News Summary
Columbia, SC faces severe thunderstorms with wind gusts up to 60 mph and lightning risks. Residents are urged to seek shelter as strong storms impact the Midlands region. Power outages affect over 10,000 customers, with continued storm activity expected into Monday. Updates on conditions will follow as the situation develops.
Columbia, South Carolina – A weather alert has been issued for severe thunderstorms affecting the Midlands region of South Carolina. The National Weather Service (NWS) Columbia SC alerted residents at 10:50 a.m. on Sunday, warning that strong thunderstorms were expected until 11:45 a.m. The alert encompasses Northwestern Orangeburg, Aiken, Barnwell, and Bamberg counties, where wind gusts could reach up to 50 mph.
Doppler radar has identified a robust thunderstorm near Plant Vogtle, moving eastward at a speed of 30 mph. The NWS has advised that gusty winds may down tree limbs and toss around unsecured objects. Key locations under threat include Waynesboro, Barnwell, Bamberg, Denmark, Savannah River Site, Plant Vogtle, Williston, Blackville, New Ellenton, Jackson, Sardis, Alexander, Burke County Airport, Gough, Barnwell State Park, Rivers Bridge State Park, Ehrhardt, Hilda, Snelling, and Olar.
Residents outdoors during the storms are urged to seek shelter indoors to ensure their safety. The NWS emphasizes that the risk of lightning increases as thunderstorms approach, with the highest likelihood of strikes occurring when the storm is directly overhead. National data indicates that lightning strikes the U.S. approximately 25 million times each year, primarily in the summer months, resulting in about 20 fatalities annually.
In addition to lightning, road safety is a concern during these conditions, as hydroplaning may occur when cars slide uncontrollably on wet surfaces due to water pressure building up in front of the tires. Power outages have already affected more than 10,000 customers as of Sunday morning, attributed to earlier storms that brought strong winds and heavy rainfall.
A separate severe thunderstorm warning was issued at around 10:40 a.m. for Columbia, Lexington, and West Columbia, valid until 11:15 a.m. This warning forecasts wind gusts of up to 60 mph and the possibility of hail. Wind damage was previously reported in the Columbia area Saturday night, where gusts soared to 60 mph for a duration of approximately 20 minutes, causing numerous downed branches and utility poles.
Severe weather is anticipated throughout both Sunday and Monday, with significant threats posed by damaging winds. Early Sunday morning, storm activity was already advancing from the west towards the Midlands, bringing predictions of significant impacts primarily in areas south of the Interstate 20 corridor. Boaters on Lake Murray are advised to seek safe harbor during these storm conditions.
Looking ahead, potential severe weather is also expected on Monday, including the chance of tornadoes and further damaging winds. The storm activity on Monday may be more widespread compared to earlier storms and is likely to cause significant rain accumulation. The Columbia area will likely continue to experience rainy and stormy conditions throughout the week, with temperatures anticipated to hover around 90 degrees on most days.
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.
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Additional Resources
- The State
- Wikipedia: Thunderstorm
- Herald Online
- Google Search: Severe Weather South Carolina
- Myrtle Beach Online
- Google Scholar: Severe Thunderstorms
- WLTX
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Thunderstorm
Author: STAFF HERE HILTON HEAD
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