An upper disturbance and a surface boundary combined with strong atmospheric instability and considerable deep layer shear to produce scattered showers and thunderstorms across the Midlands of SC, a few of which produced strong wind gusts and small hail during the late day and evening hours.
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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.
An upper disturbance and a surface boundary combined with strong atmospheric instability and considerable deep layer shear to produce scattered showers and thunderstorms across the Midlands of SC, a few of which produced strong wind gusts and small hail during the late day and 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 May 28, 1:47 PM EST, 4 hours 8 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 247 PM EDT Sun May 28 2017 .SYNOPSIS... A few thunderstorms may develop late this afternoon but confidence is low. Ridging over the region will weaken on Monday as a frontal boundary slowly slides into the area. The front will stall over the area Tuesday with chances of showers and thunderstorms each day through next weekend. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... A few strong thunderstorms are possible this afternoon but confidence is low. Weak upper level ridging and a pronounced capping inversion will limit convective development. Upper level cloudiness from a remnant MCV have also helped keep the cap in place. However, late this afternoon an upper level shortwave will move across the area. This along with the weakening of the capping inversion may allow deep, moist convection to initiate. If thunderstorms develop, then strong potential instability and 40 kts of 0-6 km wind shear will pose a threat for severe weather. Strong instability/deep layer shear values suggest a supercell convective mode. The main threat will be damaging winds due to dry air aloft and moderate mid-level winds. The hail and tornado threat is low due to freezing levels around 15 kft and unidirectional hodographs. Temperatures expected in the lower 90s this afternoon and around 70 degrees for a low tonight. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... Frontal boundary will continue moving toward the area on Monday as the upper level ridge further weakens. Monday night the front will move into the forecast area and stall across the area Tuesday and Tuesday night. Main focus for the short term will be convective potential as well as potential for severe thunderstorms. Instability on Monday will be moderate to strong with LIs around -5 and CAPE around around 1500 J/Kg. With dry air in the mid and upper levels there will be potential for damaging winds and with wet bulb zero rising to around 12 KFt the potential for hail will be lower. With intersecting boundaries and instability into Monday night expect scattered convection into the overnight hours. SPC continues to have the area under a slight risk for Monday as well. Temperatures Monday afternoon will be in the lower 90s with lows Monday night in the upper 60s to low 70s. Tuesday will be similar...however with the front stalling over the area expect the best chances for convection to along and south of the front. Instability Tuesday will be strong and with dry air persisting in the mid and upper levels will again see potential for damaging winds and lower threat of hail. With a weak pressure gradient there is also potential for a sea breeze...models currently depict this remaining near the coast and triggering convection however if this moves further inland this could trigger additional convection. Tuesday afternoon highs will be in the upper 80s to around 90 with overnight lows in the upper 60s to around 70. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Models are in good agreement into next weekend as the weak surface front remains stalled over the region and a series of weak upper level disturbances cross the area. This will keep chances of mainly diurnal showers and thunderstorms in the forecast each day through Sunday. Concern with convection for Thursday onward will be potential for heavy rainfall as high pressure over the western Atlantic will result in southerly flow and open the area to moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures through the long term will be near normal. && .AVIATION /19Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... VFR conditions expected through the TAF period. A few strong thunderstorms are possible this afternoon but confidence is low. Given the uncertainty in coverage, or development at all, have not included in TAFs. If thunderstorms do trigger, it would most likely be late this afternoon and they may produce strong/damaging winds given the environment. Winds will generally be from the west today around 10 knots with some gusts to 20 knots possible. A 25 kt low level jet overnight and cloud cover should preclude fog development. Winds may become gusty as the inversion breaks Monday morning around 14Z. Then expect WSW winds around 10 kts for the remainder of the period. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...A cold front will stall over the region through early next week. The front will help support scattered thunderstorms and possible restrictions. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. &&
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</html>The Columbia radar (KCAE), 15 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:56 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
RCWINDS gage at the Lake Murray Dam measured a peak wind gust of 60 MPH.
Tree uprooted and crashed into a home, damaging the roof and several rooms, near St. Andrews Rd and Tram Rd.
Trees were down at Old Shepherds Rd and Ashland Rd.
Power lines down in road at St. Andrews Rd and Leisure Lane.
Tree in road at Harrow Dr and Stonehedge Dr.
Trees in roadway at Devereaux Rd and Beltline Blvd.
Damage to part of a roof, carport, and car, on Beckwood Rd.
Trees down on US Hwy 321 near border of Lexington Co and Orangeburg Co.
Trees in road on US Hwy 15 near Lakewood Apartments.
COOP Observer near the town of North reported dime size hail.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, May 2017
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: 696763, 696755, 696756, 696757, 696758, 696759, 696764, 696760, 696761, 696762, 696754.