Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, January 6, 1995

Light freezing rain fell across most of the Upstate from early afternoon into the evening. Although precipitation amounts were quite light (0.10 inch or so) a glaze of ice formed quickly in the cold dry air, especially on bridges and overpasses. There were about 250 traffic accidents in the Greenville-Spartanburg metro area with three indirect deaths resulting (two in Spartanburg county and one in Greenville County) and a large but unknown number of injuries. The freezing rain ended as numerous thunderstorms and heavy rain moved in during the evening. One storm began developing severe characteristics in Greenwood County where gusts to about 50 mph occurred. Because of the wet ground this was enough to blow down some trees. These storms later became severe in the midlands. Numerous lightning ground strikes were reported, but specific damage locations were not available.

Severe thunderstorm moved from two miles south of Ridgeway to six miles southeast of Ridgeway. Trees down and power outages occurred with Highway 34 south of Ridgeway blocked by fallen trees. The thunderstorm spawned a small tornado near Centerfield where more extensive damage to trees, utilities were noted. Observer visually saw tornado lower to ground.

A northeast-southwest line of severe thunderstorms moved from eastward across central and eastern South Carolina. Thunderstorm winds blew down trees and power lines between Abbeville and Antreville, in eastern Newberry County and northern Lexington County. This area of turbulent weather spawned a tornado in northwestern Richland County near northeast shore of Lake Murray. The tornado dipped down immediately east of Lake Murray and moved eastward to Broad River. Roofs were torn off apartments and one home near Ballentine. The storm caused extensive damage to trees, power lines and to homes in the immediate path of the tornado. There were many homes damaged, with a total damage of $10 million in Richland County. Storm left 29,000 homes without power.

Severe thunderstorms moved across Kershaw, Lancaster, and Chesterfield Counties causing several areas of localized wind damage. Trees were uprooted, large tree limbs broken, and roofs damaged. More than 6,500 residents were left without power. The Westville and Boonetown areas in Kershaw County were hard hit with 16 homes destroyed or heavily damaed, three cars heavily damaged, and many mobile homes blown off their foundations. There were three or more minor injuries. Trees were downed across Mt. Zion Road, Park Road, Knights Hill Road, and Proctor Road. Plate glass windows were blown out in city of Kershaw. Approximately 6,500 homes were left without power in Kershaw County with an estimated damage of $1.5 million. In Chesterfield County trees were blown on houses* in McBee, Chesterfield, and Cheraw. Highways SC 145 and SC 102 were blocked by fallen trees; an established auto repair shop at intersection of SC 109 and SC 145, was destroyed. Damage in Chesterfield County estimated at $100,000.

Trees down in Hartsville.

Trees down in Hartsville

Trees blown down across SC 178.

Trees and power lines blown down.

Trees down by thunderstorm winds.

Few trees downed by winds.

Trees downed by winds in Denmark and Ehrhardt.

Sixty mph winds, Hwy 41 N of Mullins, power out, billboards down.

,Trees down, power outages, damage to businesses

Trees and power lines down, part of roof of Welamic Paper Plant blown off, homes damaged in Bennettsville. Power outages and damage to businesses across Marlboro County.

Fifty-eight mph winds at Florence Airport, knocked NOAA Wx radio off air

Power outages near Florence knocked NOAA Weather Radio off air.

Sixty mph winds, trees down in Latta

Wind and trees down in Latta.