Scattered thunderstorms moved though the Midlands and produced some large hail, wind damage, and very intense rains that produced flash flooding.
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 moved though the Midlands and produced some large hail, wind damage, and very intense rains that produced flash flooding.
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 3, 3:47 PM EST, 44 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 447 PM EDT THU SEP 3 2015 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL REMAIN TO OUR SOUTH AND WEST...WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SETS UP ALONG THE EAST COAST. A WEAK SURFACE TROUGH WILL SLOWLY MOVE SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN CAROLINAS THROUGH FRIDAY. INDICATIONS OF A BACK DOOR FRONT AND INCREASING MOISTURE MAY SPELL INCREASING CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION THIS WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...ALONG WITH A TREND TOWARDS COOLER TEMPS. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH SOUTH-CENTRAL GA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK EASTWARDS THIS EVENING. RADARS INDICATING SHOWERS ACROSS SOUTHERN GA IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS FEATURE. AT THE SURFACE...A WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY HAS BEEN MOVING THROUGH THE REGION...MAINLY TURNING WINDS FROM WESTERLY TO MORE NORTHWESTERLY AS IT PASSES. BEST CHANCE FOR ANY RAIN ACTIVITY SHOULD REMAIN SOUTH OF THIS BOUNDARY. THIS MEANS AREA COULD SEE AN INCREASE IN SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS SOUTHERN AND EASTERN GA/SC THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. COVERAGE SHOULD NOT BE TOO GREAT. ISOLATED TO MAYBE SCATTERED ACTIVITY SHOULD BE SEEN. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD DIMINISH LATER THIS EVENING AS THE UPPER ENERGY PUSHES FURTHER OFF TO THE EAST. TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL WITH READINGS IN THE LOWER 90S. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL FALL INTO THE LOWER 70S. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING OVER NEW ENGLAND WILL PUSH A BACK DOOR COLD FRONT THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. GUIDANCE GENERALLY SUGGESTS SUFFICIENT ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE TO REMAIN OVER THE REGION...COUPLED WITH DIURNAL HEATING TO PROVIDE MAINLY SLIGHT CHANCE TO LOW END CHANCE POPS FRIDAY. UPPER ENERGY TO SHIFT SW TOWARDS OUR REGION SATURDAY...WITH SURFACE HIGH BUILDING DOWN INTO THE MID ATLANTIC WITH LOW PRESSURE OFFSHORE...BRINGING A BACK DOOR BOUNDARY SW INTO OUR REGION LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. THIS IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO A TREND TOWARDS INCREASING POPS AND LOWERING TEMPS. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... UPPER LOW TO CUT OFF OVER OUR REGION THROUGH MIDWEEK...WITH UPPER FLOW BECOMING MORE ZONAL BY THURSDAY. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FLUX OFF THE ATLANTIC APPEARS TO RESULT IN CONTINUED CHANCE POPS...ALONG WITH BELOW CLIMO MAX TEMPS SUNDAY INTO EARLY WEEK. GULF MOISTURE WILL BECOME MORE PREVALENT ACROSS THE AREA BY THURSDAY. OVERALL WILL KEEP CHANCE POPS THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD. GENERALLY ACCEPTED GUIDANCE BLEND...TRENDING BACK TOWARDS CLIMATOLOGY BY MID WEEK DUE TO UNCERTAINTIES. && .AVIATION /21Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... REGIONAL RADAR LATE THIS AFTERNOON SHOWS ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS THE AREA. RELATIVELY DRY AIR IN PLACE HAS HELPED LIMIT THE CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL. CURRENTLY ALL TERMINALS ARE VFR ALTHOUGH A PASSING STORM COULD RESULT IN TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS. GENERALLY BROKEN HIGH LEVEL CLOUDINESS THROUGH THE EVENING...BEFORE BECOMING SCATTERED LATER TONIGHT. CANNOT RULE OUT BRIEF MVFR BR AT AGS/OGB TOWARDS SUNRISE FRIDAY...WITH ALL SITES BECOMING VFR DURING THE DAY FRIDAY. WINDS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN LIGHT OUT OF THE NORTHWEST. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE IN MAINLY EARLY MORNING FOG. BY LATE IN THE EXTENDED PERIOD...AFTERNOON AND EVENING SCATTERED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SC...NONE. GA...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 235 AM EDT THU SEP 3 2015 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-040645- LINCOLN-MCDUFFIE-COLUMBIA-RICHMOND-BURKE-LANCASTER-CHESTERFIELD- MCCORMICK-NEWBERRY-FAIRFIELD-KERSHAW-EDGEFIELD-SALUDA-LEXINGTON- RICHLAND-LEE-AIKEN-SUMTER-BARNWELL-ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN-CLARENDON- BAMBERG- 235 AM EDT THU SEP 3 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. 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
417 PM EDT THU SEP 3 2015
SCZ036-032115-
ORANGEBURG-
417 PM EDT THU SEP 3 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTH CENTRAL ORANGEBURG AND
EASTERN BAMBERG COUNTIES...
AT 416 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR REEVESVILLE...OR 8
MILES NORTHWEST OF SAINT GEORGE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BRANCHVILLE AND BOWMAN.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
LAT...LON 3320 8082 3321 8084 3324 8085 3328 8091
3338 8072 3333 8053 3329 8049 3332 8053
3318 8080
TIME...MOT...LOC 2016Z 311DEG 9KT 3326 8070
CJRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
514 PM EDT THU SEP 3 2015
SCZ029-031-038-032215-
LEE-CLARENDON-SUMTER-
514 PM EDT THU SEP 3 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTH CENTRAL LEE...NORTHERN
CLARENDON AND NORTHWESTERN SUMTER COUNTIES...
AT 513 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS JUST NORTH OF SUMTER MOVING
SOUTH NEAR 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH MAY OCCUR ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
SUMTER.
LAT...LON 3381 8025 3379 8027 3380 8056 3404 8050
3406 8030 3404 8029 3403 8027 3381 8024
TIME...MOT...LOC 2113Z 001DEG 10KT 3397 8040PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
528 PM EDT THU SEP 3 2015
...TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
...DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0512 PM HAIL 5 W ELGIN 34.17N 80.88W
09/03/2015 M0.50 INCH RICHLAND SC TRAINED SPOTTER
SPOTTER REPORTED DIME SIZE HAIL AND SMALL
BRANCHES DOWN NEAR LAKE CAROLINA.
&&
WRSThe Columbia radar (KCAE), 31 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:31 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood, 3 heavy rain, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Highway Patrol reported trees down at Summit Parkway and Clemson Road.
RCWINDS Lake Murray site received 3.39 inches of rain between 12:50am and 1:50am...1.85 inches fell in a 15 minute period ending at 1:20am.
Highway Patrol reported trees down at 262 Jalapa Road.
Public reported nickel to quarter size hail with a few pieces up to half dollar size near Jalapa off of US 76.
Sheriff reported multiple trees and powerlines down around Newberry College.
Dispatch reported trees down on Old Douglass Road.
Highway Patrol reported trees down on Old Airport Road.
Dispatch reported a tree down on Lynchburg Highway.
Highway Patrol reported trees down at Westbury Mill Road at Dubose Siding Road.
Public, via Social Media, reported quarter size hail in Spring Hill.
RCWINDS mesonet site near Broad River and St. Andrews received 2.36 inches of rain...around 2 inches fell within a one hour period.
Heavy rain of 1.91 inches fell in a 37 minute period at the Columbia Metro Airport.
USGS cameras showed the intersection of Main and Whaley flooded and impassable. The Rocky Branch Creek peaked at 9.81 feet.
Sheriff reported 3 to 4 feet of water covering the 5300 block of Broad River Road near Youth Services Drive.
Sheriff reported significant road flooding at Broad River Road and Royal Tower Drive.
Social Media report via Facebook showed a home with a flooded basement.
Sheriff reported flooding at the Country Walk Apartments at 408 Fox Fire Drive near Bower Parkway and Piney Grove Road. Road was impassable with one stranded vehicle.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, September 2015
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: 594069, 594065, 594070, 594063, 594077, 594079, 594080, 594081, 594082, 594064, 594068, 594066, 594052, 594056, 594060, 594061, 594062.