Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 1, NWS Columbia, SC
NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 12, 2026, 8:28 AM EDT for Columbia County, McDuffie County, Richmond County, Georgia. It was in force for 32 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
- Mar 12, 2026, 8:28 AM EDT (12:28 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 12, 2026, 9:00 AM EDT
- In force
- 32 min
- Issued by
- NWS Columbia, SC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.0 in
Counties Columbia County, GA, McDuffie County, GA, Richmond County, GA
The radar
The Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 121 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:32 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 12, 8:28 AM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Se Thomson, GA | McDuffie County dispatch reported numerous trees and several power lines down throughout the county. |
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 12, 7:14 AM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 229 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1447 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 52 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 202 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 186 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
647
WFUS52 KCAE 121228
TORCAE
GAC073-189-245-121300-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0001.260312T1228Z-260312T1300Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
828 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Southeastern McDuffie County in east central Georgia...
Southwestern Columbia County in east central Georgia...
West central Richmond County in east central Georgia...
* Until 900 AM EDT.
* At 828 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Thomson, moving east at 40 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...
Grovetown and Harlem around 835 AM EDT.
Fort Gordon around 845 AM EDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Autney, Boneville, Leitner Lake Conference Center, Liberty Park
Community Center, Arties Pond Public Fishing Area, McDuffie County
Fire Department, Adamsville, Bath-Edie, Dearing, and Blythe.
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.
This cluster of thunderstorms is capable of producing tornadoes and
widespread significant wind damage. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest
floor of a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3349 8248 3345 8213 3331 8216 3335 8253
3336 8254
TIME...MOT...LOC 1228Z 281DEG 35KT 3342 8244
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
$$
DH2 follow-up statements
146
WWUS52 KCAE 121243
SVSCAE
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
843 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
GAC073-189-245-121300-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-260312T1300Z/
McDuffie GA-Columbia GA-Richmond GA-
843 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN MCDUFFIE...SOUTHWESTERN COLUMBIA AND WEST CENTRAL
RICHMOND COUNTIES...
At 843 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Harlem, or near Grovetown, moving east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
This dangerous storm will be near...
Grovetown and Fort Gordon around 850 AM EDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Adamsville, Bath-Edie, Leitner Lake Conference Center, Liberty Park
Community Center, Dearing, and Blythe.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to an interior room or closet on the lowest floor of a
sturdy building immediately.
This cluster of thunderstorms is capable of producing tornadoes and
widespread significant wind damage. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest
floor of a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3334 8240 3348 8236 3345 8213 3331 8216
TIME...MOT...LOC 1243Z 282DEG 32KT 3339 8230
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
$$
DH129 WWUS52 KCAE 121258 SVSCAE Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Columbia SC 858 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026 GAC073-189-245-121308- /O.EXP.KCAE.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-260312T1300Z/ McDuffie GA-Columbia GA-Richmond GA- 858 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026 ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN MCDUFFIE...SOUTHWESTERN COLUMBIA AND WEST CENTRAL RICHMOND COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 900 AM EDT... The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been cancelled. However, damaging winds remain likely and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area. However, gusty winds are still possible with this thunderstorm. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 PM EDT for east central Georgia. LAT...LON 3334 8240 3348 8236 3345 8213 3331 8216 TIME...MOT...LOC 1258Z 281DEG 35KT 3336 8214 $$ MG
The office that day
Everything else NWS Columbia, SC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 12, 8:09 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond | 51 min |
| Mar 12, 8:40 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Burke, McDuffie, Richmond | 50 min |
| Mar 12, 8:58 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Columbia, Richmond | 47 min |
| Mar 12, 9:27 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Burke | 48 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Georgia, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026
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.