Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Columbia, SC

August 17, 20214 counties in South Carolina

NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Aug 17, 2021, 1:55 PM EDT for 4 counties in South Carolina. It was in force for 50 min. 1 report 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
Aug 17, 2021, 1:55 PM EDT (17:55 UTC)
Expired
Aug 17, 2021, 2:45 PM EDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Columbia, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Aiken County, SC, Edgefield County, SC, Lexington County, SC, Saluda County, SC

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 53 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:00 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 17, 2:21 PM EDTFUNNEL CLOUD1 Wnw Ridge Spring, SCSPOTTER REPORTS FUNNEL CLOUD ALONG US 23 ABOUT ONE MILE WEST OF RIDGE SPRINGS.

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

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Aug 17, 10:42 AM EDTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 5.9 hours before the alert went out and 180 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Charleston AFB, SC at 12:00Z on 2021-08-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1066 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Charleston AFB, SC at 12:00Z on 2021-08-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 84 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
1066 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
639 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
84 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
92 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

798 
WFUS52 KCAE 171755
TORCAE
SCC003-037-063-081-171845-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0012.210817T1755Z-210817T1845Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
155 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  East central Edgefield County in central South Carolina...
  Western Lexington County in central South Carolina...
  North central Aiken County in central South Carolina...
  Southeastern Saluda County in central South Carolina...

* Until 245 PM EDT.
    
* At 155 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Aiken Municipal Airport, or 7 miles north of
  Aiken, moving north at 30 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 dangerous storm will be near...
  Ridge Spring around 220 PM EDT.
  Batesburg-Leesville around 240 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Emory,
Camp Kinard, Saluda Co Sheriff's Office, Ward, Hibernia, Kneece and
Monetta.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3361 8162 3366 8182 3400 8173 3389 8143
TIME...MOT...LOC 1755Z 202DEG 25KT 3367 8172 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$
1 follow-up statement
665 
WWUS52 KCAE 171821
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
221 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

SCC003-037-063-081-171845-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-210817T1845Z/
Edgefield SC-Lexington SC-Aiken SC-Saluda SC-
221 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 245 PM EDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL EDGEFIELD...WESTERN LEXINGTON...NORTH CENTRAL AIKEN AND
SOUTHEASTERN SALUDA COUNTIES...
    
At 219 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado 
was located between Ward and Ridge Spring, or 8 miles southwest of 
Batesburg-Leesville, moving north at 30 mph. Also within the tornado 
warning area, we are monitoring a second circulation is northwest of 
the Aiken Municipal Airport. 

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 dangerous storm will be near...
  Batesburg-Leesville around 240 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Emory,
Hibernia, Saluda Co Sheriff's Office, Ward and Monetta.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3363 8164 3367 8179 3400 8173 3392 8151
TIME...MOT...LOC 1819Z 202DEG 25KT 3383 8164 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

LCV

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 17, 12:31 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAEAiken, Edgefield, McCormick, Saluda59 min
Aug 17, 12:59 PM EDTTornado WarningCAEEdgefield46 min
Aug 17, 1:34 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAEAiken, Edgefield, Saluda56 min
Aug 17, 1:44 PM EDTTornado WarningCAEEdgefield, McCormick, Saluda17 min
Aug 17, 2:08 PM EDTTornado WarningCAEAiken37 min
Aug 17, 2:31 PM EDTTornado WarningCAEBarnwell44 min
Aug 17, 3:12 PM EDTTornado WarningCAELexington, Saluda48 min
Aug 17, 3:17 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAEAiken, Edgefield, Lexington, Newberry, Saluda58 min
Aug 17, 3:48 PM EDTTornado WarningCAEFairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland42 min
Aug 17, 4:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEFairfield, Newberry50 min
Aug 17, 4:31 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAEFairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, Saluda59 min
Aug 17, 4:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEBamberg, Orangeburg42 min
Aug 17, 4:56 PM EDTTornado WarningCAEOrangeburg34 min
Aug 17, 5:29 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAECalhoun, Kershaw, Lexington, Richland3 hr
Aug 17, 5:29 PM EDTTornado WarningCAECalhoun, Orangeburg46 min
Aug 17, 7:43 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAEAiken32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2021Every tornado warning in 2021Tornadoes in 2021

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.