Tornadoes · United States · Georgia · 2008
EF2 tornado, Springfield to Rincon, Georgia, March 15, 2008
From Springfield to Rincon, this EF2 tornado ran 7.0 miles across Effingham County on March 15, 2008, touching down at 9:34 PM EDT and reaching 440 yards wide. It killed nobody and injured 5, and did $1.5 million of property damage.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mphthis tornado
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- EF2
- Date
- March 15, 2008
- Touchdown
- 9:34 PM EDT (01:34 UTC)
- Lifted
- 9:43 PM EDT (01:43 UTC)
- On the ground
- 9 minutes
- Path length
- 7.0 miles (11.3 km)
- Path width
- 440 yards (402 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 5
- Property damage
- $1.5 million
- County
- Effingham County
- Touchdown point
- 32.390, -81.310
- Lift-off point
- 32.370, -81.210
- Record number
- 0803151934-01
What the Weather Service recorded
A large and intense area of low pressure lifted northward through the central Appalachians, dragging a strong cold front toward southern South Carolina and southeast Georgia. The combination of the approaching cold front along with strong dynamic forcing and plenty of instability resulted in a widespread organized severe weather outbreak across the region.
An EF2 Tornado was confirmed by a Storm Survey conducted by the Charleston, South Carolina National Weather Service Forecast Office. The Tornado touched down in Effingham county 1 mile northeast of Springfield, Georgia at 934 PM EDT and traveled southeast approximately 7 miles before lifting at 943 PM EDT about 6 miles east-southeast of Springfield, Georgia. This Tornado destroyed three mobile homes, damaged three to four dozen homes, knocked down 15 high voltage transmission towers, destroyed or damaged 20 vehicles, destroyed numerous outbuildings, sheds, and barns. Five people were injured when the mobile home they were in was blown over and rolled a time or two. Another person was injured when they drove a car into a tree that had fallen across the road. This tornado was a quarter mile wide at its widest point when it crossed Ebenezer Road and had maximum sustained winds estimated between 110 and 120 mph.
An EF2 Tornado was confirmed by a Storm Survey conducted by the Charleston, South Carolina National Weather Service Forecast Office. The Tornado touched down in Effingham county 3.5 miles northeast of Rincon, Georgia and just northwest of the Georgia Power McIntosh Plant around 944 PM EDT and traveled southeast approximately a half a mile before lifting at 945 PM EDT. This Tornado destroyed a water cooling tower, damaged another water cooling tower and several buildings, toppled two high voltage transmission towers, knocked down or uprooted several dozen trees, tossed tractor trailer cargo containers with equipment inside up to 100 yards. In addition, at the time of the survey one of the tractor trailer containers could not be found. A steel hoist roof assembly weighing a couple thousand pounds used to load and unload heavy items was tossed 100 feet. This tornado was up to 100 yards wide and had maximum sustained winds estimated between 120 and 130 mph.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
17 minutes of warning. NWS CHS issued a tornado warning for this county at 01:17 UTC, 17 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 01:51 UTC.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 22:27 UTC and running to 05:00 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22:00 UTC | 02:58 UTC | Wind Advisory | CHS |
| 22:27 UTC | 05:00 UTC | Tornado Watch | CHS |
| 01:06 UTC | 01:30 UTC | Tornado Warning | CHS |
| 01:17 UTC | 01:51 UTC | Tornado Warning | CHS |
| 01:34 UTC | 02:07 UTC | Tornado Warning | CHS |
| 02:00 UTC | 02:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS |
| 02:16 UTC | 02:45 UTC | Tornado Warning | CHS |
| 02:39 UTC | 03:29 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CHS |
| 02:45 UTC | 02:56 UTC | Tornado Warning | CHS |
Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.
The forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Moderate Risk, with a 0.15 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 01:07 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, 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 tornado touched down at Mar 15, 9:13 PM EDT, 21 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 15, 9:13 PM EDT, 21 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
913 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST AND MOVE THROUGH
THE AREA TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD NORTH OF THE REGION
MONDAY AND TUESDAY. ANOTHER SYSTEM IS POSSIBLE TOWARD MID
WEEK...FOLLOWED BY A RETURN OF HIGH PRES BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/...
PER COORDINATION WITH SPC...EXPANDED PDS TORNADO WATCH 120
INTO ALL ALL SE GA COUNTIES EXCEPT MCINTOSH..AND INTO AMZ354.
SEVERE WEATHER EVENT CONTINUED SATURDAY EVENING...WITH NUMEROUS
REPORTS OF TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND WIND DAMAGE ALREADY RECEIVED.
SUPERCELLS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ON THE WESTERN FLANK OF THE ONGOING
MCS...SPREADING THE THREAT FOR DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER FARTHER
SOUTH INTO SE GA. ON THE OTHER HAND...THE SEVERE THREAT MAY BE
WANING ACROSS INLAND NORTHERN COUNTIES...AND WILL LIKELY SHIFT
S/E OF CHARLESTON COUNTY PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT.
THE COLD FRONT WAS ADVANCING THROUGH CENTRAL GA AND NW SC...AND WILL
PUSH MOST THUNDERSTORMS OFFSHORE AFTER 1 AM.
LAKE WINDS...WHEN THE ONGOING WIND ADVISORY EXPIRES AT 11
PM...PLAN TO REISSUE LAKE WIND ADVISORY THROUGH NOON SUNDAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM SUNDAY/...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL QUICKLY BUILD IN FROM THE NORTH BEHIND THE
DEPARTING COLD FRONT. NO SIGNIFICANT COLD ADVECTION IS EXPECTED
BEHIND THE FRONT ON SUNDAY. RAPIDLY DRYING CONDITIONS WILL ALLOW
FOR FULL SUNSHINE BY THE AFTERNOON. SUNNY SKIES COMBINED WITH SOME
DOWNSLOPE FLOW WILL ALLOW HIGH TEMPERATURES TO RISE INTO THE LOWER
70S NORTH TO THE MID 70S SOUTH. WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY WITHIN AN
ENHANCE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE LOW SYSTEM OFFSHORE AND THE
HIGH PRESSURE TO THE WEST.
LAKE WINDS...LOW LEVEL JET WILL DECREASE SUNDAY MORNING...THUS
LAKE WIND ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE BY NOON.
&&
.LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
SPRAWLING HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED WELL NORTH OF THE REGION WILL
PROVIDE TRANQUIL CONDITIONS THROUGH TUESDAY. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE
WILL PASS NW OF THE REGION AND WILL PULL A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE
AREA AROUND MIDWEEK. UPPER RIDGING ALONG THE SE COAST SHOULD LIMIT
PRECIP POTENTIAL WITHIN THE WAA REGIME IN ADVANCE OF THIS SYSTEM
TUESDAY/TUESDAY NIGHT...THUS LIMITED THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS/
THUNDERSTORMS TO WEDNESDAY/WEDNESDAY NIGHT. ALSO...IF THE COLD FRONT
AND ASSOCIATED CONVECTION IS DELAYED UNTIL LATER WEDNESDAY...
TEMPERATURES COULD PUSH TO AROUND 80F AT MANY INLAND LOCATIONS.
THEN...LATEST TRENDS SUGGEST THAT THE COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED
MOISTURE WILL HAVE CLEARED THE REGION BY THURSDAY...WITH HIGH
PRESSURE THE MAIN FEATURE INTO NEXT WEEKEND.
&&
.AVIATION /01Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH POSSIBLE TORNADOES AND HAIL ARE QUICKLY
MOVING EAST TOWARD KCHS THIS HOUR. HAVE ADDED A TWO-HOUR TEMPO
GROUP TO THE 00Z KCHS TAF TO INDICATE TSTMS BETWEEN 00Z AND
02Z...AS THESE STORMS COULD BE AT THE TERMINAL WITHIN AN HOUR.
THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES AND LARGE
HAIL...IN ADDITION TO GUSTY WINDS AND IFR VSBYS. STORMS ARE
REMAINING NORTH AND WEST OF KSAV AT THIS POINT...SO HAVE ONLY
MENTIONED CB IN THE 00Z KSAV TAF. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR RADAR
TRENDS AND MAKE NECESSARY UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
FEEL THAT CIGS WILL MOSTLY BE VFR DURING THE FIRST 12 HOURS...WITH
MVFR CIGS BRIEFLY POSSIBLE NEAR TSTMS. AFTER THIS LINE OF STORMS
MOVES THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS...CONDITIONS WILL
GRADUALLY IMPROVE. STILL EXPECT GUSTY WINDS UNTIL AFTER
MIDNIGHT...AFTER WHICH WEST WINDS WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 KT AT
BOTH TERMINALS. WIND SHEAR LOOKS MARGINAL AND WILL BE HIGHLY
DEPENDENT ON HOW MUCH SPEEDS DIMINISH DURING THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS.
CLEAR SKIES SUNDAY WILL ALLOW FOR IDEAL MIXING INTO A LINGERING 20
TO 25 KT LOW LEVEL JET DURING THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON.
THUS GUSTY CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY RESUME AFTER SUNRISE.
EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH
TUE. MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE WED WITH THE NEXT
STORM SYSTEM. VFR CONDITIONS WILL RETURN FOR THE END OF THE WEEK.
&&
.MARINE...
DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT THE COASTAL WATERS THROUGH
THIS EVENING. PDS TORNADO WATCH 120 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL
NEARSHOR WATERS UNTIL 1 AM.
MEANWHILE...CONTINUED ONGOING GALE WARNING FOR CHS HARBOR UNTIL
11 PM...AND FOR ALL COASTAL WATERS OUTSIDE THE HARBOR UNTIL 4 AM.
POST COLD FROPA WINDS MAY DIMINISH BELOW GALE FORCE...BUT
CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW IN THIS TIMING...AS THE DEEPENING SURFACE
LOW MAY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT GALE FORCE GUSTS INTO SUNDAY MORNING.
CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE SUNDAY MORNING...AND ALL
ADVISORIES FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS WILL END BY NOON. OFFSHORE
GEORGIA MAY SEE MARGINAL SCA CONDITIONS INTO THE AFTERNOON
HOURS...MAINLY IN SEAS.
AFTER A LULL IN WINDS/SEAS SUNDAY EVENING...12Z GUIDANCE CONTINUES
TO INSIST THAT THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN ON THE
S/SE PERIPHERY OF THE SPRAWLING HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING DOWN THE
COAST...AND SCA WINDS/SEAS WILL LIKELY REDEVELOP ACROSS THE OUTER
GEORGIA WATERS OVERNIGHT. ACROSS NEARSHORE WATERS...NE WINDS 15-20
KT AND SEAS 3-5 FT WILL ALSO BECOME COMMON. THEN...THESE ELEVATED
WINDS/SEAS WILL PERSIST THROUGH MOST/ALL OF MONDAY...BEFORE HIGH
PRESSURE BECOMES CENTERED CLOSER TO THE COASTAL WATERS.
THEN...WINDS/SEAS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SCA THRESHOLDS MONDAY NIGHT
THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. THEN...S WINDS WILL SURGE INTO THE WATERS
AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WEDNESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
CONDITIONS WILL BECOME COMMON...AND GALES CANNOT BE RULED OUT.
THEN...WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE WEST WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS SHOULD TAPER OFF THURSDAY.
&&
.CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR GAZ087-088-099>101-
114>119-137>139.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR GAZ087-088-
099>101-114>119-137>141.
SC...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR SCZ040-042>045-047>051.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR SCZ040-042>045-
047>051.
MARINE...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR AMZ330-350-352-354.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR AMZ350-352-354-374.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR AMZ330.
&&Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 15, 9:17 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 917 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 GAZ140-141-161000- INLAND MCINTOSH-COASTAL MCINTOSH- 917 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...TO THE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 16 UNTIL 2 AM. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. SCZ045-161000- BERKELEY- 917 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...TORNADO WATCH 120 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. WIND ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AMZ350-352-354-161000- 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- 917 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY... ...TORNADO WATCH 120 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. GALE WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AMZ374-161000- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 917 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...THUNDERSTORMS MAY AFFECT THE COASTAL WATERS...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER...UNTIL 1 AM TONIGHT. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG WINDS EXCEEDING 50 KNOTS AND LARGE HAIL. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>139-SCZ040-042>044-047>051-161000- JENKINS-SCREVEN-CANDLER-BULLOCH-EFFINGHAM-TATTNALL-EVANS- INLAND BRYAN-COASTAL BRYAN-INLAND CHATHAM-COASTAL CHATHAM-LONG- INLAND LIBERTY-COASTAL LIBERTY-ALLENDALE-HAMPTON-INLAND COLLETON- DORCHESTER-INLAND JASPER-BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON-CHARLESTON- COASTAL JASPER- 917 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...TORNADO WATCH 120 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. WIND ADVISORY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...AN INTENSIFYING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM... AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND A POTENT UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL COMBINE WITH STRONG WIND FIELDS AND AN UNSTABLE AIR MASS TO SUPPORT A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK OF SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES...UNTIL MIDNIGHT. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AMZ330-161000- CHARLESTON HARBOR- 917 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...TORNADO WATCH 120 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. GALE WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
In the hours before
Local storm report, Mar 15, 9:09 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
909 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0808 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 E ISLANDTON 32.91N 80.90W
03/15/2008 COLLETON SC PUBLIC
AN OLD BARN COLLAPSED DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS.
&&
33Local storm report, Mar 15, 9:17 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
917 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0906 PM TSTM WND DMG COOSAWHATCHIE 32.59N 80.93W
03/15/2008 JASPER SC COUNTY OFFICIAL
TREES DOWN AT EXIT 28 ON I-95. POSSIBLE TORNADO. REPORT
FROM THE COUNTY WARNING POINT.
&&
33Local storm report, Mar 15, 9:19 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
919 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0911 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 5 S SCARBORO 32.64N 81.88W
03/15/2008 JENKINS GA LAW ENFORCEMENT
SCREVEN 911 REPORTED PUBLIC REPORT OF FUNNEL CLOUDS
MOVING TOWARD ROCKY FORD
&&
24Local storm report, Mar 15, 9:24 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
924 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0920 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 2 E OLIVER 32.52N 81.50W
03/15/2008 EFFINGHAM GA TRAINED SPOTTER
ALSO REPORTS INTENSE LIGHTNING AND 35 MPH WINDS.
&&
33Local storm report, Mar 15, 9:31 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
931 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0841 PM TSTM WND GST MOUNT PLEASANT 32.79N 79.86W
03/15/2008 E50.00 MPH CHARLESTON SC TRAINED SPOTTER
0845 PM HAIL WEST ASHLEY 32.80N 80.01W
03/15/2008 E1.00 INCH CHARLESTON SC TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
33Local storm report, Mar 15, 9:33 PM EDT, 1 minute before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
933 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0933 PM HAIL CLYO 32.48N 81.27W
03/15/2008 E0.88 INCH EFFINGHAM GA TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
33The air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), 00:00Z
1.6 hours before the tornado, 131 km from the path. March 16, 2008.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 966 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -56 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 674 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 741 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 0 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 0 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 0 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 0 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 5.2 K/km
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), 12:00Z
10.4 hours after it, 131 km from the path. March 16, 2008.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -83671 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 975 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 62 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 21 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -103 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -46 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 3.1 K/km
The surface observations
Savannah - Hilton Head (SAV), 28 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23:53 UTC | 79 | 62 | 230° 17 kt | 29 | 1001.7 | |
| 00:53 UTC | 78 | 64 | 210° 14 kt | 25 | 1002 | |
| 01:53 UTC | 77 | 66 | 250° 11 kt | 19 | 1003.7 | |
| 02:53 UTC | 77 | 66 | 250° 14 kt | 26 | 1004.7 |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 37 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 01:33 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23:13 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Ne Rincon | Effingham, GA | EF2 TORNADO CONFIRMED BY NWS CHARLESTON STORM SURVEY. PATH LENGTH OF 0.5 MILES AND MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH OF 100 YARDS. ESTIMATED WIND SPEEDS OF 120-130 MPH. TORNADO CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO GEORGIA POWER MCINTOSH PLANT. |
| 01:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Ne Statesboro | Bulloch, GA | TREE LIMBS FELL ON POWER LINES ON HIGHWAY 301 NORTH. |
| 01:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Dover | Screven, GA | POST OFFICE EMPLOYEE REPORTED A POWERLINE DOWN IN FRONT OF PARADISE MOTEL IN DOVER. |
| 01:20 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 2 E Oliver | Effingham, GA | ALSO REPORTS INTENSE LIGHTNING AND 35 MPH WINDS. |
| 01:33 UTC | HAIL 0.88 | Clyo | Effingham, GA | |
| 01:34 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Ne Springfield | Effingham, GA | *** 6 INJ *** EF2 TORNADO CONFIRMED BY NWS CHARLESTON STORM SURVEY. PATH LENGTH OF 2.5 MILES AND MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH OF 1/4 MILE. ESTIMATED WIND SPEEDS 110-120 MPH. DESTROYED 3 MOBILE HOMES...DAMAGED 3-4 DOZEN HOMES...15 |
| 01:34 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Ne Springfield | Effingham, GA | *** 6 INJ *** EF2 TORNADO CONFIRMED BY NWS CHARLESTON STORM SURVEY. PATH LENGTH OF 7 MILES AND MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH OF 1/4 MILE. ESTIMATED WIND SPEEDS 110-120 MPH. DESTROYED 3 MOBILE HOMES...DAMAGED 3-4 DOZEN HOMES...15 HI |
| 01:38 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Ese Clyo | Effingham, GA | TREES DOWN ON STILLWELL-CLYO ROAD NEAR LOGS LANDING ROAD. POSSIBLE TORNADO. |
| 01:43 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Nne Rincon | Effingham, GA | POSSIBLE TORNADO. SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES DESTROYED. A FEW LARGE STEEL HIGH-VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION TOWERS TWISTED NEAR CROSSING WITH HWY 275. WIDESPREAD TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN VICINITY. SOME WELL-BUILT STRUCTURES AS WE |
| 01:43 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 N Rincon | Effingham, GA | *** 3 INJ *** AT LEAST 3 MOBILE HOMES DESTROYED ON EBENEZER ROAD. POSSIBLE TORNADO. 1 CHILD WAS THROWN FROM THE HOME AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. 2 OTHERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. |
| 01:43 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 N Rincon | Effingham, GA | MOBILE HOME DESTROYED ON EBENEZER ROAD. POSSIBLE TORNADO. |
| 01:43 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 8 S Clyo | Effingham, GA | POWER STATION DESTROYED. POSSIBLE TORNADO. |
| 01:43 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Ne Rincon | Effingham, GA | EF2 TORNADO CONFIRMED BY NWS CHARLESTON STORM SURVEY. PATH LENGTH OF 0.5 MILES AND MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH OF 100 YARDS. ESTIMATED WIND SPEEDS OF 120-130 MPH. TORNADO CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO GEORGIA POWER MCINTOSH PLANT. |
| 01:43 UTC | TORNADO | 3 Ne Rincon | Effingham, GA | EF2 TORNADO CONFIRMED BY NWS CHARLESTON STORM SURVEY. PATH LENGTH OF 0.5 MILES AND MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH OF 100 YARDS. ESTIMATED WIND SPEEDS OF 120-130 MPH. TORNADO CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO GEORGIA POWER MCINTOSH PLANT. |
| 02:43 UTC | HAIL 1 | Port Wentworth | Chatham, GA | |
| 02:43 UTC | HAIL 1.75 | Rincon | Effingham, GA |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2008 tornado in GeorgiaEvery tornado in Georgia since 1950Warnings in force in Georgia nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of March 15, 2008
46 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 15 | 9:47 AM CDT | EF2 | Blount, AL | 6.0 | 675 | $960,000 | ||
| March 15 | 10:50 AM CDT | EF2 | Cherokee, AL | 3.6 | 50 | $75,000 | ||
| March 15 | 12:25 PM EDT | EF3 | Polk, GA | 16.9 | 880 | 2 | 2 | $7.5 million |
| March 15 | 2:44 PM EDT | EF0 | Franklin, GA | 3.2 | 20 | |||
| March 15 | 3:43 PM EDT | EF0 | Abbeville, SC | 0.5 | 20 | |||
| March 15 | 4:10 PM EDT | EF0 | Fairfield, SC | 4.6 | 80 | |||
| March 15 | 4:19 PM EDT | EF2 | Elbert, GA | 8.0 | 100 | $100,000 | ||
| March 15 | 4:20 PM EDT | EF1 | Kershaw, SC | 19.6 | 80 | |||
| March 15 | 4:25 PM EDT | EF3 | Newberry, SC | 27.5 | 1,320 | 2 | $10,000 | |
| March 15 | 4:28 PM EDT | EF0 | Lincoln, GA | 1.1 | 110 | |||
| March 15 | 4:30 PM EDT | EF2 | Kershaw, SC | 23.0 | 660 | |||
| March 15 | 4:34 PM EDT | EF1 | McCormick, SC | 11.5 | 440 | |||
| March 15 | 4:47 PM EDT | EF1 | Chesterfield, SC | 7.0 | 110 | $25,000 | ||
| March 15 | 5:02 PM EDT | EF2 | McCormick, SC | 32.7 | 660 | |||
| March 15 | 5:22 PM EDT | EF2 | Kershaw, SC | 6.9 | 1,230 | 2 | ||
| March 15 | 5:33 PM EDT | EF0 | Kershaw, SC | 0.5 | 100 | |||
| March 15 | 5:37 PM EDT | EF0 | Aiken, SC | 0.5 | 100 | |||
| March 15 | 5:41 PM EDT | EF2 | Lexington, SC | 8.3 | 440 | |||
| March 15 | 5:43 PM EDT | EF1 | Richland, SC | 3.7 | 660 | |||
| March 15 | 5:48 PM EDT | EF0 | McDuffie, GA | 4.6 | 110 | |||
| March 15 | 5:48 PM EDT | EF0 | Dillon, SC | 1.4 | 75 | $50,000 | ||
| March 15 | 5:53 PM EDT | EF1 | Columbia, GA | 5.3 | 440 | 2 | $140,000 | |
| March 15 | 6:10 PM EDT | EF2 | Calhoun, SC | 24.4 | 440 | |||
| March 15 | 6:11 PM EDT | EF0 | Edgefield, SC | 3.7 | 220 | |||
| March 15 | 6:15 PM EDT | EF0 | Butts, GA | 4.4 | 100 | $150,000 | ||
| March 15 | 6:15 PM EDT | EF2 | Jefferson, GA | 22.1 | 880 | $500,000 | ||
| March 15 | 6:16 PM EDT | EF0 | Columbus, NC | 0.0 | 10 | |||
| March 15 | 6:18 PM EDT | EF2 | Aiken, SC | 25.5 | 1,760 | |||
| March 15 | 6:25 PM EDT | EF1 | Florence, SC | 13.4 | 100 | 3 | $605,000 | |
| March 15 | 6:52 PM EDT | EF2 | Lee, SC | 14.1 | 440 | |||
| March 15 | 6:54 PM EDT | EF0 | Barnwell, SC | 0.6 | 100 | |||
| March 15 | 6:58 PM EDT | EF1 | Clarendon, SC | 8.6 | 220 | |||
| March 15 | 7:05 PM EDT | EF1 | Burke, GA | 15.2 | 440 | $100,000 | ||
| March 15 | 7:05 PM EDT | EF1 | Bamberg, SC | 2.0 | 220 | |||
| March 15 | 7:12 PM EDT | EF2 | Allendale, SC | 18.0 | 1,320 | $2.3 million | ||
| March 15 | 7:13 PM EDT | EF0 | Horry, SC | 0.3 | 25 | $5,000 | ||
| March 15 | 7:17 PM EDT | EF1 | Williamsburg, SC | 2.5 | 75 | |||
| March 15 | 7:25 PM EDT | EF1 | Bamberg, SC | 3.8 | 660 | |||
| March 15 | 7:29 PM EDT | EF3 | Orangeburg, SC | 10.1 | 1,320 | |||
| March 15 | 7:36 PM EDT | EF1 | Williamsburg, SC | 4.0 | 75 | $200,000 | ||
| March 15 | 7:54 PM EDT | EF0 | Georgetown, SC | 0.0 | 20 | |||
| March 15 | 7:56 PM EDT | EF1 | Pender, NC | 2.0 | 100 | $2.0 million | ||
| March 15 | 8:08 PM EDT | EF1 | Dorchester, SC | 2.2 | 40 | $218,000 | ||
| March 15 | 8:25 PM EDT | EF1 | Berkeley, SC | 0.6 | 180 | 7 | $150,000 | |
| March 15 | 8:36 PM EDT | EF1 | Berkeley, SC | 1.2 | 135 | $200,000 | ||
| March 15 | 9:44 PM EDT | EF2 | Effingham, GA | 0.5 | 100 | $3.0 million |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.