Short waves aloft, mesoscale boundaries (such as sea breeze, outflows and differential heating) and DCAPES of 1000-1500 j/kg.
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.
Short waves aloft, mesoscale boundaries (such as sea breeze, outflows and differential heating) and DCAPES of 1000-1500 j/kg.
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 29, 12:28 PM EST, 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 128 PM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012 .SYNOPSIS... ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE WEEK WHILE A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE LINGERS INLAND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... EARLY AFTERNOON UPDATE... BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW EVIDENT IN VISIBLE SATELLITE ACROSS GA/SC EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPS HAVE WARMED INTO THE LOWER 90S NEAR THE COAST WITH MID/UPPER 90S FARTHER INLAND WHILE DEWPOINTS REMAIN IN THE MID/UPPER 70S. TWEAKED DEWPOINTS UPWARD A DEGREE OR TWO FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND ALSO BUMPED UP HIGH TEMPS A DEGREE ACROSS INTERIOR SOUTHEAST GA. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED TSTMS HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN GA IN A REGION OF 8-8.5C LOW-LEVEL LAPSE RATES. COVERAGE AND INTENSITY EXPECTED TO INCREASE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. LATEST MESOANALYSIS SHOWS 2000-3000 J/KG CAPE AND 800-1200 J/KG DCAPE OVER THE FORECAST AREA...WHICH SHOULD ALLOW FOR INTENSIFICATION OF STORM UPDRAFTS AND AN INCREASE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL. LATE MORNING DISCUSSION... TODAY LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER POTENTIALLY ACTIVE DAY WITH SHOWERS AND TSTMS BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. A WEAK SHORTWAVE FEATURE IS EVIDENT ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ACROSS CENTRAL GA...ALSO COINCIDENT WITH A PATCH OF ALTOSTRATUS NEAR AUGUSTA. A MORE POTENT SHORTWAVE OVER EASTERN TENNESSEE IS PROGGED TO DROP SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE FORECAST AREA EARLY THIS EVENING. THE AIRMASS REMAINS QUITE MOIST AND LOW-LEVELS WILL WARM QUICKLY UNDER MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. WE EXPECT HIGH TEMPS IN THE MIDDLE 90S TODAY. A MESOSCALE BOUNDARY OF SOME SORT IS NOW SHOWING UP ON VISIBLE SATELLITE VIA A LINE OF CUMULUS STRETCHING ALL THE WAY FROM FOLLY BEACH SC THROUGH SAVANNAH GA TOWARD THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. THE SEABREEZE WILL AGAIN COME INTO PLAY...PERHAPS AN HOUR OR TWO EARLIER THAN YESTERDAY GIVEN THE WEAKER WESTERLY FLOW. ALMOST ALL OF THE HIGH RESOLUTION MESOSCALE MODELS ARE INDICATING GOOD COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING. WITH TWO SHORTWAVES POTENTIALLY AT PLAY AND A VERY MOIST LOW-LEVEL AIRMASS ALONG WITH NUMEROUS MESOSCALE BOUNDARIES WE ARE CONFIDENT IN ENOUGH PRECIP COVERAGE TO FORECAST LIKELY POPS FOR A FEW HOURS STRADDLING 6 PM. SEVERE TSTMS ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE...PRIMARY WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. MORNING SOUNDINGS SHOW MORE DRY AIR TODAY THAN YESTERDAY...ALTHOUGH THE MEAN FLOW IS ABOUT 15 KT TODAY VS 25 KT YESTERDAY. INHERITED SEVERE WX MENTION IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK STILL LOOKS ADEQUATE. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... BETWEEN 6 PM AND MIDNIGHT...THERE CERTAINLY COULD BE SOME STRONG STORMS DEVELOPING OVER INLAND ZONES AS THE MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE ARRIVES FROM THE NW AND INTERACTS WITH AIR MASSES UNTAPPED FROM THE NEARER-COASTAL CONVECTION FROM MID AFTERNOON. THE SEA BREEZE SHOULD ALSO BE WELL INLAND NEARING DUSK AND THIS COULD BOOST LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FLUX WITH AN INFUSION OF POOLED SURFACE DEW POINTS. THE SHORT WAVE WILL PROBABLY KEEP SCATTERED CONVECTION ROLLING... AT LEAST IN POCKETS...INTO THE OVERNIGHT AS IT PASSES OVER THE FORECAST AREA. WE MAINTAINED PERSISTENCE WITH 20-40 POPS THIS PERIOD. LOWS IN THE 70S. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...THE BROAD UPPER TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL ACROSS THE EASTERN UNITED STATES WHILE STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGING DOMINATES THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY. THIS SYNOPTIC PATTERN WILL CONTINUE TO FAVOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE PERIOD...MAINLY DURING THE MID AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING HOURS EACH DAY. CONVECTION WILL LIKELY INITIATE ALONG THE SEA BREEZE ACROSS COASTAL COUNTIES WHILE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT LIGHTS UP INLAND CLOSER TO THE INLAND TROUGH. AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES... EXPECT CONVECTION COVERAGE TO INCREASE AS CELLS AND BOUNDARIES COLLIDE. MODERATE INSTABILITY AND AMPLE MOISTURE WILL RESIDE ACROSS THE AREA EACH AFTERNOON MAKING A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE. EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO REFLECT SEASONAL NORMALS WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES MAXING OUT IN THE LOW TO MID 90S EACH AFTERNOON AND LOW TEMPERATURES GENERALLY IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... THE UPPER TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO COMMAND ATTENTION ACROSS THE EASTERN UNITED STATES...AT LEAST THROUGH THE FIRST PORTION OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD. MODELS SHOW SEVERAL SHORTWAVES WHICH WILL SWING IN THE VICINITY OF THE CWA. HOWEVER...DURING THE LATER PORTION OF THE PERIOD...MODELS SHOW THE TROUGH BEGINNING TO WEAKEN A BIT ALLOWING THE UPPER RIDGE ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY TO SLOWLY BUILD EASTWARD. THIS WILL CREATE A MORE ZONAL FLOW ALOFT THROUGH THE WEEKEND POSSIBLY LIMITING CONVECTION A BIT. STILL...EXPECT AT LEAST ISOLATED CONVECTION EACH AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING AS THE SEA BREEZE PROPAGATES INLAND. && .AVIATION /17Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... PRIMARILY VFR AT BOTH TERMINALS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THUNDERSTORMS. TIMING IS DIFFICULT DUE TO MODEL INCONSISTENCY. SHOWERS HAVE ALREADY FORMED INLAND AHEAD OF AN EASTWARD MOVING SHORTWAVE AND THE SEABREEZE HAS BEGUN TO MOVE INLAND. DECIDED TO LEAN TOWARD AN EARLIER SPARK TIME THAN YESTERDAY DUE TO THE LACK OF EARLY MORNING CLOUD COVER. MODELS ARE HINTING AT LINGERING RAIN SHOWERS AFTER SUNSET ALONG THE COAST SO KEPT VCTS IN UNTIL 00Z. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...PRIMARILY VFR EXCEPT FOR SHORT-LIVED RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE IN MAINLY AFTERNOON/EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .MARINE... SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY IN SOME COASTAL AREAS...CONVECTION MAY POSE A THREAT FOR DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND LOCALIZED CONVECTIVE WIND GUSTS. TSTMS FORECAST TO HAVE A SLOW GENERAL SEAWARD STEERING REGIME AGAIN TODAY. OTHER THAN TSTM HAZARDS...LITTLE TO NO CHANGE TO THE COASTAL WATERS FORECAST PHILOSOPHY THROUGH TONIGHT. SW FLOW 15 KT OR LESS AND SEAS 2-4 FT. ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL AS A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE LINGERS INLAND THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THIS PATTERN WILL MAINTAIN A SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE WATERS. WINDS COULD REACH UPWARDS OF 15-20 KT AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY WITH NOCTURNAL SURGING. HOWEVER...WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...JRL SHORT TERM...JHP LONG TERM...JHP AVIATION...BDC MARINE...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 214 PM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047>052-301815- 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- 214 PM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...ALONG WITH EXCESSIVE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... PLEASE RELAY ANY REPORTS OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER INCLUDING...BUT NOT LIMITED TO LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON AT 1-888-383-2024. JRL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
832 AM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0715 PM MARINE TSTM WIND 5 SE VALONA 31.42N 81.29W
07/28/2012 M43 MPH MCINTOSH GA OFFICIAL NWS OBS
SAPELO ISLAND NERRS STATION REPORTED SUSTAINED WIND OF
17 MPH WITH GUST TO 43 MPH.
&&
EVENT NUMBER CHS1200553
JRLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
933 AM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0515 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 ESE SKIDAWAY ISLAND 31.93N 81.04W
07/28/2012 CHATHAM GA EMERGENCY MNGR
CHATHAM COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER RELAYED A REPORT OF A
TREE DOWN ON A HOUSE ON HEMINGWAY DRIVE. TIME ESTIMATED
BY RADAR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER CHS1200554
BDCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
956 AM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM HEAVY RAIN 6 NE WANDO 33.00N 79.76W
07/28/2012 M8.00 INCH BERKELEY SC TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER MEASURED 8 INCHES OF RAIN OVER A THREE
HOUR PERIOD.
&&
EVENT NUMBER CHS1200555
JRLSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
123 PM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012
GAZ087-088-291800-
JENKINS-SCREVEN-
123 PM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF SCREVEN AND JENKINS
COUNTIES THROUGH 200 PM EDT...
AT 118 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM...NEAR FOUR POINTS...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...
ALTMAN...ROCKY FORD...SCARBORO...SYLVANIA AND WOODCLIFF...
PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS...
STRONG WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH...
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.
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 3276 8199 3281 8162 3258 8164 3259 8174
3263 8180 3265 8180 3265 8182 3266 8183
3262 8194 3263 8200
TIME...MOT...LOC 1723Z 271DEG 9KT 3269 8193
JAQPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
212 PM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0141 PM TSTM WND DMG CUMMINGS 32.79N 80.99W
07/29/2012 HAMPTON SC 911 CALL CENTER
THE HAMPTON COUNTY 911 CALL CENTER RELAYED A REPORT OF
A POWER LINE DOWN NEAR CUMMINGS SOUTH CAROLINA.
&&
EVENT NUMBER CHS1200556
DPBSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
212 PM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012
GAZ114>116-138-291845-
EVANS-INLAND BRYAN-INLAND LIBERTY-TATTNALL-
212 PM EDT SUN JUL 29 2012
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF TATTNALL...EVANS...
LIBERTY AND BRYAN COUNTIES THROUGH 245 PM EDT...
AT 209 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM...NEAR GROVELAND...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...
DAISY...ELLABELL...GROVELAND...LANIER AND PEMBROKE...
PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS...
STRONG WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH...
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 3213 8198 3220 8180 3215 8178 3222 8153
3222 8151 3218 8143 3197 8158
TIME...MOT...LOC 1812Z 285DEG 9KT 3214 8178
JAQThe Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 79 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:23 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees down on Ashbranch Road, Sims Road and Strickland Street.
Power line blown down near Rosemary Church Road and Spell Road.
One tree blown on Rye Patch Road, near Lanier Road.
Thunderbolt firefighter reported seeing a funnel cloud near the President Street boat ramp moving toward Talahi Island. Funnel was estimated to be 150-200 yards wide and about 500 ft above the ground.
One tree down on Mud Road.
Television station struck by lightning causing damage to electronic equipment. Cost of damage unknown.
The Long County 911 call center relayed a report of a power line down near the intersection of Highway 301 and Bradwell Durham Road.
Tree down and another tree down on a powerline near Whitaker Street and West Jones Street.
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, July 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: 402308, 402309, 402310, 402305, 402311, 402306, 402312, 402313.