Severe thunderstorms produced wind damage and spawned one tornado as they moved across the Midlands of South Carolina.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS CAE wrote it up.
Severe thunderstorms produced wind damage and spawned one tornado as they moved across the Midlands of South Carolina.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Columbia, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 28, 6:19 PM EST, 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
619 PM EST MON FEB 28 2011
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. THIS WILL
SPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION WITH STRONG
GUSTY WINDS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
WITH COOLER DRIER AIR.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/...
AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL SPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS THE REGION MAINLY EARLY TONIGHT. A STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT
AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL CAUSE STRONG GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS WITH
GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS EARLY THEN 20-25 KNOT WIND GUSTS DURING THE
OVERNIGHT PERIOD. WILL INCLUDE 60-80 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF COLD FRONT...DECREASING TO NEAR ZERO AFTER
THE COLD FRONT PASSES. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT
THROUGH TONIGHT. 12 KM NAM SHOWS STRONG SHEAR AT LEAST EARLY ON
TONIGHT. SHEAR MAGNITUDE 400-600 M2/S2 02Z-05Z THEN QUICKLY
DECREASES AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE. SPC HAS AREA INCLUDED IN SLIGHT
RISK AREA AND THERE ARE SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES OUT TO THE
NORTHWEST OF CAE. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR CONDITIONS FOR POSSIBLE
WATCHES THIS EVENING.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN WITH COOLER DRIER CONDITIONS TUESDAY
THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE LOWER
60S WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S.
&&
.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
MODELS ARE IN AGREEMENT AT LEAST EARLY IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD
SHOWING ZONAL FLOW THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE A
WEDGE DEVELOPS FRIDAY AS WELL. DRY THURSDAY BUT ENOUGH MOISTURE
ARRIVES BY FRIDAY TO GO SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN. HIGHS IN THE
60S THURSDAY AND AT BIT COOLER IN THE UPPER 50S TO LOWER 60S
FRIDAY WITH A WEDGE. GFS AND ECMWF BEGIN TO DIVERGE IN SOLUTIONS
FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. GFS BRINGS OPEN TROUGH THROUGH BY LATE
SATURDAY NIGHT-EARLY SUNDAY MORNING TIME FRAME WHILE ECMWF CUTS
OFF UPPER LOW SUNDAY. DUE TO UNCERTAINTY DECIDED TO KEEP A SMALL
CHANCE...20-30 PERCENT SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. ALSO WILL INTRODUCE
MENTION OF THUNDER SUNDAY TO AGREE WITH FFC GIVEN COLDER H5 TEMPS
NEAR -20C THAT PERIOD. HIGHS IN THE 60S AND LOWS IN THE 40S
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. SYSTEM SHOULD BE GONE
BY MONDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE AND COOLER DRIER AIR. HIGHS IN THE
LOWER 60S AND LOWS IN THE MID TO UPPER 30S.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
PREFRONTAL LINE OF CONVECTION CURRENTLY TO OUR NORTH GENERALLY
STRETCHING ALONG THE INTERSTATE 85 CORRIDOR...MOVING SE. IT APPEARS
THE ACTIVITY WILL REACH MOST TAF SITES ROUGHLY AROUND 01 OR 02Z
OR A LITTLE AFTER...MAYBE 03Z AT OGB. WILL HANDLE WITH TEMPO
GROUP. WILL EXPECT THIS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO GRADUALLY WEAKEN
SOME AS IT APPROACHES OUR TAF SITES...BUT NONETHELESS SOME BRIEF
STRONGER CONVECTIVE WIND GUSTS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE LINE
ITSELF. AFTER THE LINE COMES THROUGH...EXPECT A PERIOD OF MVFR
CONDITIONS IN LIGHT TO MODERATERAIN FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS...THEN
CLEARING GRADUAL LATER TONIGHT...ALONG WITH THE WIND SHIFT. VFR
EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY.
EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO AVIATION
EXPECTED TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT TO CROSS THE
REGION SATURDAY NIGHT...MVFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE WITH THE RAIN
BAND ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
&&
.CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SC...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST TUESDAY FOR SCZ015-016-018-
020>022-025>031-035>038-041.
GA...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST TUESDAY FOR GAZ040-063>065-
077.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 529 PM EST MON FEB 28 2011 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>028-030-035-012230- LINCOLN-MCDUFFIE-COLUMBIA-RICHMOND-BURKE-LANCASTER-CHESTERFIELD- MCCORMICK-NEWBERRY-FAIRFIELD-KERSHAW-EDGEFIELD-SALUDA-LEXINGTON- RICHLAND-AIKEN-BARNWELL- 529 PM EST MON FEB 28 2011 ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST TUESDAY... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 34 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. SCZ029-031-036>038-041-012230- LEE-SUMTER-ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN-CLARENDON-BAMBERG- 529 PM EST MON FEB 28 2011 ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:09 UTC.
12 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Sheriff reported a couple of trees down near Riverside and Porter Branch roads.
Sheriff and Emergency Manager reported several trees down in the Mitford area.
Sheriff reported trees down on Island Ford road and verified by storm survey as a microburst.
Sheriff reported trees down northwest of Saluda.
Storm Survey with Sheriff found numerous trees down from a microburst and an EF1 tornado from the northwest to northeast side of Silverstreet. One mobile home was destroyed, one was severely damaged, and there were no injuries.
Sheriff and Emergency Manager reported several trees down in Winnsboro.
An intense microburst ripped the roof off an industrial building, took many trees down, some on homes, and destroyed several outbuildings.
Sheriff and Utility Company reported trees and powerlines down across northern Edgefield into Johnston.
Sheriff reported trees down throughout the county.
Sheriff reported trees down on the southeast of Saluda.
DOT found a couple of trees down near Gardenia and Archway Courts west of Chapin.
Spotter reported nickel size hail in Cheraw.
Public reported roof partially torn off a building and damage to a car.
Cheraw State Park reported a couple of trees and powerlines down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for South Carolina, 2011Warnings in South Carolina, February 2011
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 275991, 275993, 275996, 275998, 276006, 275994, 275997, 276012, 276010, 275999, 276014, 276011, 276017, 276022.