Weather Service confirms there were 20 tornadoes this week. More could be on the way
Weather officials have confirmed an additional four tornadoes that touched down in South Carolina earlier this week, bringing the total to 20.
Of those, 1 was an EF0; seven were EF1s; five were EF2s and seven were EF3s, National Weather Service Columbia Meteorologist Whitney Smith said Friday.
Late Sunday night, about one week after the powerful storms caused death and destruction, more severe weather is forecast for the Midlands and across the state, Smith said.
Current projections have the storms impacting the Columbia area between midnight and around 11 a.m. Monday, meteorologist Tenia Morrison told The State.
“There’s a chance of strong winds, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes,” Morrison said.
Thunderstorms and significant rainfall, which could cause flash flooding and river flooding, are other severe weather effects the NWS warned are possible.
Projections show the storms will reach the Midlands, and possibly be spread across the southern half of South Carolina, according to Morrison.
“Severe weather could strike again. There’s still uncertainty as far as the exact time and areas it will affect,” Morrison said.
Morrison said it’s not uncommon at this time of year for separate storms and tornadoes to form in the Columbia area. April is annually the peak month in South Carolina for twisters, and May is also active.
What is unusual is the number of tornadoes that were recorded earlier in the week.
The 20 tornadoes are the most documented since 32 were confirmed on March 15, 2008, NWS official Frank Alsheimer told The State.
“That is quite a bit,” Alsheimer said of last Monday’s tornado activity. It’s rare for the state to get that many tornadoes in one day.
At least nine people died, more were hurt, and property was damaged and destroyed by the tornadoes and other severe weather.
The Red Cross said it sheltered about 230 people in hotels Wednesday night across the state, and has provided more than 600 overnight stays since Monday. That also includes providing more than 600 meals and snacks, according to a news release.
More than 280,000 customers were without power at the height of the severe weather. As of 2:15 Friday, power had been restored to all but a few customers throughout the state, according to Dominion Energy.
The storms prompted Gov. Henry McMaster to declare a second state of emergency for South Carolina, along with the emergency already declared because of the coronavirus.
Alsheimer said this weekend’s forecast doesn’t look like the same kind of outbreak of tornadoes as earlier in the week. But he cautioned it only takes one tornado to change a life forever.
That’s why he’s warning Midlands residents to be prepared, which includes having a cell phone charged so they can receive a tornado warning, especially if it hits overnight again.
He also said people who live areas affected by Monday’s storms should be prepared for the possibility of more severe weather.
“We have a lot of people who were displaced from their homes and they need to be in a safe location,” Alsheimer said. “The threat is there.”
This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 3:04 PM.
