Large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes possible in the Midlands, forecast shows
The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for the Midlands as Wednesday’s forecast shows the possibility of severe weather.
Isolated strong to severe storms are possible Wednesday afternoon and evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Both rain and severe thunderstorms are expected in the Columbia area, the National Weather Service said. There’s a 90% chance of precipitation, the forecast shows.
But the severe weather effects that pose the greatest threat are large hail and damaging winds, according to the National Weather Service.
Additionally, a brief tornado can not be ruled out.
Any tornadoes are most likely to form primarily in the southeast Midlands, near Interstate 95, the National Weather Service said. But the hazardous weather outlook is in effect for all of the Midlands, including Richland and Lexington counties.
Powerful winds and tornadoes could cause considerable damage to trees and branches, in addition to mobile homes, roofs and outbuildings. Vehicles would also be under siege in the case of a tornado.
Damage to trees and branches creates the possibility of downed power lines and outages.
Up to 1.5 inches of rainfall is possible in the Columbia area, the forecast shows. The amounts of rain could be heavier locally, according to the National Weather Service.
Additionally, thunderstorms can produce dangerous cloud to ground lightning.
No advisories, warnings or watches have been issued for the Midlands.
The National Weather Service said the severe weather is the result of an upper low pressure system approaching from Alabama.
Once the storm system moves beyond the Midlands, temperatures are forecast to rise, and could reach highs in the 70s through the weekend. While there is the possibility of more rain on Friday, the rest of the week is forecast to be dry.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published March 16, 2022 at 1:01 PM.
