Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC

May 3, 2021Abbeville County, Greenwood County, South Carolina

NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued this tornado warning at May 3, 2021, 2:09 PM EDT for Abbeville County, Greenwood County, South Carolina. It was in force for 51 min. 10 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: May 3, 2021, 2:09 PM EDT (18:09 UTC)
Expired: May 3, 2021, 3:00 PM EDT
In force: 51 min
Issued by: NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Observed
Damage threat: Considerable
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Abbeville County, SC, Greenwood County, SC

The radar

The Greer radar (KGSP), 85 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:08 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
May 3, 2:25 PM EDT	TORNADO	7 S Antreville, SC	EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE TO A BRICK HOME AT FAIRFIELD CHURCH RD AND GASSOWAY FARM RD.
May 3, 2:36 PM EDT	TORNADO	5 Nne Abbeville, SC	TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE ON OLD DOUGLAS MILLS ROAD. REPORTED MULTIPLE LARGE TREES DOWN AND DEBRIS IN THE ROAD.
May 3, 2:37 PM EDT	TORNADO	5 N Abbeville, SC	BROADCAST MEDIA REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE ON STEVENSON ROAD JUST OFF HIGHWAY 20. REPORTED TREES DOWN AND A ROOF LIFTED OFF A BUILDING.
May 3, 2:40 PM EDT	TORNADO	1 Ne Abbeville, SC	BROADCAST MEDIA REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE ALONG OLD HODGES RD. REPORTED TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN.
May 3, 2:40 PM EDT	TORNADO	5 Wsw Hodges, SC	BROADCAST MEDIA REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE ALONG HIGHWAY 203. REPORTED MULTIPLE LARGE TREES UPROOTED, FENCES BLOWN DOWN, SHEDS DAMAGED HEAVILY, A TREE FELL ONTO A MOBILE HOME, DAMAGE TO ANOTHER HOUSE IN THE AREA WITH TREES IN THE YARD ALSO DAMAGED.
May 3, 2:53 PM EDT	HAIL 1.75	1 Nw Abbeville, SC	SPOTTER NETWORK REPORT OF GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL.
May 3, 2:53 PM EDT	TORNADO	4 Nw Greenwood, SC	EMERGENCY MNGR REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE NEAR CALHOUN RD & MONTAGUE AVENUE EXT. REPORTED DOWNED TREES AND POWERLINES BLOCKING ROADS.
May 3, 2:53 PM EDT	TORNADO	4 Nw Greenwood, SC	EMERGENCY MNGR REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO ON CALHOUN RD. DAMAGE TO STORAGE BUILDINGS, DOWNED TREES BLOCKING THE ROAD, AND DOWNED POWERLINES.
May 3, 2:54 PM EDT	TORNADO	3 Nw Greenwood, SC	EMERGENCY MNGR REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE ON CRESTMONT DRIVE. REPORTED A STORAGE BUILDING WAS BLOWN ONTO A ROOF OF A HOME.
May 3, 2:54 PM EDT	TORNADO	3 Nw Greenwood, SC	EMERGENCY MNGR REPORTED POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE ON MONTAGUE AVENUE EXT. A CAR DEALERSHIP HAD TENTS BLOWN INTO THE CARS ON THE LOT. POSSIBLE ROOF DAMAGE AS SHINGLES WERE DISCOVERED IN THE ROAD NEAR THE DEALERSHIP.

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
May 3, 1:25 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 6.2 hours before the alert went out and 198 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: 674 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -54 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 671 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 207 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 272 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.8
Supercell composite: 4.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

408 
WFUS52 KGSP 031809
TORGSP
SCC001-047-031900-
/O.NEW.KGSP.TO.W.0019.210503T1809Z-210503T1900Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
209 PM EDT Mon May 3 2021

The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Abbeville County in Upstate South Carolina...
  Northwestern Greenwood County in Upstate South Carolina...

* Until 300 PM EDT.

* At 209 PM EDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado
  was located 13 miles northeast of Elberton, or near Lowndesville,
  moving east at 30 mph.

  This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

  SOURCE...Emergency Management confirmed tornado.

  IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris 
           may be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile 
           homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
           businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete 
           destruction is possible.

* The tornado will be near...
  Lake Secession around 220 PM EDT.
  Abbeville and Due West around 240 PM EDT.
  Hodges and Shoals Junction around 250 PM EDT.
  Greenwood and Cokesbury around 300 PM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly
tornado is on the ground. To protect your life, 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.

Please report damaging winds, hail, or flooding to the National
Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg by calling toll free, 1, 800,
2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet it using
hashtag nwsgsp. Your message should describe the event and the
specific location where it occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3413 8268 3415 8272 3416 8272 3417 8273
      3422 8273 3440 8223 3418 8216 3412 8267
TIME...MOT...LOC 1809Z 256DEG 28KT 3420 8265 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

8

4 follow-up statements

338 
WWUS52 KGSP 031813
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
213 PM EDT Mon May 3 2021

SCC001-047-031900-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-210503T1900Z/
Abbeville SC-Greenwood SC-
213 PM EDT Mon May 3 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
ABBEVILLE AND NORTHWESTERN GREENWOOD COUNTIES...
    
At 212 PM EDT, a storm with a history of producing a tornado was 
located 14 miles west of Abbeville, or near Lowndesville, moving 
east at 30 mph.

This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Emergency management confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may 
         be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes 
         will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
         businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction 
         is possible.

The tornado will be near...
  Abbeville and Due West around 240 PM EDT.
  Shoals Junction around 250 PM EDT.
  Greenwood, Cokesbury and Hodges around 300 PM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a large, extremely dangerous and potentially deadly
tornado is on the ground. To protect your life, 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.

Please report damaging winds, hail, or flooding to the National
Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg by calling toll free, 1, 800,
2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet it using
hashtag nwsgsp. Your message should describe the event and the
specific location where it occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3412 8265 3424 8267 3440 8223 3418 8216
TIME...MOT...LOC 1812Z 256DEG 27KT 3420 8263 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

8

544 
WWUS52 KGSP 031818
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
218 PM EDT Mon May 3 2021

SCC001-047-031900-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-210503T1900Z/
Abbeville SC-Greenwood SC-
218 PM EDT Mon May 3 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
ABBEVILLE AND NORTHWESTERN GREENWOOD COUNTIES...
        
At 218 PM EDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was
located 11 miles west of Abbeville, or 4 miles east of Lowndesville,
moving east at 30 mph.

This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may 
         be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes 
         will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
         businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction 
         is possible.

The tornado will be near...
  Abbeville and Due West around 240 PM EDT.
  Hodges and Shoals Junction around 250 PM EDT.
  Greenwood, Cokesbury and Ware Shoals around 300 PM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

This storm has a history of producing strong tornadoes. Another
strong tornado could develop at any time. Move to a basement or an
interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.

Please report damaging winds, hail, or flooding to the National
Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg by calling toll free, 1, 800,
2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet it using
hashtag nwsgsp. Your message should describe the event and the
specific location where it occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3417 8261 3425 8263 3428 8257 3440 8223
      3420 8217
TIME...MOT...LOC 1818Z 252DEG 28KT 3422 8257 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

8

832 
WWUS52 KGSP 031836
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
236 PM EDT Mon May 3 2021

SCC001-047-031900-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-210503T1900Z/
Abbeville SC-Greenwood SC-
236 PM EDT Mon May 3 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL ABBEVILLE AND NORTHWESTERN GREENWOOD COUNTIES...
        
At 236 PM EDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was
located near Abbeville, moving east at 35 mph.

This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may 
         be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes 
         will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
         businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction 
         is possible.

The tornado will be near...
  Hodges and Cokesbury around 250 PM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

This storm has a history of producing strong tornadoes. Another
strong tornado could develop at any time. Move to a basement or an
interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.

Please report damaging winds, hail, or flooding to the National
Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg by calling toll free, 1, 800,
2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet it using
hashtag nwsgsp. Your message should describe the event and the
specific location where it occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3418 8247 3426 8249 3435 8222 3420 8217
TIME...MOT...LOC 1836Z 259DEG 31KT 3424 8238 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

8

762 
WWUS52 KGSP 031845
SVSGSP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
245 PM EDT Mon May 3 2021

SCC001-047-031900-
/O.CON.KGSP.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-210503T1900Z/
Abbeville SC-Greenwood SC-
245 PM EDT Mon May 3 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL ABBEVILLE AND NORTHWESTERN GREENWOOD COUNTIES...
        
At 244 PM EDT, a confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado was
located 6 miles northeast of Abbeville, or 4 miles southwest of
Hodges, moving east at 35 mph.

This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...You are in a life-threatening situation. Flying debris may 
         be deadly to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes 
         will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, 
         businesses, and vehicles is likely and complete destruction 
         is possible.

The tornado will be near...
  Hodges and Cokesbury around 250 PM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

This storm has a history of producing strong tornadoes. Another
strong tornado could develop at any time. Move to a basement or an
interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.

Please report damaging winds, hail, or flooding to the National
Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg by calling toll free, 1, 800,
2 6 7, 8 1 0 1, or by posting on our Facebook page, or Tweet it using
hashtag nwsgsp. Your message should describe the event and the
specific location where it occurred.

&&

LAT...LON 3420 8232 3423 8236 3427 8233 3431 8220
      3421 8217
TIME...MOT...LOC 1844Z 262DEG 30KT 3424 8230 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
TORNADO DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

8

The office that day

Everything else NWS Greenville-Spartanburg, SC issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 3, 11:58 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	GSP	Cherokee	32 min
May 3, 12:38 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Cherokee, York	37 min
May 3, 1:34 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Abbeville	41 min
May 3, 1:56 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Abbeville	49 min
May 3, 2:22 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Abbeville	38 min
May 3, 2:43 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Abbeville	18 min
May 3, 2:49 PM EDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threat	GSP	Greenwood, Laurens	41 min
May 3, 2:59 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	GSP	Abbeville, Greenwood	26 min
May 3, 3:23 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenwood, Laurens	34 min
May 3, 3:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Greenwood	32 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.