Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Columbia, SC

March 31, 2021Aiken County, Lexington County, South Carolina

NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 31, 2021, 5:44 PM EDT for Aiken County, Lexington County, South Carolina. It was in force for 20 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: Mar 31, 2021, 5:44 PM EDT (21:44 UTC)
Expired: Mar 31, 2021, 6:04 PM EDT
In force: 20 min
Issued by: NWS Columbia, SC
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Aiken County, SC, Lexington County, SC

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 50 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:46 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
Mar 31, 5:46 PM EDT	HAIL 0.75	9 Sse Monetta, SC	SPOTTER REPORTED HAIL RANGING IN SIZE FROM 1/4 INCH TO 3/4 INCH. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Mar 31, 5:58 PM EDT	HAIL 0.25	12 W Wagener, SC
Mar 31, 6:00 PM EDT	HAIL 0.25	8 Wnw Wagener, SC	SPOTTER ALSO REPORTED A WALL CLOUD DEVELOPING. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

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, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 170 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: 717 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 567 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 57 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 122 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

948 
WFUS52 KCAE 312144
TORCAE
SCC003-063-312215-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0006.210331T2144Z-210331T2215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
544 PM EDT Wed Mar 31 2021

The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Lexington County in central South Carolina...
  Northeastern Aiken County in central South Carolina...

* Until 615 PM EDT.
    
* At 543 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Aiken Municipal Airport, or 8 miles north of
  Aiken, moving east at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  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
  southwestern Lexington and northeastern Aiken Counties, including
  the following locations... New Holland, Cedar Pond Campground and
  Steedman.

A stomr spotter has reported nickel size hail and strong strong 
rotation in Warrenville.

This includes Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 20
and 35.
 
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.

&&

LAT...LON 3362 8171 3370 8173 3383 8135 3368 8130
TIME...MOT...LOC 2143Z 254DEG 39KT 3367 8167 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

fwa

2 follow-up statements

576 
WWUS52 KCAE 312158
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
558 PM EDT Wed Mar 31 2021

SCC003-063-312215-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-210331T2215Z/
Lexington SC-Aiken SC-
558 PM EDT Wed Mar 31 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN LEXINGTON AND NORTHEASTERN AIKEN COUNTIES...
    
At 557 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 11 miles north of Aiken State Park, or 13 miles south of
Batesburg-Leesville, moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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...
New Holland, Cedar Pond Campground and Steedman. 

This includes Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 29
and 36.

This storm has a history of producing wind damage and hail.
 
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.

Report tornadoes, large hail, damaging winds or flooding directly to
the Columbia National Weather Service at 803-234-
4115 when it is safe to do so. You can also send reports by Facebook
or Twitter to NWSColumbia or by e-mail at NWS.Columbia@noaa.gov.

&&

LAT...LON 3364 8156 3375 8159 3383 8135 3368 8130
TIME...MOT...LOC 2157Z 254DEG 39KT 3371 8148 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

fwa

242 
WWUS52 KCAE 312204
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
604 PM EDT Wed Mar 31 2021

SCC003-063-312214-
/O.CAN.KCAE.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-210331T2215Z/
Lexington SC-Aiken SC-
604 PM EDT Wed Mar 31 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN LEXINGTON AND NORTHEASTERN
AIKEN COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
    
The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

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

LAT...LON 3364 8156 3375 8159 3383 8135 3368 8130
TIME...MOT...LOC 2203Z 254DEG 39KT 3373 8139 

$$

fwa

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 31, 2:11 PM EDT	Freeze Watch	CAE	Aiken, Chesterfield, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster and 7 more	13 hr
Mar 31, 3:43 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Richland	32 min
Mar 31, 3:53 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Clarendon	37 min
Mar 31, 4:56 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Clarendon	49 min
Mar 31, 5:05 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Edgefield, Saluda	40 min
Mar 31, 5:19 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Aiken, Edgefield, Saluda	41 min
Mar 31, 5:39 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Aiken, Edgefield, Lexington, Saluda	51 min
Mar 31, 6:04 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Dorchester	41 min
Mar 31, 6:56 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CAE	Calhoun	34 min

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.