A mid-upper level trough approached the area by afternoon with a broad area of divergence and strong flow thanks to an associated jet streak. A surface warm front, connected to a developing low pressure center over the Ohio Valley, lifted north of the area by early afternoon.
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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.
A mid-upper level trough approached the area by afternoon with a broad area of divergence and strong flow thanks to an associated jet streak. A surface warm front, connected to a developing low pressure center over the Ohio Valley, lifted north of the area by early afternoon. An alley of 2000+ J/kg of CAPE was present by mid-afternoon and mid-level dry air preceded the surface cold front, both combining for an enhanced wind and hail threat. With strong deep layer shear over 50 knots, the surface front forced convection quickly became severe. Significant hail was reported in the Augusta area and widespread wind damage was reported across the entire CSRA.
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 6, 2:56 PM EST, 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 356 PM EDT Fri May 6 2022 .SYNOPSIS... Showers and thunderstorms will develop ahead of an approaching cold front this afternoon. Some of these thunderstorms will be strong to severe. Saturday will be cooler and drier with a chance of showers and perhaps a rumble of thunder in the northeastern Midlands. Several days of dry weather follow starting on Sunday with gradually warming temperatures. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY MORNING/... Quick update for Severe thunderstorm watch for the Midlands and CSRA through 10pm. Organized convection lifting north- northeastward through central GA should move into the CSRA after 4pm and continue northeastward across the Midlands providing a damaging wind threat. Isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out but the primary threat is damaging winds and large hail. Previous discussion: Tornado watch issued for the Upstate SC and western NC. The strongest SR helicity should remain northwest of the CAE CWA and southwest in Georgia. Severe threat expected to increase for central SC and east central Georgia later this afternoon into the evening... Deepening surface low pressure over Kentucky/Indiana early this afternoon with a trailing cold front moving east of the Mississippi Valley. Ahead of the front, Precipitable water increase across SC to around 1.5 inches with southwest low level flow...Warm air advection appears weak however. Upper level low over Tennessee moving east- northeast and taking on negative tilt. Upper level divergence will be increasing over the Carolina as upper level 100 kt jet rounding the base of the trough moves east. In addition a strong short wave trough will approach the Carolinas. This will result in strong lift across the region during time of peak heating...highs in the mid to upper 80s as the cold front approaches. Instability appears to be moderate with SB CAPE 1500-2000 J/kg. Mixed layer CAPE is low at the moment and with gusty winds probably mixing down lower dew points later in the day...possible limiting factor. The CAMS suggest a possible storm mode of discrete cells early, with low tornado threat given the lack of SR Helicity. Then with a uni-directional strong shear profile late this afternoon, a squall line ahead of the front 21z-24z with damaging winds the primary threat along with hail given relatively low wet-bulb zero height as the upper low approaches. Went with relatively high pops. The front should push to the east of the area during the 03z- 06z period tonight. Drier air will filter in behind the front and the showers should move into the coastal plain. The stronger cold advection may be delayed until morning so overnight temps only fall to around 60. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... Upper low will swing over the forecast area Saturday with lower heights and cooler temperatures with highs in the mid to upper 70s with mostly cloudy skies. With considerable cooling aloft with the upper low right over us, could get some showers and maybe even a thunderstorm to develop, especially in the NE portion of the forecast area. Saturday night the upper low will shift offshore with drier air pumping into the forecast area. Overnight lows cooler as well Saturday night with temperatures in the low to mid 50s. NW flow aloft across the area Sunday with N flow at the surface with drier air pumping into the forecast area as PWATs drop to .7 to .8 inches and skies begin to clear from SW to NE. Cold advection and clouds will keep temperatures in the upper 60s NE to mid 70s SW. Cold advection will continue overnight with lows in the upper 40s north and low 50s south. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Good agreement among global models and their ensemble suites in the low pressure remaining just east of the area with a blocking ridge preventing it from pushing further downstream. All euro ensemble members keep PWATs below an inch with generally northerly flow continuing. Temperatures will slowly recover into next week, remaining below normal. The low will slowly shift back to the west by the middle of the week with some increasing moisture which may lead to showers developing late in the period, although moisture will still be fairly limited. && .AVIATION /20Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A cold front will approach from the lower Mississippi Valley by this evening. Ahead of the front, the air mass is becoming moderately unstable. The CAMS suggest a convective squall line with a few discrete cells will develop in east central GA then move northeast through the area during the 20z-24z. Kept the brief period of IFR conditions as the thunderstorms moves through the area. Clearing skies in the late evening with mainly mid level ceilings. Winds will be southwest 15 to 20 knots with a few higher gusts ahead of the front then shift to west after 12z Saturday. Strato-cumulus may develop after 12z Saturday as the upper level low moves over the area and maybe some brief light showers, but VFR conditions expected. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...There will be another chance for showers on Saturday, especially across the northern CWA as the upper level low passes by. Patchy early morning stratus/fog possible particularly at OGB/AGS on Saturday. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...No significant impacts to aviation expected. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Columbia SC 439 AM EDT Fri May 6 2022 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ016-018-020>022-025>031-035-037-038-041-115- 116-135>137-070845- Lincoln-McDuffie-Columbia-Richmond-Burke-Chesterfield-McCormick- Newberry-Fairfield-Kershaw-Edgefield-Saluda-Lexington-Richland-Lee- Aiken-Sumter-Barnwell-Calhoun-Clarendon-Bamberg-Northern Lancaster- Southern Lancaster-Northwestern Orangeburg-Central Orangeburg- Southeastern Orangeburg- 439 AM EDT Fri May 6 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Midlands of South Carolina and the Central Savannah River area of Georgia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. A cold front will bring a line of strong to severe thunderstorms through the area this afternoon. The main threat will be damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, and large hail. Brief heavy rainfall will also be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed this afternoon and evening.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
219 PM EDT Fri May 6 2022
SCZ115-116-061845-
Northern Lancaster SC-Southern Lancaster SC-
219 PM EDT Fri May 6 2022
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern
Lancaster County through 245 PM EDT...
At 218 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Van Wyck, or 8 miles south of Indian Land, moving northeast at 30
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Indian Land, Waxhaw, Andrew Jackson State Park, Van Wyck, Carolina
Commons Shopping Center and Community of Almond Glen.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for central South
Carolina.
&&
LAT...LON 3493 8078 3482 8080 3482 8074 3476 8086
3481 8090 3483 8090 3484 8087 3490 8088
3493 8086 3496 8087 3501 8091 3503 8090
3507 8090
TIME...MOT...LOC 1818Z 234DEG 28KT 3488 8085
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
gplThe Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:24 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Burke County dispatch reported widespread trees and powerlines down across the county. Time estimate by radar.
Public reported numerous trees and power lines down on Hwy 221.
City of Grovetown reports numerous trees and powerlines down in several areas of the city. Some impacted locations include Railroad Avenue, Harlem Grovetown Road in the area of Fire Station #2, Green Street at W Robinson Avenue, and the area of 5100 Wrightsboro Road.
Report of trees down at the Intersection of Horizon South Parkway and Gateway Blvd.
Report of half dollar size hail at Fort Gordon.
Numerous reports across the Augusta area of severe hail ranging from 1 inch to 2 inches beginning near Wheeler Road and Jackson road, continuing to near University Hospital and Wrightsboro Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, May 2022
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: 1014896, 1014898, 1014902, 1014904, 1014876, 1014878.