Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2023

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Columbia, SC

January 4, 2023Lexington County, South Carolina

NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Jan 4, 2023, 10:38 AM EST for Lexington County, South Carolina. It was in force for 22 min. 8 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
Jan 4, 2023, 10:38 AM EST (15:38 UTC)
Expired
Jan 4, 2023, 11:00 AM EST
In force
22 min
Issued by
NWS Columbia, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

County Lexington County, SC

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 15 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:41 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
Jan 4, 10:44 AM ESTTORNADO3 Sse Red Bank, SCA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED AN EF-0 TORNADO WITH PEAK WINDS OF 75 MPH THAT TRACKED ACROSS CENTRAL LEXINGTON COUNTY, NORTH OF SHULER. THE TORNADO LIKELY BEGAN IN A WOODED AREA BETWEEN CATHY LANE AND OLD ORANGEBURG ROAD. THE TORNADO THEN CON
Jan 4, 10:44 AM ESTTORNADO3 Sse Red Bank, SCCORRECTS PREVIOUS TORNADO REPORT FROM 3 SSE RED BANK.A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED AN EF-0 TORNADO WITH PEAK WINDS OF 75 MPH THAT TRACKED ACROSS CENTRAL LEXINGTON COUNTY, NORTH OF SHULER. THE TRACK WAS ADJUSTED ON 1/5/23 TO ACCOUNT FOR PICTU
Jan 4, 10:45 AM ESTTSTM WND DMG3 Se Red Bank, SCPUBLIC REPORT OF TREE DAMAGE AND MISSING GARBAGE CANS ON OLD ORANGEBURG RD BETWEEN PLATT SPRINGS RD AND 302. POSSIBLE TORNADO. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jan 4, 10:45 AM ESTTSTM WND DMG4 Se Gilbert, SCLEXINGTON PD REPORTED TREE DOWN ON POWERLINE ON LIBERTY HILL ROAD. TORNADO POSSIBLE. TIME ESTIMATED.
Jan 4, 10:45 AM ESTTSTM WND DMG5 Ese Gilbert, SCLEXINGTON PD REPORTED TREES AND POWER LINE DOWN ALONG CALKS FERRY ROAD. TORNADOES POSSIBLE. TIME ESTIMATED.
Jan 4, 10:50 AM ESTTSTM WND DMG1 Wsw South Congaree, SCCORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM 1 WSW SOUTH CONGAREE. INCORRECT LOCATION AND WILL BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER. PUBLIC REPORT OF NUMEROUS STRUCTURES DAMAGED IN BLUE RIDGE TERRACE. TORNADO POSSIBLE. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
Jan 4, 10:50 AM ESTTSTM WND DMG1 Wsw South Congaree, SCINCORRECT LOCATION AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND AT THIS LOCATION. DAMAGE WAS FOUND NEARBY ON GATOR ROAD. CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM 1 WSW SOUTH CONGAREE.
Jan 4, 10:50 AM ESTTSTM WND DMG1 Wsw South Congaree, SCPUBLIC REPORT OF NUMEROUS STRUCTURES DAMAGED IN BLUE RIDGE TERRACE. TORNADO POSSIBLE. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jan 4, 8:36 AM ESTTornado WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 3.6 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 2023-01-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 463 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Charleston AFB, SC at 12:00Z on 2023-01-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 131 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
463 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-44 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
555 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
131 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
181 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

271 
WFUS52 KCAE 041538
TORCAE
SCC063-041600-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0003.230104T1538Z-230104T1600Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
1038 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Lexington County in central South Carolina...

* Until 1100 AM EST.
    
* At 1037 AM EST, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located near Red Bank, moving east at 35 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...
  Red Bank around 1050 AM EST.
  Lexington, Cayce and South Congaree around 1055 AM EST.
  Springdale, Oak Grove, Pine Ridge, Columbia Metro Airport and SC 
  State Farmer's Market around 1100 AM EST.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Seven
Oaks, Barr Lake, Red Bank Sports Complex, Edmund and Gilbert.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 44 and 63.
 Interstate 26 between mile markers 111 and 114.

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 3383 8137 3391 8141 3406 8114 3387 8105
TIME...MOT...LOC 1537Z 248DEG 29KT 3389 8132 

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

$$

gpl
1 follow-up statement
529 
WFUS52 KCAE 041547 CCA
TORCAE
SCC063-041615-
/O.COR.KCAE.TO.W.0003.230104T1538Z-230104T1600Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
1047 AM EST Wed Jan 4 2023

The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Lexington County in central South Carolina...

* Until 1100 AM EST.
    
* At 1046 AM EST, a tornado producing storm was located over Red
  Bank, moving east at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar confirmed tornado.

  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 storm will be near...
  Lexington around 1055 AM EST.
  Cayce, South Congaree and Columbia Metro Airport around 1100 AM 
  EST.
  Springdale, Oak Grove, Pine Ridge and SC State Farmer's Market 
  around 1105 AM EST.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Seven
Oaks, Barr Lake, Red Bank Sports Complex, Edmund and Gilbert.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 44 and 63.
 Interstate 26 between mile markers 111 and 114.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. 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 3383 8137 3391 8141 3406 8114 3387 8105
TIME...MOT...LOC 1546Z 248DEG 29KT 3389 8132 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

gpl

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 4, 8:19 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementCAENewberry41 min
Jan 4, 8:23 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementCAEMcCormick52 min
Jan 4, 9:09 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementCAEEdgefield51 min
Jan 4, 9:14 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementCAELancaster46 min
Jan 4, 9:21 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEAiken, Edgefield54 min
Jan 4, 9:41 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEEdgefield, Saluda39 min
Jan 4, 9:56 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEAiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Edgefield, Lexington, Orangeburg49 min
Jan 4, 10:00 AM ESTTornado WarningCAEAiken, Edgefield, Saluda30 min
Jan 4, 10:16 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEAiken, Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland and 1 more44 min
Jan 4, 10:32 AM ESTTornado WarningCAEAiken, Calhoun, Lexington, Orangeburg28 min
Jan 4, 10:35 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatCAEAiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Lexington, Orangeburg and 2 more40 min
Jan 4, 10:54 AM ESTTornado WarningCAECalhoun, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland36 min
Jan 4, 10:55 AM ESTTornado WarningCAECalhoun, Lexington, Richland19 min
Jan 4, 11:13 AM ESTAreal Flood AdvisoryCAEFairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry, Richland, Saluda2 hr
Jan 4, 11:17 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAECalhoun, Clarendon, Kershaw, Lee, Orangeburg, Richland and 1 more58 min
Jan 4, 5:02 PM ESTRiver Flood WarningCAEGreenwood, Newberry, Saluda3 days
Jan 4, 5:02 PM ESTRiver Flood WarningCAECalhoun, Lexington, Richland5 days
Jan 4, 5:02 PM ESTRiver Flood WarningCAECalhoun, Richland8 days
Jan 4, 5:02 PM ESTRiver Flood AdvisoryCAELexington, Richland4 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2023Every tornado warning in 2023Tornadoes in 2023

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.