Scattered to numerous thunderstorms developed across southeast Georgia in the afternoon hours. One thunderstorm in Bulloch County became strong enough to produce hail.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
Scattered to numerous thunderstorms developed across southeast Georgia in the afternoon hours. One thunderstorm in Bulloch County became strong enough to produce hail.
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 May 23, 1:30 PM EST, 2 hours 44 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston SC 230 PM EDT Sat May 23 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... All sections have been updated. && .KEY MESSAGES... - 1) Increased chances for showers and thunderstorms through the weekend, with isolated strong/severe storms possible across the interior late this afternoon into early evening. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1: Increased chances for showers and thunderstorms through the weekend, with isolated strong/severe storms possible across the interior late this afternoon into early evening. Aloft, h5 vort energy will ripple across the Deep South and Southeast United States today along the western periphery of an Atlantic ridge, encountering a moist (PWATs ~1.75 to 2.0 inches) and increasingly warming environment this afternoon, which will result in a period of scattered to numerous showers along with embedded thunderstorms mid-late afternoon into early evening. Latest mesoanalysis suggests a worked over atmosphere earlier this morning recovering with sunshine and a southerly flow this afternoon. Afternoon highs in the mid-upper 80s combined with sfc dewpts in the low-mid 70s support sufficient instability for afternoon convection with an axis of MLCAPE near 2000-2500 J/kg across Southeast Georgia where strongest sfc heating has taken place with breaks in cloud cover. Deep-layered shear remains somewhat modest (20-25 kt) today, suggesting unorganized shower/thunderstorm activity for most areas. However, shear is strongest well inland and coincides with highest instability, and when combined with forcing associated with h5 vort energy and an inland progressing sea breeze could support a few strong/severe storms within multicellular thunderstorm clusters mid afternoon into early evening (mainly along and west of the I-95 corridor in Southeast Georgia and Southeast South Carolina). Most activity should then weaken/erode as instability wanes due to the loss of daytime heating by mid evening. The latest 12Z HREF ensemble paintball does highlight a few spots of updraft helicity (>75 m2/s2) in the noted area above. Low-lvl lapse rates around 7-7.5 C/km and DCAPE near 500-750 J/kg also suggest mainly a damaging wind concern should a severe thunderstorm occur. The Storm Prediction Center continues to highlight the noted area in a Marginal Risk for severe weather today. Another concern with convective activity mid afternoon into early evening is the potential for localized heavy rainfall/minor flooding. Hires guidance continues to suggest a corridor of heavy rainfall from Tattnall County, GA to Allendale County, SC, likely due to northerly storm motions running parallel to a sea breeze boundary, and therefore prolonging rainfall from multiple rounds of shower and thunderstorm activity over the noted area. The 12Z HREF highlights this area with 1-2 inches of rainfall accumulation with localized amounts of 2+ inches this afternoon through tonight. Although this will be considered a mostly beneficial rain event in an area experiencing Exceptional to Extreme Drought, rainfall rates could become locally excessive during thunderstorms late afternoon into early evening, and if so could lead to minor flooding issues. The Weather Prediction Center continues to highlight the noted area above in a Marginal Risk for excessive rainfall. On Sunday, conditions are not expected to change much from today, with comparable temperatures and moisture content. The sea breeze will again be the focus the initial thunderstorms, then coverage should expand across inland areas. Locally heavy rainfall is possible generally along and west of I-95. Next week, warm and moist conditions persist as the upper ridge shifts back towards the southeast United States, which should support a more summer-like pattern with diurnally driven convection each day, initially along a sea breeze before expanding across inland areas mid-late afternoon into evening hours. Temps will remain above normal, with daily highs in the upper 80s/lower 90s and overnight lows only in the mid 60s to mid 70s, possibly resulting in record high minimum temperatures. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... VFR conditions should prevail at CHS/JZI/SAV early afternoon with a southeast wind gusting up to 10-15 kt behind a sea breeze shifting inland. Chances for showers and thunderstorms increase late afternoon to early evening timeframe, with the higher chances occurring at the SAV terminal where TEMPO -TSRA remains between 23Z Saturday to 03Z Sunday. PROB30 groups have been shortened at CHS/JZI early evening based on radar and model trends. VFR conditions should prevail for much of the night and into late morning hours Sunday. PROB30 groups have been introduced at all terminals between 16-18Z Sunday for isolated thunderstorms developing along a sea breeze. Extended Aviation Outlook: TEMPO flight restrictions possible with showers and thunderstorms at CHS/JZI/SAV terminals during the afternoon hours Sunday into the middle of next week. && .MARINE... This Afternoon and Tonight: Onshore flow will prevail along the western periphery of Atlantic high pressure, with some local enhancement to southeasterly winds (~15 kt) along the land/sea interface today, including the Charleston Harbor. Southerly winds in the 10-15 kt range are likely overnight. Seas will generally range between 3-4 ft, although could slightly build about a ft during the night. Sunday through Thursday: Conditions are forecast to remain below Small Craft Advisory criteria through at least the middle of next week, with daily chances for showers and thunderstorms. High pressure to the east will drive onshore ESE flow each day, with wind speeds averaging in the 10-15 knot range. Each afternoon and evening there could be some local enhancement along the land/sea interface with the diurnal sea breeze. Seas will average 2-4 feet through the period. Rip Currents: A modest easterly swell around 3ft/8s and sea breeze influences each afternoon will keep the rip current risk in the moderate category at all area beaches through Monday. && .CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. MARINE...None. && BRS/DPB
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston SC 221 PM EDT Sat May 23 2026 GAZ087-088-099>101-114-115-137-216>219-238>241-SCZ040-042>045- 147>152-241830- Jenkins-Screven-Candler-Bulloch-Effingham-Tattnall-Evans-Long- Inland Bryan-Coastal Bryan-Inland Chatham-Coastal Chatham- 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- 221 PM EDT Sat May 23 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southeast Georgia and southeast South Carolina. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. See the Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook for more information about the following possible hazardous weather: - Rip Current .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. See the Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook for more information about the following possible hazardous weather: - Rip Current && The Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo/?wfo=chs
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston SC
512 PM EDT Sat May 23 2026
GAZ100-232200-
Bulloch GA-
512 PM EDT Sat May 23 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT BULLOCH COUNTY UNTIL 6 PM EDT...
At 512 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Denmark, moving northeast at 5 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Statesboro, Brooklet, Denmark, Georgia Southern, Nevils, Leefield,
Emit, Pretoria, Grimshaw and Somerset.
This includes I-16 between mile markers 119 and 128.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, TV or your local news
source for the latest information from the National Weather Service.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm. Do not drive
your vehicle through flooded roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3221 8172 3226 8187 3247 8179 3242 8160
TIME...MOT...LOC 2111Z 208DEG 5KT 3235 8174
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
BRSThe Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:14 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
An amateur radio operator reported nickel size hail at the intersection of Alford Road and Emit Grove Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, May 2026
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: 1342328.