Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Columbia, SC
NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 12, 2026, 9:52 AM EDT for Lexington County, Richland County, South Carolina. It was in force for 23 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 12, 2026, 9:52 AM EDT (13:52 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 12, 2026, 10:15 AM EDT
- In force
- 23 min
- Issued by
- NWS Columbia, SC
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.75 in
Counties Lexington County, SC, Richland County, SC
The radar
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 12 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:53 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, 9:52 AM EDT | TORNADO | 2 Sse Ballentine, SC | A NWS Survey Team confirmed a brief EF-0 tornado northwest of Irmo in Richland County, SC from March 12th 2026. The tornado formed near Dreher Shoals Road and continued east across Lemington Way and Lemington Circle causing minor tree damage along with siding |
| Mar 12, 9:53 AM EDT | TORNADO | 1 Sw Lake Murray Dam, SC | Public reported video of a tornadic waterspout over Lake Murray near the Saluda Dam associated with a severe thunderstorm and strong velocity couplet from KCAE radar. The tornado did not cause any notable damage onshore before dissipating. Unknown wind speed d |
| Mar 12, 9:53 AM EDT | WATERSPOUT | Lake Murray Dam, SC | Local media relayed public video of a waterspout over Lake Murray. |
| Mar 12, 9:55 AM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Nne Irmo, SC | Retired NWS employee reported multiple trees down with minor structural damage to homes in the Waterford Subdivision, Royal Tower Road and Broad River Road. |
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, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 168 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.
820
WFUS52 KCAE 121352
TORCAE
SCC063-079-121415-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0004.260312T1352Z-260312T1415Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
952 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Northeastern Lexington County in central South Carolina...
West central Richland County in central South Carolina...
* Until 1015 AM EDT.
* At 951 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Highway 6 at Lake Murray Dam, 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...
Columbia, Lexington, West Columbia, Irmo, St. Andrews, Oak Grove,
Highway 6 at Lake Murray Dam, Columbia International University,
Harbison State Forest, and Riverbanks Zoo around 955 AM EDT.
Forest Acres and Five Points around 1005 AM EDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Pine
Island, Seven Oaks, and Eau Claire.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 126 between mile markers 0 and 3.
Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 60 and 71.
Interstate 26 between mile markers 101 and 110.
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 Tornado Warning includes portions of Lake Murray. Boaters, move
to shore and take shelter on the lowest floor of the closest sturdy
building!
&&
LAT...LON 3399 8130 3409 8130 3414 8101 3400 8099
TIME...MOT...LOC 1351Z 258DEG 29KT 3405 8124
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
MG2 follow-up statements
805
WWUS52 KCAE 121405
SVSCAE
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
1005 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
SCC063-079-121415-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-260312T1415Z/
Lexington SC-Richland SC-
1005 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1015 AM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN LEXINGTON AND WEST CENTRAL RICHLAND COUNTIES...
At 1005 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over St. Andrews, moving east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
This dangerous storm will be near...
Columbia, Forest Acres, St. Andrews, Five Points, and Columbia
International University around 1010 AM EDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Seven
Oaks and Eau Claire.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 126 between mile markers 0 and 3.
Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 59 and 71.
Interstate 26 between mile markers 101 and 110.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to an interior room or closet on the lowest floor of a
sturdy building immediately.
&&
LAT...LON 3399 8118 3411 8120 3414 8101 3400 8099
TIME...MOT...LOC 1405Z 258DEG 29KT 3407 8111
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
MG215 WWUS52 KCAE 121410 SVSCAE Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Columbia SC 1010 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026 SCC063-079-121420- /O.EXP.KCAE.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-260312T1415Z/ Lexington SC-Richland SC- 1010 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026 ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN LEXINGTON AND WEST CENTRAL RICHLAND COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 1015 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. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 PM EDT for central South Carolina. LAT...LON 3399 8118 3411 8120 3414 8101 3400 8099 TIME...MOT...LOC 1410Z 258DEG 29KT 3408 8108 $$ 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, 9:21 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CAE | Aiken, Lexington, Saluda | 29 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, 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.