A cluster of thunderstorms developed in the evening hours within a lee trough and pushed eastward into interior southeast South Carolina. These storms produced damaging wind gusts.
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 CHS wrote it up.
A cluster of thunderstorms developed in the evening hours within a lee trough and pushed eastward into interior southeast South Carolina. These storms produced damaging wind gusts.
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 Charleston, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 12, 8:37 PM EST, 15 minutes earlier.
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</html>HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 855 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2016 SCZ045-050-140100- INLAND BERKELEY-CHARLESTON- 855 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2016 ...DENSE SMOKE ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM EDT FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. DENSE SMOKE ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. DENSE SMOKE ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ASSISTANCE IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040- 042>044-047>049-051-052-140100- CHARLESTON HARBOR- WATERS FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER TO EDISTO BEACH SC OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM EDISTO BEACH SC TO SAVANNAH GA OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA OUT 20 NM...INCLUDING GRAYS REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM-JENKINS-SCREVEN-CANDLER-BULLOCH-EFFINGHAM-TATTNALL-EVANS- INLAND BRYAN-COASTAL BRYAN-INLAND CHATHAM-COASTAL CHATHAM-LONG- INLAND LIBERTY-COASTAL LIBERTY-INLAND MCINTOSH-COASTAL MCINTOSH- ALLENDALE-HAMPTON-INLAND COLLETON-DORCHESTER-INLAND JASPER-BEAUFORT- COASTAL COLLETON-COASTAL JASPER-TIDAL BERKELEY- 855 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS...SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ASSISTANCE IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
923 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2016
GAZ088-SCZ040-042-130200-
SCREVEN GA-ALLENDALE SC-HAMPTON SC-
923 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2016
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF SCREVEN...HAMPTON AND
ALLENDALE COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 PM EDT...
AT 923 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BURTONS FERRY LANDING...OR 11 MILES NORTHEAST
OF SYLVANIA...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
HAZARD...STRONG WINDS 45 TO 55 MPH.
IMPACT...EXPECT MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOWING AROUND OF
LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
ALLENDALE...SYLVANIA...LAKE WARREN STATE PARK...ESTILL...FAIRFAX...
BRUNSON...GIFFORD AND SYCAMORE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE DIRECTLY TO THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT
1-888-383-2024 WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL YOUR
REPORT TO NWS.CHARLESTONSC@NOAA.GOV.
&&
LAT...LON 3277 8115 3275 8164 3298 8165 3301 8161
3307 8120
TIME...MOT...LOC 0123Z 265DEG 33KT 3289 8154SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
935 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2016
GAZ087-088-130200-
SCREVEN GA-JENKINS GA-
935 PM EDT THU MAY 12 2016
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF JENKINS AND SCREVEN
COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 PM EDT...
AT 934 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER ROCKY FORD...OR 10 MILES NORTH OF
MIDDLEGROUND...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
HAZARD...STRONG WINDS 45 TO 55 MPH.
IMPACT...EXPECT MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOWING AROUND OF
LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
SYLVANIA...ROCKY FORD...SCARBORO...HUNTERS...ALTMAN...CAPTOLO AND
WOODCLIFF.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REPORT DAMAGE DIRECTLY TO THE CHARLESTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT
1-888-383-2024 WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO. YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL YOUR
REPORT TO NWS.CHARLESTONSC@NOAA.GOV.
&&
LAT...LON 3277 8188 3279 8145 3260 8144 3262 8179
3263 8180 3264 8180 3265 8184 3264 8186
3264 8187
TIME...MOT...LOC 0134Z 265DEG 32KT 3268 8181The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 47 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:51 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Allendale County South Carolina Department of Transportation office reported a tree down on Gum Street West in Allendale.
The Allendale County South Carolina Department of Transportation office reported a tree down on Highway 278 just outside of Allendale.
The Allendale County South Carolina Department of Transportation office reported a tree down on Googe Road closest to the end where it intersects with Breezy Hill Road.
The Allendale County South Carolina Department of Transportation office reported a tree down on Williams Road about one mile from Highway 321.
The Allendale County South Carolina Department of Transportation office reported a tree down on Highway 641 near the town of Sycamore.
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, May 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: 636838, 636839, 636840, 636841, 636842.