Weather service investigates reports of tornadoes in SC Midlands

Both a tornado watch and a severe thunderstorm warning were issued for the Columbia area on Wednesday morning by the National Weather Service, and there were reports of at least one tornado on the ground in Lexington County.

A possible tornado was spotted over Red Bank, Midlands Weather reported.

As of 2 p.m., the National Weather Service office in Columbia had received numerous reports of downed trees and power lines and other property damage across the Midlands. Teams will be in the field Wednesday and Thursday investigating possible tornado tracks in the region as well, including some in Lexington, Calhoun, Aiken, Saluda, Orangeburg and Barnwell counties, the weather service said in a news release Wednesday afternoon.

An online map showed two potential tornado tracks under investigation in southwestern Lexington County, including one that passes between Red Bank and Edmund towards South Congaree. Another track moving through Aiken and Saluda counties ends just south of Batesburg-Leesville.

Others can be seen passing between the communities of Swansea and Woodford, as well as the Hammond Crossroads area north of St. Matthews. All possible tracks will be investigated by the National Weather Service in an attempt to determine if tornadoes did in fact touch down in the area.

TV station WLTX shared footage on its Twitter page Wednesday of a suspected “funnel cloud” moving through the Red Bank community of Lexington County on Wednesday.

A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. People in the area should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions.

Compared to a watch, a warning means residents need to take action because a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar, and there is imminent danger to life and property.

“If you are under a tornado warning, get to the most central area of your home away from windows and doors. If you are in a business, get to the lowest level of the building and stay away from windows and doors,” Lexington County officials said.

Because of the storms, at about 11 a.m. Columbia Metropolitan Airports said it halted activity, including closing TSA and airline ticket desks, after hearing from the National Weather Service. At about 11:45 a.m., airport officials said they had resumed regular operations.

The severe weather was caused by a line of thunderstorms moving east across the area in the morning and early afternoon, the National Weather Service said. There is the potential for some of these thunderstorms to become severe through 3 p.m. in the Midlands, according to the National Weather Service.

At about 11:15 a.m., a flood advisory was issued for Richland, Lexington, Fairfield, Kershaw, Newberry, and Saluda counties, according to the National Weather Service. The flood advisory is in effect through 1:15 p.m., as excessive rainfall is expected to cause urban and small stream flooding in addition to minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas, the National Weather Service said.

The severe weather effects could cause problems on the roads. The Columbia Police Department warned drivers to “Buckle up, slow down on slick roads, stay alert & if necessary use your headlights even during the day for extra safety measures.”

More rain is possible Wednesday night, but the chances drop to 30%, according to the forecast.

Thursday is forecast to be sunny, with temperatures in the 60s, and no rain is predicted until next week.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.

This story was originally published January 4, 2023 at 9:07 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

803-771-8435

Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription