Alert archive / South Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Columbia, SC

March 12, 2026Bamberg County, South Carolina

NWS Columbia, SC issued this tornado warning at Mar 12, 2026, 10:13 AM EDT for Bamberg County, South Carolina. It was in force for 32 min. 2 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, 10:13 AM EDT (14:13 UTC)
Expired
Mar 12, 2026, 10:45 AM EDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Columbia, SC
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

County Bamberg County, SC

The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 62 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:15 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 12, 10:24 AM EDTTORNADO4 S Bamberg, SCA NWS Survey Team confirmed a brief EF-0 tornado south of the town of Bamberg in Bamberg County, SC from March 12th, 2026. The tornado formed near the intersection of HWY 601 and Harley Rd and continued east along Harley Road. Most of the damage occurred on a
Mar 12, 10:25 AM EDTTSTM WND DMG4 S Bamberg, SCNumerous trees reported down in yard at the intersection of Harley Road and Highway 601.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 12, 7:14 AM EDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Charleston AFB, SC (KCHS), launched 12:00Z, 2.2 hours before the alert went out and 106 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Charleston AFB, SC at 12:00Z on 2026-03-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Charleston AFB, SC at 12:00Z on 2026-03-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 202 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

155 
WFUS52 KCAE 121413
TORCAE
SCC009-121445-
/O.NEW.KCAE.TO.W.0005.260312T1413Z-260312T1445Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Columbia SC
1013 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026

The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Bamberg County in central South Carolina...

* Until 1045 AM EDT.

* At 1013 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located 7 miles north of Ulmer, or 8 miles southwest of
  Denmark, moving east at 30 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
  central Bamberg County, including the following locations... Govan
  and Olar.

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 3316 8123 3326 8122 3330 8093 3328 8092
      3314 8091
TIME...MOT...LOC 1413Z 263DEG 27KT 3321 8119 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

DH
2 follow-up statements
664 
WWUS52 KCAE 121423
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
1023 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026

SCC009-121445-
/O.CON.KCAE.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-260312T1445Z/
Bamberg SC-
1023 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1045 AM EDT FOR CENTRAL
BAMBERG COUNTY...

At 1023 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Bamberg, 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...
Bamberg.

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 3317 8110 3326 8113 3328 8109 3330 8093
      3328 8092 3317 8091
TIME...MOT...LOC 1423Z 256DEG 38KT 3325 8104 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

DH
887 
WWUS52 KCAE 121436
SVSCAE

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
1036 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026

SCC009-121445-
/O.EXP.KCAE.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-260312T1445Z/
Bamberg SC-
1036 AM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL BAMBERG COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 1045
AM EDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 PM EDT for central South
Carolina.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for
Eastern Bamberg County and Orangeburg County. 

LAT...LON 3317 8110 3326 8113 3328 8109 3330 8093
      3328 8092 3317 8091
TIME...MOT...LOC 1435Z 270DEG 27KT 3326 8094 

$$

DH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Columbia, SC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 12, 8:09 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEEdgefield, McCormick51 min
Mar 12, 8:58 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEAiken, Edgefield, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland and 1 more47 min
Mar 12, 9:21 AM EDTTornado WarningCAEAiken, Lexington, Saluda29 min
Mar 12, 9:27 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEAiken, Bamberg, Barnwell48 min
Mar 12, 9:38 AM EDTTornado WarningCAEFairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland37 min
Mar 12, 9:41 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEAiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw and 4 more49 min
Mar 12, 9:52 AM EDTTornado WarningCAELexington, Richland23 min
Mar 12, 10:07 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEBamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg38 min
Mar 12, 10:31 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAECalhoun, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster and 4 more44 min
Mar 12, 10:46 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAECalhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg44 min
Mar 12, 11:11 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCAEChesterfield, Lee34 min
Mar 12, 11:15 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAEClarendon, Sumter45 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.