Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Columbia, SC

August 17, 2021Lexington County, Saluda County, South Carolina

NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Aug 17, 2021, 8:43 PM EDT for Lexington County, Saluda County, South Carolina. It was in force for 32 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, 8:43 PM EDT (00:43 UTC)
Expired: Aug 17, 2021, 9:15 PM EDT
In force: 32 min
Issued by: NWS Columbia, SC
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Lexington County, SC, Saluda County, SC

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 40 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:48 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, 8:47 PM EDT	TORNADO	5 Nnw Batesburg, SC	A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED A VERY WEAK EF0 TORNADO, WITH PEAK WINDS OF 65 MPH, NORTH OF HOLTSON CROSSROADS IN SALUDA COUNTY, SC. THE TORNADO VERY BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF DOUBLE BRIDGES ROAD AND WEST CREEK ROAD,

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, 6:28 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 191 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: 1990 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 710 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 61 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 71 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 2.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

477 
WFUS52 KCAE 180043
TORCAE
SCC063-081-180115-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0019.210818T0043Z-210818T0115Z/

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

The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  West central Lexington County in central South Carolina...
  Southeastern Saluda County in central South Carolina...

* Until 915 PM EDT.
    
* At 843 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Batesburg-Leesville, moving northeast at 15 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
  west central Lexington and southeastern Saluda Counties, including
  the following locations... Delmar, Hollow Creek Public Park, Cedar
  Grove Fire Station, South Shore Marina and Circle Fire Station.

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 3410 8156 3410 8155 3409 8154 3408 8154
      3408 8153 3401 8136 3388 8157 3394 8166
TIME...MOT...LOC 0043Z 215DEG 13KT 3397 8158 

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

$$

fwa

2 follow-up statements

275 
WWUS52 KCAE 180052
SVSCAE

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

SCC063-081-180115-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-210818T0115Z/
Lexington SC-Saluda SC-
852 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM EDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL LEXINGTON AND EAST CENTRAL SALUDA COUNTIES...
    
At 852 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Batesburg-Leesville, moving northeast at 15 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...
Delmar, Cedar Grove Fire Station and Circle Fire Station. 

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.

Tornadoes are extremely difficult to see and confirm at night. Do not
wait to see or hear the tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 3410 8156 3410 8155 3409 8154 3408 8154
      3408 8153 3404 8144 3395 8156 3398 8160
TIME...MOT...LOC 0052Z 215DEG 13KT 3400 8156 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

fwa

690 
WWUS52 KCAE 180105
SVSCAE

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

SCC063-081-180115-
/O.EXP.KCAE.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-210818T0115Z/
Lexington SC-Saluda SC-
905 PM EDT Tue Aug 17 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL LEXINGTON AND EAST CENTRAL
SALUDA COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 915 PM EDT...
                
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 200 AM EDT for central South
Carolina.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Columbia.

LAT...LON 3410 8156 3410 8155 3409 8154 3408 8154
      3408 8153 3404 8144 3395 8156 3398 8160
TIME...MOT...LOC 0105Z 215DEG 13KT 3404 8153 

$$

fwa

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 17, 8:18 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Saluda	42 min
Aug 17, 8:22 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Aiken	53 min
Aug 17, 8:40 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Aiken	50 min
Aug 17, 9:18 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Fairfield, Lexington	42 min
Aug 17, 10:58 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CAE	Calhoun, Lexington, Richland	2 hr
Aug 17, 11:45 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CAE	Lexington, Richland	2 hr

Nearby

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