Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Columbia, SC

March 16, 2025Burke County, Georgia; Barnwell County, South Carolina

NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 16, 2025, 6:55 AM EDT for Burke County, Georgia; Barnwell County, South Carolina. It was in force for 24 min. 4 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 16, 2025, 6:55 AM EDT (10:55 UTC)
Expired: Mar 16, 2025, 7:19 AM EDT
In force: 24 min
Issued by: NWS Columbia, SC
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Burke County, GA, Barnwell County, SC

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:54 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 16, 6:56 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Ene Sardis, GA	Sheriff Dispatch reported a tree down blocking both lanes at the intersection of Johnson Road and Ellison Bridge Road near Sardis.
Mar 16, 7:00 AM EDT	TORNADO	2 Ese Girard, GA	A National Weather Service storm survey determined that one of two close proximity EF-0 tornadoes touched down east of Girard, GA with peak wind speeds of 80 mph. The northernmost tornado began near the intersection of Stoney Bluff Road and Thankful Church Roa
Mar 16, 7:01 AM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	4 Ese Girard, GA	Reported a tree blocking the roadway near the intersection of Stoney Bluff Road and Royal Road.
Mar 16, 7:01 AM EDT	TORNADO	3 Ese Girard, GA	A National Weather Service storm survey determined that one of two close proximity EF-0 tornadoes touched down east of Girard, GA with peak wind speeds of 80 mph. The southernmost of these two tornadoes began along Royal Road just north of Stoney Bluff Road ca

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
Mar 16, 2:18 AM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr
Mar 16, 6:12 AM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 00:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 154 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: 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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

206 
WFUS52 KCAE 161055
TORCAE
GAC033-SCC011-161130-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0005.250316T1055Z-250316T1130Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
655 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025

The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Burke County in east central Georgia...
  South central Barnwell County in central South Carolina...

* Until 730 AM EDT.

* At 655 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Sardis, or 9 miles south of Plant Vogtle, moving
  northeast at 50 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
  southeastern Burke and south central Barnwell Counties, including
  the following locations... Girard.

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 3294 8181 3302 8188 3323 8156 3314 8145
      3316 8154 3310 8162 3307 8159 3307 8158
      3305 8157 3306 8156 3304 8156 3291 8176
TIME...MOT...LOC 1055Z 247DEG 42KT 3300 8173 

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

$$

MG

2 follow-up statements

211 
WWUS52 KCAE 161106
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
706 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025

GAC033-SCC011-161130-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-250316T1130Z/
Burke GA-Barnwell SC-
706 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 AM EDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL BURKE AND SOUTH CENTRAL BARNWELL COUNTIES...

At 706 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Millett, or 12 miles southeast of Plant Vogtle,
moving northeast at 50 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...
Girard.

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 3323 8156 3314 8145 3316 8154 3310 8162
      3307 8159 3307 8158 3305 8157 3306 8156
      3304 8156 3297 8167 3310 8175
TIME...MOT...LOC 1106Z 247DEG 42KT 3305 8158 

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

$$

MG

980 
WWUS52 KCAE 161119
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
719 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025

GAC033-SCC011-161128-
/O.CAN.KCAE.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-250316T1130Z/
Burke GA-Barnwell SC-
719 AM EDT Sun Mar 16 2025

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL BURKE AND SOUTH CENTRAL
BARNWELL COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 AM EDT for east central
Georgia. A Tornado Watch also remains in effect until 200 PM EDT for
central South Carolina.

Remember, a Tornado Warning still remains in effect for Barnwell 
county.

LAT...LON 3323 8156 3314 8145 3316 8154 3310 8162
      3307 8159 3307 8158 3305 8157 3306 8156
      3304 8156 3297 8167 3310 8175
TIME...MOT...LOC 1118Z 247DEG 42KT 3310 8144 

$$

MG

The 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	Burke, Columbia, McDuffie, Richmond	59 min
Mar 16, 5:39 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Burke	51 min
Mar 16, 5:56 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Burke, Columbia, McDuffie, Richmond	49 min
Mar 16, 6:15 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Richmond	30 min
Mar 16, 6:29 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Burke, Richmond	46 min
Mar 16, 6:42 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Burke, Columbia, Richmond	48 min
Mar 16, 7:12 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CAE	Burke	48 min
Mar 16, 6:31 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	CAE	Aiken, Edgefield	29 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

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2025 Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 2025 Every tornado warning in 2025 Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.