Tornadoes and Flash Flood in South Carolina, April 5, 2022

Pea size hail reported at New Holland VFD at New Holland Rd and Cooks Bridge Rd.

The USGS stream gage along Rocky Branch at Whaley St in Columbia reached flood stage after heavy rain. The intersection of Main and Whaley street became impassable as a result.

A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF1 tornado|in Bamberg County, SC just west Ehrhardt. The tornado had a path|length of about 3.75 miles with a maximum path width of 250 yards.|The peak wind associated with the tornado was 110 mph. The tornado touched down near St Johns Church Rd between Lizard Rd and Hi Ki Pen Rd. There was scattered tree damage, with both softwoods and hardwoods uprooted or snapped as it moved|northeast across Lizard Rd, Rib Eye Rd and Jager Rd. The tornado|then continued northeast across Low Country Hwy, snapping and|uprooting trees on Singleton Rd. The tornado intensified to EF1|intensity as it crossed a property on Pocketville Rd. The walls|and roof were blown off of a shed, multiple vehicles and a small|tractor were spun and shifted, shingles and siding were ripped off|of a house, and many large diameter pine trees were snapped. The|tornado then destroyed a shed, uprooted 12 large pecan trees, and|removed a portion of the tin off of a house at the intersection of|Pocketville Rd and Ehrhardt Rd before dissipating.

A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF0 tornado|in Bamberg County, SC just southwest of Farrell Crossroads. The|tornado had a path length of about 2.35 miles with a maximum path|width of 200 yards. The peak wind associated with the tornado was|85 mph. The tornado touched down just east of Hunters Chapel Rd,|crossed Bay View Rd, and dissipated east of Farrells Rd. The|tornado produced sporadic tree damage, with with both softwoods|and hardwoods uprooted or snapped along its path.

A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF0 tornado|in Orangeburg County, SC just east of Branchville. The tornado|had a path length of about 1 mile with a maximum path width of|50 yards. The peak wind associated with the tornado was 80 mph. |The tornado touched down in the athletic fields adjacent to|Branchville High School on Dorange Rd. The metal roof was removed|from an equipment shed, the baseball field backstop was missing a|portion of its fencing, and the bleachers were displaced. The|tornado then continued northeast across a field, removing|sections of roof near the intersection of Thompson Rd and Sub Rd,|before dissipating.

A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF0 tornado|in Orangeburg County, SC near Bowman. The tornado had a path|length of about 0.75 miles with a maximum path width of 200 yards.|The peak wind associated with the tornado was 85 mph. The tornado touched down near Wayside Dr where it removed|portions of the tin exterior of a farm equipment storage barn and|shifted an unanchored helicopter more than 90 degrees. The|tornado then moved northeast across Dairy Ave where it caused|damage to approximately 6 acres of a solar farm. The tornado then|dissipated near Bowman Branch Hwy.

The National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF2 tornado from northern|Aiken County into southern Lexington County. The peak wind associated with the tornado was 130 mph.

The tornado touched down in Aiken Co near the intersection of Holder Rd and|Huckleberry Finn Rd. The tornado move quickly to the northeast crossing Holder Rd|and along Fishhook Ln. The tornado crossed into Lexington Co then dissipated in Lexington Co.

While in Aiken Co, the tornado produced a path of downed branches, uprooted trees|and snapped trees. The most significant damage occurred along Holder Rd and|Fishhook Ln. The tornado damaged 3 homes and downed power lines in the area. A|small wooden home lost a portion of it's metal roof. A home was partially pushed off its|foundation. Some of the supporting piers collapsed and the home had signs of buckling|along the side and rear walls. This home is where the one injury (male, age unknown)|occurred, as the roof partially collapsed. The third home was damaged when a tree fell|on the roof. There were numerous downed, uprooted and snapped trees around the 3|homes. The area was initially inaccessible until county clean up crews arrived.

The tornado continued northeast along Fishhook Ln where significant tree damage|occurred. There were numerous large hardwood and softwood trees that were snapped|at the end of Fishhook Ln. A small metal shed was destroyed. A rusted antique car was|moved approximately 50 feet where it had resided in the shed. A car engine was|moved approximately 35 feet from where it resided in the shed. The home on the|property had a couple of small areas of damage where the wooden siding was|removed.

The tornado continued northeast and crossed into Lexington Co through the swampy|area at the headwaters of the North Fork of the Edisto River that includes Shirley|Branch and Chinquapin Creek.

The National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF2 tornado from northern Aiken County into southern Lexington County.

The tornado touched down in Aiken Co then moved NE and crossed into Lexington Co.

The tornado continued to move NE and crossed I-20 just west of mile marker 39, near|exit 39. There was significant tree damage along the westbound lanes of I-20. Several|trees were uprooted and snapped in the vicinity.

The tornado moved NE crossing US Hwy 178 (Fairview Hwy) and produced some minor|damage to the roof and underpinning of 2 homes and uprooted a few small trees along|Annie Hallman Rd. The tornado dissipated just beyond the intersection of Annie|Hallman Rd and Live Oak Rd.

An NWS Storm Survey found downed trees along Kestrel Dr at Ben Franklin Rd and determined the damage was caused by straight-line winds.

A National Weather Service survey team confirmed a EF3 tornado that began in eastern Allendale County and then moved into Bamberg County near the intersection of Hwy 321 and Hwy 301. The tornado then crossed into Orangeburg county just north of Hwy 78. In Bamberg county the tornado moved through a large forest of mostly softwood pine, with hardwood oaks in the forest for some stretch. As it approached Popeye Rd, the tornado strengthened into a strong EF3 with winds |estimated at 160 mph. Remarkable damage was done to both softwoods and |hardwoods in this forest, with an estimated 2 miles of 80-100% forest |blowdown. In a particularly intense section, the tornado scoured the |ground and stripped pine needles off of young pine trees. Additionally,|many younger pine trees in this area were debarked and delimbed. On |either side of this were sections of pine and oak that had been snapped|low, at or below 5 feet, to the ground. Strong EF3 damage is estimated |to have continued from Popeye Road across Kirkland Creek and then |towards Wild Flower Road in Bamberg County. From here, the tornado |weakened a bit as it approached Alligator road. The tornado was near |its peak width at this time, then striking a more residential area along|Carver road. Here, one mobile home was completely destroyed, with a home|having its roof completely removed and some partial wall collapses. On |either side of the center of the track, other homes sustained different |degrees of damage to their roofs and siding. The tornado continued |northeastward and maintained EF2 strength, primarily causing damage |to trees. Much of the damage on Macedonia Church Rd was from trees |falling on homes. The tornado showed signs of weakening by this point |as it approached Orangeburg county, and it is distinctly possible that |there were multiple weak vortexes impacting only the tops of trees. EF0|and weak EF1 damage was noted until the county line with Orangeburg.

An NWS Storm Survey found downed trees along Crystal Springs Dr at Becca Ln and determined the damage was caused by straight-line winds.

The tornado initially touched down along US Hwy 321 just north of the town of|Gaston. The tornado brought down several large branches and damaged a highway|speed sign. The tornado continued to move northeast near Ball Park Road. The most|significant damage began near the Lexington County and Calhoun County line along|Dixon Rd and Savany Hunt Creek Rd. The tornado then continued into Calhoun Co where it dissipated just before reaching the Congaree River.

The tornado touched down in Lexington County along US Hwy 321 just north of the|town of Gaston. The tornado moved east and crossed into Calhoun County near Dixon|Rd and Savany Hunt Creek Rd. The tornado then crossed I-26 near mile marker 122.|Between the county line and I-26, the tornado brought down numerous large limbs,|uprooted trees and snapped a few pine trees. The tornado continued northeast to|Plantation Estates Rd. The tornado uprooted and snapped several pine trees. The|tornado ended just before reaching the Congaree River.

SCHP reported trees down on Bluff Rd and Montgomery Ln. Time estimated.

A National Weather Service survey team confirmed a tornado that began in eastern Allendale County, moved across Bamberg County, and then crossed into Orangeburg County just north of Hwy 78. At its strongest, the tornado was an EF3 in Bamberg County, but produced EF1 damage in Orangeburg County. In Orangeburg County, the tornado approached the North Fork of the Edisto river and impacted a couple of homes, resulting in significant tree damage on both|properties. As the tornado approached Freedom Road in Orangeburg County, it produced EF0 and EF1 damage as it continued to snap trees. The tornado |continued to weaken gradually as it approached Bowman, finally dissipating about 2 miles north of the town.

Several trees were downed on Crescent St on the shore of Lake Marion. Minor damage to a home. Time estimated.

A National Weather Service storm survey confirmed an EF2 tornado in Clarendon|County, SC in the city of Manning. The tornado had a path length of nearly 3 miles with|a maximum path width of 140 yards. The peak wind associated with the tornado was|115 mph.

The tornado touched down near the corner of W Huggins St and Brunson St. The|tornado pealed back a large portion of the roof of a building at that intersection,|destroyed a playset, and bent a metal basketball hoop post. The tornado tracked north-|northeast, crossing Paxville Hwy, then flipped a pickup truck in the parking lot of|Walmart, shifted two rooftop HVAC units approximately 15 feet at the Walmart, and|lifted and bent roof trusses of the structure. The tornado turned northeast and|knocked down numerous trees at the Kensington Pointe Apartments, and along|Manchester Dr and Michael Ct just northeast of the apartments. Minor roof damage was |also observed to several homes in this area, with mainly a loss of shingles.

The tornado then intensified as it approached and crossed Old Georgetown Rd, |producing the most significant damage in the vicinity of Bob White Dr and Gossett Ct.|Two newer construction homes suffered significant damage in this area and several|others had minor damage. The two homes with the most damage had garage|failure and one of them had complete uplift of the roof and all of the walls blown out in|the room over the garage. Two vehicles in the driveway and one in the garage were|shifted several feet. All of the windows in the front of the other house were blown out.|The tornado then moved across the Pocotaligo River and weakened before snapping a|few trees and overturning a trailer at a business near the intersection of Sumter Hwy|and June Burn Rd where the tornado eventually dissipated.