Daytime heating led to scattered thunderstorms, one of which produced wind damage.
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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.
Daytime heating led to scattered thunderstorms, one of which produced wind damage.
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 Aug 12, 1:26 PM EST, 5 hours 7 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 226 PM EDT Wed Aug 12 2020 .SYNOPSIS... With the Bermuda high offshore and a persistent upper level trough in the Lower Mississippi Valley, a moist and unstable air mass will remain across the area through the week. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected each day primarily during the afternoon and evening periods. Temperatures will be near normal. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/ Regional radar showing scattered to numerous showers have developed across the central Midlands this afternoon with less coverage over the CSRA and Pee Dee. A weak surface low/trough is in place over the area. Weak shortwave energy will be meandering through the region. Deep moisture is in place across the region with precipitable water values around 1.9 to 2.2 inches. Moderate instability has developed with MLCAPE values around 2000 J/kg. DCAPE values support an isolated damaging wind threat at 600 to 900 J/kg with the highest values southwest. Locally heavy rainfall is the primary threat given high pwat values and relatively slow storm motion. Convection will linger into tonight with deep moisture remaining in place. Overnight lows in the lower 70s. Patchy fog/stratus will be possible. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... Mid-level trough will be to the west of the area Thursday with southwest flow continuing to bring moisture into the area. PWATs at or above 2 inches. While the greatest upper level forcing will likely remain to the west of the area, expect afternoon storms to develop with the axis of a surface trough draped across the area and moderate instability in place. High humidity will make temperatures feel closer to triple digits. While the threat of severe weather remains low, storms will produce locally heavy rain which will be enhanced by slow storm motion. Shortwave energy crossing the area in southwest flow aloft may allow convection to persist overnight. Similar conditions are expected Friday. The upper trough will be a little closer producing additional forcing and even higher chances for thunderstorms . Localized heavy rain still the main threat. Temperatures will be near average in the upper 80s and low 90s with lows in the low 70s. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... High pressure will remain almost stationary in the Atlantic, continuing to deliver plenty of Gulf moisture to the region. Possibility still exists for some locally heavy rainfall into the weekend, especially within stronger diurnal thunderstorms. With the upper level trough axis still to the west of the Appalachians on Saturday, confidence is high for above normal POPs to start the weekend. From there, models are more inconsistent. GFS shows a front moving through the area late Saturday and moves the upper level trough axis offshore, keeping convection mostly at the coast. ECMWF has the trough planted west of the region into the beginning of next week, with consistently high moisture. Kept POPs slightly lower with typical diurnal convection Sunday into Wednesday. By Tuesday, weak surface trough will stall over southern GA and Carolina coast, bringing moisture back in. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Restrictions expected in scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening and possible fog/stratus early Thursday. Cumulus has developed across the region this afternoon with storms already popping in the Midlands. Expecting convective coverage to increase over the next few hours with the best chance during the afternoon and evening hours. Storms could linger overnight, but the chance was too low to include mention of VCTS after 03Z. Storms will be capable of strong winds and heavy rain which would lower vis/cig. Fog and stratus will be possible early Thursday morning especially in locations that receive rainfall today given abundant low level moisture and light/calm winds, although there will be some lingering clouds overnight. Added mention of MVFR fog from 09Z to 12Z and SCT015 at all of the terminals. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...Restrictions possible each day in mainly diurnally driven convection as well as potential for late night/early morning fog/stratus. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Columbia SC 305 AM EDT Wed Aug 12 2020 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041-115-116- 130715- 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- 305 AM EDT Wed Aug 12 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Midlands of South Carolina and the Central Savannah River area of Georgia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 114 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:31 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and power lines were downed around the East Robinson Ave and Katherine St area. Two homes were damaged from fallen trees. Time estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, August 2020
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: 906385.