Warm and unstable air in advance of a cold front led to thunderstorms developing across southeast Georgia and near Tybee Island Beach.
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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.
Warm and unstable air in advance of a cold front led to thunderstorms developing across southeast Georgia and near Tybee Island Beach.
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 Jun 12, 12:50 PM EST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 150 PM EDT Sat Jun 12 2021 .SYNOPSIS... A weak cold front will drop in from the north late today. Then another front could approach the region by the middle of next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... As of 130 PM: Not much change to the overall flair of the forecast. Latest radar/satellite imagery indicate increasing coverage of showers and a few storms across the Pee Dee/Midlands and into GA where instability has been higher. A pocket of thicker low clouds still lingers near the Charleston tri-county region and this is where rain has yet to develop. However, expect this to only be temporary as these clouds diminish and instability and forcing continues to increase over the region ahead of an approaching cold front and upper shortwave. Although we can't rule out isolated damaging wind gusts from any stronger storms our main concern continues to be the threat for locally heavy rain and flash flooding, mainly later afternoon through the evening. Storm motions will also be rather slow which could lead to training of storms and heavier rainfall lasting longer than normal. Flood Advisories will certainly be possible but also cannot rule out a Flash Flood Warning, especially if the heaviest rains coincide with the evening high tide in urban coastal locales such as Downtown Charleston. Later tonight after the main threat for showers and storms ends, low clouds and possibly even some drizzle should develop as a weak high pressure wedge develops. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Sunday: A cold front will linger across the area before shifting offshore late while deep troughing helps maintain PWATs around 2.0 inches. While the bulk of the precipitation will largely depend on the timing and placement of the cold front, there could also be convection along the sea breeze and other boundaries that form. Therefore, at least isolated to scattered showers are expected throughout the day and evening. With decent instability in place, thunderstorms will also occur. High temperatures will be slightly cooler than previous days, topping out in the mid 80s. Lows will be in the upper 60s to mid 70s. Monday and Tuesday: Deeper moisture will slowly shift away from the area and typical summer days are expected. On Tuesday, a cold front will likely move closer to the area. For both days, afternoon/evening showers and thunderstorms will be possible along the sea breeze and any other boundaries that form. High temperatures will be in the mid 80s to low 90s with low 80s along the coast. Low temperatures will be in the 70s. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... A weak cold front is expected to pass through the area mid-week. Then, high pressure should build into the region late week. Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible each afternoon and evening. High temperatures will be in the mid 80s to low 90s each day with low 80s just along the coast. Lows will be in the 60s to 70s. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... MVFR ceilings were able to hold on through the morning, but have mainly improved to VFR as of 18Z. As the ceilings lift the shower/thunderstorm coverage will increase ahead of an approaching cold front with all three terminals seeing impacts this afternoon and evening. Tried to highlight thunderstorm impacts with TEMPOs at each terminal, with lower visibilities, lower ceilings, and TSRA. Once the main area of showers/tstorms move out of the region around 6/13 05/06Z, lower ceilings and possibly some mist or drizzle/light showers will persist through much, if not all, of the rest of the TAF period behind the weak cold front. Models are hinting that ceilings could drop to LIFR in this period, however have kept IFR as of the 18Z TAFs. Extended Aviation Outlook: Flight restrictions will be possible during afternoon/evening showers and thunderstorms. Otherwise, no concerns. && .MARINE... Today/Tonight: A backdoor cold front will approach the region today, pushing into the marine area tonight. Winds ahead of the front will remain from the SW between 15-20 kts, shifting from the north behind the front tonight. Speeds tonight may decrease to around 10 kts as weak low pressure develops along the front tonight offshore causing a weak pressure gradient over the local area. Seas are forecast to range between 2-4 ft today, decreasing to 2-3 ft tonight. Numerous to widespread thunderstorms will impact the waters, mainly late this afternoon and evening. Sunday through Thursday: A northerly flow will prevail on Sunday before shifting to a southerly flow. Winds will be less than 15 knots with seas around 2 to 4 feet. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && NEAR TERM...RJB SHORT TERM...RAD LONG TERM...RAD AVIATION...CPM/RAD/RJB MARINE...RAD/RJB
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston SC 929 AM EDT Sat Jun 12 2021 AMZ330-350-352-354-374-131030- 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- 929 AM EDT Sat Jun 12 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...Sunday through Friday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time. GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>052-131030- 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- 929 AM EDT Sat Jun 12 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast Georgia and southeast South Carolina. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Heavy Rainfall: Showers and thunderstorms will develop along and ahead of a cold front this afternoon and evening across southeast South Carolina and southeast Georgia. Rainfall amounts could exceed 3 inches over localized areas and Flood Advisories may be needed as a result of the potential for much of this rain to fall within a short amount of time. There is even a low risk that a Flash Flood Warning will be needed, most likely in rural coastal locations such as Downtown Charleston if the heaviest rain lines up with the evening high tide. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time.
The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:32 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The city of Tybee Island reported a fatality of a female teenager who was struck by lightning while swimming in the water near 17th Street.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Chatham | 2021-06-12 | 15 | Female | In Water | Direct |
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, June 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: 965517.