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Here’s how to see what the severe SC storm is doing to the Columbia area through live webcams

A view from a traffic webcam at Huger Street in Columbia.
A view from a traffic webcam at Huger Street in Columbia. Courtesy of SCDOT

Things could soon get a bit messy in Columbia — and if you want to watch it all unfold live, there are ways.

Severe weather is moving toward the Midlands this afternoon, bringing with it the chance of powerful, damaging winds, flooding and tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service.

The Midlands are under a wind advisory and there’s a warning of possible flooding of the Congaree River, which could impact Richland and Lexington counties.

Much of the most hazardous weather is expected to hit the Columbia area at noon and last through as late as 9 p.m., the NWS states. Forecasters expect strong winds that could cause power outages. Columbia could see winds between 30 and 40 mph.

The NWS also warns that an EF2-level tornado may form this afternoon.

For those who are exceedingly curious, there are ways to watch the storm move through Columbia besides simply looking out of their windows.

Residents who still have power when the worst of the storm moves through can watch live online through a series of webcams. The South Carolina Department of Transportation has dozens of traffic cams on highways and interstates around Columbia.

To access them, click here.

Once you’ve clicked on the link, a map of the state will appear. Zoom in to look at cameras in Columbia or other parts of the state. Click on the camera icon you want to view and you’ll get live video of whatever that camera sees.

Another batch of 20 webcams in South Carolina hosted by the U.S. Geological Survey are also available for use. To view them, click here.

There is also a live webcam on Congaree River at US 321. To watch the potential flooding, click here.

This story was originally published January 9, 2024 at 9:20 AM.

Patrick McCreless
The State
Patrick McCreless is the Southeast service journalism editor for McClatchy, who leads and edits a team of six reporters in South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi. The team writes about trending news of the day and topics that help readers in their daily lives and better informs them about their communities. He attended Jacksonville State University in Alabama and grew up in Tuscaloosa, AL.
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