Long period swell associated with a departing low pressure system along with onshore winds led to rip currents along Georgia beaches.
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.
Long period swell associated with a departing low pressure system along with onshore winds led to rip currents along Georgia beaches.
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 Aug 4, 6:35 AM EST, 3 hours 10 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 735 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020 .SYNOPSIS... A stationary front will stall out across the region through late week keeping rain chances a bit higher than normal. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 730 AM: Sfc observations and Nighttime RGB indicated a large area of IFR stratus across the region. The low clouds may thick during the early daylight hours, then dissipating during the mid morning hours. I will update the forecast to adjust sky cover and morning temperatures. As of 330 AM: Recent water vapor images show drier air pushing west to east across the forecast area in the wake of Isaias. KCLX detected a cluster of showers across the outer GA water. The activity appeared associated with a S/W on the east side of a mid- level long wave trough, expected to slide east over the Atlantic. The morning should feature at least partly sunny conditions across SE GA and SC, resulting in steadily warming temperatures. High resolutions indicated that a sea breeze by mid day, pushing inland during the afternoon hours. Temperature across SE GA are expected to peak in the mid 90s with dewpoints in the lower to mid 70s, yielding CAPE values between 2500-3000 J/kg. The moderate instability with DCAPE values around 1000 J/kg could support a severe thunderstorm or two over SE GA this afternoon. In addition, a GA coastal counties will see hot conditions this afternoon with heat index values around 105 degrees. Tonight: The mid level trough axis will approach from the west. A few showers and thunderstorms may remain over the Atlantic through the overnight hours, land areas appear dry. Low temperatures are forecast to range from the mid 70s inland to upper 70s along the coast. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Moderate confidence this period. The area will remain in a weak troughing pattern which will lead to at or above normal rain chances each day given the deep moisture continuing in place. Temperatures should remain near to above normal. Heat indices could peak close to Advisory levels (110 degrees) each day just inland from the coast. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... Not much change to the weather pattern expected into early next week with the continuation of near to above normal rain chances and temperatures. && .AVIATION /11Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Prior to 12Z TAFs: Sfc observations and Nighttime RGB indicated a large area of IFR stratus across the region. Periods of restrictive ceilings are possible across the terminals through 15Z. High resolution guidance indicates that scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop across SE GA this afternoon. The potential for convection at KSAV will be highlighted with a TEMPO from 19-23Z. Otherwise, conditions should feature a steady SSW wind and Cu with bases around 5 kft. Extended Aviation Outlook: High confidence in mostly VFR conditions at KCHS/KSAV through the weekend, mostly each afternoon/evening. && .MARINE... Today and tonight, winds will remain from the ESE at around 10 kts with seas between 2- 4 ft. Wednesday through Sunday: No significant concerns through the period with a fairly typical summertime pattern in place with mostly southerly winds 10-15 kt or less and seas 4 feet or less. Rip Currents: Lingering backswell generated by Isaias will support a moderate risk for rip currents at all beaches today. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && NEAR TERM...NED SHORT TERM...RJB LONG TERM...RJB AVIATION...NED/RJB MARINE...NED/RJB
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston SC 601 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>116-118-137-138-140- SCZ040-042>045-047-052-051015- 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 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- 601 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020 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...Wednesday through Monday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time. GAZ117-119-139-141-SCZ048>051-051015- Coastal Bryan-Coastal Chatham-Coastal Liberty-Coastal McIntosh- Beaufort-Coastal Colleton-Charleston-Coastal Jasper- 601 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020 ...MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT 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. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
1016 AM EDT TUE AUG 04 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0955 AM RIP CURRENTS 1 NE FOLLY FIELD 32.21N 80.68W
08/04/2020 BEAUFORT SC LIFE GUARD
A WEAK RIP CURRENT WAS OBSERVED BY THE HILTON HEAD
LIFEGUARDS.
&&
EVENT NUMBER CHS20005702 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
A large and strong rip current was reported near 2nd Street on Tybee Island, which led to four people being rescued approximately 100 yards from the beach.
A large and strong rip current was reported near 18th Street on Tybee Island, which led to two people being rescued.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, August 2020
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: 915186, 915188.