Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2025
Tornado Warning 3, NWS Columbia, SC
NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 16, 2025, 6:15 AM EDT for Aiken County, South Carolina; Richmond County, Georgia. It was in force for 30 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 16, 2025, 6:15 AM EDT (10:15 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 16, 2025, 6:45 AM EDT
- In force
- 30 min
- Issued by
- NWS Columbia, SC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.75 in
Counties Richmond County, GA, Aiken County, SC
The radar
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:14 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.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2:18 AM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 9 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 00:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 187 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 5 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -16 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1048 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 30 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 46 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 88 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
493
WFUS52 KCAE 161015
TORCAE
GAC245-SCC003-161045-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0003.250316T1015Z-250316T1045Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
615 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025
The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Eastern Richmond County in east central Georgia...
Southwestern Aiken County in central South Carolina...
* Until 645 AM EDT.
* At 615 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Augusta Regional Airport, or 9 miles south of
Augusta, moving northeast at 45 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...
Clearwater, North Augusta, Augusta Regional Airport, Glendale,
Midtown, and Augusta around 620 AM EDT.
Gloverville and Belvedere around 625 AM EDT.
Graniteville and Aiken around 630 AM EDT.
New Ellenton, Aiken Mall, and USC Aiken around 635 AM EDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Minnick Park, Riverside Village at Hammond's Ferry, Hillcrest
Memorial Park, Hopeland Gardens, New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam Park,
Glenn Hills, Burnettown, Westover, Kroc Center, and Miles Park.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 13 and 14.
Interstate 520 in Georgia between mile markers 5 and 15.
Interstate 520 in South Carolina between mile markers 16 and 21.
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 3326 8200 3338 8213 3364 8180 3345 8164
TIME...MOT...LOC 1015Z 231DEG 38KT 3335 8201
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
CRL2 follow-up statements
593
WWUS52 KCAE 161032
SVSCAE
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
632 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025
GAC245-161042-
/O.CAN.KCAE.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-250316T1045Z/
Richmond GA-
632 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EASTERN RICHMOND COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 AM EDT for east central
Georgia...and central South Carolina.
LAT...LON 3343 8192 3344 8191 3347 8193 3348 8196
3349 8197 3364 8180 3345 8164 3335 8185
TIME...MOT...LOC 1032Z 231DEG 38KT 3345 8186
$$
SCC003-161045-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-250316T1045Z/
Aiken SC-
632 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 AM EDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL AIKEN COUNTY...
At 632 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Clearwater, moving northeast at 45 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...
Gloverville, Clearwater, New Ellenton, North Augusta, Aiken Mall,
Graniteville, USC Aiken, and Aiken around 635 AM EDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Vaucluse, Burnettown, Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site, Boyd
Pond Park, and Hopeland Gardens.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 20 in South Carolina near mile marker 14.
Interstate 520 in South Carolina between mile markers 16 and 20.
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 3343 8192 3344 8191 3347 8193 3348 8196
3349 8197 3364 8180 3345 8164 3335 8185
TIME...MOT...LOC 1032Z 231DEG 38KT 3345 8186
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
CRL089
WWUS52 KCAE 161045
SVSCAE
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
645 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025
SCC003-161054-
/O.EXP.KCAE.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-250316T1045Z/
Aiken SC-
645 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL AIKEN COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
645 AM EDT...
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 AM EDT for east central
Georgia...and central South Carolina.
Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect.
LAT...LON 3343 8192 3344 8191 3347 8193 3348 8196
3349 8197 3364 8180 3345 8164 3335 8185
TIME...MOT...LOC 1044Z 231DEG 38KT 3352 8176
$$
CRLThe office that day
Everything else NWS Columbia, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 5:01 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | McCormick | 59 min |
| Mar 16, 5:56 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Aiken, Edgefield | 49 min |
| Mar 16, 6:29 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Aiken, Barnwell | 46 min |
| Mar 16, 6:31 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Aiken, Edgefield | 29 min |
| Mar 16, 6:42 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Aiken, Edgefield, Lexington, Newberry, Saluda | 48 min |
| Mar 16, 6:55 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Barnwell | 24 min |
| Mar 16, 7:12 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Orangeburg | 48 min |
| Mar 16, 7:14 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Bamberg, Barnwell | 31 min |
| Mar 16, 7:25 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Aiken, Calhoun, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland and 1 more | 65 min |
| Mar 16, 7:39 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland | 36 min |
| Mar 16, 7:58 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Bamberg, Calhoun, Orangeburg, Richland | 62 min |
| Mar 16, 8:39 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CAE | Chesterfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Richland | 66 min |
| Mar 16, 8:45 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Kershaw, Lee, Richland, Sumter | 60 min |
| Mar 16, 8:51 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CAE | Calhoun, Clarendon, Sumter | 54 min |
| Mar 16, 9:46 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CAE | Bamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg | 59 min |
| Mar 16, 5:59 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CAE | Chesterfield | 31 min |
| Mar 16, 6:22 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CAE | Lexington, Richland | 38 min |
| Mar 16, 6:34 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CAE | Lancaster | 41 min |
| Mar 16, 5:39 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Burke | 51 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2025Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2025Every tornado warning in 2025Tornadoes in 2025
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.