A strong short wave trough passed through the region, which was entrenched in a moist, warm and moderately unstable airmass. The short wave picked up convective development along a lee-side/thermal trough in the Upstate and Northern Midlands.
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 strong short wave trough passed through the region, which was entrenched in a moist, warm and moderately unstable airmass. The short wave picked up convective development along a lee-side/thermal trough in the Upstate and Northern Midlands. These thunderstorms swept southeast into the Midlands and CSRA, meeting up with development along a sea breeze front pushing northwest up into the Southern Midlands. Strong low-level convergence and upper-level support focused heavy rain and damaging wind through the region in the early to mid-evening hours.
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 Aug 1, 5:34 PM EST, 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 634 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2016 .SYNOPSIS... Upper level trough crossing the Great Lakes region continues moving east and should reach the Atlantic coast on Tuesday. A series of short waves rotating through the base of the trough and a moist air mass will continue scattered to numerous thunderstorms over the next several days. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/... Weak surface trough appears to be stretched from E NC WSW across portions of N and CENT SC and into NE GA, with an upper level impulse moving slowly SE into the region. Convection developing and increasing in coverage across the northern CSRA, and shifting to the ESE. Additional convection shifting NE from Cent/SE GA NE towards the CSRA/S Midlands. Collision of outflow boundaries and sea breeze boundary expected to lead to increased convective coverage in the near term across the CSRA, and Central/Southern Midlands. It appears good chance to likely POPs in order for that area. Elsewhere, thunderstorm activty across the NE Midlands dissipating and shifting to the north into NC. Latest convective analysis indicates moderate to strong instabilities, with high atmospheric moisture content with precipitable water values over 2 inches. Some of the storms could reach severe limits, with possiblity of locally heavy rain with any slow moving or training echoes. Will expect the activity to gradually dissipate tonight. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... Upper level flow will become northwesterly Tuesday as the upper trough moves off the East Coast. The associated frontal boundary will push into the forecast area in the late afternoon/evening accompanied by a 500 mb shortwave. Abundant moisture ahead of the front and weak to moderate instability will support afternoon airmass convection with the greatest coverage near and east of I-20 where PWAT values are above 2.0 inches. Later, as the surface boundary and shortwave move into the FA, there may be additional convection progressing eastward from the Upstate. There is a possibility for a few storms to produce damaging winds and localized flooding. The front will stall across the forecast area overnight becoming diffuse. Highs will generally be in the low to mid 90s with an overnight low in the mid 70s. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... The upper level pattern will transition from troughing to ridging mid-week as high pressure extends westward from the central US. At the surface, a weak boundary will linger throughout the midterm keeping a chance for showers and thunderstorms in the forecast each day. However minimal upper level support suggests mainly weak, diurnal convection. Westerly flow and a building upper level ridge supports warming temperatures into the weekend. Early next week, models indicate the possibility of an upper level trough and associated surface front digging into the mid-Atlantic States. && .AVIATION /23Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Main near term concern is any thunderstorm activity. Based on latest radar trends, have increased confidence of TSRA affecting CAE/CUB and AGS/DNL terminals in the near term. Added a tempo group for such through 01Z. After convection dissipates tonight, will examine whether lingering convective debris cloud cover will preclude a fog threat. For now, will include tempo group 09z-13z for the fog prone sites AGS/OGB. If any terminals receive significant rainfall later today/tonight, fog/stratus threat could increase. After any early morning fog/stratus, expect a VFR conditions Tuesday with scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms expected. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...Scattered diurnal thunderstorms. Some possibilities of late night/early morning fog/stratus. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 616 AM EDT MON AUG 1 2016 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-021030- LINCOLN-MCDUFFIE-COLUMBIA-RICHMOND-BURKE-LANCASTER-CHESTERFIELD- MCCORMICK-NEWBERRY-FAIRFIELD-KERSHAW-EDGEFIELD-SALUDA-LEXINGTON- RICHLAND-LEE-AIKEN-SUMTER-BARNWELL-ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN-CLARENDON- BAMBERG- 616 AM EDT MON AUG 1 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MIDLANDS OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA OF GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. .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
211 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2016
SCZ022-011845-
KERSHAW-
211 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN KERSHAW
COUNTY...
AT 209 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 7 MILES WEST OF
LUGOFF...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THE STORM WILL AFFECT THE
AREA ALONG STATE ROAD 34 WEST OF LUGOFF.
WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LUGOFF.
LAT...LON 3412 8078 3415 8083 3418 8087 3419 8087
3430 8080 3434 8072 3419 8067
TIME...MOT...LOC 1809Z 257DEG 8KT 3424 8080PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
223 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0340 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 WNW SWANSEA 33.76N 81.17W
07/31/2016 LEXINGTON SC PUBLIC
LARGE TREE WAS BLOWN ON TO A HOUSE NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF SHARON CHURCH ROAD AND WE
JEFFCOAT ROAD. MULTIPLE TREES WERE REPORTED
DOWN IN THE AREA AS WELL.
&&
CJRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
414 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0507 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NNE BRANCHVILLE 33.26N 80.81W
07/31/2016 ORANGEBURG SC LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES REPORTED DOWN ON NORTH ROAD.
&&
DAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
434 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0252 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 SE JACKSON 33.29N 81.73W
08/01/2016 AIKEN SC OTHER FEDERAL
TREE DOWN ON ROADWAY.
&&
DAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
438 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0252 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 SE JACKSON 33.29N 81.73W
07/31/2016 AIKEN SC OTHER FEDERAL
TREE DOWN ON ROADWAY. CORRECTED REPORT FOR
DATE.
&&
DASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
706 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2016
SCZ020-021-026>028-030-020000-
NEWBERRY-LEXINGTON-SALUDA-RICHLAND-FAIRFIELD-AIKEN-
706 PM EDT MON AUG 1 2016
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN SALUDA...
NORTHWESTERN RICHLAND...SOUTHWESTERN FAIRFIELD...SOUTHEASTERN
NEWBERRY...WESTERN LEXINGTON AND NORTH CENTRAL AIKEN COUNTIES...
AT 705 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PROSPERITY TO NEAR LEESVILLE TO
8 MILES SOUTH OF RIDGE SPRING...AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. LOCALLY
HEAVY RAIN AND STREET FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE IN SOME AREAS.
WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
COLUMBIA...LEXINGTON...IRMO...BATESBURG...RED BANK...OAK GROVE...ST.
ANDREWS...BATESBURG-LEESVILLE...LEESVILLE...CHAPIN...GILBERT...SUMMIT...
LITTLE MOUNTAIN...MONETTA...PEAK...SEVEN OAKS...LAKE MURRAY OF RICHLAND
AND WINNSBORO MILLS.
IF YOU ARE ON OR NEAR LAKE MURRAY...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE
INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A
THUNDERSTORM.
LAT...LON 3436 8106 3402 8111 3368 8142 3363 8181
3392 8156 3418 8152
TIME...MOT...LOC 2305Z 254DEG 23KT 3413 8145 3394 8147 3372 8168The Columbia radar (KCAE), 36 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:24 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 9 flash flood, 4 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple Trees reported down on Wheeland and Ben's Peninsula Roads.
Tree down in Roadway at the intersection of Frank Shealy Road and Rebecca Drive.
NWS ASOS at Hamilton-Owens Field reported 3.49 inches of rain, most of which fell in a 1-hour period from 7:20 to 8:20 PM EST.
NWS Rain Gauge on the University of South Carolina campus measured 2.91 inches of rain in one hour between 7 PM to 8 PM EST.
Trees down in roadway at the intersection of Hope Ferry Road and Corley Mill Road.
Tree reported down on Wattling Road.
Richland County Emergency Services automated rain gauge in MLK Park reported 3.46 inches of rain in 44 minutes from 7:15 PM to 7:59 PM EST.
Tree down in roadway intersection of Poplar Springs Road and Bass Pond Road.
Broadcast Media report of downed tree on car along S. Edisto Ave.
Media reported flash flooding occurring in the Rocky Branch Creek Watershed, Five Points area and at Main and Whaley Streets. Water entering Walgreen's Pharmacy at 1941 Blossom Street.
Roadway flooded and impassable Fontaine Road at Farrow Road intersection.
Report and images of a tree down on house, Arcadia Woods Drive.
Large tree down, blocking one lane of traffic on Wildcat Road. Images received via social media, time estimated using radar.
Flooded roadways reported I-277 and Sunset Blvd by SCHP.
SCHP reported flooding on I-277 at the intersection with Farrow Road (SC 555). All lanes blocked, roadway impassable.
Tree in roadway on Old Sandy Run Road.
USGS gauge on the Rocky Branch Creek at the intersection of Main and Whaley Streets peaked at 12.14 feet at 8:15 PM. Flood stage is 7.2 feet. USGS webcam at the intersection showed flooded roadway, swift-moving water and intersection was impassable.
Flooding reported at Olympia Avenue and Florida Street by SCHP.
South Carolina State Climatology Office reported 1.5 hour rainfall of 4.64 inches, 2 hour rainfall of 5.26 inches at the SC Climatology Office rain gauge in Trenholm Park.
SCHP reported Garner's Ferry Road at I-77 flooded and impassable.
SCHP reported Atlas Road flooded at Bluff Road intersection.
SCHP reported roadway flooding on Garner's Ferry Road, Colonial Villa Drive and Fountain Lake Roads.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, August 2016
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: 652966, 652958, 654521, 654522, 652960, 654519, 655757, 652970, 655773, 652915, 654523, 654423, 654426, 655750, 655756, 654520, 655755, 655751, 655752, 655753, 655754, 655758.