Tornadoes · United States · South Carolina · 2007
EF1 tornado, Islandton to Ruffin, South Carolina, April 15, 2007
From Islandton to Ruffin, this EF1 tornado ran 2.0 miles across Colleton County on April 15, 2007, touching down at 9:44 AM EDT and reaching 80 yards wide. It killed nobody and injured 9, and did $200,000 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 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mph
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
- EF1
- Date
- April 15, 2007
- Touchdown
- 9:44 AM EDT (13:44 UTC)
- Lifted
- 9:48 AM EDT (13:48 UTC)
- On the ground
- 4 minutes
- Path length
- 2.0 miles (3.2 km)
- Path width
- 80 yards (73 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 9
- Property damage
- $200,000
- County
- Colleton County
- Touchdown point
- 32.960, -80.820
- Lift-off point
- 32.986, -80.800
- Record number
- 0704150744-01
What the Weather Service recorded
Phasing of jet streams allowed for a rapidly developing low pressure system. Large scale dynamics and instability allowed for several low topped supercells to develop primarily along and ahead of a cold front over portions of western counties of our area.
This Tornado snapped off or uprooted hundreds of trees...destroyed a large framed barn with debris spread over a half mile to the northeast. A large object hit a house breaking out three windows and knocking some of the bricks loose. Siding was also torn from the house. A large 8000 pound horse trailer was lifted up and carried 500 feet. An 800 pound grain wagon was lifted and carried 400 feet before landing on the ground. A bass boat was flipped over and a 4 wheeler was damaged along with other farm equipment. A tree also fell on a mobile home. Winds with this Tornado were estimated to be 110 mph using the new Enhanced Fujita Scale.
This Tornado carried two empty grain silos about 100 feet, snapped off or uprooted dozens of trees, destroyed a large portion of an outbuilding, and severely injured a dog. Maximum sustained winds with this Tornado were estimated to be 95 mph.
This Tornado overturned 3 mobile homes and shifted another 7 mobile homes off there foundations. It tore the skirting away from another mobile home, destroyed a storage shed, and snapped off or uprooted dozens of trees. A couple of trees fell on a house. A vehicle and an outbuilding were also damaged. There were 9 minor injuries. Winds with this Tornado were estimated to be 100 mph using the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
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 Apr 15, 6:09 AM EDT, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 15, 6:09 AM EDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
609 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007
.SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH MON/...COLD FRONT MOVING THRU CENTRAL GA
WILL MOVE INTO THE ATLC BY LATE MORNING OR VERY EARLY IN THE AFTN.
STILL LOOKING AT A SEVERE WEATHER RISK WITH THE PRE-FRONTAL SQUALL
LINE WHICH IS NOW APPROACHING OUR SW CWFA. WE ARE ACTUALLY STARTING
TO SEE A LITTLE MORE SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY AS THE SECOND ROUND
OF CONVECTION IS FAST APPROACHING THE REGION. THIS ALONG WITH STRONG
LLJ /40-50 KT AT 925 MB/...120 KT UPPER LEVEL JET...0-1KM HELICITY
OF 300-400 M2/SEC2 CONTINUES TO POINT TOWARD POTENTIAL FOR ANOTHER
ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN AS HIGH AS WE EARLIER
ANTICIPATED...BUT MOST AREAS WILL RECEIVE SOME ADDITIONAL WELCOMED
RAINS AND WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY HIGH POPS AND SEVERE WORDING IN THE
PUBLIC FCST. STRONG CAA WILL DEVELOP IN WAKE OF THE FRONT THIS
AFTN...AND TEMPS WILL ACTUALLY BEGIN TO FALL THROUGHOUT THE AFTN
HOURS.
COLD POOL ALOFT MOVING IN LATE IN THE DAY WITH 500 MB TEMPS LOWERING
TO BETWEEN MINUS 15 AND 20C ASSOCIATED WITH AMPLIFIED TROUGH. THIS
COULD SUPPORT SMALL POPS...BUT WET BULB ZERO LEVELS ACTUALLY LOOK
TOO LOW /LESS THAN 5-6K FT/ TO SUPPORT ANY HAIL. EVEN STRONGER CAA
WILL MOVE IN WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE TROUGH...AND WE ARE LOOKING AT
TEMPS TONIGHT FALLING INTO THE 30S ACROSS MANY INLAND LOCATIONS. NO
RECORDS...FROST OR FREEZE ARE EXPECTED...BUT I DID TWEAK A FEW TEMPS
DOWN WITH SOME OF THE CO-OP MOS GUIDANCE SHOWING LOWER-MID 30S.
MON WILL BE A SUNNIER DAY...BUT WITH DEEP MIXING PROFILES IT WILL
AGAIN BE WINDY/BREEZY. TEMPS WILL ONLY REACH THE 60S TO NEAR 70.
&&
.LONG TERM /MON NIGHT THRU SAT/...FEW IF ANY CHANGES THIS MORNING TO
THE EXTENDED FCST.
&&
.MARINE...06Z CHS SOUNDING INDICATED WINDS UP TO 45 KT AT 925 MB.
BOTH GFS AND NAM HANDLE THIS LOW LEVEL JET WELL...WHILE ALSO SHOWING
THE FEATURE INTENSIFYING TOWARD 12Z. TIMING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
TWO MODELS ABOUND CONCERNING THE PASSAGE OF THE APPROACHING COLD
FRONT STILL HUNG TO THE WEST ACROSS CENTRAL GEORGIA. OBSERVATIONS
WITHIN 20 NM OF THE COAST HAVE NOT REPORTED SOUTHERLY WINDS ANY
STRONGER THAN SCA THRESHOLDS OVERNIGHT AND INTO THE MORNING.
DESPITE THE DELAYED WIND RESPONSE NEARSHORE...FEEL THAT THE
GRADUALLY INTENSIFYING LLJ WILL ENHANCE WINDS OVER THE WATERS
SHORTLY. CONFIDENCE IS FAIRLY HIGH THAT FOLLOWING THE COLD FRONTAL
PASSAGE LATER THIS MORNING...THE INITIATION OF COLD ADVECTION OVER
THE RELATIVELY WARMER WATERS WILL MAINTAIN GALE FORCE WINDS THROUGH
THIS EVENING BY TAPPING INTO THE LINGERING LOW LEVEL JET. STRONGEST
WINDS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT...WHEN MAXIMUM MIXING OCCURS OVER THE
WATERS. THUS HAVE MADE LITTLE CHANGE TO THE ONGOING WIND FORECAST
FOR THE MARINE ZONES...KEEPING THE GALE WARNINGS CURRENTLY IN PLACE.
SEAS ARE BUILDING AS A RESULT OF THE STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS THIS
MORNING AND ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 6 TO 9 FT NEARSHORE AND 9 TO 12 FT
IN THE OUTER WATERS. ALTHOUGH WINDS WILL BECOME OFFSHORE THIS
AFTERNOON BEHIND THE COLD FRONT...SEAS WILL BE SLOWER TO SUBSIDE.
WILL LIKELY NEED TO FOLLOW THE GALE WARNING WITH A SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORY MONDAY...AS THE STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEEPENS OFF THE
NEW ENGLAND COAST AND MAINTAIN A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE
COASTAL WATERS.
MARINE CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO IMPROVE BY TUESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST.
&&
.LAKE WINDS...HAVE CONTINUED THE LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR LAKE
MOULTRIE THIS MORNING...AS WINDS UP TO 20 KT HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
EXPECT WINDS OVER ALL OF SOUTHEAST SC TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE LATER
IN THE MORNING AS DAYTIME MIXING TAPS INTO STRONG WINDS ALOFT.
THUS...A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA
AFTER 8 AM EDT THIS MORNING...REPLACING THE LAKE WIND ADVISORY.
&&
.COASTAL HAZARDS...WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THE RISK OF HIGH SURF
TODAY ALONG THE COAST OF SOUTHEAST SC AND GA THROUGH THIS
EVENING...AS SEAS WITHIN THE NEARSHORE WATERS INCREASE TO 6 TO 9 FT.
THESE ELEVATED SEAS WILL BE SLOW TO SUBSIDE TONIGHT...EVEN AFTER
WINDS BECOME OFFSHORE THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONALLY...BEACH EROSION
MAY BE LIKELY ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA BEACHES. TIDE LEVELS WILL
FALL SHORT OF ANY SHALLOW COASTAL FLOODING THIS MORNING.
&&
.RIP CURRENTS...THE COMBINATION OF THE UPCOMING PERIGEE AND NEW MOON
AND STRONG WSW WINDS WILL ENHANCE THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS TODAY.
DESPITE LITTLE TO NO SWELL ACTIVITY...LOCAL RIP CURRENT ANALYSIS
PUTS THE AREA INTO MODERATE RISK FOR TODAY.
&&
.AVIATION /19Z-06Z/...CURRENT RADAR SHOWS WIDESPREAD
SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE AREA AND SHOULD LAST INTO MID
MORNING. SURFACE WINDS WILL REMAIN GUSTY THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD
BUT WITH A LOW LEVEL JET ALOFT THIS WILL CAUSE A BIT OF SPEED SHEAR
AROUND 2 KFT AT BOTH TERMINALS THROUGH 17Z. EXPECT MOSTLY MVFR
CONDITIONS ALTHOUGH WORSE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN A
SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM. WILL KEEP MONITORING THE SITUATION AS THESE
SHOWERS TEND TO BE BROKEN AND WILL AMEND IF/WHEN NECESSARY.
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...GUSTY WINDS WILL BE OF CONCERN TODAY...BUT HUMIDITY
LEVELS WILL NOT FALL MUCH BELOW 50 TO 55 PERCENT. HOWEVER...MIXING
HEIGHTS REACH 6-8K FT MON...WHICH WILL TAP INTO MOST OF THE 30-40 KT
WINDS AND VERY DRY AIR IN THIS LAYER. AS A RESULT WE ARE LOOKING AT
POSSIBLE RED FLAG CONDITIONS. LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO CONTACT
USERS TO SEE IF A WATCH OR WARNING IS NECESSARY. CRITICAL RH WILL
AGAIN OCCUR TUE...BUT WITH LESS WIND.
&&
.CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...WIND ADVISORY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY INTO SUNDAY...GAZ117-119-139-141.
SC...WIND ADVISORY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...
SCZ040-042>045-047>051.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY 2 AM TO 10 PM EDT SUN SCZ048>051.
LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EDT MONDAY FOR LAKE
MOULTRIE/SCZ045.
MARINE...GALE WARNING FOR ALL NEARSHORE WATERS INTO SUNDAY EVENING.
GALE WARNING FOR AMZ374 THROUGH MONDAY.
&&
33/79/JAQ/REVHazardous weather outlook, Apr 15, 8:49 AM EDT, 55 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 849 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-161000- JENKINS-SCREVEN-CANDLER-BULLOCH-EFFINGHAM-TATTNALL-EVANS- INLAND BRYAN-COASTAL BRYAN-INLAND CHATHAM-COASTAL CHATHAM-LONG- INLAND LIBERTY-COASTAL LIBERTY-INLAND MCINTOSH-COASTAL MCINTOSH- 849 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 ...TORNADO WATCH 146 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING... ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. .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. TORNADO WATCH WIND ADVISORY HIGH SURF ADVISORY .COASTAL HAZARDS...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. .FIRE WEATHER...CRITICAL HUMIDITY AND CRITICAL WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA MONDAY...WITH CRITICAL HUMIDITY LEVELS TUESDAY. .STRONG WINDS...ANOTHER WIND ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS...PLEASE RELAY SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. SCZ040-042-043-047>049-051-161000- ALLENDALE-HAMPTON-INLAND COLLETON-INLAND JASPER-BEAUFORT- COASTAL COLLETON-COASTAL JASPER- 849 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 ...TORNADO WATCH 147 IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON... ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT... 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. TORNADO WATCH WIND ADVISORY HIGH SURF ADVISORY .COASTAL HAZARDS...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. .FIRE WEATHER...CRITICAL HUMIDITY AND CRITICAL WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA MONDAY...WITH CRITICAL HUMIDITY LEVELS TUESDAY. .STRONG WINDS...ANOTHER WIND ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS...PLEASE RELAY SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. SCZ044-045-050-161000- DORCHESTER-BERKELEY-CHARLESTON- 849 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT... ...TORNADO WATCH 147 IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON... 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. WIND ADVISORY TORNADO WATCH HIGH SURF ADVISORY .COASTAL HAZARDS...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE BEACHES TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. .FIRE WEATHER...CRITICAL HUMIDITY AND CRITICAL WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA MONDAY...WITH CRITICAL HUMIDITY LEVELS TUESDAY. .STRONG WINDS...ANOTHER WIND ADVISORY MAY BE REQUIRED MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS...PLEASE RELAY SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. AMZ350-352-161000- WATERS FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER TO EDISTO BEACH SC OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM EDISTO BEACH SC TO SAVANNAH GA OUT 20 NM- 849 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...TORNADO WATCH 147 IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .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. GALE WARNING TORNADO WATCH .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS...PLEASE RELAY SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. AMZ354-161000- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA OUT 20 NM...INCLUDING GRAYS REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY- 849 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...TORNADO WATCH 146 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM EDT THIS MORNING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .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. GALE WARNING TORNADO WATCH .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS...PLEASE RELAY SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. AMZ374-161000- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 849 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT MONDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .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. GALE WARNING .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS...PLEASE RELAY SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 5:55 AM EDT, 3 hours 49 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Special weather statement, Apr 15, 7:35 AM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Special weather statement, Apr 15, 8:44 AM EDT, 1 hour before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 844 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 GAZ139-141-151315- COASTAL LIBERTY-COASTAL MCINTOSH- 844 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT MCINTOSH COUNTY AND LIBERTY COUNTY THROUGH 915 AM EDT... AT 839 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 1/2 INCH HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SAPELO ISLAND... OR ABOUT 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF DARIEN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND SAPELO ISLAND WILL BE IMPACTED THROUGH 915 AM EDT. A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES SUDDENLY...SOMETIMES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING. BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY TO ACT QUICKLY. PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 IF YOU OBSERVE SEVERE WEATHER.
Local storm report, Apr 15, 8:48 AM EDT, 56 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
848 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0840 AM NON-TSTM WND GST NORTH CHARLESTON 32.85N 79.97W
04/15/2007 M51 MPH CHARLESTON SC ASOS
&&
33Special weather statement, Apr 15, 8:55 AM EDT, 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 855 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 GAZ100-101-SCZ042-047-151400- BULLOCH-EFFINGHAM-HAMPTON-INLAND JASPER- 855 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT EFFINGHAM COUNTY...BULLOCH COUNTY...HAMPTON COUNTY AND JASPER COUNTY THROUGH 1000 AM EDT... AT 852 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM SHIRLEY TO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DENMARK...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HAMPTON TO 8 MILES EAST OF CLAXTON... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. AREAS IN AND AROUND ESTILL...CUMMINGS...SCOTIA...GRAYS...CLYO... SHAWNEE...SPRINGFIELD...BERRYVILLE...TARBORO...RIDGELAND AND COOSAWHATCHIE THROUGH 1000 AM EDT. BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AS STORMS APPROACH. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON TOLL FREE AT 1-888-383-2024 IF YOU OBSERVE SEVERE WEATHER.
Local storm report, Apr 15, 9:03 AM EDT, 41 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
903 AM EDT SUN APR 15 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0858 AM NON-TSTM WND GST CHARLESTON 32.78N 79.94W
04/15/2007 M43 MPH CHARLESTON SC MESONET
REPORT FROM THE STUDIO OF WCSC-TV.
&&
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), 12:00Z
1.7 hours before the tornado, 76 km from the path. April 15, 2007.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 948 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -4 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 833 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 589 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 63 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 37 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 291 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 339 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.9
- Supercell composite
- 6.4
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 6.5 K/km
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), 00:00Z
10.3 hours after it, 76 km from the path. April 16, 2007.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 18 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -2 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 26 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1128 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 82 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 25 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 59 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 56 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 5.5 K/km
The surface observations
Orangeburg (OGB), 54 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 UTC |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 41 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 13:44 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.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2007 tornado in South CarolinaEvery tornado in South Carolina since 1950Warnings in force in South Carolina nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of April 15, 2007
16 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 15 | 2:04 AM EDT | EF1 | Treutlen, GA | 14.9 | 440 | $705,000 | ||
| April 15 | 2:05 AM EDT | EF1 | Laurens, GA | 19.0 | 100 | $325,000 | ||
| April 15 | 2:56 AM EDT | EF2 | Emanuel, GA | 5.4 | 200 | $250,000 | ||
| April 15 | 3:23 AM EDT | EF1 | Worth, GA | 6.7 | 200 | $30,000 | ||
| April 15 | 3:27 AM EDT | EF1 | Crisp, GA | 7.9 | 200 | $80,000 | ||
| April 15 | 4:25 AM EDT | EF2 | Dodge, GA | 3.6 | 200 | $500,000 | ||
| April 15 | 7:15 AM EDT | EF2 | Baker, FL | 1.5 | 300 | |||
| April 15 | 7:47 AM EDT | EF0 | Bamberg, SC | 7.6 | 50 | $1,000 | ||
| April 15 | 8:11 AM EDT | EF0 | Bamberg, SC | 4.2 | 50 | |||
| April 15 | 8:20 AM EDT | EF3 | Sumter, SC | 19.0 | 300 | 1 | 5 | |
| April 15 | 8:50 AM EDT | EF1 | Lee, SC | 3.6 | 200 | $5,000 | ||
| April 15 | 9:37 AM EDT | EF0 | Orangeburg, SC | 6.2 | 50 | $1,000 | ||
| April 15 | 9:38 AM EDT | EF1 | Colleton, SC | 1.0 | 60 | $100,000 | ||
| April 15 | 9:41 AM EDT | EF1 | Colleton, SC | 0.5 | 30 | $10,000 | ||
| April 15 | 10:10 AM EDT | EF1 | Saint Johns, FL | 0.2 | 50 | |||
| April 15 | 12:00 PM EDT | EF0 | Polk, FL | 2.0 | 300 | $250,000 |
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.