Tornado Damage Statement

Severe Thunderstorm and Heavy Rainfall Potential Continues

A low pressure center tracking across the Great Lakes and its associated cold front extending across the Southern Plains will focus occasional showers and thunderstorms through tonight. A few of these thunderstorms may become severe alongside heavy rainfall that may cause flash flooding; Portions of the Southern Plains would be the greatest threat for these hazards through tonight. Read More >

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 222 PM EDT SAT APR 11 2009 ...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONFIRMS EF-3 TORNADO DAMAGE NEAR NEW ELLENTON SOUTH CAROLINA... A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ASSESSMENT TEAM SURVEYED DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED LATE FRIDAY NIGHT IN RICHMOND AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES IN GEORGIA AND SOUTHERN AIKEN COUNTY IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THE DAMAGE WAS DETERMINED TO BE CAUSED BY A TORNADO THAT TRACKED 35 MILES FROM GROVETOWN GEORGIA TO JUST EAST OF ELLENTON SOUTH CAROLINA. TORNADO DAMAGE WAS CONFIRMED IN GROVETOWN AS SEVERAL FRAME HOMES, MOBILE HOMES AND BUSINESSES SUSTAINED DAMAGE. THE TORNADO PATH WAS 200 YARDS WIDE. THE DAMAGE WAS RATED AN EF-1 WITH WIND SPEED AROUND 105 MPH. EF-2 DAMAGE WAS CONFIRMED IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA IN THE AREA FROM BARTON CHAPEL ROAD TO BUNGALOW ROAD. EF-2 WIND SPEEDS RANGE FROM 111 TO 135 MPH. THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO TRACK EAST INTO SOUTH CAROLINA ALONG HWY 278. NUMEROUS TREES WERE UPROOTED OR SNAPPED AND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED ALONG THE TORNADO PATH. DAMAGE TO MOBILE HOMES, FRAME HOMES AND BUSINESSES ALSO OCCURRED IN BEECH ISLAND AND NEW ELLENTON WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HWY 302 AND HWY 278. THE TORNADO PATH FROM BEECH ISLAND TO NEW ELLENTON WAS A HALF MILE WIDE. THE DAMAGE IN THIS VICINITY WAS RATED AN EF-3 IN INTENSITY WITH WIND SPEEDS BETWEEN 136 AND 165 MPH. ONE FATALITY HAS BEEN REPORTED IN BEECH ISLAND AS A RESULT OF THIS STORM. MULTIPLE INJURIES HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/CAE $$