Scattered thunderstorms produced large hail and wind damage in the Midlands and Pee Dee regions. Damage was limited mainly to trees.
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.
Scattered thunderstorms produced large hail and wind damage in the Midlands and Pee Dee regions. Damage was limited mainly to trees.
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 May 14, 8:00 AM EST, 2 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 900 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2012 .SYNOPSIS... LOW PRESSURE AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT. HIGH MOISTURE WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM. SOME DRYING IS EXPECTED TUESDAY WHICH WILL RESULT IN MAINLY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MIDWEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... UPDATE...WSR-88D AND SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOW A LINE OF SHOWERS MOVING THROUGH THE WESTERN MIDLANDS WITH SOME ADDITIONAL CELLS DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE LINE. WILL ISSUE AN UPDATE TO ADJUST POPS AND CLOUDS TO REPRESENT CURRENT TRENDS. HAVE ALSO LOWERED HIGH TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES AS CLOUDY SKIES WILL BLANKET THE AREA TODAY. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...AN H5 SHORTWAVE TROUGH...WEAK H85 WARM ADVECTION AND CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL SUPPORT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. CLOUDINESS SHOULD LIMIT INSTABILITY. THE NAM INDICATES MAINLY WEAK INSTABILITY WITH LAPSE RATES NEAR MOIST ADIABATIC. ANY THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD GENERALLY BE NON-SEVERE. HOWEVER...THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATES SOME MID- LEVEL DRYING SHOULD OVERSPREAD THE AREA. THIS MAY LEAD TO BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST WITH POSSIBLE STRONGER INSTABILITY AND THE DRY AIR COULD AID DOWNDRAFTS. THEREFORE...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS COULD POSSIBLY OCCUR. THE TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE WAS CLOSE. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... SHORTWAVE ENERGY WILL BE LIFTING AWAY FROM THE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING AND MID LEVEL FLOW BECOMES MORE SOUTHWESTERLY RATHER THAN SOUTHERLY. THIS WILL SHIFT THE AXIS OF DEEPER MOISTURE NORTHEAST OF THE FORECAST AREA AS PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES DECREASE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS TO JUST OVER AN INCH BY 12Z TUESDAY. WILL CONTINUE WITH HIGH CHANCE POPS TO START THE PERIOD WITH CHANCES OF RAIN DIMINISHING DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AS THE ATMOSPHERE DRIES AND BECOMES MORE STABLE. THE FORECAST AREA FALLS BETWEEN SHORTWAVES ON TUESDAY AND DO NOT EXPECT MUCH MORE THAN ISOLATED TO SCATTERED DIURNAL CONVECTION AS THE ATMOSPHERE DESTABILIZES. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE A BIT WARMER WITH SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS AND MAX TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S. NORTHERN STREAM ENERGY TRACKING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY WILL PICK UP THE LINGERING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND PUSH THAT TROUGH EASTWARD INTO THE FORECAST AREA ON WEDNESDAY. A SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL ALSO PUSH EAST INTO THE AREA LATE WEDNESDAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE MODERATE INSTABILITY ON WEDNESDAY AND THIS COMBINED WITH AN APPROACHING SURFACE BOUNDARY WITH UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF A SHORTWAVE SHOULD YIELD AT LEAST SCATTERED CONVECTION...SOME OF WHICH COULD BECOME STRONG. 500MB TEMPERATURES COOL TO -14C WHICH WILL AID IN ATMOSPHERIC DESTABILIZATION. WILL CARRY MID CHANCE POPS AT THIS TIME ALTHOUGH THIS MAY NEED TO BE INCREASED WITH FUTURE UPDATES. MOISTURE IS THE LIMITING FACTOR AS PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES REMAIN BELOW 1.5 INCHES BUT THERE WILL BE ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN PLACE TO SUPPORT CONVECTION. MAX TEMPERATURES ON WEDNESDAY WILL AGAIN BE IN THE 80-85 RANGE. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE MODELS HAVE COME INTO REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH POTENTIAL COASTAL LOW OFF THE CAROLINA COAST DURING THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIODS. BOTH GFS/ECMWF PUSH THE TROUGH FAR ENOUGH OFF THE COAST THAT CONFIDENCE HAS INCREASED THAT THE SYSTEM LIKELY WILL NOT AFFECT THE FORECAST AREA VERY MUCH. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS DOWN THE EAST COAST THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AS AN UPPER RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY NORTHWARD INTO THE OHIO VALLEY FOR THE WEEKEND. THIS WILL YIELD DRY WEATHER OVER OUR AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES EXPECTED. && .AVIATION /13Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... AN H5 SHORTWAVE TROUGH...WEAK H85 WARM ADVECTION AND CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL SUPPORT NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING. HEATING SHOULD BRING SOME IMPROVEMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EXPECT MAINLY VFR CEILINGS WILL DEVELOP...BUT THERE WILL BE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH IFR CONDITIONS. CONFIDENCE IN THE TIMING OF HEAVIER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS TOO LOW TO INCLUDE IN THE TAFS AT THIS TIME. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...WIDESPREAD MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE DURING THE REST OF TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SLOWLY CROSSES THE REGION. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 354 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2012 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-150800- LINCOLN-MCDUFFIE-COLUMBIA-RICHMOND-BURKE-LANCASTER-CHESTERFIELD- MCCORMICK-NEWBERRY-FAIRFIELD-KERSHAW-EDGEFIELD-SALUDA-LEXINGTON- RICHLAND-LEE-AIKEN-SUMTER-BARNWELL-ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN-CLARENDON- BAMBERG- 354 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:02 UTC.
13 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The Sumter County Newspaper reported that the Sumter Opera House was struck by lightning which caused structural damage to the metal roof and building. Bricks from the four story structure were blown out of the building and into the parking lot and street.
EM repiorted nickel size hail near the intersection of Hwy 301 and Homestead road.
Public reported quarter size hail 6 SSW of Ellorree. Put dings in her car.
Sheriff reported a tree and large limbs down on Patterson Road. Penny size hail also occurred in the same area.
Public reported quarter size hail in Neeses.
Blackville police reported quarter size hail in town.
Sheriff reported quarter size hail in Neeses.
Intense microburst lifted up a carport and flipped it upside down which landed about 20 yards away from the two pickup trucks it was protecting. Minor damage also occurred to the home next to it.
Public, from NWS storm survey interview, reported golf ball size hail.
NWS storm survey and interviews with public found an EF0 intermittently touched down between Albee road and Jamison Farm road topping trees and taking several down. No structural damage occurred.
Public sent report of 1.5 inch hail and picture to WIS TV.
Sheriff reported trees and powerlines down on Butler Street in Denmark. Penny size hail also occurred on Hommens Bridge Road.
Highway Patrol reported trees down along Hwy 321.
Public reported quarter size hail 4 miles NW of Cope.
Bamberg police reported quarter size hail on the north side of town.
Public reported quarter size hail east of Rowesville.
Public reported quarter size hail east of Bamberg near the Edisto River. Small limbs were also down.
Electric COOP employee reported quarter size hail in the White Oak area.
Highway Patrol reported a tree down on Nature Reserve Road.
Highway Patrol reported a tree down on JB Denton Road at the bridge.
Public reported quarter size hail at Colonel Creek Marina.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for South Carolina, 2012Warnings in South Carolina, May 2012
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: 372227, 370678, 370679, 370690, 370680, 370681, 370682, 370695, 370696, 370697, 370687, 370691, 370692, 370683, 370684, 370685, 370686, 370688, 370694, 370693, 370689.