Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Columbia, SC

June 20, 2021Aiken County, Lexington County, Saluda County, South Carolina

NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Jun 20, 2021, 2:25 PM EDT for Aiken County, Lexington County, Saluda County, South Carolina. It was in force for 35 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
Jun 20, 2021, 2:25 PM EDT (18:25 UTC)
Expired
Jun 20, 2021, 3:00 PM EDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Columbia, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

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

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 47 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:28 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
Jun 20, 2:30 PM EDTFUNNEL CLOUD7 Sw Wagener, SCSOCIAL MEDIA REPORT OF A FUNNEL CLOUD WEST OF WAGENER. OBSERVER WAS ON KITCHINGS MILL RD AND WAGENER RD LOOKING WEST-NORTHWEST.

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, 6.4 hours before the alert went out and 162 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 2021-06-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1312 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 2021-06-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 199 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1312 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
848 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
199 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
209 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
6.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

297 
WFUS52 KCAE 201825
TORCAE
SCC003-063-081-201900-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0009.210620T1825Z-210620T1900Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
225 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 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...
  Southeastern Saluda County in central South Carolina...

* Until 300 PM EDT.
    
* At 225 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Aiken State Park, or 11 miles east of Aiken,
  moving northeast 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
  southwestern Lexington, northeastern Aiken and southeastern Saluda
  Counties, including the following locations... Steedman, New
  Holland, Samaria Fire Station, Cedar Pond Campground, Pelion and
  Wagener.

This includes Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 29
and 40.
 
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 3353 8152 3356 8158 3389 8157 3377 8123
TIME...MOT...LOC 1825Z 203DEG 24KT 3358 8153 

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

$$

awp
2 follow-up statements
088 
WWUS52 KCAE 201845
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
245 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

SCC081-201855-
/O.CAN.KCAE.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-210620T1900Z/
Saluda SC-
245 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SALUDA COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has  moved out 
of the warned area.  Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

LAT...LON 3362 8145 3367 8153 3388 8154 3377 8123
TIME...MOT...LOC 1845Z 210DEG 24KT 3368 8146 

$$

SCC003-063-201900-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-210620T1900Z/
Lexington SC-Aiken SC-
245 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN LEXINGTON AND NORTHEASTERN AIKEN COUNTIES...
    
At 245 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 9 miles north of Aiken State Park, or 16 miles south of
Batesburg-Leesville, 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...
Pelion, Steedman, New Holland, Samaria Fire Station and Cedar Pond
Campground.

This includes Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 33
and 41.
 
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 8145 3367 8153 3388 8154 3377 8123
TIME...MOT...LOC 1845Z 210DEG 24KT 3368 8146 

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

$$

awp
451 
WWUS52 KCAE 201857
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
257 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

SCC003-063-201906-
/O.EXP.KCAE.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-210620T1900Z/
Lexington SC-Aiken SC-
257 PM EDT Sun Jun 20 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN LEXINGTON AND NORTHEASTERN
AIKEN COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 300 PM EDT...
                
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe 
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado at this 
time. Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.  Gusty winds 
are still possible with this thunderstorm.

LAT...LON 3362 8145 3367 8153 3388 8154 3377 8123
TIME...MOT...LOC 1856Z 203DEG 24KT 3374 8143 

$$

CJR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 20, 2:03 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchCAEAiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Chesterfield, Clarendon and 12 more17 hr
Jun 20, 1:18 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAEEdgefield42 min
Jun 20, 1:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAEAiken25 min
Jun 20, 1:52 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAEAiken, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, Richland113 min
Jun 20, 2:18 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAEAiken27 min
Jun 20, 3:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAECalhoun, Lexington47 min
Jun 20, 3:33 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAEAiken, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, Richland and 1 more117 min
Jun 20, 3:49 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAELexington, Richland26 min
Jun 20, 4:04 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCAECalhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, Richland3 hr
Jun 20, 4:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAERichland44 min
Jun 20, 4:34 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAECalhoun, Orangeburg41 min
Jun 20, 5:03 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAEKershaw27 min
Jun 20, 5:10 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAEFairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster3 hr
Jun 20, 5:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAEClarendon, Lee, Sumter46 min
Jun 20, 5:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAEKershaw, Lancaster55 min
Jun 20, 6:06 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAEChesterfield, Kershaw, Lancaster3 hr
Jun 20, 6:31 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAEChesterfield59 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.