Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Columbia, SC

September 17, 2020Calhoun County, Orangeburg County, South Carolina

NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Sep 17, 2020, 9:33 AM EDT for Calhoun County, Orangeburg County, South Carolina. It was in force for 27 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Sep 17, 2020, 9:33 AM EDT (13:33 UTC)
Expired: Sep 17, 2020, 10:00 AM EDT
In force: 27 min
Issued by: NWS Columbia, SC
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.0 in

Counties Calhoun County, SC, Orangeburg County, SC

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 84 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:33 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Sep 17, 9:49 AM EDT	TORNADO	5 Sw Vance, SC	A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED A WEAK TORNADO BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN IN EASTERN ORANGEBURG COUNTY NEAR I-95. THE TORNADO BROKE LARGE LIMBS OFF OF TREES ON HIGHWAY 15 NEAR CROSSROADS ONYX WAY AND PO CHANCE DRIVE.
Sep 17, 10:00 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	7 Sw Vance, SC	ORANGEBURG COUNTY EM REPORTED DEBRIS ON GROUND, UNKNOWN TYPE AND EXTENT AT REPORT AT HWY 176 AND I-95.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 72 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 1154 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -13 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 652 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 188 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 261 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.0
Supercell composite: 5.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

323 
WFUS52 KCAE 171333
TORCAE
SCC017-075-171400-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0019.200917T1333Z-200917T1400Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
933 AM EDT Thu Sep 17 2020

The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Calhoun County in central South Carolina...
  Southeastern Orangeburg County in central South Carolina...

* Until 1000 AM EDT.
    
* At 932 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Indian Field, moving north at 25 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
  southeastern Calhoun and southeastern Orangeburg Counties,
  including the following locations... Santee and Vance.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 26 between mile markers 163 and 169.
 Interstate 95 between mile markers 85 and 99.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to an interior room or closet on the lowest floor of a
sturdy building immediately.

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. Immediately move to an interior room on the lowest floor of
a sturdy building.

&&

LAT...LON 3328 8061 3352 8065 3350 8044 3348 8044
      3346 8041 3329 8049 3333 8049 3333 8051
      3328 8060
TIME...MOT...LOC 1332Z 190DEG 21KT 3331 8055 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

JAQ

1 follow-up statement

556 
WWUS52 KCAE 171349
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
949 AM EDT Thu Sep 17 2020

SCC017-171358-
/O.CAN.KCAE.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-200917T1400Z/
Calhoun SC-
949 AM EDT Thu Sep 17 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN CALHOUN COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has remained 
out of Calhoun County Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

LAT...LON 3350 8044 3348 8044 3346 8041 3329 8049
      3333 8049 3335 8055 3351 8050
TIME...MOT...LOC 1348Z 214DEG 22KT 3338 8047 

$$

SCC075-171400-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-200917T1400Z/
Orangeburg SC-
949 AM EDT Thu Sep 17 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM EDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL ORANGEBURG COUNTY...
    
At 948 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Holly Hill, or 11 miles north of Indian Field,
moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Santee and Vance. 

This includes Interstate 95 between mile markers 88 and 99.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to an interior room or closet on the lowest floor of a
sturdy building immediately.

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. Immediately move to an interior room on the lowest floor of
a sturdy building.

&&

LAT...LON 3350 8044 3348 8044 3346 8041 3329 8049
      3333 8049 3335 8055 3351 8050
TIME...MOT...LOC 1348Z 214DEG 22KT 3338 8047 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

JAQ

The office that day

Everything else NWS Columbia, SC issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 16, 11:22 PM EDT	River Flood Advisory	CAE	Lexington, Richland	46 hr
Sep 17, 7:56 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Richland, Sumter	34 min
Sep 17, 8:09 AM EDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	CAE	Calhoun, Richland, Sumter	21 min
Sep 17, 8:30 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CAE	Aiken, Edgefield, McCormick	3 hr
Sep 17, 9:22 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CAE	Aiken, Barnwell, Edgefield, McCormick, Newberry, Saluda	3 hr
Sep 17, 9:46 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	CAE	Calhoun, Lexington, Richland	35 hr
Sep 17, 9:46 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	CAE	Calhoun, Richland	3 days
Sep 17, 9:46 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	CAE	Edgefield, McCormick	12 hr
Sep 17, 10:00 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg	45 min
Sep 17, 10:28 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CAE	Bamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter	3 hr
Sep 17, 10:38 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CAE	Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw and 6 more	3 hr
Sep 17, 10:44 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Clarendon, Sumter	46 min
Sep 17, 11:01 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Clarendon, Sumter	29 min
Sep 17, 11:27 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Lee, Sumter	48 min
Sep 17, 11:44 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg, Sumter	46 min
Sep 17, 12:06 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CAE	Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, Richland, Sumter	3 hr
Sep 17, 12:39 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Clarendon, Sumter	33 min
Sep 17, 12:56 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg	36 min
Sep 17, 1:11 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Sumter	49 min
Sep 17, 1:34 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CAE	Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg, Richland, Sumter	3 hr
Sep 17, 2:37 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Lee, Sumter	23 min
Sep 17, 2:52 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Clarendon	40 min
Sep 17, 3:02 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Clarendon, Sumter	28 min
Sep 17, 3:19 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CAE	Clarendon, Lee, Sumter	3 hr
Sep 17, 5:45 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CAE	Clarendon, Orangeburg, Sumter	60 min
Sep 17, 6:08 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Clarendon	22 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2020 Every tornado warning in 2020 Tornadoes in 2020

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.