Large swells from distant tropical cyclone Henri led to a period of enhanced rip currents along the beaches of southeast Georgia.
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.
Large swells from distant tropical cyclone Henri led to a period of enhanced rip currents along the beaches of southeast Georgia.
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 19, 9:32 AM EST, 3 hours 28 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 1032 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 .SYNOPSIS... Tropical cyclone Henri is well offshore of our coast and is forecasted to move northeast and farther away from our area late this week. Otherwise, the region will remain between an inland trough and offshore high pressure into mid next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Update: Current temperatures and dew points are generally within 2 degrees of the running forecast. Radar is also rain free for now, but we expect convection to develop by this afternoon. Overall, the only changes we made with this update were minor, just plugging the temperature/dew point observations into the forecast and blending them into this afternoon. As of 740 AM: IR satellite indicated patches of thin cirrus clouds across the CWA. Temperatures are expected to warm steadily this morning, resulting in ground fog to dissipate during the early daylight. The forecast remains on track. As of 325 AM: KCLX recently detected some isolated weak showers over portions of Jenkins, Screven, and Hampton Counties. These showers are expected to dissipate by 8Z. Otherwise, IR satellite indicated that most areas will begin the day with mostly clear conditions, with a few patches of mid and high clouds over the coast. The sfc pattern will feature broad high pressure over the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico as a trough remains over the middle Carolinas today. This pattern should yield a steady WSW wind across the forecast area this morning into this afternoon. As a result, a sea breeze should develop by mid-day, remaining pinned into the early afternoon hours. Given strong insolation and WSW winds, temperatures should steadily warm this morning, with many areas expected to reach 90 degrees around noon. The sea breeze is forecast to push inland through the rest of the afternoon, likely supporting the formation of scattered showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures are expected to peak in the low 90s with a few pockets of mid 90s inland. Sfc dewpoints should range in the mid to upper 70s, yielding heat index values around 105 away from the coast. Scattered showers and thunderstorms may linger into the early evening, then expected to dissipate through the rest of the evening. The latest NAM12 indicates that a H5 vort max may ripple over the region ahead of a longwave trough. At the sfc, the NAM indicates that broad low developing over the Coastal Plain of SC and GA. If the NAM scenario verifies then the region could see rounds of showers and thunderstorms through the night. At this time, I will design the forecast after the latest HREF, showing generally dry conditions after late this evening. Low temperatures are forecast to range in the mid to upper 70s. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Forecast confidence: Moderate. The area looks to remain between and inland trough and tropical cyclone Henri several hundred miles offshore, which will be moving well northeast of the area Saturday. Otherwise, an upper trough will persist over the region through the period which will keep our rain chances a bit greater than normal, even overnight. There could be periods of heavy rainfall but in general the risk for flash flooding looks to be low. Temperatures should mostly be above normal. Due to the continued humid conditions heat indices should generally top out in the 100-105 degree range most areas each afternoon, although can't completely rule out a few readings near our Heat Advisory criteria of 110 degrees. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Forecast confidence: Moderate. Not much change in the overall pattern into mid next week with the area remaining between low-level troughing inland and Atlantic high pressure to the east. The upper trough should give way to higher pressure aloft with conditions getting a bit drier and warmer. With continued elevated humidity levels heat indices should peak over 100 degrees most locales each afternoon but the risk for reaching Heat Advisory criteria (110 degrees) is low (mostly on Monday). && .AVIATION /15Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... VFR is expected into the early afternoon. The sea breeze should remain pinned to the coast around mid-day, then will drift slowly inland during the afternoon. The potential for thunderstorms will be highlighted with a TEMPO between 19-23Z. Convection should dissipate during the early evening. Tonight, conditions are forecast to feature light to calm winds with VFR ceilings. Extended Aviation Outlook: Moderate to high confidence in periodic restrictions through early next week, mostly from afternoon/evening showers and thunderstorms. && .MARINE... Today and Tonight: The marine zones will remain between a narrow area of high pressure over the western Atlantic and a trough inland. This pattern should support steady WSW winds around 10 kts. Seas will generally be 3-4 ft. Additionally, Tropical Cyclone Henri is generating swells. These long period swells should start migrating through our area later today and into tonight. Friday through Tuesday: Moderate to high confidence this period. Tropical cyclone Henri several hundred miles offshore will make its closest approach Friday before turning northeast of the area Friday night. Swells should peak Friday night which could push significant wave heights to 6 feet or more and thus Small Craft Advisories will be possible, especially beyond 20 nm from shore. Otherwise, Atlantic high pressure and an inland trough will prevail which will maintain slightly elevated winds (mainly 20 knots or less from the south/southwest) with seas mostly 4 feet or less. Also, conditions look at least marginally favorable for waterspouts each morning along any land breezes that develop. Rip Currents: There is a Moderate Risk at all of our beaches today and Friday due to swell from Tropical Cyclone Henri. There will remain an elevated threat for rip currents this weekend. && .TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING... Tides/Coastal Flooding...Tide levels are forecast to reach marginal Coastal Flood Advisory levels around Charleston during the Friday night high tide and possibly Saturday night as well, mainly due to the full moon and swells from tropical cyclone Henri well offshore. Thus, minor coastal flooding will be possible, with flooding being exacerbated if heavy rain falls around the same time. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && NEAR TERM... SHORT TERM...RJB LONG TERM...RJB AVIATION...NED/RJB MARINE...NED/RJB TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston SC 315 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-200900- 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- 315 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Atlantic coastal waters. .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. GAZ087-088-099>101-114>116-118-137-138-140-SCZ040-042>045-047-052- 200900- 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- 315 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for 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. SCZ049-050-200900- Coastal Colleton-Charleston- 315 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 ...MODERATE RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM EDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for 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...Friday through Wednesday. Coastal Flooding...Tide levels are forecast to reach marginal Coastal Flood Advisory levels around Charleston during the Friday night high tide and possibly Saturday night as well, mainly due to the full moon and swells from tropical cyclone Henri well offshore. Thus, minor coastal flooding will be possible, with flooding being exacerbated if heavy rain falls around the same time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time. GAZ117-119-139-141-SCZ048-051-200900- Coastal Bryan-Coastal Chatham-Coastal Liberty-Coastal McIntosh- Beaufort-Coastal Jasper- 315 AM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021 ...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. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time.
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
Lifeguards on Tybee Island Beach reported numerous rip currents throughout the afternoon south of 7th Street. There were three assists just south of the Tybee Island Pier around 1 PM, but no injuries.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, August 2021
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: 979143.