Scattered thunderstorms developed in the early afternoon hours within an unstable airmass across central Georgia. The storms then pushed into southeast Georgia in the mid to late afternoon hours, producing damaging wind gusts.
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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed in the early afternoon hours within an unstable airmass across central Georgia. The storms then pushed into southeast Georgia in the mid to late afternoon hours, producing damaging wind gusts.
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 4, 2:47 PM EST, 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 347 PM EDT SAT JUL 4 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL AS A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE LINGERS INLAND THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/... LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY TONIGHT...A PERSISTENT MID LVL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WILL EXTEND ACROSS MUCH OF THE EASTERN CONUS WITH SHORTWAVE ENERGY THAT CONTINUES TO ROUND ITS SOUTHERN BASE OVER PARTS OF THE DEEP SOUTH AND MID ATLANTIC STATES. AT THE SFC...THE AREA WILL REMAIN BETWEEN A PIEDMONT TROUGH INLAND AND HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED WELL OFFSHORE IN THE WESTERN ATLANTIC. THE PATTERN WILL FAVOR DEEP MOISTURE WITHIN A WEST/SOUTHWEST FLOW...CHARACTERIZED BY PWATS THAT APPROACH 2.0 INCHES. THE LATEST RADAR MOSAIC INDICATES NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL/SOUTHEAST GEORGIA WHERE THE ATMOSPHERE HAS BECOME QUITE UNSTABLE SOUTH OF AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY CREATED BY PREVIOUS CONVECTION TO THE NORTH EARLIER TODAY. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP SOUTH OF THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY AND GRADUALLY TRACK EAST/NORTHEAST WITHIN A WEST/SOUTHWEST FLOW. A FEW OF THESE PULSE TYPE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME STRONG OR SEVERE AS THEY CROSS OVER OR NEAR THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY. LATEST MESOSCALE ANALYSIS INDICATES AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH SBCAPES APPROACHING 3000 TO 3500 J/KG ACROSS OVER MUCH OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. THIS AMOUNT OF ENERGY ALONG WITH DCAPE VALUES NEAR 1000-1200 J/KG AND INVERTED-V SOUNDINGS SUGGEST SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. FURTHER NORTH...THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE MORE QUESTIONABLE GIVEN THE POSITION OF AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY THAT IS NOW SLOWLY SHIFTING SOUTHEAST INTO AREAS OF SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. THE TRI-COUNTY AREA IN PARTICULAR REMAINS SOMEWHAT LESS UNSTABLE GIVEN PREVIOUS CLOUD COVER OVER THE AREA. HOWEVER...WE CAN NOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TWO SOUTH OF THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY AND AHEAD OF A SEABREEZE CURRENTLY NEAR THE COAST...ESPECIALLY GIVEN HIGHER SHEAR ASSOCIATED WITH A 30-40 KT LOW LVL JET. OVERNIGHT...THE THREAT OVER SEVERE WEATHER SHOULD DIMINISH ACROSS ALL AREAS WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. HOWEVER...A SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST GIVEN ONGOING UNSTABLE CONDITIONS. GREATEST CHANCES OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD OCCUR NEAR COASTAL AREAS. LOW TEMPS SHOULD BE IN THE LOW TO MID 70S ACROSS THE AREA. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY/... OVERVIEW: THE PATTERN WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY LONG WAVE TROUGHING ACROSS THE EASTERN THIRD OF THE U.S. WITH THE SOUTHEAST STATES POSITIONED ALONG THE WESTERN FRINGES OF ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED WELL OFFSHORE. DIURNAL CONVECTION IS LIKELY THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH COVERAGE BEING DETERMINED BY THE POSITION OF THE UPPER RIDGE CENTERED JUST OFFSHORE AND UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE THAT IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. SATURDAY...SATURDAY LOOKS TO BE THE LEAST ACTIVE DAY THROUGH THE MID RANGE WITH UPPER LEVEL RIDGING HOLDING FIRM. PWATS WILL REMAIN ELEVATED AND JUXTAPOSED WITH SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY TO SUPPORT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS/TSTMS MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE HIGHER PROBABILITIES FOR MEASURABLE RAINFALL LOOKS TO OCCUR ACROSS COASTAL GEORGIA WHERE CONVECTION COULD MOVE NORTHEAST OUT OF NORTHERN FLORIDA AND FAR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA WHERE LOW-LEVEL CONVERGENCE WILL BE ENHANCED BY A POSSIBLE MERGING OF THE ATLANTIC AND GULF SEA BREEZE CIRCULATIONS. MESOSCALE BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS ARE DIFFICULT TO PIN DOWN THIS FAR OUT...SO POPS OF 20-30 PERCENT WILL BE MAINTAINED /HIGHEST ALONG THE GEORGIA COAST/...BUT LOCALLY HIGHER POPS MAY EVENTUALLY BE NEEDED. THERE ARE SIGNALS THAT CONVECTION COULD LINGER THROUGH THE NIGHT AS UPPER LEVEL RIDING BEGINS TO BREAK DOWN...BUT DIMINISHING INSTABILITY SHOULD KEEP THIS ACTIVITY FAIRLY ISOLATED EXCEPT OVER THE COASTAL WATERS WHERE NOCTURNAL JETTING COULD SUPPORT MORE SCATTERED ACTIVITY. HIGHS WILL RANGE FROM THE LOWER-MID 90S WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE LOWER-MID 70S. SUNDAY...MODELS ARE SIMILAR IN THE DEPICTION OF AN UPPER LOW CUTTING OFF OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AS POTENT SHORTWAVE ENERGY CUTS OFF FROM THE MAIN BELT OF THE WESTERLIES. SIMILARLY...THE PREVAILING UPPER RIDGE IS FORECAST TO BREAKDOWN AND SHIFT EAST OFF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COAST. DEEP MOISTURE CHARACTERIZED BY PWATS NEAR 2 INCHES FUNNELED BETWEEN THESE TWO FEATURES COUPLED WITH SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY AND DPVA INDUCED BY WAVES OF PASSING VORTICITY WILL SUPPORT SCATTERED SHOWERS/TSTMS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. POPS AROUND 50 PERCENT LOOK REASONABLE THIS FAR OUT...ALTHOUGH HIGHER POPS MAY EVENTUALLY BE NEEDED. CONVECTION COULD VERY WELL LINGER WELL INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. HIGHS WILL WARM INTO THE LOWER 90S AWAY FROM THE COAST WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE LOWER-MID 70S. MONDAY...THE UPPER LOW IS FORECAST TO WEAKEN AND EJECT OUT OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY MONDAY AFTERNOON AS STRONGER SHORTWAVE ENERGY DIGS INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES. HOWEVER...LINGERING TROUGHING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COUPLED WITH RICH MOISTURE WILL KEEP A RISK FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS/TSTMS ACROSS THE REGION. HIGHS WILL TOP OUT AROUND 90 WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER-MID 70S. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE IS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH MID WEEK INDICATING MORE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING. ANOTHER TROUGH COULD RETURN LATE IN THE WEEK. SHOULD SEE LOW RAIN CHANCES THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY...MAINLY EACH AFTERNOON/EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL GENERALLY BE NEAR NORMAL...WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 90S AND LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S. && .AVIATION /19Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT BOTH TERMINALS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS. FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS WILL THEN BE POSSIBLE...STARTING AT THE SAV TERMINAL AROUND 20Z AND AT THE CHS TERMINAL AROUND 21-22Z. TEMPO MVFR GROUPS HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED AT BOTH TERMINALS...MAINLY ASSOCIATED WITH SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORMS BETWEEN 20Z/21Z TO 00Z/01Z. GUSTY WINDS WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THUNDERSTORMS THAT IMPACT THE TERMINALS. EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS TO RETURN EARLY TONIGHT AT BOTH TERMINALS...THEN PERSIST INTO AT LEAST LATE SUNDAY MORNING HOURS. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...BRIEF FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN MAINLY AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...WITH THE BEST CHANCES LIKELY THROUGH TUESDAY. && .MARINE... THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT...CONDITIONS WILL SLOWLY IMPROVE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT RELAXES BETWEEN ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED WELL OFFSHORE AND A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE NORTHWEST OF THE AREA. SOUTH/SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL PREVAIL WITH SPEEDS AROUND 15 KTS EARLY TONIGHT...BEFORE GENERALLY BECOMING 10-15 KTS THROUGH TONIGHT. SEAS WILL SUBSIDE A BIT AS WINDS DIMINISH OVER THE PERIOD...BUT OVERALL SHOULD RANGE BETWEEN 2-4 FT...HIGHEST IN THE OUTER GEORGIA WATERS. SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...A PERSISTENT PATTERN FEATURING ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE AND AN INLAND TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE EXPECTED. A TIGHTENED PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THESE FEATURES WILL MAINTAIN ELEVATED WINDS/SEAS THROUGH THE PERIOD BUT CONDITIONS SHOULD LARGELY REMAIN BELOW ADVISORY LEVELS. SEAS WILL BE 2-4 FEET ON AVERAGE...BUT COULD REACH 5 FT AT TIMES MOSTLY BEYOND 20 NM. RIP CURRENTS...THE COMBINATION OF LINGERING LUNAR INFLUENCES...AN EASTERLY SWELL OF 2 FT EVERY 9 SECONDS AND GUSTY WINDS WILL SUPPORT A MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS FOR THE BEACHES OF CHARLESTON COUNTY. ATTM IT APPEARS SLIGHTLY LOWER WINDS FROM EDISTO BEACH SOUTH ALONG GEORGIA COAST WILL LIMIT THE RIP CURRENT RISK TO A HIGH-END LOW CATEGORY. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...NONE. SC...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM...DPB SHORT TERM...ST LONG TERM...RJB AVIATION...DPB/ST MARINE...DPB/ST
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 358 PM EDT SAT JUL 4 2015 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047-052-052000- 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-TIDAL BERKELEY- 358 PM EDT SAT JUL 4 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT PARTS OF THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME SEVERE...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE GREATEST FROM 4 PM UNTIL 8 PM. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE ISOLATED DOWNED TREES AND POWERLINES AND MINOR DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES. THIS IS A DEVELOPING SITUATION. PEOPLE ACROSS SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA SHOULD REMAIN WEATHER AWARE TODAY AND BE READY TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD WATCHES AND WARNINGS BE ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR 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. SCZ048>051-052000- BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER- 358 PM EDT SAT JUL 4 2015 ...MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT PARTS OF THE AREA THIS EVENING. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME SEVERE...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE GREATEST FROM 4 PM UNTIL 8 PM. POTENTIAL IMPACTS INCLUDE ISOLATED DOWNED TREES AND POWERLINES AND MINOR DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. 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. .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.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1013 AM EDT SAT JUL 04 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0225 AM TSTM WND DMG GOOSE CREEK 32.99N 80.04W
07/04/2015 BERKELEY SC PUBLIC
ONE TREE REPORTED DOWN AT THE OAKS GOLF AND COUNTRY
CLUB. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER CHS1500617
BSHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
342 PM EDT SAT JUL 4 2015
GAZ099-042030-
CANDLER GA-
342 PM EDT SAT JUL 4 2015
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF CANDLER COUNTY UNTIL
430 PM EDT...
AT 342 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
STILLMORE...OR 11 MILES WEST OF METTER...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
METTER AND ALINE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE DIRECTLY TO THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT
1-888-383-2024 WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.
&&
LAT...LON 3242 8220 3247 8218 3254 8212 3255 8205
3252 8199 3229 8196 3230 8215 3232 8223
3233 8224 3234 8224 3235 8225
TIME...MOT...LOC 1942Z 262DEG 22KT 3241 8226
FWASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
354 PM EDT SAT JUL 4 2015
GAZ100-114-115-042045-
EVANS GA-BULLOCH GA-TATTNALL GA-
354 PM EDT SAT JUL 4 2015
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF BULLOCH...EVANS AND
TATTNALL COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM EDT...
AT 354 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTH OF HAGAN TO
NEAR MENDES...AND MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CLAXTON...GLENNVILLE...HAGAN...DAISY...BELLVILLE...MANASSAS...MENDES
AND DENMARK.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3227 8201 3227 8197 3228 8196 3235 8169
3216 8174 3215 8178 3210 8175 3204 8177
3201 8183 3198 8186 3194 8209
TIME...MOT...LOC 1954Z 258DEG 17KT 3225 8195 3196 8202
FWAThe Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:58 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Candler County dispatch reported multiple trees down near the intersection of Canoe Place and Hadden Road.
Bulloch County dispatch reported a tree down on Willow Hill Road near Highway 80.
Bulloch County dispatch reported a tree down on Metts Road near the Dixon Connector.
Bulloch County dispatch reported a tree down on Pulaski Road near High Point Road.
McIntosh County dispatch reported two trees down around Darien. One tree was down on Pine Street at Black Road. The other tree was down on a power line and two vehicles in the 900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Bulloch County dispatch reported a tree down on Mill Creek Road near Highway 301.
Screven County dispatch reported a tree down on Cameron Road near Captola Road.
The broadcast media relayed a picture of a tree blown down off La Roche Avenue.
Effingham County dispatch reported a tree down on power lines near 1096 4th Street Extension.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, July 2015
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: 593564, 593575, 593574, 593573, 593567, 593577, 593570, 593572, 593578.