Tropical Storm Bertha quickly developed over the Atlantic waters just offshore the SC coast on the morning of May 27, 2020. It made landfall on the SC coast east of Charleston that morning, then weakened to a Tropical Depression while moving to the NNW across the Eastern and Northern Midlands of SC during the afternoon and early 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.
Tropical Storm Bertha quickly developed over the Atlantic waters just offshore the SC coast on the morning of May 27, 2020. It made landfall on the SC coast east of Charleston that morning, then weakened to a Tropical Depression while moving to the NNW across the Eastern and Northern Midlands of SC during the afternoon and early evening. The cyclone produced about 2 to 3 inches of rain across the northern and eastern Midlands of SC. This rainfall, combined with already saturated soils and high river and stream levels from recent rains, caused some small streams to rise out of their banks and flood a few bridges and low lying areas in Lancaster Co SC.
The Columbia radar (KCAE), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:48 UTC.
4 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Spotter reported water covering the roadway on New Cut Church Rd where it crosses South Prong Camp Creek. Report and photo relayed via social media. Times estimated.
Lancaster Co dispatch reported water covering the roadway on Banner Rd where it crosses Turkey Quarter Creek. Times estimated.
Lancaster Co dispatch reported water covering the roadway on Hershel Plyler Rd. Times estimated.
Trained spotter reported flooding, south of Tradesville, on Old Camden Monroe Hwy, between Shiloh Unity Rd and SC Hwy 9, where the road crosses North Branch Wildcat Creek. Reported relayed via social media with a video showing the flooding. Times estimated.
Lancaster Co dispatch reported water covering the roadway at Ander Vincent Rd near Waxhaw Hwy. Times estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, May 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 889442, 889443, 889444, 889437, 889445.