Numerous rip currents occurred along the southeast South Carolina coast in the afternoon hours.
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.
Numerous rip currents occurred along the southeast South Carolina coast in the afternoon hours.
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 12, 6:07 AM EST, 2 hours 53 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 707 AM EDT Thu Jul 12 2018 .SYNOPSIS... A backdoor cold front will stall across the Carolinas through tonight, before lingering nearby through late this weekend. High pressure should then return early next week before another front approaches the region during the second half of next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Today: Mid/Upper level troughing is forecast to shift through the mid Atlantic region but ridging is expected to hold fairly strong across The southern halves of both GA and SC. A backdoor cold front approaching from the north is forecast to stall from the northern SC Midlands over to the SC Pee Dee Our entire forecast area will begin the day with widespread convective inhibition and temps are expected to warm quickly once again with a capped environment holding into early afternoon. Highs should easily reach the mid 90s across the region with some upper 90s possible in some locales if more frontal compression is realized. Convection: Models indicate gradual moisture advection along and ahead of the stalling front this afternoon with PWATs increasing slightly above 2 inches from the CSRA/Midlands over the SC Pee Dee. There is also good agreement on surging 850 MB theta-e advection through the region this afternoon with low level convergence expected to increase along lower surface pressures near the frontal zone. It appears that most of enhanced coverage of pulse/multicell convection will reside not far north of our northwest tier of zones across the Santee Cooper Lakes into the Pee Dee. At least the 00Z GFS/ECMWF/GEM agreed. The NAM and variants were an outlier working the front further south during the early afternoon hours and showing more coverage and intensity of storms across the Charleston area late. We made very little change to our POP scheme with chance (30-40) POPs northwest tier of zones over to Walterboro into Berkeley/Charleston Counties. The most concerning parameter will be elevated DCAPEs across our region, however the mid level environment still looks quite warm and not very unstable. If the NAM/NSSL WRF solutions pan out, we could see isolated strong to severe storms across northern zones later today into early evening but overall, the risk looks marginal at this time. Much of our region to the south of I-16 look to capped for much convection through tonight. Tonight: The front looks like it will remain fairly stationary with chance POPs into the evening northern zones and only slight chance overnight with convergence shifting to the ocean with onset of the land breeze. Again, we notice the models with highest resolutions indicating more coverage of convection and a slightly more southern position of the front across our northwest and northern zones. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Friday and Saturday: A broad area of low pressure will likely develop along/near a weak backdoor cold front that gradually shifts south into the area on Friday before stalling and/or dissipating over the region Saturday. Ahead of the front, temps should warm into the low/mid 90s to start off the weekend, especially over parts of Southeast Georgia where precip activity arrives late Friday. SBCAPE around 1500 J/kg, a swath of deep moisture characterized by PWATs above 2.0 inches and weak wind fields suggest at least high-end chances of showers and thunderstorms on Friday, starting in northern areas by late morning, then gradually shifting south into Southeast Georgia during Friday afternoon/evening. Some thunderstorms could be heavy rainfall producers, but the overall threat of severe weather should remain low. By Saturday, the position of the front is less clear as it weakens over or near the area. However, most guidance suggests a broad area of low pressure over Southeast Georgia near the remnant front. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are possible Saturday afternoon near this feature, mainly for locations south of I-16. Given similar conditions to that of Friday, the main threat with thunderstorms will continue to be brief heavy rainfall near the vicinity of the weakening front. High temps on Saturday should remain a degree or two cooler given greater precip coverage. In general, temps should peak in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Sunday: A broad area of low pressure could linger over the Southeast to start off next week with sufficient moisture in place for precip to develop, but substantial mid/upper lvl ridging associated with high pressure could limit shower and thunderstorm coverage over the course of the day. At this time, a slight chance to low-end chance of showers and thunderstorms remain in the forecast with greatest chances occurring while a light onshore wind returns during peak heating. High temps should peak in the lower 90s away from the immediate coast. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A large mid/upper ridge of high pressure extending over the area should gradually retreat west and south as a series of h5 shortwaves round its eastern periphery and shift over the Southeast United States into midweek. A persistent southerly sfc wind should help maintain PWATs around 2.0 inches each day as this occurs, suggesting greater chances of showers and thunderstorms each afternoon ahead of a more substantial trough and associated sfc cold front approaching the Southeast during the second half of the week. Given the setup, low-end chances of showers and thunderstorms on Monday should increase to at least high-end chances by midweek. High temps should peak in the low/mid 90s each day. Overnight lows will also remain mild, ranging in the mid 70s inland to upper 70s along the coast. && .AVIATION /12Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... VFR conditions will prevail through 12Z Friday. Isolated tstms are possible around the KCHS coastal corridor region from late afternoon into the early evening hours. Timing and coverage uncertainties preclude any thunder mentions at KCHS, however the most likely window appears to be 21Z/12 to 03Z/13. Extended Aviation Outlook: Brief flight restrictions are possible at both CHS and SAV terminals Friday into Saturday as showers and thunderstorms occur along a slowly passing cold front. VFR conditions should then prevail at both terminals Sunday into Monday. && .MARINE... No changes to a persistent forecast that maintains the front will hang up just north of the waters. This will result in Southwest flow 15 kt or less through tonight with diurnal fluctuations with the afternoon sea breeze and late night land breeze. There is a risk for stronger near shore tstms along Charleston Waters late day or this evening, perhaps disrupting synoptic flow and producing locally gusty winds near the onset. Seas will continue in the 2-4 ft range with highest waves beyond 20 NM. Friday through Tuesday: A weak cold front should slowly shift south into the area on Friday before stalling and/or weakening over southern areas on Saturday. High pressure should then return early next week and prevail into mid week. Given the setup, southerly winds will turn northeast behind the front this weekend before returning to more of an onshore flow by early next week. Wind speeds should remain at or below 10-15 kt this weekend and early next week. Seas will generally range between 2-4 ft early Friday, then slowly subside to 1-3 ft late weekend into early next week. Rip Currents: Favorable astronomical factors and some 2 foot swell will result in a moderate risk of rip currents on areas beaches today. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... Astronomical influences associated with the upcoming perigee and new moon will produce elevated tides into the weekend. Minor coastal flooding is likely with the evening/early night high tides into this weekend, especially as the winds remain onshore. Coastal Flood Advisories are likely along Southeast South Carolina and Southeast Georgia coasts. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && NEAR TERM... SHORT TERM...DPB LONG TERM...DPB AVIATION... MARINE... TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston SC 459 AM EDT Thu Jul 12 2018 GAZ117-119-139-141-SCZ048>051-130900- Coastal Bryan-Coastal Chatham-Coastal Liberty-Coastal McIntosh- Beaufort-Coastal Colleton-Charleston-Coastal Jasper- 459 AM EDT Thu Jul 12 2018 ...MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast Georgia and southeast South Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today 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. Coastal Flooding: Astronomical influences will elevate tides today. Shallow coastal flooding is likely during the evening high tide cycle. Thus, a Coastal Flood Advisory will likely be needed along the Southeast South Carolina coast and could be needed along the Southeast Georgia coast. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Coastal Flooding: Astronomical influences will elevate tides through late week. Shallow coastal flooding is likely during the high tide cycles each evening/early night into the weekend as onshore winds occur. Coastal Flood Advisories will likely be needed along the Southeast South Carolina and Southeast Georgia coasts. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time. AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>116-118-137-138-140- SCZ040-042>045-047-052-130900- 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-Tidal Berkeley- 459 AM EDT Thu Jul 12 2018 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...Friday through Wednesday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time.
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
Lifeguards at the Isle of Palms County Park observed multiple rip currents, averaging 60 feet and extending up to 75 yards offshore. Four rescues were completed as a result of the rip currents.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, July 2018
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: 776743.