Strong storms forecast to drench Midlands. Here’s when severe weather will start
Severe weather poses a threat to the Columbia area of South Carolina for the next two days, according to the National Weather Service.
Strong to severe storms are expected to begin Thursday afternoon and continue through the night, then another round is forecast to return to the Midlands on Friday, National Weather Service meteorologists said in a morning briefing.
The powerful storms are predicted to begin at about 3 p.m. Thursday, and could continue to be a threat until 8 p.m., according to the briefing. It’s possible other storms to the west of the Midlands could cause the storms heading to the Columbia area to arrive slightly earlier, closer to 1 p.m. Thursday, the National Weather Service said.
The area from Columbia and south, toward the state line between South Carolina and Georgia, and areas east toward the Palmetto State coast could be a greatest risk of getting hit by the storms, according to the briefing.
After those storms dissipate, more are forecast to follow Friday, from 1-6 p.m., meteorologists said in the briefing.
The current National Weather Service forecast shows that Friday’s expected storms could be much more widespread and affect all of the Midlands and beyond.
Damaging winds, hail and heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding — especially in urban and flood-prone areas — are the main threats to the Columbia area both days, the National Weather Service said.
There is also the slight chance of isolated tornadoes forming, especially on Friday, according to the briefing. While southwest winds are expected to top out at about 15 mph, gusts on Friday could be as fast as 23 mph, according to the forecast.
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.
No warnings, watches or advisories have been issued for any part of the Midlands, but that is subject to change as the storms get closer.
There is a 60% chance of rain Thursday, an a greater likelihood of more precipitation Friday when there’s a 90% chance of rain, the forecast shows. Nearly 2 inches of precipitation is possible in the Columbia area over Thursday and Friday combined, according to the forecast. Localized amounts could be higher, especially during thunderstorms.
Drier conditions are expected to move in after Friday’s storms, according to the briefing. Clear conditions and sunshine are predicted from Saturday and Sunday through the beginning of next week, and the temperature is expected to rise each day with possible highs in the 90s by the middle of next week, the forecast shows.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 8:19 AM.
