South Carolina, 2025

Tornado and Flooding in South Carolina, May 12, 2025

May 12, 2025 · NWS CAE · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

A high-end EF-1 tornado struck the community of Langley, SC overnight on May 12th. The tornado was embedded within an area of heavy rain in an otherwise unfavorable environment to severe weather across the area.

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

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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 CAE wrote it up.

A high-end EF-1 tornado struck the community of Langley, SC overnight on May 12th. The tornado was embedded within an area of heavy rain in an otherwise unfavorable environment to severe weather across the area. It was the only severe report of the event other than some minor flash flooding that was reported later that morning across northern Orangeburg county.

The radar

The Columbia radar (KCAE), 82 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:24 UTC.

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Event by event

2 flood, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Aiken

When
May 12, 2:24 AM EST to 2:26 AM EST
Where
Aiken County, 0.69 mi S of Gloverville to 1.15 mi W of Gloverville
Rating
EF1
Path length
1.34 mi
Path width
250 yd
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
33.510, -81.830

A National Weather Service Storm Survey team confirmed a brief high-end EF-1 tornado with winds up to 105 mph in Langley, SC that occurred around 330 am. The tornado began near Pinecrest Drive snapping several large branches before uprooting numerous trees in Langley Cemetery. Moving northwest, the tornado snapped numerous trees and caused minor roof damage to multiple homes between Piney House Road and Chaffee Street. After crossing near Cushman Road, the tornado caused substantial tree, siding, and shingle damage between Piney Heights Road and Dunbar Street. The fire department and adjacent structures along Augusta Road then sustained high-end EF-1 damage with garage door failure, outbuildings destroyed, and the metal roofing ripped off and thrown several hundred yards. Additional tree damage occurred along Langley Dam Road with dozens of uprooted trees before dissipating near Jefferson Davis Highway.

Flood, Orangeburg

When
May 12, 10:06 AM EST to 11:06 AM EST
Where
Orangeburg County, 1.73 mi W of Sawyerdale to 1.76 mi W of Sawyerdale
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.580, -81.260

Orangeburg county EM reports Salley Road flooded with 2 feet of water and closed.

Flood, Orangeburg

When
May 12, 10:06 AM EST to 11:06 AM EST
Where
Orangeburg County, 1.23 mi NNW of Sawyerdale to 1.15 mi NNW of Sawyerdale
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.595, -81.241

Emergency manager reported that Ninety-Six Road was closed due to flooding near the 1300 block.

What these are

Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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 historyThe tornado archive for South Carolina, 2025Warnings in South Carolina, May 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1253648, 1264163, 1264164.