South Carolina, 2018

Flash Flooding and Lightning Strike in South Carolina, August 12 to 13, 2018

August 12 to 13, 2018 · NWS CAE · 6 events in 1 county or zone

Thunderstorms developed in a moist environment and produced locally heavy rain on the night of August 12th into the very early morning hours on August 13th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$200
Crop damage
$300
Events
6

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS CAE wrote it up.

Thunderstorms developed in a moist environment and produced locally heavy rain on the night of August 12th into the very early morning hours on August 13th.

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:58 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 heavy rain, 2 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Sumter

When
August 12, 6:00 AM EST to August 13, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Sumter County, 2.45 mi E of Cane Savannah
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
33.895, -80.408

CoCoRaHS observer reported a total of 4.71 inches of rain in the 24 hour period ending around 0700 EDT (0600 EST). Most of this rain fell in thunderstorm activity during the late night hours of 8/12.

Heavy Rain, Sumter

When
August 12, 6:00 AM EST to August 13, 6:00 AM EST
Where
Sumter County, 1.63 mi WNW of Sumter
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
33.932, -80.374

CoCoRaHS observer reported a total of 4.00 inches of rain in the 24 hour period ending around 0700 EDT (0600 EST). Most of this rain fell in thunderstorm activity during the late night hours of 8/12.

Heavy Rain, Sumter

When
August 12, 9:30 PM EST to August 13, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Sumter County, 0.57 mi E of (Ssc)shaw Afb Sumter
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
33.970, -80.470

Automated gage at Shaw AFB near Sumter measured 2.35 inches of rain in about a two and a half hour period ending at around 0100 EDT (0000 EST). 1.13 inches of this fell in about a half hour roughly between 2230 EDT (2130 EST) and 2300 EDT (2200 EST).

Lightning, Sumter

When
August 12, 10:11 PM EST
Where
Sumter County, 1.85 mi WNW of Sumter
Crop damage
$100
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.930, -80.380

Sumter dispatch reported a lightning strike to an apartment complex on Alice Dr that caused a fire. The extent of the damage was unknown, but several persons were displaced. No injuries.

Flash Flood, Sumter

When
August 12, 11:30 PM EST to 11:50 PM EST
Where
Sumter County, 0.52 mi SW of Sumter to 0.47 mi SW of Sumter
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$100
Crop damage
$100
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.915, -80.356

Roadway was flooded with stranded vehicles at Guignard Dr and Birnie Cir. Time estimated.

Flash Flood, Sumter

When
August 12, 11:30 PM EST to 11:50 PM EST
Where
Sumter County, 0.81 mi ENE of Sumter to 0.88 mi ENE of Sumter
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$100
Crop damage
$100
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
33.925, -80.337

Flooding with stranded vehicles at Calhoun St and Lafayette Dr in Sumter. Time estimated.

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, August 2018

Sources

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: 767509, 767510, 767505, 767506, 767504, 767507.