An upper disturbance and sufficient atmospheric moisture and instability led to scattered showers and thunderstorms across the region in the afternoon and evening, some of which were strong to severe.
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 disturbance and sufficient atmospheric moisture and instability led to scattered showers and thunderstorms across the region in the afternoon and evening, some of which were strong to severe.
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 4, 11:34 AM EST, 4 hours 21 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 1234 PM EDT Sat May 4 2019 .SYNOPSIS... Warm, moist advection over the Southeast will support shower and thunderstorm development into this evening. Some thunderstorms may produce damaging wind gusts. Another round of showers and thunderstorms will be possible late tonight as a shortwave moves over the area. The front will move through the region by Sunday evening with drier air spreading into the region for early next week. Temperatures will remain above normal into next week with dry conditions after the frontal passage. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Today: Not much change in the current thinking for this afternoon. There remains a slight risk of severe weather this afternoon across much of central South Carolina and the CSRA of Georgia. The main threat will be damaging wind gusts from thunderstorm line segments. Highs will be in the 80s. Many of the near term convective models continue to show shower and thunderstorm development across the cwa beginning this afternoon and lasting into the early evening. Continued warm and moist advection will lead to moderate instability. An upper level shortwave moving towards the region from the west and southwest will help to trigger the convection this afternoon. Regional radars currently showing some light shower development just west of the cwa, with thunderstorms in progress over northern GA. This activity will continue to push east. With 0-6 km wind shear values from 20 to 30 kts there is potential for organized thunderstorm lines to develop. Steep mid-level lapse rates over the area and moderate instability increases the threat of damaging wind gusts and possibly a few storms that produce severe hail. Tonight: Much of the convective activity is expected to move east of the forecast area during the late evening. However, an additional shortwave currently associated with convection over southern MS will move across the forecast area overnight and may support additional convection late tonight. Overnight lows in the mid 60s. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... A cold front and upper trough will push through the region Sunday morning and early afternoon with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. SPC moved the Marginal Risk of severe weather closer to the coast last night, therefore the risk of damaging winds is minimal. The severe weather parameters such as Lifted Index and CAPE decrease during the day as drier air pushes into the region. The pattern transitions to a dry zonal flow aloft Sunday Night through Monday. High pressure aloft establishes itself over the region on Tuesday. Expect dry weather and very warm temperatures for early May. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... Medium range forecast models diverge starting Wednesday in terms of the suppression of high pressure aloft over the Southeast U.S. The GFS aggressively breaks down the ridge axis while the ECMWF and Canadian models keep it in place through Thursday. This model divergence impacts the timing of convection in the forecast late next week. Will split the middle and remain consistent with previous forecasts to start forecasting a chance of showers and thunderstorms on Thursday. A southwest flow aloft will bring a series of disturbances into the region Friday through Saturday with a chance of showers and thunderstorms on both days. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... VFR conditions will prevail through the afternoon hours. There will be scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms this afternoon along with associated restrictions during periods of heavy rain. The afternoon convection should move east of the TAF sites in the evening with another round of showers and possibly thunderstorms moving in overnight. There is less confidence in rainfall at terminals overnight and therefore have still kept mention of it out of the TAFs at this time. With moderate low level mixing tonight, do not expect widespread dense fog to develop. However, redevelopment of low-level stratus deck remains possible late tonight into Sunday morning. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK..The pattern of showers and thunderstorms will continue Sunday. Fair weather expected Monday through Wednesday. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Columbia SC 931 AM EDT Sat May 4 2019 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-115-116- 051345- Lincoln-McDuffie-Columbia-Richmond-Burke-Chesterfield-McCormick- Newberry-Fairfield-Kershaw-Edgefield-Saluda-Lexington-Richland-Lee- Aiken-Sumter-Barnwell-Orangeburg-Calhoun-Clarendon-Bamberg- Northern Lancaster-Southern Lancaster- 931 AM EDT Sat May 4 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Midlands of South Carolina and the Central Savannah River area of Georgia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. There is a slight risk of severe weather this afternoon. Numerous showers and thunderstorms will develop some of which could produce damaging wind gusts and hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
343 PM EDT SAT MAY 4 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0333 PM HAIL 1 SSE LINCOLNTON 33.78N 82.47W
05/04/2019 E0.25 INCH LINCOLN GA CO-OP OBSERVER
COOP OBSERVER ON LEWIS FAMILY ROAD REPORTED
PEA-SIZE HAIL LASTING FROM 3:33 TO 3:38 PM
EDT.
&&
DAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
355 PM EDT SAT MAY 4 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0335 PM HAIL LINCOLNTON 33.79N 82.48W
05/04/2019 E0.70 INCH LINCOLN GA EMERGENCY MNGR
LINCOLN COUNTY EM REPORTED HAIL SLIGHTLY
SMALLER THAN A DIME IN THE CITY OF
LINCOLNTON. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&
DASpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
404 PM EDT Sat May 4 2019
SCZ036-038-042030-
Orangeburg SC-Clarendon SC-
404 PM EDT Sat May 4 2019
...Strong Thunderstorms Will Impact Portions of east central
Orangeburg and southeastern Clarendon Counties Until 430 PM EDT....
At 403 PM EDT...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated a
strong thunderstorm near Holly Hill, or 16 miles northeast of Indian
Field, moving northeast at 55 mph.
HAZARD...strong winds 45 to 55 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...
Holly Hill, Santee Cooper Regional Airport, Santee, Eutawville,
Vance, Eautaw Springs, Indian Bluff Recreation Park, Rocks Pond
Campground and Marina, Blounts Landing, Mill Creek Marina and
Campground, Foreston and Davis Station.
This includes Interstate 95 between mile markers 91 and 98.
LAT...LON 3350 8010 3350 8012 3348 8015 3346 8013
3346 8015 3345 8015 3346 8016 3345 8017
3345 8020 3344 8020 3345 8022 3340 8022
3337 8024 3328 8045 3344 8055 3376 7999
3371 7998
TIME...MOT...LOC 2003Z 240DEG 48KT 3342 8038
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</html>Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
439 PM EDT Sat May 4 2019
SCZ030-035>037-041-042130-
Orangeburg SC-Barnwell SC-Aiken SC-Calhoun SC-Bamberg SC-
439 PM EDT Sat May 4 2019
...Strong Thunderstorms Will Impact Portions of Orangeburg...
northeastern Barnwell...east central Aiken...Calhoun and Bamberg
Counties Until 530 PM EDT....
At 438 PM EDT...National Weather Service doppler radar indicated
strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 8 miles east of
Aiken State Park to near Lodge, moving northeast at 50 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 these storms include...
Orangeburg, Bamberg, Denmark, Brookdale, Blackville, St. Matthews,
Holly Hill, Branchville, Bowman, Elloree, Santee State Park, Claflin
College, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg County Airport,
Sandy Run, Edisto Gardens, Santee, North, Ehrhardt and Springfield.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
These storms may intensify. Monitor NOAA Weather Radio, local radio
and television stations for additional information and possible
warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
This includes Interstate 95 between mile markers 85 and 99.
LAT...LON 3356 8143 3369 8126 3366 8118 3375 8093
3378 8101 3375 8106 3387 8100 3377 8082
3377 8066 3348 8044 3343 8034 3332 8027
3326 8041 3328 8048 3333 8051 3313 8089
3306 8090 3310 8094 3303 8107
TIME...MOT...LOC 2038Z 234DEG 43KT 3354 8134 3306 8102
fwaThe Columbia radar (KCAE), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:54 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
AWOS unit at Santee Cooper Regional Airport (KMNI) measured a wind gust of 48 knots (55 mph) at 1655 EDT (1555 EST).
Public reported pea size hail via social media. Time estimated.
Trained spotter reported a tree down on US Hwy 378 at Black River swamp.
Public reported one inch hail on Interstate 20 at mile marker 19.
Multiple trees and power lines down in the town of Chesterfield. Time estimated.
Retired emergency manager reported several trees down on Vanboklen Rd near Eastover.
Retired emergency manager reported dime size to 3/4 inch hail on Vanboklen Rd near Eastover.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, May 2019
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: 819161, 819162, 819163, 819164, 819165, 819166, 819167.