NOUS42 KCHS 310823
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>051-011200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
421 AM EDT TUE MAY 31 2005

...JAMES ISLAND TORNADO RATED F1 BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...

A SURVEY TEAM FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN 
CHARLESTON SC SURVEYED DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED FROM A SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM THAT MOVED THROUGH JAMES ISLAND SC BETWEEN 730 AM AND 8 
AM MONDAY MORNING. SPORADIC DAMAGE OCCURRED IN SEVERAL AREAS OF THE 
CITY...MAINLY ALONG FOLLY ROAD AND HARBOR VIEW ROAD...WITH THE MOST 
SEVERE DAMAGE BEING CONFINED TO A SMALL AREA JUST OFF HARBOR VIEW 
ROAD IN THE BATTERY POINT AREA. EVALUATION OF THE DAMAGE IN THIS 
AREA IS CONSISTENT WITH DAMAGE FROM A F1 TORNADO WITH ESTIMATED 
MAXIMUM WINDS AROUND 90 MPH.

...TRACK REVIEW...
THE FIRST TOUCHDOWN OF THE TORNADO OCCURRED IN THE LAUREL PARK AND 
CROSS CREEK NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF MAYBANK HIGHWAY 
AND FOLLY ROAD AROUND 735 AM. HERE THE TORNADO DOWNED SEVERAL POWER 
LINES. THIS DAMAGE IS CONSISTENT WITH F0 INTENSITY WITH WINDS 
ESTIMATED AROUND 60 MPH.

THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF THE JAMES 
ISLAND CONNECTOR AND FOLLY ROAD AROUND 740 AM. HERE THE TORNADO 
TWISTED AND DESTROYED SEVERAL LARGE ROAD SIGNS AND BLEW DOWN THE 
SIGN OF A LOCAL MERCHANT. THIS DAMAGE IS CONSISTENT WITH F0 
INTENSITY WITH WINDS ESTIMATED BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH.

THE THIRD AND MOST INTENSE TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED IN THE BATTERY POINT 
AREA OFF OF HARBOR VIEW ROAD...SPECIFICALLY ON MONTGOMERY AND DARWIN 
STREETS. HERE THE TORNADO STRENGTHENED TO F1 INTENSITY WITH WINDS 
ESTIMATED AROUND 90 MPH. THE TORNADO SEVERELY DAMAGED MANY TREES... 
INCLUDING SEVERAL LARGE GRAND OAKS. HIGH WINDS PARTIALLY DESTROYED A 
PORCH AND RIPPED VINYL SIDING AND GUTTERS FROM SEVERAL HOMES. MINOR 
ROOF DAMAGE OCCURRED TO ONE HOUSE. INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS 
CONFIRMED THE TORNADO PASSED THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AROUND 745 AM. 
SEVERAL RESIDENTS VISUALLY SPOTTED THE TORNADO AND SAID IT WAS 
ACCOMPANIED BY A LOUD ROARING SOUND. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS ESTIMATED 
TO BE 1/10 OF A MILE LONG WITH AN APPROXIMATE WIDTH OF 100-150 FT.

THE FOURTH TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED ON THE EDGE OF FORT JOHNSON ESTATES 
JUST OFF FORT JOHNSON ROAD. HERE TWO TREES WERE TWISTED AND SNAPPED 
ON ROBERT E. LEE BOULEVARD ALONG THE MARSHY AREA OF PARROT POINT 
CREEK. THIS DAMAGE LIKELY OCCURRED AROUND 750 AM AND IS CONSISTENT 
WITH F0 INTENSITY WITH WINDS BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH. 

THE FIFTH AND FINAL TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED IN THE OPEN WATERS NEAR THE 
FORT SUMTER NATIONAL MONUMENT WHERE THE PUBLIC AND LAW ENFORCEMENT 
OFFICIALS OBSERVED A WATERSPOUT BETWEEN 750 AM AND 755 AM. NO DAMAGE 
IS KNOWN TO HAVE OCCURRED IN THIS AREA SO THE F-SCALE RATING IS 
UNKNOWN.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON WISHES TO THANK THE 
CITIZENS OF JAMES ISLAND...THE CHARLESTON BROADCAST MEDIA AND LOCAL 
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICES FOR THEIR HELP YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.

$$

ST