Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2021
Tornado Warning 15, NWS Columbia, SC
NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Aug 17, 2021, 3:12 PM EDT for Lexington County, Saluda County, South Carolina. It was in force for 48 min. 3 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
- Aug 17, 2021, 3:12 PM EDT (19:12 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 17, 2021, 4:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 48 min
- Issued by
- NWS Columbia, SC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.0 in
Counties Lexington County, SC, Saluda County, SC
The radar
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 36 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 3:12 PM EDT | FUNNEL CLOUD | 4 S Batesburg, SC | SPOTTER REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUD. RAPIDLY ROTATING FUNNEL. |
| Aug 17, 3:31 PM EDT | TORNADO | 3 Nw Summit, SC | A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED AN EF0 TORNADO, WITH PEAK WIND SPEEDS OF 75 MPH, JUST SOUTH OF LAKE MURRAY IN LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC. THE TORNADO PRODUCED SPORADIC AND MAINLY MINOR TREE DAMAGE ALONG ITS PATH AS IT MOVED NORTHWARD FROM NEAR |
| Aug 17, 3:33 PM EDT | TORNADO | 4 Nne Leesville, SC | A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED AN EF0 TORNADO, WITH PEAK WIND SPEEDS OF 75 MPH, NORTH OF LEESVILLE IN LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC, NEAR THE SALUDA COUNTY BORDER. THE TORNADO PRODUCED SPORADIC AND MAINLY MINOR TREE DAMAGE AS IT MOVED NORTHWARD |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 10:42 AM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 8 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 7.2 hours before the alert went out and 184 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.
- 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
The text
As transmitted.
536
WFUS52 KCAE 171912
TORCAE
SCC063-081-172000-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0015.210817T1912Z-210817T2000Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
312 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021
The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Northwestern Lexington County in central South Carolina...
Southeastern Saluda County in central South Carolina...
* Until 400 PM EDT.
* At 311 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Batesburg-Leesville, 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 dangerous storm will be near...
Batesburg-Leesville around 325 PM EDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Cedar
Grove Fire Station, South Shore Marina, Oswald Park, Fredonia, Shull
Island, Siesta Cove Marina, Summit, Murray, Camp Kinard and Lake
Murray Shores.
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 3411 8158 3407 8150 3409 8146 3407 8139
3409 8139 3408 8134 3379 8145 3383 8152
3386 8154 3386 8156 3388 8157 3386 8160
3387 8162
TIME...MOT...LOC 1911Z 189DEG 20KT 3385 8153
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
$$1 follow-up statement
608
WWUS52 KCAE 171929
SVSCAE
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
329 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021
SCC081-171937-
/O.CAN.KCAE.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-210817T2000Z/
Saluda SC-
329 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SALUDA COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning is expected to
stay east of Saluda County. Therefore, the warning for Saluda
County has been cancelled.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 700 PM EDT for central South
Carolina.
LAT...LON 3409 8146 3408 8145 3408 8143 3407 8139
3409 8139 3408 8134 3391 8141 3394 8154
TIME...MOT...LOC 1927Z 202DEG 28KT 3396 8146
$$
SCC063-172000-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-210817T2000Z/
Lexington SC-
329 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM EDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN LEXINGTON COUNTY...
At 327 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located about 4 miles northeast of Batesburg-Leesville, 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 tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
northwestern Lexington County, including the following locations...
Cedar Grove Fire Station, South Shore Marina, Oswald Park, Fredonia,
Shull Island, Hollow Creek Public Park, Siesta Cove Marina, Summit,
Murray and Gilbert.
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 3409 8146 3408 8145 3408 8143 3407 8139
3409 8139 3408 8134 3391 8141 3394 8154
TIME...MOT...LOC 1927Z 202DEG 28KT 3396 8146
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
$$The office that day
Everything else NWS Columbia, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 12:31 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | CAE | Aiken, Edgefield, McCormick, Saluda | 59 min |
| Aug 17, 12:59 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Edgefield | 46 min |
| Aug 17, 1:34 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | CAE | Aiken, Edgefield, Saluda | 56 min |
| Aug 17, 1:44 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Edgefield, McCormick, Saluda | 17 min |
| Aug 17, 1:55 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Aiken, Edgefield, Lexington, Saluda | 50 min |
| Aug 17, 2:08 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Aiken | 37 min |
| Aug 17, 2:31 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Barnwell | 44 min |
| Aug 17, 3:17 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | CAE | Aiken, Edgefield, Lexington, Newberry, Saluda | 58 min |
| Aug 17, 3:48 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland | 42 min |
| Aug 17, 4:25 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Fairfield, Newberry | 50 min |
| Aug 17, 4:31 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | CAE | Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, Saluda | 59 min |
| Aug 17, 4:48 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Bamberg, Orangeburg | 42 min |
| Aug 17, 4:56 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Orangeburg | 34 min |
| Aug 17, 5:29 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | CAE | Calhoun, Kershaw, Lexington, Richland | 3 hr |
| Aug 17, 5:29 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Calhoun, Orangeburg | 46 min |
| Aug 17, 7:43 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CAE | Aiken | 32 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.