A cold front settled southward toward the CWA and produced strong to severe thunderstorms across the northern and central Midlands.
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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 cold front settled southward toward the CWA and produced strong to severe thunderstorms across the northern and central Midlands.
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 Jul 10, 1:53 PM EST, 34 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 253 PM EDT SUN JUL 10 2016 .SYNOPSIS... A weak surface boundary will lift north across the Midlands into this evening, then stall north of the area into early next week. A warm and moist unstable airmass will support continued afternoon and evening thunderstorms into next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Mid-afternoon analysis depicts a weak surface boundary lifting across the central Midlands. Meanwhile, in the mid and upper levels of the atmosphere, a positively tilted trough over the Tennessee Valley has resulted in a southwest flow aloft across the region. Water vapor imagery also shows a weak short wave embedded in the southwest flow aloft lifting toward the area. The combination of low-level convergence along the surface boundary, forcing for ascent associated with the approaching short wave, and a moderately unstable and moist airmass along and south of the boundary has resulted in the development of isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms. Expect isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms to continue well into the evening as the surface boundary lifts northward through the northern Midlands. The convection should become outflow dominated with relatively weak shear as 850mb winds are less than 10 knots. Then, expect most of the convection to taper off during the overnight hours. Cannot rule out the possibility of a few strong/severe storms with an inverted-V signature on forecast soundings but not expecting a widespread severe event. Outside of rain cooled areas, temperatures will remain in the mid and upper 90s for much of the afternoon. Low temperatures tonight should be in the lower to mid 70s. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... The upper ridge will build over the southeastern states on Monday as the surface boundary shifts back northward over the northern Midlands. The upper trough remains nearly stationary over the Tennessee valley although a piece of energy could move over the region in southwesterly flow aloft helping to initiate convection. Will focus higher pops across the northern half of the Forecast Area in the vicinity of the boundary. Temperatures will be a bit cooler with a few more clouds expected. The surface boundary shifts further to the north into NC/VA on Tuesday with upper ridging dominant over the southeastern states. Will carry slight chance pops on Tuesday with little in the way of forcing to initiate convection other than moderate instability and heating. Max temperatures in the mid to upper 90s continue and will continue to forecast slightly above the MOS guidance which has continued to hold a cool bias for weeks now. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... The extended forecast features continued above normal temperatures while the upper level flow pattern becomes generally zonal with mainly diurnal based convection through Friday. Chances of rain will increase over the weekend as an upper trough moves into the region as the upper ridge amplifies over the middle of the country. Max temperatures will again be in the upper 90s to around 100 to end the work week before cooling slightly over the weekend. && .AVIATION /19Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... A weak surface boundary across the CSRA will lift northward later today into this evening, and will be a focus for scattered showers and thunderstorms. Confidence in thunderstorms developing is high enough to maintain a mention of vicinity thunderstorms at the terminals late this afternoon and this evening, with a tempo group at the Columbia area terminals for thunderstorms with some flight restrictions. Additional adjustments may be necessary for other terminals as radar trends become better established. Otherwise, outside of any convection, VFR conditions are expected to prevail. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...Scattered diurnal thunderstorms possible Monday, mainly north of the terminals. Minimal activity expected Tuesday. Scattered diurnal thunderstorms possible again Wed/Thu. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 450 AM EDT SUN JUL 10 2016 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-110900- LINCOLN-MCDUFFIE-COLUMBIA-RICHMOND-BURKE-LANCASTER-CHESTERFIELD- MCCORMICK-NEWBERRY-FAIRFIELD-KERSHAW-EDGEFIELD-SALUDA-LEXINGTON- RICHLAND-LEE-AIKEN-SUMTER-BARNWELL-ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN-CLARENDON- BAMBERG- 450 AM EDT SUN JUL 10 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. HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S COMBINING WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN HEAT INDICES OF 100 TO 104 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SOME SEVERE...WILL BE THE BIGGEST THREAT WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
1156 AM EDT SUN JUL 10 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1104 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 S COLUMBIA 33.99N 81.03W
07/07/2016 RICHLAND SC EMERGENCY MNGR
TREE DOWN ON HOUSE 815 WHALEY STREET.
&&
DAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
1201 PM EDT SUN JUL 10 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1102 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NNW COLUMBIA 34.01N 81.05W
07/07/2016 RICHLAND SC EMERGENCY MNGR
COLLAPSED STRUCTURE. TREE DOWN INSIDE HOUSE
2200 LINCOLN ST.
&&
DASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
154 PM EDT SUN JUL 10 2016
SCZ027-101815-
LEXINGTON-
154 PM EDT SUN JUL 10 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN LEXINGTON
COUNTY...
AT 153 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
GASTON...OR 14 MILES SOUTH OF RED BANK...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GASTON...SWANSEA AND PELION.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 3366 8121 3368 8125 3374 8127 3388 8107
3379 8105 3377 8106 3375 8106 3374 8103
3372 8103 3366 8118
TIME...MOT...LOC 1753Z 257DEG 11KT 3372 8120
JAQSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 228 PM EDT SUN JUL 10 2016 SCZ028-031-037-038-101900- CLARENDON-RICHLAND-CALHOUN-SUMTER- 228 PM EDT SUN JUL 10 2016 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EAST CENTRAL CALHOUN... SOUTHEASTERN RICHLAND...WEST CENTRAL CLARENDON AND SOUTHWESTERN SUMTER COUNTIES... AT 227 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF ST. MATTHEWS...OR 18 MILES NORTHEAST OF BROOKDALE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH AND HALF INCH HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SUMTER...ST. MATTHEWS...SUMMERTON...EASTOVER...MILLWOOD...PINEWOOD... PAXVILLE...CANE SAVANNAH...PRIVATEER...WEDGEWOOD...CHERRYVALE... LAKEWOOD AND STATEBURG. LAT...LON 3365 8077 3382 8082 3401 8039 3361 8030 TIME...MOT...LOC 1827Z 256DEG 23KT 3376 8071 BC
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 62 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:28 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Highway Patrol reported trees down at the intersection of N. Lake Cherryvale Drive and Luton Street near Shaw AFB.
Highway Patrol reported trees down at the intersection of Panola Road and Cody road near Pinewood.
Highway Patrol reported multiple trees down in the vicinity of Lakewood High School.
Reported a tree down on Highway 269 near the Richland County line.
Dispatch reported a tree on a home on Mapleview Drive in Irmo. No injuries reported.
Public reported a tree down across St. Johns Road near Shady Grove Road. Relayed via social media.
Highway Patrol reported trees down along Bickley road near the intersection of Broad River Road.
Highway Patrol reported trees down near the intersection of I-20 and Broad River Road.
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, July 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 651330, 651323, 651329, 651326, 651325, 651314, 651328, 651327.