An upper trough and frontal boundary was approaching the region from the west. The atmosphere was quite unstable with surface based CAPE around 3000-4000 J/kg, 3000 J/kg of mixed layer CAPE.
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.
An upper trough and frontal boundary was approaching the region from the west. The atmosphere was quite unstable with surface based CAPE around 3000-4000 J/kg, 3000 J/kg of mixed layer CAPE. Wind shear was relatively weak with effective bulk shear less than 25 knots and atmospheric moisture was high with precipitable water values around 2 inches and dewpoints in the mid to upper 70s. Relatively weak wind shear combined with the very moist and unstable air mass supported slow moving and training thunderstorms conducive to flash flooding. Several days of rainfall preceding this event contributed to the occurrence and severity of flash flooding in the Blythewood area and north of downtown Columbia due to saturated ground.
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 3, 1:34 PM EST, 16 minutes earlier.
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
136 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
SCZ025-026-031815-
Saluda SC-Edgefield SC-
136 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of central Edgefield
and eastern Saluda Counties through 215 PM EDT...
At 135 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Edgefield, or 16 miles north of Belvedere, moving northeast at 20
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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...
Batesburg-Leesville, Edgefield, Saluda, Johnston, Ridge Spring,
Saluda County Airport, Edgefield County Airport, Monetta, Trenton,
Ward, Strom Thurmond High School, Saluda Co Sheriff's Office,
Harmony, Emory, Scurry Airport, Hickory Grove, Hibernia, Edgefield
Federal Correction Institution, and Saluda High School.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3411 8173 3395 8153 3388 8157 3365 8187
3378 8202
TIME...MOT...LOC 1735Z 225DEG 19KT 3377 8189
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
BCSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
138 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
SCZ020-021-031815-
Fairfield SC-Newberry SC-
138 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern
Fairfield and northeastern Newberry Counties through 215 PM EDT...
At 138 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Carlisle, or 16 miles southwest of Chester, moving northeast at 20
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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...
Henderson Island and Feasterville Fire Station.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3456 8118 3456 8119 3441 8134 3449 8149
3449 8146 3450 8144 3450 8142 3456 8143
3457 8142
TIME...MOT...LOC 1738Z 214DEG 18KT 3453 8139
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
BCSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
201 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
SCZ020-021-031830-
Fairfield SC-Newberry SC-
201 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of western Fairfield
and central Newberry Counties through 230 PM EDT...
At 200 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Newberry College, or over Newberry, moving northeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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...
Newberry, Blair, Newberry College, Newberry County Airport, Newberry
County Detention Center, Maybington Fire Station, US-176 and SC-
34 Crossroads, Bush River Fire Station, Henderson Island, and Enoree
Ranger District Office.
This includes Interstate 26 between mile markers 67 and 78.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3447 8155 3445 8155 3445 8154 3449 8149
3449 8146 3450 8144 3442 8132 3420 8161
3427 8175 3451 8160
TIME...MOT...LOC 1800Z 218DEG 20KT 3429 8163
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
BCSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
210 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
GAZ040-063>065-031900-
Richmond GA-McDuffie GA-Lincoln GA-Columbia GA-
210 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southern McDuffie,
Columbia, southeastern Lincoln and central Richmond Counties through
300 PM EDT...
At 210 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Harlem, or 7 miles southeast of Thomson, moving northeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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...
Grovetown, Evans, Thomson, Martinez, Fort Eisenhower, Harlem,
Appling, Riverwood, Augusta Mall, Village Plaza Shopping Center,
Augusta National Golf Club, J. Strom Thurmond Dam, Dearing, Arties
Pond Public Fishing Area, Adamsville, Thomson Fire Department,
McDuffie Regional Medical Center, Autney, Wildwood Park, and Ansley
Mill.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 20 in Georgia between mile markers 174 and 201.
Interstate 520 in Georgia between mile markers 1 and 3.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3372 8224 3367 8220 3363 8220 3359 8214
3360 8211 3358 8207 3350 8199 3330 8232
3331 8234 3331 8239 3334 8244 3334 8250
3336 8255 3341 8255 3343 8257
TIME...MOT...LOC 1810Z 228DEG 22KT 3339 8241
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
BCSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
212 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
SCZ021-022-028-116-031900-
Fairfield SC-Southern Lancaster SC-Richland SC-Kershaw SC-
212 PM EDT Sat Aug 3 2024
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of eastern Fairfield,
southwestern Lancaster, north central Richland and southwestern
Kershaw Counties through 300 PM EDT...
At 212 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Killian, or near Dentsville, moving northeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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...
Columbia, Forest Acres, Camden, Lake Wateree Dam, Dentsville, Arcadia
Lakes, Lugoff, Villages at Sandhill, Liberty Hill, Elgin, Killian,
Woodfield, Sesquicentennial State Park, Lake Carolina, Longtown, Lake
Wateree State Park, Blythewood, Ridgeway, North Towne Square Shopping
Center, and Pine Grove Fire Station.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 20 in South Carolina between mile markers 71 and 79.
Interstate 77 between mile markers 16 and 37.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for
central South Carolina.
&&
LAT...LON 3403 8097 3418 8112 3455 8087 3429 8053
TIME...MOT...LOC 1812Z 228DEG 22KT 3415 8098
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
BCThe Columbia radar (KCAE), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:50 UTC.
13 thunderstorm wind, 6 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Edgefield County sheriff reported a tree down on Garrett Rd at Red Oak Grove Rd.
Highway patrol reported a large tree fell and took down power lines on US-21 at I-77.
Public reported a tree down on Grover Wilson Rd.
Lancaster County dispatch reported three trees down in the town of Kershaw. Time estimated by radar.
Columbia Fire responded to a vehicle caught in floodwaters along Fulmer Rd near Beasley Creek.
Aiken County dispatch reported that a tree blocked the roadway near the intersection of New Holland Rd and Wagener Rd. Time estimated by radar.
Lee County sheriff reported a tree down on Liberty Hill Rd. Time estimated by radar.
SCHP reported downed power lines along Landon Place Dr. Time estimated by radar.
Columbia Fire Dept reported a person had to be rescued from a flooded vehicle along Bowhunter Dr.
Large tree uprooted at the Columbia Country Club. Time estimated by radar.
SCHP reported a roadway washout at Blue Ridge Terrace and Monticello Rd.
Tookie Doo Lane impassable due to flash flooding of Flat Branch across the roadway.
SCHP reported a tree down along Trenholm Dr. at Wyndham Rd.
SCHP reported a tree down along Clarkson Rd at North Line Rd.
SCHP reported a tree down on Old Isaac Rd.
SCDOT reported a portion of Killian Rd west of I-77 had to be closed due to damage from flash flooding of a creek flowing over the road.
Fire rescue reported several feet of water flowing over Smyrna Church Rd at Flat Branch.
SCHP reported a tree down on Russell St at Old Elloree Rd.
Multiple trees down along Farr Rd, including a tree that fell on a home near Banning St. Time estimated by radar.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, August 2024
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1193482, 1193483, 1193484, 1193379, 1193237, 1193380, 1193382, 1193393, 1193238, 1193412, 1193240, 1193361, 1193409, 1193405, 1193408, 1193337, 1193349, 1193411, 1193456.