A trough of low pressure across the Midlands was the focus for widely scattered strong to severe thunderstorms. The storms produced strong damaging wind gusts.
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.
A trough of low pressure across the Midlands was the focus for widely scattered strong to severe thunderstorms. The storms produced strong damaging wind gusts.
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 Aug 26, 1:56 PM EST, 1 hour 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Columbia SC 256 PM EDT Sat Aug 26 2023 .SYNOPSIS... A weak cold front will slide south toward the forecast area with isolated to scattered convection continuing into this evening. The front then stalls across the region on Sunday resulting in several days of unsettled weather and lower temperatures. The rain could be moderate to heavy at times with the potential for localized flooding. Watching the tropics for potential impacts from an area of low pressure currently near Cancun during the mid-week period. Conditions improve late this week once this system moves out. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Near record highs today with temperatures 95 to 100 degrees. The heat index will be near 110 degrees in a few areas. Upper trough over the northeast CONUS. The ridge out west has retrograded a bit into the Rocky Mountain State region. with ridge in the southern and central Plains. A weak surface front was located near the VA/NC border at 17z. The front is expected to approach the region later this evening and into the northern Midlands possibly overnight. A persistent surface trough remains in place across the Midlands. Moisture high with precipitable water near 1.9 inches...higher near the coast. Models suggest precipitable water will increase a bit into the evening. The air mass is becoming moderately unstable with mixed layer CAPE 1500-2000 J/kg. Higher instability expected in the SC coastal Plain. Cumulus is developing near the surface trough. Trigger for convection appears lacking early this afternoon and mid level temps near 10C along with a high LFC. However, by this evening, short wave trough east KY/northeast TN will be approaching the region along with the weak surface front...so lift may be enough. Think weak low level convergence combined with potential lift associated with short wave suggest scattered convection. The CAM models have different solutions but suggest scattered. Will go with highest pops north into the late evening since front will be approaching that area and dynamics/lift associated with short wave trough should be stronger there. Areas to the southeast may have more widely scattered coverage despite higher instability. With the high LFC, and inverted V soundings, main threat from these storms will be damaging outflow winds. SPC has area in marginal risk since deep layer shear is quite weak. Any convection could linger into the overnight so kept pops up until late. Convective debris clouds will help to keep nocturnal cooling to a minimum. So, Muggy night with lows in the mid 70s. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... Sunday and Sunday Night: Ridging continues to retreat as the trough becomes entrenched over the eastern CONUS. Meanwhile, the cold front is expected to stall over the region serving as a lifting mechanism for afternoon and evening convection. CAMs show scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developing and most locations will likely see rain. PWATs will be in excess of 2 inches indicating the potential for locally heavy rainfall but given the recent dry conditions, flooding should be limited in scope and most likely to occur in urban and other normally flood prone locations. The potential for strong to severe thunderstorms continues on Sunday with the entire FA in a Marginal (1/5) risk for severe weather. The CSU severe probabilities product has once again highlighted the highest risk for severe weather over the northwestern CWA with damaging wind gusts as the primary severe risk. The retreating upper ridge combined with earlier and more widespread convection should limit heating somewhat with forecast highs in the lower to mid 90s. Showers and thunderstorms should gradually diminish at night but the clouds may linger limiting cooling as well. Overnight temperatures are expected to fall into the lower 70s. Monday and Monday Night: The lingering frontal boundary keeps the threat of showers and thunderstorms in the forecast. While the latest guidance has backed off on convective coverage for Monday, there should be at least scattered redevelopment in the afternoon given the similar atmospheric environment. The previously mentioned heavy rain and severe threats are expected to continue into Monday as well. The rain combined with mostly cloudy skies and troughing aloft will result in notably lower temperatures on Monday with highs in the mid-80s to around 90 degrees. Lows will once again fall into the lower 70s. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... The unsettled weather pattern continues into Tuesday as tropical moisture is drawn north into the region from the Gulf of Mexico. The setup continues to favor heavy rainfall and after several days of showers and thunderstorms, the threat of more widespread flooding will be a concern. The trough is also expected to pull the area of low pressure currently near Cancun into the Southeastern US. While confidence is high that this system will become a tropical cyclone, there remains uncertainty regarding its future track and intensity. The two primary tracks take the system either to our east along the coast or a more problematic inland track. The blend still favors a track along the coast so only made minor changes to the extended. Regardless of what happens with the mid-week system, it should be followed by improving conditions late in the week as the subtropical ridge builds in from the east. && .AVIATION /19Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... VFR conditions expected through the TAF period...outside of evening scattered convection. Scattered cumulus developing near the CAE/CUB terminals at 17z. Air mass is becoming moderately unstable. Trigger for convection appears lacking at the moment. But a weak surface front will be moving south from NC later this evening and overnight. This front along with an approaching weak upper trough from the northwest may trigger scattered convection this evening as the air mass is quite moist. The period of expected convection is between 22z-04z...may linger into the overnight. Brief restrictions from thunderstorms possible but confidence low on coverage/impacts to terminals at this time. The threat appears greatest at the CAE and CUB terminals. So overnight expect mid level ceilings/convective debris clouds with light and variable winds. The guidance is suggesting some low clouds/fog possible late, developing in northeast SC and spreading southwest. Confidence on impacts to terminals too low to include any restrictions. At AGS, based on persistence will include a tempo for MVFR toward daybreak. EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...Increasing moisture will lead to possible restriction in early morning fog/stratus and again with afternoon/evening showers and thunderstorms each day. && .CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GA...None. SC...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Columbia SC 406 AM EDT Sat Aug 26 2023 GAZ040-063>065-077-SCZ016-018-020>022-025>031-035-037-038-041-115- 116-135>137-270815- 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- 406 AM EDT Sat Aug 26 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Midlands of South Carolina and the Central Savannah River area of Georgia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Scattered thunderstorms expected this afternoon and evening, mainly along and south of I-20. Some strong gusty winds are possible with this activity. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Multiple rounds of showers and storms anticipated Sunday through Wednesday. Locally heavy rainfall could lead to isolated flooding in areas affected by multiple rounds of rain. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
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</html>The Columbia radar (KCAE), 64 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:43 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotter reported trees and branches down and power outages in the vicinity of Johnston Highway and Burton Road.
Public reported a tree and power lines down near the intersection of Hwy. 321 and Wildflower Road.
NWS Employee reported that Nazareth road was impassable due to a large tree down in the roadway.
Highway Patrol reported power lines downed in the roadway on Clemson Road near I-20.
Spotter reported several trees down within Sesquicentennial State Park. Two campers had trees fall on them. There were no injuries reported.
County Emergency Manager reported several trees and large limbs down with some minor structural damage in W. Columbia. The damage stretched from Arlington Avenue to B Avenue.
County Emergency Manager and local media reported a roof blown off a commercial building along Charleston Highway and Lafayette Avenue.
Dispatchers reported a tree down near Fireson Road and Charles Jackson Street.
Dispatchers reported a tree down near Britton Road and Boots Branch Road and another on Camp Branch Road.
Dispatchers reported trees blocking both lanes on Columbia Road near Big Beaver Creek Road.
Dispatchers reported that lightning struck a home on Queen Chapel Road and caused a fire which produced minor damage. Exact monetary value of damage unknown.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, August 2023
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: 1120349, 1120388, 1120390, 1120391, 1120381, 1120392, 1120394, 1120404, 1120409, 1120415, 1120422.