Instability caused by daytime heating, combined with surface convergence along a surface trough and outflow boundaries, produced scattered severe thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.
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.
Instability caused by daytime heating, combined with surface convergence along a surface trough and outflow boundaries, produced scattered severe thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.
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 Jun 15, 3:52 PM EST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 452 PM EDT Fri Jun 15 2018 .SYNOPSIS... Weak frontal boundary over the Midlands and Pee Dee will slowly move southward today and stall near the CSRA Saturday. High pressure and a building upper level ridge will control the region for Sunday into late next week. This scenario will keep chances of mainly afternoon and evening thunderstorms in the forecast with rising temperatures through late next week. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY MORNING/... A frontal boundary/dewpoint gradient is situated across the Midlands this afternoon. A warm moist airmass along and south of the front has allowed for convective development. Dry air aloft will inhibit widespread, deep convection although convergence along the advancing frontal boundary and sea-breeze is triggering pulse-type thunderstorms. Most of the activity is currently focused from Aiken County eastward through Orangeburg County, and into Calhoun County. Instability is moderate to strong, and any stronger storms that develop will pose a threat of severe weather. DCAPE values up to 1300 J/KG and wetbulb zero heights between 10 and 11 kft suggest that both damaging downburst winds and large hail are threats. Expect the highest coverage and strongest thunderstorms to develop in eastern SC where the upper levels aren't as dry. Latest HRRR suggests activity could persist through the late evening and overnight hours, but will die off by early morning. High temperatures this afternoon will be in the mid 90s with overnight lows in the low to mid 70s. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... Upper level ridge over the MS River Valley will slowly build east Saturday as the upper trough off the east coast moves out to sea. The remains of a surface front will be near the CSRA on Saturday and continue acting as a focusing mechanism for diurnal convection. Instability will continue in the moderate to strong range with DCAPE again around 1000 J/KG and pwat values of 1.7 inches. Still expect afternoon and evening thunderstorms...with a better chance across the southern Midlands and CSRA. Strong winds and locally heavy rainfall be will the main threats. Hail potential will be lower Saturday as wet bulb zero heights will be higher. Saturday night through Sunday will see the upper level ridge build over the area with the ridge axis centered over the forecast area Sunday night. At the surface high pressure will move north of the area Saturday night and be located offshore of the Carolinas Sunday and Sunday night. With the remains of the front south of the area and high pressure pushing slightly drier air into the region Sunday and Sunday night...thunderstorm chances will be lower with slight chance over the northern Midlands and chance farther south. Temperatures will be in the low to mid 90s for afternoon highs with low to mid 70s for overnight lows. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Upper level ridge over the region Monday and Tuesday will be suppressed south and west Wednesday through Friday as an upper trough crosses the northeastern states. Surface high pressure over the western Atlantic will ridge into the southeastern states with a lee side trough over the Carolinas. Main concern for the first half of next week will be hot temperatures with highs in the mid to upper 90s and lows in the low to mid 70s. Should see heat indices between 100F and 110F. Scattered diurnal thunderstorms expected Monday through Wednesday. Several weak short waves moving through area on the east side of the upper ridge Thursday and Friday will increase the chance for showers and thunderstorms for the end of next week...as a frontal boundary drops south into the Mid Atlantic region. May see slight cooling by Friday but temperatures will remain above normal through the long term. && .AVIATION /21Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... VFR conditions expected outside of scattered diurnal convection. A weak front will remain over the area this afternoon, triggering thunderstorms, mainly to the south. Widespread thunderstorms are unlikely given the upper level dry air. This will keep confidence low that thunderstorms will impact the TAF sites. OGB is the most likely to experience activity, but currently convection is moving south of the site. However, strong outflow winds are possible at all sites from nearby convection. Thunderstorms will continue to develop through the evening but diminish after 03Z. Otherwise, winds will be light and variable through much of the period. Tonight, a 20 kt LLJ will inhibit widespread fog although we cannot rule out a brief period of visibility restriction at fog prone OGB and AGS. Model trends have shown good agreement in predominantly VFR conditions. Saturday through 18Z, light easterly winds will pick up around 15Z with a scattered cumulus deck developing late morning. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...There may be restrictions in stratus and fog during the early morning hours and also in mainly afternoon and evening thunderstorms through Tuesday. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Columbia SC 507 AM EDT Fri Jun 15 2018 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-160915- Lincoln-McDuffie-Columbia-Richmond-Burke-Lancaster-Chesterfield- McCormick-Newberry-Fairfield-Kershaw-Edgefield-Saluda-Lexington- Richland-Lee-Aiken-Sumter-Barnwell-Orangeburg-Calhoun-Clarendon- Bamberg- 507 AM EDT Fri Jun 15 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Midlands of South Carolina and the Central Savannah River area of Georgia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Scattered thunderstorms will develop this afternoon and evening across the Midlands and Central Savannah River Area. A few strong storms are possible across the eastern Midlands and southern Central Savannah River Area with the the main concerns being strong outflow winds and hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Thunderstorms will be possible each day mainly during the afternoon and evening hours. A few storms could contain strong wind and locally heavy rain. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
514 PM EDT FRI JUN 15 2018
SCZ035-036-041-152145-
Orangeburg SC-Barnwell SC-Bamberg SC-
514 PM EDT FRI JUN 15 2018
...Strong Thunderstorms Will Impact Portions of west central
Orangeburg...northeastern Barnwell and northwestern Bamberg Counties
Until 545 PM EDT....
At 513 PM EDT...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm 11 miles north of Blackville, or 16 miles
northwest of Denmark, moving southeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...gusty winds 40 to 50 mph and pea sized hail.
IMPACT...expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to plants,
trees and crops is possible. Damage to windshields is
unlikely.
Some locations in the path of this storm include...
Blackville, Springfield, Neeses, Norway and Livingston.
LAT...LON 3350 8136 3363 8121 3346 8100 3330 8126
TIME...MOT...LOC 2113Z 323DEG 10KT 3353 8127
fwaPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
612 PM EDT FRI JUN 15 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0610 PM TSTM WND DMG BLACKVILLE 33.35N 81.28W
06/15/2018 BARNWELL SC 911 CALL CENTER
DISPATCH REPORTED TREES DOWN ON DEXTER
STREET. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
DASpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
634 PM EDT FRI JUN 15 2018
SCZ030-035-152300-
Barnwell SC-Aiken SC-
634 PM EDT FRI JUN 15 2018
...Strong Thunderstorms Will Impact Portions of southwestern Barnwell
and south central Aiken Counties Until 700 PM EDT....
At 633 PM EDT...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm near Savannah River Site, moving south at 55 mph.
HAZARD...strong winds 45 to 55 mph, pea sized hail and localized
minor flooding.
IMPACT...expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to plants,
trees and crop is possible. Damage to windshields is
unlikely. Localized, minor flooding of low lying and poor
drainage areas is also possible.
Some locations in the path of this storm include...
Savannah River Site and Snelling.
Heavy rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may cause localized
flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.
LAT...LON 3311 8166 3312 8168 3335 8176 3341 8156
3312 8141 3316 8154 3309 8162 3309 8165
TIME...MOT...LOC 2233Z 339DEG 49KT 3331 8163
fwaSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
710 PM EDT FRI JUN 15 2018
GAZ065-SCZ025-030-160000-
Richmond GA-Aiken SC-Edgefield SC-
710 PM EDT FRI JUN 15 2018
...Strong Thunderstorms Will Impact Portions of northeastern
Richmond...west central Aiken and southwestern Edgefield Counties
Until 800 PM EDT....
At 709 PM EDT...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm near Belvedere, moving south at 10 mph.
HAZARD...gusty winds 40 to 50 mph, pea sized hail and localized
minor flooding.
IMPACT...expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to plants,
trees and crop is possible. Damage to windshields is
unlikely. Localized, minor flooding of low lying and poor
drainage areas is also possible.
Some locations in the path of this storm include...
Aiken, North Augusta, Augusta, Clearwater, Belvedere, New Ellenton,
Gloverville, Burnettown, Trenton and Murphys Estates.
Heavy rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may cause localized
flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 20 in Georgia between mile markers 200 and 201.
Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 0 and 15.
Interstate 520 in Georgia between mile markers 8 and 15.
Interstate 520 in South Carolina between mile markers 16 and 23.
LAT...LON 3376 8185 3340 8167 3334 8201 3353 8205
3355 8203 3357 8205 3372 8208
TIME...MOT...LOC 2309Z 348DEG 9KT 3359 8194
fwaSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
753 PM EDT FRI JUN 15 2018
GAZ064-065-SCZ025-030-160030-
Richmond GA-Columbia GA-Aiken SC-Edgefield SC-
753 PM EDT FRI JUN 15 2018
...Strong Thunderstorms Will Impact Portions of eastern Richmond...
east central Columbia...southwestern Aiken and southwestern Edgefield
Counties Until 830 PM EDT....
At 753 PM EDT...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm near North Augusta, moving south at 25 mph.
HAZARD...gusty winds 40 to 50 mph, pea sized hail and localized
minor flooding.
IMPACT...expect minor damage to tree limbs and blowing around of
light, unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to plants,
trees and crop is possible. Damage to windshields is
unlikely. Localized, minor flooding of low lying and poor
drainage areas is also possible.
Some locations in the path of this storm include...
North Augusta, Evans, Augusta, Martinez, Clearwater, Belvedere,
Hephzibah, Jackson, Burnettown and Murphys Estates.
Heavy rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may cause localized
flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 20 in Georgia between mile markers 195 and 201.
Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 0 and 7.
Interstate 520 in Georgia between mile markers 1 and 15.
Interstate 520 in South Carolina between mile markers 16 and 23.
LAT...LON 3360 8214 3359 8213 3361 8211 3368 8193
3332 8179 3324 8205 3359 8215
TIME...MOT...LOC 2353Z 348DEG 21KT 3356 8201
fwaThe Columbia radar (KCAE), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:57 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 55-knot (63 MPH) wind gust was recorded by the Augusta Daniel Field (KDNL) ASOS.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, June 2018
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: 760552.