The sea breeze convergence combined with strong instability and a weak upper level disturbance to spark 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.
The sea breeze convergence combined with strong instability and a weak upper level disturbance to spark 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 May 13, 3:07 PM EST, 2 hours 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 407 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 .SYNOPSIS... THE UPPER RIDGE WILL WEAKEN OVER THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT AS A LEE-SIDE SURFACE TROUGH DEVELOPS OVER THE INLAND CAROLINAS. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA LATE SAT EVENING FOLLOWED BY A SECONDARY FRONT MON NIGHT. WEAK HIGH PRES WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY MORNING/... THE UPPER RIDGE AXIS STILL LOOKS TO BE CAUGHT OVER WRN SC INTO ERN GA...STILL SLOWLY PROGRESSIVE EASTWARD. IT SHOULD PUSH OFFSHORE LATER THIS EVENING INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS...ALLOWING FOR LESS SUPPRESSION OF CONVECTION. THE SEABREEZE IS PUSHING INLAND BUT THE STRONG RIDGING ALOFT HAS KEPT THE CAP IN PLACE...THUS THE ONLY POTENTIAL FOR ANY CONVECTION THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS WILL BE ANY SHOWERS THAT MAY MOVE IN FROM THE W SO HAVE KEPT SLIGHT CHC POPS GOING IN A NARROW SWATH FOR THE WESTERN TIER. NAM/SREF SEEM TO BE OVERDOING TO CONVECTION...PARTICULARLY ALONG THE SEABREEZE...SO AM HAVING A HARD TIME USING THOSE SOLUTIONS. THE HRRR AND NSSL-WRF DEPICT THINGS BETTER BY KEEPING THINGS DRY THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS AND A LITTLE BEYOND SO AM OPTING TO GO THAT ROUTE. THAT SAID...CONFIDENCE IS NOT THAT GREAT BECAUSE OF THE HIGH DEGREE OF INSTABILITY THAT HAS BEEN PRESENT OVER THE AREA...ESP OVER SE SC WHERE CAPE/S FROM MODIFIED AND MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE AROUND 3500 K/KG AND TT/S OVER 50. AS THE INFLUENCE FROM THE RIDGE WANES...A WEAK LEE-SIDE TROUGH WILL DEVELOP OVER THE INLAND CAROLINAS AND PUSH TWD THE COAST. THIS WILL HELP FOCUS LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE WITHIN THE PLENTIFUL MOISTURE AND SHOULD ALLOW SHWRS/TSTMS THAT DEVELOP OVER THE MIDLANDS AND CSRA TO PUSH TOWARD THE COAST OVERNIGHT. HAVE SHOWN AN INCREASING TREND TO POPS THROUGH THE REST OF THE OVERNIGHT HOURS TOWARD DAWN TO REFLECT THIS THINKING. THERE IS STILL THE CHC THAT SOME STORMS COULD PRODUCE HAIL GIVEN THAT WBZ HEIGHTS ARE DOWN TO ARND 9 KFT...BUT THE PROSPECTS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MUCH LOWER. HAVE MAINTAINED THE IDEA OF WARM OVERNIGHT TEMPS GIVEN THE INCREASE IN CLOUD COVER EXPECTED AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES ALONG WITH LOW LEVEL JETTING KEEPING THE ATMOS MIXED AND NOT ALLOWING FOR MUCH HEAT RELEASE. WILL LOOK FOR LOWS IN THE MID-UPR 60S AWAY FROM THE COAST AND AROUND 70 NEAR THE SHORES. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY/... THE UPPER RIDGE WILL QUICKLY BREAK DOWN BY SATURDAY MORNING AS A BROAD TROUGHING PATTERN DEVELOPS ACROSS THE EASTERN STATES. THIS TRANSITION WILL ALLOW SEVERAL POTENT SHORTWAVES TO ROTATE COUNTERCLOCKWISE AROUND THE TROUGH AXIS SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. ON SATURDAY THE FIRST SHORTWAVE WILL SWING ACROSS THE AREA BRINGING POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. MOST MODELS KEEP MAJORITY OF THE AREA DRY DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS. HOWEVER...WITH INCREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE PROFILES THROUGH THE DAY AND INCREASING INSTABILITY...HAVE MAINTAINED HIGH-END CHANCE TO LIKELY POPS FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON. INSTABILITY FACTORS COULD INCREASE IF THERE ARE ENOUGH BREAKS IN CLOUD COVERAGE DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS. NAM AND GFS CONTINUE TO SHOW DECENT LIFTED INDICES BETWEEN -4C AND -6C IN THE AFTERNOON AS THE UPPER LEVELS COOL. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER CONTINUES TO KEEP THE FORECAST AREA IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. EXPECT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP INLAND ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS THE CWA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THEN THE BULK OF MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO TRANSITION NORTHEASTWARD MAINLY ACROSS SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AREAS OF THE CWA BY LATE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. CONVECTION WILL THEN LINGER INTO THE FIRST PORTION OF THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD AS WELL...THUS HAVE SLIGHTLY INCREASE POPS ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA AFTER SUNSET AND PRIOR TO 03Z. THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT IS EXPECT LATE SATURDAY NIGHT WHICH WILL ALLOW WEAK HIGH PRESSURE TO BRIEFLY BUILD INTO THE AREA. THIS WILL RESULT IN MUCH DRIER CONDITIONS ON SUNDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW DECREASING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WITH PWATS DROPPING BELOW 1.0 INCH. OVERALL HAVE A DRY FORECAST FOR SUNDAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TRI COUNTY AREA. HAVE CONFINED SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR THESE AREAS AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL REMAIN JUST A SLIGHT BIT HIGHER THERE AND A LINGERING ISOLATED SHOWERS COULD AFFECT THE AREA. THE UPPER LOW WILL DEEPEN ON MONDAY AND SEND A FEW RIPPLES OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY THROUGH THE CAROLINAS AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. A FAIRLY DRY BOUNDARY LAYER WILL LIMIT LOW-LEVEL INSTABILITY BUT ENOUGH DEEP LAYERED MOISTURE RETURN AHEAD OF THE SECONDARY COLD FRONT MONDAY NIGHT SHOULD ALLOW FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS PRIOR TO THE PASSING OF THE FRONT. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... AN ANOMALOUS TROUGH UPPER PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH ABOUT WEDNESDAY BEFORE UPPER RIDGING TAKES PLACE LATE IN THE WEEK. FOR THE MOST PART WE HAVE A DRY FORECAST...WITH TEMPS BELOW NORMAL TO START THE PERIOD BEFORE WARMING TO NEAR/ABOVE NORMAL BY LATE WEEK. && .AVIATION /19Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS FORECAST THROUGH 18Z TMRW BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT GREAT THAT BOTH TERMINALS...PARTICULARLY KCHS...WILL ESCAPE WITHOUT HAVING MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS EITHER THIS EVENING AND/OR MIDDAY TOMORROW DUE TO CONVECTION. PRECIP CHANCES ARE LOW THROUGH 18Z TOMORROW...WITH AROUND 20 PERCENT CHC THROUGH TONIGHT THEN INCREASING TO 40/50 PERCENT BY MIDDAY TOMORROW. WITH A SURFACE TROUGH FORMING OVER THE INLAND CAROLINAS TONIGHT FOLLOWED BY AN INCOMING COLD FRONT TOMORROW...CONVECTION MAY IMPACT EITHER TERMINAL BUT CONFIDENCE TOO LOW AT THIS POINT TO EVEN HIGHLIGHT CB DUE TO TIMING AND COVERAGE DIFFERENCES AMONG THE VARIOUS MODELS. HAVE ALSO OPTED TO NOT INCLUDE FOG SINCE ENHANCED LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL KEEP THE ATMOSPHERE MIXED ENOUGH TO PREVENT MOISTURE SETTLING NEAR THE SURFACE. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...OCCASIONAL MVFR CONDITIONS SAT NIGHT. SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA POSSIBLE MONDAY WITH VFR THEREAFTER. && .MARINE... WINDS WILL INCREASE ALONG THE LAND/SEA INTERFACE IN SOUTH CAROLINA THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT AS AN INCREASING SW LOW LEVEL JET IS FORECAST. THE WARMER SHELF WATERS WILL ALSO BE CONDUCIVE TO THE INCREASED WINDS...BUT ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT WIND SPEEDS WILL REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVY THRESHOLDS. THERE MAY BE THE OCCASIONAL GUST IN THE 20-25 KT RANGE THIS EVENING IN NOCTURNAL SURGING...BUT NOT FREQUENT ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY SCA HEADLINES. SWELL WAVES CLOSE TO 3 FT WILL KEEP SEAS ELEVATED 3 TO 5 FT...HIGHEST BEYOND 20 NM OFF THE COAST. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT SATURDAY. WINDS WILL REMAIN SHY OF SMALL CRAFT CRITERIA WITH SEAS REMAINING CAPPED AT 4 TO 5 FEET AND GUSTS GENERALLY MAXED AROUND 20 KNOTS. THE GRADIENT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY TIGHT THROUGH MID WEEK AS A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES TRACK ACROSS THE WATERS. STILL...CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO FALL SHORT OF SCA CRITERIA THUS AM NOT EXPECTING THE NEED FOR ANY SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES AT THIS TIME. RIP CURRENTS...WE HAVE MAINTAINED A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS FOR SATURDAY...DUE TO 15 KNOT WINDS MAINLY ONSHORE WINDS...THE UPCOMING PERIGEE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY SMALL 2 TO 3 FOOT SWELLS EVERY 10-11 SECONDS. AN ELEVATED RISK MAY CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH CONTINUED SMALL SWELLS AND ADDITIONAL ASTRONOMICAL INFLUENCES FROM THE UPCOMING FULL MOON. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... TIDES HAVE BEEN RUNNING BETWEEN 0.7FT AND 1.0FT ABOVE PREDICTED VALUES AT BOTH CHARLESTON HARBOR AND FORT PULASKI OVER THE PAST DAY OR SO. GIVEN THESE CONTINUED TRENDS...IT WOULD APPEAR THAT FORT PULASKI WOULD FALL SHORT OF SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING CRITERIA BUT CHARLESTON WOULD RUN VERY CLOSE. HOWEVER...THE RECENT ANOMALY TREND OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS HAS BEEN DOWNWARD DESPITE THAT TIDES ARE STILL RISING TO THE HIGH TIDE EXPECTED TO OCCUR SHORTLY AFTER 5PM EDT. CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW AT THIS POINT AND WOULD PREFER TO SEE HOW TRENDS EVOLVE AFTER THE HIGH TIDE CYCLE THIS EVENING BEFORE POSTING A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY. WILL ADD ITS MENTION TO THE HWO /HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK/ FOR NOW AND LET LATER SHIFTS EVALUATE TRENDS. TIDES WILL CONTINUE TO BE RUN HIGH THROUGH THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK DUE TO ASTRONOMICAL FACTORS. ALTHOUGH PREVAILING WIND FLOW WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST WHICH IS NOT USUALLY CONDUCIVE TO EXTRATROPICAL SURGE...PERSISTENT LOW PRESSURE OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY MAY ALLOW FOR A CONSIDERABLE SURGE. THUS SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE AROUND THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE...ESPECIALLY THIS WEEKEND DURING THE EVENING HIGH TIDES AND BEFORE WINDS BECOME A BIT MORE OFFSHORE. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && JPC/JHP
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 443 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 GAZ117-119-139-141-SCZ048>051-142045- COASTAL BRYAN-COASTAL CHATHAM-COASTAL LIBERTY-COASTAL MCINTOSH- BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER- 443 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 ...MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS. SEVERE WEATHER...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM LATE SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. COASTAL FLOODING...SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY AROUND THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE. RIP CURRENTS...THERE MAY BE AN ELEVATED RISK FOR RIP CURRENT DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. SCZ052-142045- TIDAL BERKELEY- 443 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. COASTAL FLOODING...SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY AROUND THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE. SEVERE WEATHER...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM LATE SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>116-118-137-138-140- SCZ040-042>045-047-142045- 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-INLAND CHATHAM-LONG-INLAND LIBERTY-INLAND MCINTOSH- ALLENDALE-HAMPTON-INLAND COLLETON-DORCHESTER-INLAND BERKELEY- INLAND JASPER- 443 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR 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. SEVERE WEATHER...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM LATE SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 642 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 GAZ099-132315- CANDLER- 642 PM EDT FRI MAY 13 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF CANDLER COUNTY THROUGH 715 PM EDT... AT 638 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM...NEAR METTER MUNICIPLE AIRPORT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... ALINE AND METTER... PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS... GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH... PENNY SIZE HAIL... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... 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. && LAT...LON 3252 8203 3240 8194 3230 8213 3241 8219 TIME...MOT...LOC 2242Z 236DEG 19KT 3239 8209
The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:57 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The Candler County Emergency Manager reported a roof peeled off a tractor shed at a cotton gin, several downed trees, and on snapped power pole around Metter, Georgia.
Law Enforcement reported a tree down down on a house off of South College Street in downtown Statesboro, Georgia.
Law Enforcement reported multiple trees and power lines down in Statesboro, Georgia.
The public reported roof damage to 2 buildings at the Laurel Point apartments in Statesboro, Georgia.
The Public reported quarter size hail in Leefield, Georgia.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, May 2011
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: 313932, 313971, 313974, 313976, 313925.