South Carolina, 2024

Damaging Winds in South Carolina, August 18, 2024

August 18, 2024 · NWS CHS · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Strong instability, moderate levels of downdraft CAPE, ample bulk shear and a passing mid-level shortwave led to an environment supportive of strong/severe thunderstorms upstream, before activity entered Southeast South Carolina with a cold front during evening hours.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$2,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS CHS wrote it up.

Strong instability, moderate levels of downdraft CAPE, ample bulk shear and a passing mid-level shortwave led to an environment supportive of strong/severe thunderstorms upstream, before activity entered Southeast South Carolina with a cold front during evening hours.

What forecasters said that day

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 18, 9:42 PM EST, 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 18, 9:42 PM EST, 58 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 18, 10:12 PM EST, 28 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 18, 8:42 PM EST, 1 hour 58 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 18, 9:02 PM EST, 1 hour 38 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 18, 9:43 PM EST, 57 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 18, 10:02 PM EST, 38 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 18, 10:08 PM EST, 32 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 18, 10:14 PM EST, 26 minutes before
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The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:41 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dorchester

When
August 18, 10:40 PM EST
Where
Dorchester County, 1.16 mi W of Dorchester
Measured
45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.130, -80.400

A Dorchester County emergency manager reported and few large branches and 1 tree down blocking the roadway in the 200 Block of Salem Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Berkeley

When
August 18, 11:29 PM EST
Where
Berkeley County, 0.9 mi NW of Bonneau
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.310, -79.960

A Berkeley County emergency manager reported several trees down in the Bonneau area.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, August 2024

Sources

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1212262, 1212268.