Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced frequent lightning strikes across portions of southeast Georgia. A few lightning strikes started structure fires.
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.
Afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced frequent lightning strikes across portions of southeast Georgia. A few lightning strikes started structure fires.
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 9, 2:55 PM EST, 3 hours 20 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 355 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2017 .SYNOPSIS... The area will remain situated between an inland trough and Atlantic high pressure for the rest of the week before a cold front approaches early next week. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/... This Evening: The area will remain between high pressure over the western Atlantic and a broad longwave trough over the East Conus. At the sfc, a front has stalled over the Midlands while becoming parallel to the flow aloft. Despite some high clouds over the area for much of the day, sufficient heating and moisture return has occurred southeast of the stationary front to help produce a few showers and thunderstorms just upstream of our area. Convective activity should increase over inland parts of the area late afternoon into the evening where the combination of weak forcing associated with the stationary front, isentropic ascent and SBCAPES range around 2000-2500 J/kg. Given weak shear, slower storm motion and PWATs near 2.0 inches, brief heavy rainfall will be possible with pulse/multicell type thunderstorms. A few thunderstorms could also produce strong and/or damaging wind gusts into the evening, but the overall threat is somewhat low given DCAPE values well below 1000 J/kg. Tonight: Precip coverage and location becomes a bit more challenging to forecast. However, there are signs that suggest chances or showers and/or thunderstorms could continue through much of the night, especially over parts of Southeast South Carolina where a fair amount of instability will remain under increasing cloud cover. Guidance suggests showers and/or thunderstorms should develop north and northwest of the area along the stationary boundary this evening and early tonight while favorable upper-lvl divergence persists in the right-rear quadrant of a passing 250mb jet. Despite weak flow, a few of these showers/thunderstorms could shift into the area overnight where modest isentropic lift persists and sufficient instability as well as PWATs near 2.0 inches support ongoing conditions. However, shear and instability are not all the conducive for a strong and/or severe thunderstorm. Overnight lows will remain mild, in the low/mid 70s inland to upper 70s closer to the coast. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A broad upper trough pattern will linger across the area Monday into Tuesday, maintaining greater than normal cloud cover and higher chances for showers and tstms. PWATs in excess of 2" on Monday will drop to around 1.8" Tuesday as the upper trough begins to erode and a ridge starts to build. We show some likely pops across inland areas on Tuesday with 40-50% on Tuesday. Highs Monday and Tuesday will be in the upper 80s to lower 90s. For Wednesday it appears convective coverage will be more typical for mid-July given the building deep layered ridge. Highs will be in the lower 90s most areas. Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible each afternoon and evening. There are currently no strong signals for a more significant severe threat on any given day. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... Atlantic high pressure will prevail through Friday before another upper trough, cold front and pre-frontal trough return next weekend. This pattern should lead to generally typical summertime weather through Thursday with increasing rain chances late in the week through the weekend. High temperatures should mostly be near to slightly above normal in the mid 90s with heat indices close to 105 degrees while low temperatures remain above normal in the mid to upper 70s. && .AVIATION /20Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... VFR conditions are expected for the next couple hours at both CHS and SAV terminals. Tempo MVFR cigs/vsbys are then possible at either terminal, 22-24z at CHS and 21-24z at SAV, for showers and thunderstorms that develop inland and slowly shift toward the coast this evening. Showers could linger over the area through a large part of the night, thus VCSH has been included at both terminals into Monday morning. VFR conditions should then prevail late Monday morning into early afternoon. Extended Aviation Outlook: Flight restrictions at times through the period, mainly from afternoon/evening showers and thunderstorms. && .MARINE... This Evening and Tonight: High pressure will prevail over the coastal waters while a stationary front remains well inland. The pressure gradient across the marine zones will be weak through tonight, supporting winds/seas that remain well below Small Craft Advisory levels. In general, south-southwest winds should be no higher than 10-15 kts. Seas will range between 2-4 feet, highest in offshore Georgia waters. Shower and thunderstorm coverage could increase overnight, especially over northern South Carolina waters. Monday through Saturday: The area will remain between inland troughing and Atlantic high pressure. This will maintain a moderate southerly flow through the period, enhanced at times due to the afternoon sea breeze and nighttime surging. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && NEAR TERM...DPB SHORT TERM...JRL LONG TERM...RJB AVIATION...DPB/JRL MARINE...DPB/JRL
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston SC 332 AM EDT Sun Jul 9 2017 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>045-047>052-100745- 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- 332 AM EDT Sun Jul 9 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Atlantic coastal waters, southeast Georgia and southeast South Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston SC
534 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017
SCZ043-092200-
Inland Colleton-
534 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF COLLETON COUNTY...
At 534 PM EDT, National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm over Lodge, or 14 miles south of Bamberg, moving
north at 10 mph.
HAZARD...strong winds 45 to 55 mph and up to penny sized hail.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to plants,
trees and crops is possible. Damage to windshields is
unlikely.
Some locations in the path of this storm include...
Colleton, Smoaks, Lodge and Padgetts.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Report damage directly to the Charleston National Weather Service at
1-888-383-2024 when it is safe to do so. You can also email your
report to nws.charlestonsc@noaa.gov.
&&
LAT...LON 3313 8079 3302 8089 3302 8100 3304 8105
3310 8095 3310 8093 3306 8090 3309 8088
3313 8089 3318 8079
TIME...MOT...LOC 2134Z 197DEG 10KT 3310 8097Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston SC
552 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017
GAZ101-SCZ047-092215-
Effingham-Inland Jasper-
552 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF EFFINGHAM AND JASPER
COUNTIES...
At 552 PM EDT, National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm over Ebenezer, or 9 miles east of Springfield,
moving northeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...strong winds 45 to 55 mph and up to penny sized hail.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to plants,
trees and crops is possible. Damage to windshields is
unlikely.
Some locations in the path of this storm include...
Ridgeland, Grahamville, Ebenezer, Coosawhatchie, Tillman, Tarboro and
Switzerland.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Report damage directly to the Charleston National Weather Service at
1-888-383-2024 when it is safe to do so. You can also email your
report to nws.charlestonsc@noaa.gov.
&&
LAT...LON 3230 8111 3237 8120 3241 8122 3260 8114
3261 8094 3257 8085
TIME...MOT...LOC 2152Z 210DEG 15KT 3240 8115Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston SC
653 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017
GAZ116-092330-
Inland Bryan-
653 PM EDT SUN JUL 9 2017
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF BRYAN COUNTY...
At 653 PM EDT, National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm 9 miles west of Richmond Hill, moving northeast
at 15 mph.
HAZARD...strong winds 45 to 55 mph and up to penny sized hail.
IMPACT...Expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to plants,
trees and crops is possible. Damage to windshields is
unlikely.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of Bryan County.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Report damage directly to the Charleston National Weather Service at
1-888-383-2024 when it is safe to do so. You can also email your
report to nws.charlestonsc@noaa.gov.
&&
LAT...LON 3214 8144 3213 8141 3211 8140 3211 8139
3205 8137 3203 8135 3194 8140 3195 8146
3197 8148 3196 8149 3197 8151 3196 8152
3196 8155
TIME...MOT...LOC 2253Z 210DEG 15KT 3199 8145The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 43 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:15 UTC.
2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Effingham County dispatch reported 2 homes struck by lightning in Rincon. One house became fully engulfed and the other resulted in no major damage.
Effingham County dispatch reported a house was struck by lightning in the Bloomingdale area. Smoke was reported in the attic but no major damage occurred.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, July 2017
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: 714822, 714824.