South Carolina, 2022

Hail and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, May 3, 2022

May 3, 2022 · NWS CHS · 3 events in 1 county or zone

Scattered thunderstorms developed across southeast Georgia in the early afternoon hours within the large warm sector of a low pressure system centered near the Great Lakes. The thunderstorms eventually moved into southeast South Carolina and produced large hail and damaging winds.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 CHS wrote it up.

Scattered thunderstorms developed across southeast Georgia in the early afternoon hours within the large warm sector of a low pressure system centered near the Great Lakes. The thunderstorms eventually moved into southeast South Carolina and produced large hail and damaging winds.

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 Charleston, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 3, 2:59 PM EST, 2 hours 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 2:59 PM EST, 2 hours 14 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 3:01 AM EST, 14 hours 12 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Charleston SC
401 AM EDT Tue May 3 2022

AMZ330-350-352-354-374-GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-
042>045-047>052-040815-
Charleston Harbor-
Waters from South Santee River to Edisto Beach SC out 20 NM-
Waters from Edisto Beach SC to Savannah GA out 20 NM-
Waters from Savannah GA to Altamaha Sound GA out 20 NM, including
Grays Reef National Marine Sanctuary-
Waters from Savannah GA to Altamaha Sound GA from 20 to 60 NM-
Jenkins-Screven-Candler-Bulloch-Effingham-Tattnall-Evans-
Inland Bryan-Coastal Bryan-Inland Chatham-Coastal Chatham-Long-
Inland Liberty-Coastal Liberty-Inland McIntosh-Coastal McIntosh-
Allendale-Hampton-Inland Colleton-Dorchester-Inland Berkeley-
Inland Jasper-Beaufort-Coastal Colleton-Charleston-Coastal Jasper-
Tidal Berkeley-
401 AM EDT Tue May 3 2022

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Atlantic coastal waters,
southeast Georgia and southeast South Carolina.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday.

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter assistance is not anticipated at this time.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 3, 3:29 PM EST, 1 hour 44 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 3, 3:50 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 3, 3:50 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 3, 4:10 PM EST, 1 hour 3 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 3, 4:38 PM EST, 35 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 3, 4:38 PM EST, 35 minutes before
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The radar

The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 10 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:13 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hampton

When
May 3, 5:13 PM EST to 5:14 PM EST
Where
Hampton County, 2.71 mi SE of Nixville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
32.720, -81.120

Hampton County dispatch reported a tree down near Browning Gate Road and Lento Road.

Hail, Hampton

When
May 3, 5:20 PM EST to 5:25 PM EST
Where
Hampton County, 0.69 mi N of Varnville
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
32.860, -81.070

A trained spotter reported quarter sized hail at the North District Middle School that lasted for about 5 minutes.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hampton

When
May 3, 5:24 PM EST to 5:26 PM EST
Where
Hampton County, 0.9 mi SE of Varnville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
32.840, -81.060

Hampton County dispatch reported two trees down. One tree was down near Roberts Street and another tree was down on Yemassee Highway near Almeda.

What these are

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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, May 2022

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1023850, 1023849, 1023851.