Patchy dense fog developed in the predawn hours across portions of Southeast Georgia. A weak pressure gradient under high pressure over the Western Atlantic allowed for good radiational cooling conditions across the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
Patchy dense fog developed in the predawn hours across portions of Southeast Georgia. A weak pressure gradient under high pressure over the Western Atlantic allowed for good radiational cooling conditions 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 Feb 1, 7:04 AM EST, 31 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 704 AM EST WED FEB 1 2012 .SYNOPSIS... ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL WEAKEN THROUGH THIS EVENING BEFORE A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BEGIN BUILDING INTO THE AREA FROM THE NORTH ON THURSDAY AND IS EXPECTED TO PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST LATE IN THE WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE IS THEN EXPECTED TO RETURN EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... NEARING-DAWN...TEMPERATURES DROPPED STEADY OVERNIGHT UNDER CLEAR SKIES AND CALM WINDS. NORMALLY COLDER INLAND AREAS SEEING READINGS STARTING OFF IN THE MID/UPPER 30S WHILE MANY AREAS ALONG AND JUST W OF U.S. 17 BOTTOM OUT CLOSE TO 40 DEGREES THIS MORNING. SHALLOW AND PATCHY FOG IS AROUND THIS MORNING. SOME STRATUS AND LOWER VSBYS WERE TO THE S OF I-16 IN GEORGIA. WE HAVE ADDED PATCHY FOG FOR SOME OF OUR SOUTHERN GEORGIA ZONES ON OUR SUNRISE UPDATE. A PROGRESSIVE WEATHER PATTERN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIER OF STATES WILL SEE MID LEVEL RIDGING FROM FLORIDA TO THE CAROLINAS GIVE WAY TO AN APPROACHING SERIES OF UPPER DISTURBANCES LATER TODAY. WE SHOULD SEE A GOOD BIT OF SUNSHINE FOR MOST AREAS THIS MORNING WITH SOME HIGH CLOUDS AT TIMES. THE STRONG SURFACE INVERSION WILL BREAK SHORTLY AFTER MID MORNING ALLOWING CURRENT 60 DEGREE READINGS AT 500 FT OFF THE DECK TO BE REALIZED AT THE GROUND AFTER 15Z. MID AND HIGH CLOUDS SHOULD BEGIN TO INCREASE FROM THE SW AND W DURING THIS AFTERNOON WITH PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES LIKELY BY LATE AFTERNOON. NO CHANGE TO HIGHS IN THE LOWER 70S MANY AREAS GIVEN THE ANTICIPATED LOW LEVEL THICKNESS REGIME. IF CLOUD COVERAGE TURNS OUT THINNER WELL INTO THE AFTERNOON...THIS MAY ALLOW FOR SOME MID 70S TO BE REALIZED FOR HIGHS. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY/... THE SHORT WAVE COMING OUT OF THE INTER-MOUNTAIN WEST THIS MORNING WILL STREAM ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS INTO THE CAROLINAS BY 12Z THU. WE HAVE NUDGED TIMING FOR POPS TONIGHT A BIT FASTER GIVEN 00Z MODEL SOLUTIONS FROM THE NAM/GFS/GEM TRIO. USING THE PRES CONDENSATION DEFICIT PROG FROM THE NAM PUTS PCPN INTO OUR WESTERN ZONES PRIOR TO 03Z...PEAKING AROUND 06Z TO 08Z AND JUST ABOUT OVER AROUND DAWN ON THU. THE FLAVOR FOR RAIN CHANCES TONIGHT WILL BE STREAKY AND QUICK WITH AMOUNTS LIKELY TO LESS THAN A QUARTER INCH WITH LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH MOST PLACES. GIVEN LOCATION OF UPPER FORCING AND CHANNELED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE...WE HAVE INDICATED LIKELY POPS N OF I-16 AND LESSER CHANCES CLOSER TO THE ALTAMAHA RIVER AREA. CLOUDS AND WEAK S FLOW TONIGHT SHOULD KEEP CONDITIONS MUCH MILDER...MOST PLACES IN THE 50S FOR LOWS. THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...THE MID/UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE WILL BEGIN PUSHING EAST OF THE AREA THURSDAY MORNING WITH RIDGING BUILDING IN THEREAFTER. THERE MAY BE A FEW SHOWERS LINGERING JUST AFTER SUNRISE THURSDAY MORNING...BUT THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE RAPIDLY EAST OF THE AREA WITH DRIER AIR FILTERING IN. HIGH PRESSURE...FORCED BY NICE UPPER CONFLUENCE...WILL BUILD IN FROM THE NORTH THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. SKIES SHOULD CLEAR NICELY IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT...WITH JUST FEW TO SCATTERED CU EXPECTED IN THE AFTERNOON. LOW LEVEL THICKNESSES ARE QUITE WARM EVEN IN THE POST FRONTAL AIRMASS...SUPPORTING HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S. THE BACKDOOR COLD FRONT/WEDGE FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT AND LOWS WILL DIP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 40S INLAND...AND LOW 50S NEAR THE COAST. FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AND EXTEND NORTHWARD TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES. THE AFOREMENTIONED UPPER CONFLUENCE WILL ALSO REMAIN IN PLACE BETWEEN THE NORTHERN STREAM TROF OVER EASTERN CANADA AND THE EASTERN CONUS RIDGE. MEANWHILE A LARGE CLOSED UPPER LOW WILL DEVELOP OVER THE MOUNTAIN WEST. THE CONFLUENT PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO FORCE A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE THAT EXTENDS FROM THE MID ATLANTIC TO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THE SURFACE HIGH WILL WEDGE DOWN THE EAST SIDE OF THE APPALACHIANS WITH INCREASINGLY COOL NE FLOW ACROSS THE CAROLINAS. THIS WILL RESULT IN MUCH COOLER TEMPS FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR TEMPS EVEN COOLER THAN THE FORECAST ESPECIALLY ON SATURDAY. IF THE CAD AIRMASS IS ABLE TO BECOME ENTRENCHED DURING THIS TIME...OVERCAST SKIES CAN BE EXPECTED WITH TEMPS PERHAPS NOT GETTING OUT OF THE 50S. FOR NOW...WILL ADVERTISE TEMPS REACHING THE LOW TO MID 60S EACH AFTERNOON. RIGHT NOW THE MODEL SIGNALS FOR SUCH CONDITIONS ARE A BIT MIXED. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO ADVECT IN...AND THE PRESENCE OF DECENT ISENTROPIC LIFT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO GENERATE OVERCAST CONDITIONS AND ISOLATED SHOWERS/DRIZZLE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... OVERALL...OPERATIONAL MODELS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH THE LONG TERM PORTION OF THE FORECAST. THIS LEADS TO LESS THAN IDEAL FORECAST CONFIDENCE FOR THE PERIOD. THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM DEALS WITH THE LARGE CLOSED UPPER LOW OVER THE WESTERN CONUS...AND ITS EVENTUAL EASTWARD MOVEMENT. AVAILABLE MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS THIS UPPER LOW PHASING WITH THE NORTHERN STREAM AT DIFFERING TIMES WHICH HAS SIGNIFICANT FORECAST IMPLICATIONS AS FAR AS TIMING THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM INTO THE FORECAST AREA. I HAVE STAYED CLOSE TO THE HPC GUIDANCE FOR THE EXTENDED...WHICH SHOWS THE NEXT SYSTEM CROSSING THE AREA SUNDAY/SUNDAY NIGHT WITH HIGH PRESSURE RETURNING TO THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION /12Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... VFR THROUGH EARLY EVENING. AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN AND PROBABLY SOME MVFR/BRIEF IFR CIGS SHOULD IMPACT THE COASTAL CORRIDOR AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. WE HAVE INTRODUCE LIGHT PCPN AND LOWER CLOUDS BUT WILL ALLOW LATER TAF CYCLES TO FOCUS IN ON THE TIMING OF LOWER CONDITIONS AS TIMING CONFIDENCE IS RATHER POOR AT THIS TIME. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. THE CHANCE OF MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS INCREASE BEGINNING FRIDAY NIGHT...AND COULD PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEKEND. && .MARINE... A VERY WEAK COASTAL TROUGH OVER THE WATERS PRE-DAWN WILL WASH OUT FAST WITH A SOUTHERLY FLOW OVER THE WATERS TODAY...SPEEDS OVER COOL WATERS MAINLY 10 KT OR LESS. AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT TONIGHT...A 25-30 KT LOW LEVEL JET SHOULD GET WINDS STIRRING INTO THE 15-20 KT RANGE BUT MAINLY BEYOND 20 NM OFF THE COAST. SEAS STARTING OFF LESS THAN 2 FT THIS MORNING BUT LIKELY TO BUILD TO 2 TO 3 FT TONIGHT...PERHAPS A BIT HIGHER WELL OFFSHORE AFTER MIDNIGHT. THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS THE WATERS ON THURSDAY WITH A REINFORCING BACKDOOR FRONT EXPECTED TO MOVE IN FROM THE NORTH THURSDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE POSITIONED OVER THE MID ATLANTIC WILL THEN BE THE PRIMARY FEATURE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS A WEDGE SETUPS ACROSS THE CAROLINAS DURING THIS TIME. THIS WILL LEAD TO PREDOMINATELY COOL N/NE FLOW ACROSS THE REGION FROM THURSDAY NIGHT AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE PRESSURE GRADIENT MAY BECOME PINCHED AND TIGHTEN ACROSS THE WATERS LEADING TO INCREASED LOW LEVEL FLOW. N/NE WINDS WILL SURGE DURING THIS TIME...THOUGH MAINLY IN THE 15-20 KT RANGE. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL BE POSSIBLE AT LEAST BEYOND 20 NM BEGINNING FRIDAY AS SEAS BUILD ON THE INCREASED NE/E FLOW. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 351 AM EST WED FEB 1 2012 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047>052-020900- 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- 351 AM EST WED FEB 1 2012 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...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.
Three traffic accidents were confirmed in the Claxton area near Highway 129 South and Mittie Strickland Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, February 2012
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: 364902.