South Carolina, 2020

Flash Flood and Hail in South Carolina, May 24, 2020

May 24, 2020 · NWS CAE · 8 events in 3 counties and zones

A combination of strong daytime heating and a stalled surface front promoted slow moving thunderstorms across central SC, some of which produced hail, wind damage and/or localized heavy rainfall and flooding.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$120
Crop damage
$120
Events
8

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.

A combination of strong daytime heating and a stalled surface front promoted slow moving thunderstorms across central SC, some of which produced hail, wind damage and/or localized heavy rainfall and flooding.

What forecasters said that day

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 23, 6:31 PM EST, 20 hours 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 23, 6:31 PM EST, 20 hours 14 minutes before
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The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:43 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Lancaster

When
May 24, 2:45 PM EST to 2:50 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 0.69 mi N of Elgin
Measured
0.5 in hail
Property damage
$10
Crop damage
$10
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
34.680, -80.720

Elgin FD reported quarter inch to half inch size hail at the fire station.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When
May 24, 2:50 PM EST to 2:55 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 1.49 mi SSE of Elgin
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
34.650, -80.710

Lancaster Co dispatch reported trees down at Banner Rd and Old Camden Hwy near Elgin. Time estimated.

Hail, Lancaster

When
May 24, 2:55 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 0.57 mi W of Elgin
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.670, -80.730

Public provided a report, via social media, of quarter size hail and included a video of the hail, at Cane Mill Rd and Providence Rd. Time estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When
May 24, 2:55 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 0.89 mi SW of Lancaster
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
34.710, -80.780

Lancaster Co dispatch reported trees down in the town of Lancaster, including 6th St and Springdale Rd. Time estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When
May 24, 3:10 PM EST to 3:14 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 1.7 mi E of Antioch
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.700, -80.640

A social media report, along with a photo, indicated downed trees in the backyard of a residence. Time estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Aiken

When
May 24, 4:02 PM EST to 4:05 PM EST
Where
Aiken County, 2.15 mi NNW of Couchton
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.600, -81.630

Many trees were snapped or uprooted. Two or three mature hickory trees fell onto a house causing significant damage.

Hail, Richland

When
May 24, 5:15 PM EST to 5:18 PM EST
Where
Richland County, 0.69 mi S of Capitol View
Measured
0.25 in hail
Property damage
$10
Crop damage
$10
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.970, -80.930

Pea size hail reported in Hazelwood Acres.

Flash Flood, Richland

When
May 24, 8:15 PM EST to 8:45 PM EST
Where
Richland County, 0.83 mi SW of Ft Jackson to 0.92 mi SSW of Ft Jackson
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$100
Crop damage
$100
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
34.010, -80.938

Several streets on Fort Jackson were reported impassable due to flash flooding, including portions of Marion St, Imboden St, Lee St and Hill St.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
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 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, May 2020

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 889388, 889383, 889381, 889384, 889385, 889387, 889389, 883165.