An upper level impulse combined with atmospheric instability and deep layer shear to produce scattered severe thunderstorms that produced wind damage and large hail.
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.
An upper level impulse combined with atmospheric instability and deep layer shear to produce scattered severe thunderstorms that produced wind damage and large hail.
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 29, 1:45 PM EST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 245 PM EDT Mon May 29 2017 .SYNOPSIS... Ridging over the region will weaken today as a frontal boundary slowly pushes into the area. The front will stall just south of the area late Tuesday and remain across the region through the weekend. This will keep mainly diurnal chances of showers and thunderstorms in the forecast each day. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Plenty of low-level moisture over the area with dewpoints in the middle to upper 60s. Satellite showing some developing cu across the upstate and piedmont regions. Moderate instability begin held in check right now with a warm nose of air around 700 mb, but near term model soundings indicate some cooling at that level, thus weakening the cap. Shortwave energy moving through Alabama into Georgia is expected to induce convection across the region as the cap weakens through afternoon progresses. Models seem to indicate that convection should form west of the cwa later in the afternoon, and then progress eastward through the evening. Best chance for activity appears to be between 22z-05z, with lingering activity still possible through the night. Will continue to increase pops from dry into the high chance category through the afternoon and into the evening hours. Pops diminishing slowly during the late overnight hours. Lows tonight will be mostly in the upper 60s to low 70s. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... Frontal boundary will continue moving toward the area Tuesday and stall just south of the forecast area Tuesday night. On Wednesday the front will remain just south of the area as an upper level trough swings into the eastern US. Instability on Tuesday will be moderate with pwat values along and ahead of the front around 1.75 inches. This will result in chances of thunderstorms during the day with thunderstorms diminishing as the front moves south of the area late Tuesday evening. Potential for severe thunderstorms remains low with the main concern being drier air moving in just behind the front Tuesday evening. With the front just south of the area on Wednesday and slightly drier air in place instability will be lower yet expect to reach the convective temperature so will still have potential for late afternoon and evening thunderstorms. With models agreeing the front will be south of the forecast area on Wednesday have lowered pops slightly. Temperatures will be in the mid 80s to around 90 for afternoon highs with overnight lows in the mid 60s to around 70. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... High pressure will move across the Mid Atlantic States on Thursday then settle offshore of the Carolinas Thursday night. On Friday this high will slide further into the Atlantic with southerly flow returning Gulf moisture to the area. With weak upper level troughing remaining over the eastern US will see chances of thunderstorms increasing for Friday through the weekend. With the southerly flow will see pwat values increase to 1.75 inches or greater for Friday onward which will increase the potential for heavy rainfall. Temperatures will be near normal through the long term. && .AVIATION /18Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... VFR conditions expected through the TAF period outside of showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. Currently much of the cwa is experiencing some thin cirrus and developing low-level scattered cumulus. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop off to the west of all taf sites late in the afternoon, and then spread eastward through the evening. There still remains some uncertainty in convective initiation, but isolated to scattered activity expected to begin between 20-22z. Will continue with current forecast of having vcts in tafs around that time frame, and will amend forecasts to account for coverage and movement of activity. Winds will be out of the west-southwest to around 5 to 10 knots through the period. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...A cold front will stall over the region through much of the week. The front will help support scattered thunderstorms and possible restrictions each day. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Columbia SC 424 PM EDT Mon May 29 2017 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-302030- Lincoln-McDuffie-Columbia-Richmond-Burke-Lancaster-Chesterfield- McCormick-Newberry-Fairfield-Kershaw-Edgefield-Saluda-Lexington- Richland-Lee-Aiken-Sumter-Barnwell-Orangeburg-Calhoun-Clarendon- Bamberg- 424 PM EDT Mon May 29 2017 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 298 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Midlands of South Carolina and the Central Savannah River area of Georgia. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Severe Thunderstorm Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Scattered thunderstorms are again expected to develop during the afternoon on Tuesday with some possibly reaching severe limits. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters should be on alert for activation.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
442 PM EDT MON MAY 29 2017
GAZ040-063-064-SCZ018-025-292145-
McDuffie-Lincoln-Columbia-McCormick-Edgefield-
442 PM EDT MON MAY 29 2017
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN COLUMBIA...
NORTHWESTERN MCDUFFIE...LINCOLN...WESTERN EDGEFIELD AND MCCORMICK
COUNTIES...
At 441 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Washington,
moving east-northeast at 25 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm. The storm may intensify. Boaters on Strom Thurmond Lake
should prepare for threatening weather this evening.
Locations impacted include...
McCormick, Lincolnton, Lake Strom Thurmond, Bobby Brown State Park,
Parksville, Plum Branch, Willington, Mount Carmel and Modoc.
LAT...LON 3364 8261 3363 8261 3365 8258 3365 8249
3382 8259 3386 8257 3386 8261 3398 8265
3398 8261 3396 8257 3402 8259 3407 8253
3408 8248 3406 8245 3406 8234 3397 8231
3398 8228 3376 8213 3356 8263 3360 8265
TIME...MOT...LOC 2041Z 260DEG 23KT 3374 8282
awpPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
540 PM EDT MON MAY 29 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0527 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 SSW LINCOLNTON 33.76N 82.51W
05/29/2017 LINCOLN GA EMERGENCY MNGR
LINCOLN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED
TREES DOWN ON HWY 378.
0527 PM HAIL 2 SSW LINCOLNTON 33.76N 82.50W
05/29/2017 E0.75 INCH LINCOLN GA EMERGENCY MNGR
LINCOLN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED
HAIL JUST LARGER THAN PENNY SIZE.
&&The Columbia radar (KCAE), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:48 UTC.
19 thunderstorm wind, 14 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Ham radio operator reported nickel size hail along Plum Branch Rd near Beaverdam range.
Ham radio operator reported trees down on Plum Branch Rd and Hwy 230.
Public reported, via social media, 1.5 inch hail on Jones Rd.
Edgefield Co EM reported baseball size hail at Hwy 25 and Hwy 378.
Quarter size hail reported at the Lake Thurmond Visitors Center.
Pea size hail reported in Pinewood.
SCHP reported tree in roadway SC 283 and Walker Rd.
Edgefield Co dispatch reported golf ball size hail at the intersection of Hwy 25 and Hwy 283.
Public reported, via social media, golf ball size hail on Hwy 25 NW of Edgefield.
Edgefield County dispatch reported multiple trees down Hwy 25 and Hwy 283.
Edgefield County EM reported hail ranging in size from pea size to a little larger than golf ball size. There were several reports of damaged vehicles. The main impact area was Long Cane Rd and Hwy 378 west to the McCormick Co line.
Public reported 1 to 2 inch hail on Long Cane Rd along the Edgefield and Saluda County line.
Public reported, via social media, baseball size hail on Lee St.
Tree down on a structure on St. Andrews Rd.
Public reported, via social media, penny size hail at Fairview Crossroads.
Trees down on Lee St and Fallaws Lane.
Numerous trees uprooted and snapped off on Dixired Rd, Buck Smith Rd, and Providence Rd in Leesville. Several trees fell onto homes. Time estimated.
SCHP reported trees down on Two Notch Rd and Oscar Price Rd.
A large oak tree was brought down, with small hail also occurring, at Bridgewood Ct in Gilbert. Wind speed was estimated to be around 75 MPH.
Over a dozen trees were either uprooted or snapped. One tree fell on a house.
A 60 MPH (52 knot) wind gust was observed at Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
Public reported, via mPING app, golf ball size hail in Gaston.
SCHP reported trees down Hwy 176 and Geiger Lane.
SCHP reported trees down along US Hwy 176.
SCHP reported trees down on SC 261 and Belles Mill Rd.
Public reported quarter size hail and estimated 50 MPH wind gusts on Ridgehill Dr.
SCHP reported trees down on East Brewington Rd and Blossom View Dr.
SCHP reported trees down on Hwy 378 at Patriot Pkwy.
SCHP reported trees down Baker Mill Lake Lane and Old Sandy Run Rd.
Clarendon Co Sheriff reported trees down across Walker Gamble Rd near Turbeville.
SCHP reported trees down on 9333 Columbia Rd.
SCHP reported trees down 2700 N Main St, north of Sumter.
Public reported small dents in a vehicle, caused by hail, along Coleman Rd.
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 697074, 697096, 697076, 697077, 697078, 697115, 697097, 697079, 697080, 697098, 697081, 697082, 697083, 697099, 697084, 697100, 697101, 697102, 697103, 697104, 697114, 697085, 697105, 697106, 697107, 697088, 697108, 697109, 697110, 697111, 697112, 697113, 697090.