South Carolina, 2025

Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025 · NWS CAE · 10 events in 5 counties and zones

An anomalously hot and humid air mass was in place ahead of a cold front. Widespread showers and storms developed ahead of this front in a highly unstable environment with sufficient deep layer shear to lead to more organized multicell clusters.

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
$15,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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 CAE wrote it up.

An anomalously hot and humid air mass was in place ahead of a cold front. Widespread showers and storms developed ahead of this front in a highly unstable environment with sufficient deep layer shear to lead to more organized multicell clusters. This led to scattered wind damage reports. In addition, with high PWATs, flash flooding developed in downtown Columbia.

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:37 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When
August 1, 5:40 PM EST to 5:42 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 0.8 mi WSW of Douglas
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
34.664, -80.812

Lancaster County dispatch reported a tree down on power lines on Great Falls Hwy at Douglas Rd.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
August 1, 6:35 PM EST to 6:37 PM EST
Where
Richland County, 1.75 mi W of Montgomery
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
34.135, -81.160

SC Highway Patrol reported a tree in the roadway on Hollingshed Rd.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lexington

When
August 1, 6:37 PM EST to 6:39 PM EST
Where
Lexington County, 1.86 mi SSE of Irmo
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
34.056, -81.166

Lexington County dispatch reported power lines down along Bush River Rd at Spartan Dr.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lexington

When
August 1, 6:45 PM EST to 6:47 PM EST
Where
Lexington County, 0.86 mi NNW of Springdale
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.981, -81.107

SC Highway Patrol reported multiple trees down on I-26 near Augusta Rd.

Thunderstorm Wind, Saluda

When
August 1, 6:49 PM EST to 6:51 PM EST
Where
Saluda County, 2.9 mi E of Bleases Xrds
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
34.044, -81.770

Saluda County Dispatch reported a tree fell on John Rushton Rd.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lexington

When
August 1, 6:50 PM EST to 6:52 PM EST
Where
Lexington County, 0.92 mi ENE of Kathwood
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
33.984, -81.065

SC Highway Patrol reported trees down on Bruce Rd.

Thunderstorm Wind, Newberry

When
August 1, 7:24 PM EST to 7:26 PM EST
Where
Newberry County, 2.47 mi ESE of Macedonia
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
34.088, -81.409

Newberry County dispatch reported multiple trees down in Dreher Island State Park, near State Park Loop.

Flash Flood, Richland

When
August 1, 7:30 PM EST to 8:15 PM EST
Where
Richland County, 0.7 mi NW of Olympia Mills to 0.69 mi NW of Olympia Mills
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
33.988, -81.028

USGS stream gage at Rocky Branch at the intersection of Main and Whaley exceeded flood stage, reaching a maximum height of 9.6 feet. Webcam from this intersection showed a stranded vehicle in flood waters as the creek flooded the road.

Flash Flood, Richland

When
August 1, 7:30 PM EST to 8:15 PM EST
Where
Richland County, 1.1 mi WSW of Columbia
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
33.993, -81.037

Columbia Fire Dept reports a flooded vehicle with water rescue operations at the 900 block of Gadsden St.

Flash Flood, Richland

When
August 1, 7:45 PM EST to 8:30 PM EST
Where
Richland County, 0.32 mi NE of Arthurtown to 0.34 mi ENE of Arthurtown
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
33.973, -81.015

Columbia Fire Dept reports a flooded vehicle with water rescue operations on Key Rd at Market Rd.

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.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in South Carolina, August 2025

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1269349, 1269607, 1269608, 1269354, 1269348, 1269609, 1269350, 1269351, 1269353, 1269352.