More tornadoes may hit Midlands, forecast shows. Here’s when to expect severe weather
A week after five tornadoes were confirmed in the Midlands, more are possible as another round of severe weather is forecast for the Columbia area.
A line of showers and storms is expected to develop and push through the area Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service.
Damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are the primary threats posed by the severe weather, the National Weather Service said.
The greatest threat for severe weather will be between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
It’s expected to be breezy ahead of the storms, and wind gusts upwards of 30-35 mph are possible on Thursday morning and afternoon, the National Weather Service said.
Across the Midlands 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.
The storms are forecast to dump anywhere from half of an inch of rain or more on the Columbia area. Localized amounts could be higher, and there is a 90% chance of rain Thursday night, the forecast shows.
Showers are expected to be heaviest after 5 p.m., according to the forecast.
The western portion of the Midlands is at the greatest risk of experiencing severe weather, the National Weather Service said.
No warnings, watches or advisories have been issued, but that is subject to change as the storms get closer.
The storms are likely to be caused by a strong cold front that’s approaching South Carolina from the west, the National Weather Service said.
Temperatures could climb into the 70s before the storms arrive Thursday. The forecast shows temperatures could drop into the 40s on Thursday night, and conditions are expected to be cooler after the storms move out of the area.
The National Weather Service said it will be much cooler and drier over the weekend, with below normal highs (in the 50s) on Friday and Saturday. Low temperatures could be below freezing, with a possibility of 26 degrees, the forecast shows.
More rain isn’t expected until next Tuesday, according to the forecast.
During last week’s storms, wind bursts as powerful as 90 mph were recorded as tornadoes were confirmed in Lexington, Orangeburg, Aiken and Calhoun counties, the National Weather Service said.
Tornadoes were confirmed in Gilbert, South Congaree, Wagener, Woodford, and western Calhoun County, according to the National Weather Service.
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This story was originally published January 11, 2023 at 12:03 PM.
