A squall line moved through the Midlands of South Carolina and produced estimated wind gust to 75mph. Many trees and powerlines were taken down.
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.
A squall line moved through the Midlands of South Carolina and produced estimated wind gust to 75mph. Many trees and powerlines were taken down.
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 Mar 18, 7:18 PM EST, 27 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 818 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A WEAK WARM FRONT ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA WILL CONTINUE MOVING NORTHWARD OVERNIGHT AS A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. THIS WILL SPREAD SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY MORNING WITH WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A SERIES OF LOW PRESSURE WAVES WILL PROVIDE A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... TONIGHT...THE WEDGE ACROSS THE REGION IS EXPECTED TO BREAK UP THIS EVENING AND A WARM FRONT WILL MOVE NORTHWARD. THE CSRA MAY SEE SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF THE CSRA THROUGH 2 AM THIS MORNING. SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST INTO THE CAE CWA FROM THE WEST AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH ABOUT 1 OR 2 AM...THEN WEAKEN AND MOVE EASTWARD. THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING WITH JUST A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. THEN...DRIER AIR WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE REGION. HIGHS ARE IN THE LOWER 70S. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... THE MAIN FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. IT APPEARS PRECIP WITH THE MAIN FRONT WILL BE LIMITED. THE BETTER COOL AIR ADVECTION WILL NOT COMMENCE UNTIL LATE TUE/TUE NT...SO STILL FAIRLY WARM MAX TEMPS EXPECTED TUE...COOLER WED. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BUILD IN THROUGH TUE NT. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND WEAK REINFORCING FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH WEDNESDAY...WITH SOME MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS POSSIBLE. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... HPC CONTINUES TO PREFER A BLEND OF OPERATIONAL ECMWF AND EC ENSEMBLE MEAN. SOME DIFFERENCES REMAIN IN GFS AND ECMWF SOLUTIONS...THOUGH BOTH ARE GENERALLY SIMILAR IN INDICATING CUTOFF UPPER LOW OVER E CANADA...SHIFTING SLOWLY EAST ACROSS NEW ENG/CANADIAN MARITIMES AND EVENTUALLY OFFSHORE...WITH A GENERALLY ZONAL UPPER FLOW OVER THE SRN TIER OF STATES. WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN BEHIND THE WEAK FRONT WED NT/THU. IT APPEARS THAT A SERIES OF UPPER DISTURBANCES WILL LEAD TO A SERIES OF SURFACE WAVES THAT TRACK GENERALLY JUST TO OUR SOUTH FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THERE ARE POSSIBILITIES OF WEDGINESS DEVELOPING OVER OUR REGION. DUE TO UNCERTAINTY...WONT TRY TO GET TOO DETAILED WITH SPECIFICS AT THIS POINT. BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE A PREMISE FOR CHANCE POPS AND BELOW AVG TEMPS. ACCEPTED HPC GUIDANCE. && .AVIATION /00Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... RAPIDLY DETERIORATING CONDITIONS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVES INTO THE TAF SITES. WARM FRONT CURRENTLY ACROSS THE AREA WILL CONTINUE MOVING NORTHWARD OVERNIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED ACROSS THE CENTRAL GULF STATES AND WILL MOVE INTO AGS/DNL OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR SO...THEN INTO CAE/CUB AND OGB. EXPECT THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDER IN AGS/DNL WHERE THE STORMS HAVE BEEN BETTER ORGANIZED...WITH THE STRONGEST CELLS REMAINING JUST SOUTH OF AGS/DNL. CHANCE OF THUNDER WILL DIMINISH BY 05Z WITH SHOWERS LINGERING THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. EXPECT MVFR CONDITIONS THROUGH MID MORNING WHEN THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH TOWARD THE COAST AND DRIER AIR WILL BEGIN MOVING INTO THE AREA. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO AVIATION EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. && .FIRE WEATHER... SOME FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS FOR TUESDAY AS BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE AS AFTERNOON RH VALUES FALL TO 25 TO 30 PERCENT. ADDING TO THE LOW CONFIDENCE WILL BE RAIN AMOUNT OVERNIGHT AND THE RESULTING FUEL MOISTURE RECOVERY. WITH RED FLAG CRITERIA NOT BEING REACHED TUESDAY AFTERNOON WILL NOT ISSUE A FIRE DANGER STATEMENT AT THIS TIME. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 741 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013 GAZ040-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-192345- LINCOLN-LANCASTER-CHESTERFIELD-MCCORMICK-NEWBERRY-FAIRFIELD-KERSHAW- EDGEFIELD-SALUDA-LEXINGTON-RICHLAND-LEE-AIKEN-SUMTER-BARNWELL- ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN-CLARENDON-BAMBERG- 741 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...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. GAZ063>065-077-192345- MCDUFFIE-COLUMBIA-RICHMOND-BURKE- 741 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 55 IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EDT TUESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 646 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013 SCZ015-016-022-029-031-038-191615- LANCASTER-CHESTERFIELD-KERSHAW-LEE-SUMTER-CLARENDON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LANCASTER...ELGIN...CHERAW...PAGELAND... CAMDEN...LUGOFF...BISHOPVILLE...SUMTER...MANNING...SUMMERTON 646 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013 ...INCREASED FIRE DANGER TUESDAY... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY ACCOMPANY THIS FRONT AS WELL. HOWEVER...RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BELOW ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH AROUND ONE TENTH OF AN INCH. THIS WILL DO LITTLE TO ALLEVIATE THE DRY CONDITIONS WHICH HAVE PERSISTED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. IN ADDITION...NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 MPH WILL DRY THE ATMOSPHERE OUT MORE AND WINDS MAY GUST UP TO 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON RELATIVE HUMIDITIES MAY DROP AS LOW AS 25 PERCENT. THIS WILL CREATE AN INCREASED DANGER IN BURNING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. DUE TO RECENT FIRE ACTIVITY IN THE AREA...ALLOCATIONS IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA FORESTRY COMMISSION RESOURCES HAVE BEEN STRAINED AND INDIVIDUALS MAY WANT TO CONSIDER BURNING AT A LATER DATE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
808 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013
GAZ063>065-077-190100-
BURKE-COLUMBIA-MCDUFFIE-RICHMOND-
808 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF RICHMOND...
MCDUFFIE...BURKE AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES THROUGH 900 PM EDT...
AT 802 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 13 MILES WEST OF
THOMSON TO 29 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THOMSON...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...
EVANS...FORT GORDON...GROVETOWN...HARLEM...HEPHZIBAH AND THOMSON...
PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS...
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS OR FLOODING TO YOUR COUNTY
SHERIFF...OR USE
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.COLUMBIA.GOV TO RELAY
SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS. &&
LAT...LON 3359 8211 3293 8206 3292 8228 3308 8230
3322 8224 3324 8225 3331 8234 3331 8239
3334 8245 3334 8250 3335 8255 3341 8255
3346 8260 3359 8264
TIME...MOT...LOC 0006Z 266DEG 26KT 3351 8269 3308 8267
WLRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
826 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013
GAZ040-SCZ018-025-026-190130-
EDGEFIELD-LINCOLN-MCCORMICK-SALUDA-
826 PM EDT MON MAR 18 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF LINCOLN...
EDGEFIELD...MCCORMICK AND SALUDA COUNTIES THROUGH 930 PM EDT...
AT 824 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM...15 MILES WEST OF SALUDA...MOVING EAST AT 30
MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...
JOHNSTON...MCCORMICK AND SALUDA...
PREPARE NOW FOR THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS...
GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS OR FLOODING TO YOUR COUNTY
SHERIFF...OR USE
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.COLUMBIA.GOV TO RELAY
SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS. &&
LAT...LON 3397 8259 3401 8260 3408 8253 3408 8247
3406 8245 3407 8233 3398 8230 3402 8224
3398 8219 3399 8205 3396 8202 3414 8187
3417 8187 3418 8172 3380 8181 3378 8215
3381 8244 3395 8264 3398 8265
TIME...MOT...LOC 0026Z 265DEG 34KT 3408 8200
WLRThe Columbia radar (KCAE), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:43 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
NWS employee reported several trees down around the Lexington area.
Sheriff reported many trees down along Leesburg and Ulmer Roads.
Sheriff reported trees down on Screaming Eagle Road near Melton Road.
Sheriff reported many trees down along Bulff and Heyward Roads.
Highway Patrol reported trees down on Kitty Hawk Drive.
Sheriff reported trees down around the Wagner area.
Sheriff reported many trees down along Leesburg and Trotter Roads.
Sheriff reported many trees down along Leesburg and Harmon Roads.
Sheriff reported many trees down along McCords Ferry and McGraw Roads.
Highway Patrol reported trees down along Gardner Farm Road.
DOT reported trees down in the Snelling area.
DOT reported several trees down along Hwy 301.
Sheriff reported trees down along Pearson and Old Stone Roads.
DOT reported several trees down around the Manning area.
DOT reported several trees down along Hwy 521.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, March 2013
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: 429823, 429808, 429811, 429807, 429812, 429810, 429813, 429814, 429815, 429816, 429818, 429820, 429817, 429822, 429821.