONG COUNTY THROUGH MIDNIGHT EDT... AT 1126 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 1/2 INCH HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR LUDOWICI...OR ABOUT OVER LUDOWICI...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND LUDOWICI AND TIBET WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH MIDNIGHT EDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 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. && JAQ
The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:31 UTC.
3 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Bulloch county dispatch relayed two separate reports of penny size hail in Statesboro, Georgia.
Bulloch county dispatch reported numerous trees and at least one power line down around Statesboro, Georgia.
Broadcast Media relayed a report of trees down and several roofs of homes damaged in the town of Brooklet, Georgia.
The public reported nickel size hail on the south side of Savannah, Georgia.
The public reported a large tree and several tree limbs down on Largo Drive in Windsor Forest, Georgia.
The public reported penny size hail in Windsor Forest, Georgia.
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, June 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: 184291, 184293, 184296, 184292, 184294, 184295.