A trough of low pressure over southern South Carolina and southeast Georgia in combination with the inland moving Atlantic Sea Breeze, resulted in scattered thunderstorms across the area.
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 trough of low pressure over southern South Carolina and southeast Georgia in combination with the inland moving Atlantic Sea Breeze, resulted in scattered thunderstorms across the area.
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 May 16, 6:33 PM EST, 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 733 PM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WILL WEAKEN THROUGH MONDAY AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS STALLED OVER SOUTHERN NORTH CAROLINA. A MORE PROGRESSIVE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT FROM THE NORTHWEST. A WEAK BACKDOOR COLD FRONT MAY AFFECT THE AREA DURING MID WEEK...OTHERWISE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION THROUGH SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/... THE UPPER RIDGE IS DEFINITELY SHOWING SIGNS OF WEAKENING OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES THIS AFTERNOON...EVIDENCED BY THE RING OF FIRE ON RADAR. THIS IS REFERRING TO THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGE...MAINLY THROUGH CENTRAL GA...THE SC MIDLANDS AND UPSTATE...AND NC. THE CAP ON THE MORNING KCHS SOUNDING WAS A SOLID 4C WHICH HAS YET TO BE BROKEN BY ANYTHING MORE THAN ISOLATED SHOWERS ALONG THE SEABREEZE. SHORTWAVE ENERGY IS PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT WHICH SHOULD FURTHER ERODE THE CAP AND ALLOW SCATTERED SHOWERS TO DEVELOP. UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE DOES NOT LOOK TERRIBLY IMPRESSIVE BUT WE DO EXPECT CONSIDERABLE LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE ADVECTION OVERNIGHT WITH PW VALUES INCREASING TO AROUND 1.80" BY DAYBREAK MONDAY. SINCE BUOYANCY WILL BE AT A DIURNAL MINIMUM AND THE BETTER ISENTROPIC ASCENT WILL REMAIN TO OUR WEST...DO NOT EXPECT MUCH MORE THAN SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS OVERNIGHT. WE INCLUDED A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS IN COASTAL SECTIONS LATE TONIGHT WHEN GUIDANCE SHOWS A THIN BAND OF 1000 J/KG CAPE AND -3C LI/S PUSHING IN FROM THE ATLANTIC. ONLY MINOR CHANGES WERE MADE TO ONGOING POP GRIDS...NOW FEATURING 20-30 POPS THROUGH 2 AM WITH ACTIVITY PUSHING TOWARD THE COAST BY DAYBREAK. LOW TEMPS WILL MAINLY BE IN THE 60S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT WILL CONTINUE TO RETREAT FARTHER INTO THE ATLANTIC AND WEAKEN ON MONDAY...WHILE A FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS NEARLY STATIONARY ACROSS SOUTHERN NORTH CAROLINA AND A MORE PROGRESSIVE COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. DEEP LAYERED MOISTURE WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION ON MONDAY AS GOOD THETA-E ADVECTION TAKES PLACE...WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES RANGING AS HIGH AS 1.75 TO 2.00 INCHES. THE DEEP MOISTURE CONTENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH STRONG UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE AND THE PASSAGE OF SEVERAL SHORT WAVE DISTURBANCES WILL ALLOW FOR AN INCREASE IN COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE FORECAST PROBABILITY OF PRECIPITATION HAS BEEN INCREASED AS A RESULT...WITH SOLID LIKELY CHANCES IN MOST AREAS EXCEPT FOR CATEGORICAL CHANCES ACROSS A PORTION OF INTERIOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPEARS MINIMAL AT THIS TIME GIVEN WEAK MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ALONG WITH MINIMAL WIND SHEAR AND HIGH WET BULB ZERO HEIGHTS. HOWEVER...INSTABILITY WILL BE MODERATE...ESPECIALLY IF ANY BREAKS CAN OCCUR IN THE CLOUD COVER...SO A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE CERTAINLY POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION...ANY THUNDERSTORM WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE SOME LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL. HIGH TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY WILL GENERALLY RANGE FROM THE LOW TO PERHAPS MID 80S...WITH HEATING LIMITED BY EXTENSIVE AFTERNOON CLOUD COVER AND PRECIPITATION. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY BE ONGOING INTO SUNDAY EVENING AS THE DEEP MOISTURE REMAINS IN PLACE AND SURFACE BOUNDARIES LINGER...WITH THE COVERAGE GRADUALLY DIMINISHING FROM THE SOUTHWEST LATER IN THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. A PREFRONTAL TROUGH APPEARS TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA EARLY TUESDAY MORNING...STRIPPING MUCH OF THE DEEP MOISTURE AS THE FLOW TAKES ON A WESTERLY COMPONENT IN ITS WAKE. ALTHOUGH THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT IS NOT EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH UNTIL SOMETIME LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY NIGHT...THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ENOUGH MOISTURE IN PLACE TO SUPPORT ANYTHING MORE THAN ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA ON TUESDAY. SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER...THE WESTERLY FLOW AND COMPRESSIONAL HEATING AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO REBOUND TO HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S AWAY FROM THE IMMEDIATE COAST. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY... WHILE A BACKDOOR COLD FRONT DROPS TOWARD THE AREA. A LACK OF DEEP MOISTURE HOWEVER WILL RESULT IN A DRY FORECAST. HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE MODEL CONSISTENCY AND RUN TO RUN CONTINUITY LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED...WITH A PLETHORA OF POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR LATE NEXT WEEK INTO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. GIVEN THE RATHER POOR AGREEMENT AMONGST THE OPERATIONAL SOLUTIONS WILL TREND THE FORECAST TOWARD THE FEW COMMON IDEAS SHARED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE MODELS. FOR NOW WILL KEEP THE FORECAST RAIN FREE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH WEAK RIDGING IN PLACE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. MOST MODEL SOLUTIONS SHOW A NOTABLE INCREASE IN DEEP MOISTURE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND...SO TO ACCOUNT FOR SHOWER/THUNDERSTORM CHANCES HAVE TRENDED POPS UPWARD INTO THE SLIGHT CHANCE RANGE EACH DAY. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO RUN NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED PERIODS. && .AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL TONIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. SKY COVER WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT WITH MID AND LOW LEVEL CLOUDS MOVING INTO THE AREA BY MORNING AS A STORM SYSTEM CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST INTO THE AREA. AN ISOLATED SHOWER IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION TONIGHT AFTER MIDNIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...BUT CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT CHANCES ARE 30 PERCENT OR LESS AND HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE TAF. BETTER CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVE IN TO THE TERMINALS AFTER 17/18Z. PERIODS OF MVFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT IMPACTS THE TERMINALS. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE SOUTH SOUTHWEST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS TONIGHT THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...MVFR CIGS AND/OR VSBYS POSSIBLE IN NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. SLIGHT CHANCE OF IFR STRATUS AT EITHER TERMINAL TUE MORNING AROUND DAYBREAK. && .MARINE... LOW LEVEL RIDGING WILL CONTINUE IN THE SHORT TERM OVER THE WATERS. SIMILAR/PERSISTENT DIURNAL OSCILLATIONS WILL CONTINUE TODAY WITH OVERNIGHT WEAK SURGING DIMINISHING SEAWARD LATER THIS MORNING AS S WINDS FALL BELOW 10 KT. ANOTHER WEAK SURGE LIKELY TONIGHT AND MODELS SHOW IT BEST OVER OUR GEORGIA WATERS BUT SPEEDS THERE WILL NOT LIKELY EXCEED 15 KT. SEAS THROUGH TONIGHT WILL AVERAGE 2 TO 3 FT. ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN THE DOMINANT WEATHER FEATURE THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. A COLD FRONT WILL THEN APPROACH THE WATERS FROM THE WEST ON TUESDAY AND MOVE THROUGH THE MARINE AREA TUESDAY NIGHT. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BUILD BACK INTO THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY AND WILL REMAIN THE DOMINANT WEATHER FEATURE THROUGH FRIDAY. WINDS AND/OR SEAS MAY APPROACH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA LATE MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT FOR THE OUTER GEORGIA AND PERHAPS A PORTION OF THE NEAR SHORE SOUTH CAROLINA WATERS...BUT CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW GIVEN THE WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN TO ISSUE ANY ADVISORIES AT THIS TIME. OTHWERWISE...NO SIGNIFICANT MARINE ISSUES ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH WINDS AND SEAS REMAINING BELOW HEADLINE THRESHOLDS. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 359 AM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047>052-171000- 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-INLAND BERKELEY- INLAND JASPER-BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER- TIDAL BERKELEY- 359 AM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 513 PM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010 SCZ044-045-162200- DORCHESTER-INLAND BERKELEY- 513 PM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF BERKELEY AND DORCHESTER COUNTIES THROUGH 600 PM EDT... AT 508 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM EADYTOWN TO EBENEZER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... CROSS...EASTERN LAKE MARION...EADYTOWN...EBENEZER AND NORTHERN LAKE MOULTRIE... PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS... GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH... DIME SIZE HAIL... FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING. POSTPONE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PROMPTLY. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE AN ENCLOSED BUILDING. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT LAKE MOULTRIE. BOATERS SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOR IMMEDIATELY. IF CAUGHT ON THE OPEN WATERS...STAY AS LOW AS POSSIBLE AND WEAR A PERSONAL FLOATATION DEVICE. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER YOU ARE AT RISK OF BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. 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. && 33
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
557 PM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0544 PM HAIL 3 NE CROSS 33.36N 80.11W
05/16/2010 E0.75 INCH BERKELEY SC TRAINED SPOTTER
ALSO ESTIMATED WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH.
&&
RPASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 704 PM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010 GAZ114-115-162330- EVANS-TATTNALL- 704 PM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF EVANS AND TATTNALL COUNTIES THROUGH 730 PM EDT... AT 702 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MANASSAS TO FIVE POINTS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... BELLVILLE...CLAXTON...COBBTOWN...COLLINS...HAGAN...MANASSAS... MENDES...MIDWAY AND REIDSVILLE... PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS... GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH... DIME SIZE HAIL... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING. POSTPONE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PROMPTLY. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE AN ENCLOSED BUILDING. 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. && 33
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 715 PM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010 GAZ099-100-114-115-162345- BULLOCH-CANDLER-EVANS-TATTNALL- 715 PM EDT SUN MAY 16 2010 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF EVANS...TATTNALL... CANDLER AND BULLOCH COUNTIES THROUGH 745 PM EDT... AT 714 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM UNDINE TO TISON... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... ALINE...BELLVILLE...CLAXTON...COBBTOWN...COLLINS...DAISY... GLENNVILLE...HAGAN...MANASSAS...MENDES...METTER...MIDWAY...PULASKI... REGISTER AND REIDSVILLE... PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS... GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH... PENNY SIZE HAIL... FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING. POSTPONE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PROMPTLY. SEEK SHELTER INSIDE AN ENCLOSED BUILDING. 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. && 33
The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:39 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A Bulloch county official reported grain bins damaged, a roof blown off a home and multiple trees down in Register, Georgia.
A Bulloch county official reported that lightning struck a clubhouse on Mike Brannen Road causing a fire.
The Bulloch county warning point reported several trees down in Register, Georgia.
The public reported 3 trees down at their residence in Middleground, Georgia.
A trained weather spotter reported numerous large pine trees down along Akens Pond Road from Middleground Road to Sean Vickery Road 2 miles northeast of Hopeulikit, Georgia.
The public reported nickel size hail fell for approximately 10 minutes in Middleground, Georgia.
The public reported numerous pine tree branches down which ranging from 3 to 6 inches in diameter 5 miles south-southwest of Hilltonia, Georgia.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, May 2010
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: 235197, 235196, 235199, 235201, 235202, 235194, 235204.