Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 2, NWS Columbia, SC
NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 12, 2026, 9:21 AM EDT for Aiken County, Lexington County, Saluda County, South Carolina. It was in force for 29 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 12, 2026, 9:21 AM EDT (13:21 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 12, 2026, 9:50 AM EDT
- In force
- 29 min
- Issued by
- NWS Columbia, SC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.75 in
Counties Aiken County, SC, Lexington County, SC, Saluda County, SC
The radar
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 40 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:20 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 12, 7:14 AM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 182 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.
525
WFUS52 KCAE 121321
TORCAE
SCC003-063-081-121400-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0002.260312T1321Z-260312T1400Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
921 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
West central Lexington County in central South Carolina...
Southeastern Saluda County in central South Carolina...
North central Aiken County in central South Carolina...
* Until 1000 AM EDT.
* At 920 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Ridge Spring, or near Batesburg-Leesville, moving
east 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...
Batesburg-Leesville around 925 AM EDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Camp
Kinard, South Shore Marina, Fredonia, Gilbert, Hollow Creek Public
Park, Siesta Cove Marina, Hibernia, Summit, Murray, and Kneece.
This includes Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 44
and 48.
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 3405 8137 3388 8131 3381 8166 3382 8166
3383 8171 3391 8175
TIME...MOT...LOC 1320Z 252DEG 38KT 3388 8164
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
MG3 follow-up statements
070
WWUS52 KCAE 121330
SVSCAE
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
930 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
SCC003-063-081-121400-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260312T1400Z/
Lexington SC-Saluda SC-Aiken SC-
930 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM EDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL LEXINGTON...SOUTHEASTERN SALUDA AND NORTH CENTRAL AIKEN
COUNTIES...
At 930 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Batesburg-Leesville, moving east at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
west central Lexington, southeastern Saluda and north central Aiken
Counties, including the following locations... Camp Kinard, South
Shore Marina, Fredonia, Gilbert, Hollow Creek Public Park, Siesta
Cove Marina, Hibernia, Summit, Murray, and Kneece.
This includes Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 44
and 48.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to an interior room or closet on the lowest floor of a
sturdy building immediately.
&&
LAT...LON 3405 8137 3388 8131 3382 8163 3388 8164
3395 8163
TIME...MOT...LOC 1330Z 252DEG 38KT 3391 8152
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
MG755
WWUS52 KCAE 121343
SVSCAE
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
943 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
SCC003-081-121353-
/O.CAN.KCAE.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260312T1400Z/
Saluda SC-Aiken SC-
943 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SALUDA AND NORTH CENTRAL
AIKEN COUNTIES 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 100 PM EDT for central South
Carolina.
LAT...LON 3405 8137 3388 8131 3384 8150 3400 8150
TIME...MOT...LOC 1343Z 252DEG 38KT 3395 8136
$$
SCC063-121400-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260312T1400Z/
Lexington SC-
943 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM EDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL LEXINGTON COUNTY...
At 943 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 7 miles west of Red Bank, moving east at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
Locations impacted include...
Batesburg-Leesville, Gilbert, Summit, Camp Kinard, South Shore
Marina, Fredonia, Hollow Creek Public Park, Siesta Cove Marina, and
Murray.
This includes Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 44
and 48.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to an interior room or closet on the lowest floor of a
sturdy building immediately.
&&
LAT...LON 3405 8137 3388 8131 3384 8150 3400 8150
TIME...MOT...LOC 1343Z 252DEG 38KT 3395 8136
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
MG708 WWUS52 KCAE 121350 SVSCAE Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Columbia SC 950 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026 SCC063-121400- /O.CAN.KCAE.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260312T1400Z/ Lexington SC- 950 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026 ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL LEXINGTON COUNTY IS CANCELLED... The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. However, gusty winds are still possible with this thunderstorm. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 PM EDT for central South Carolina. Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for Lexington County. LAT...LON 3405 8137 3388 8131 3384 8150 3400 8150 TIME...MOT...LOC 1348Z 252DEG 38KT 3397 8128 $$ 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 | Edgefield, McCormick | 51 min |
| Mar 12, 8:58 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Aiken, Edgefield, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland and 1 more | 47 min |
| Mar 12, 9:27 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell | 48 min |
| Mar 12, 9:38 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland | 37 min |
| Mar 12, 9:41 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw and 4 more | 49 min |
| Mar 12, 9:52 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Lexington, Richland | 23 min |
| Mar 12, 10:07 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Bamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg | 38 min |
| Mar 12, 10:13 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Bamberg | 32 min |
| Mar 12, 10:31 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Calhoun, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster and 4 more | 44 min |
| Mar 12, 10:46 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg | 44 min |
| Mar 12, 11:11 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CAE | Chesterfield, Lee | 34 min |
| Mar 12, 11:15 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CAE | Clarendon, Sumter | 45 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in South Carolina, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.