South Carolina, 2015

Flash Flooding in South Carolina, September 24, 2015

September 24, 2015 · NWS CAE · 2 events in 1 county or zone

Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches over central Richland County produced areas of flash flooding in Columbia closing several streets and stranding some vehicles.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$36,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS CAE wrote it up.

Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches over central Richland County produced areas of flash flooding in Columbia closing several streets and stranding some vehicles.

What forecasters said that day

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 Sep 24, 10:16 AM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 24, 10:16 AM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 24, 2:22 AM EST, 10 hours 18 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 24, 11:58 AM EST, 42 minutes before
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The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 9 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:37 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Richland

When
September 24, 12:40 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where
Richland County, 0.52 mi SSW of Arthurtown to 0.42 mi W of Columbia
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$32,000
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.963, -81.023

USGS camera at Main and Whaley showed flash flooding with water levels rising 3 to 4 feet above the road stranding several vehicles. Flooding on Hwy 1 near I-26 closed that intersection as well where water levels were 1 to 2 feet deep.

Flash Flood, Richland

When
September 24, 1:07 PM EST to 1:30 PM EST
Where
Richland County, 1.34 mi WNW of Weddell to 0.96 mi NW of Weddell
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$4,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
34.090, -80.950

Sheriff reported the intersecton of Legrand and Pinnacle Point Drive do to flash flooding. Water levels were 1 to 3 feet deep.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, September 2015

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 596385, 596386.