National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Spring Severe Thunderstorms, Excessive Rainfall, and Heavy Snow Today

Scattered severe thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening from eastern Texas into the lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys/southern Appalachians. Heavy to excessive rainfall may produce flash flooding from the lower Mississippi River Valley into the southern Appalachians today. A late-season snowstorm will continue heavy snow over parts of the central Rockies through today. Read More >

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC  
619 PM EDT MON APR 20 2015  
 
...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMS A TORNADO IN   
LEXINGTON COUNTY...  
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONDUCTED A STORM SURVEY IN LEXINGTON   
COUNTY AND FOUND A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF LAKE   
MURRAY AND THEN AGAIN ON THE NORTH SHORE NEAR BALENTINE. THE INITIAL   
TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED ALONG ST. JOHN CHURCH ROAD AND TURNER CIRCLE WITH   
THE LAST DAMAGE OBSERVED ON SHADOWOOD DRIVE ON THE NORTH SHORE.   
NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKE ALONG WITH   
MINOR DAMAGE TO HOMES AND A FEW TREES WERE DOWN ON A HOME ON THE   
NORTH SIDE. A PONTOON BOAT WAS ALSO LIFTED OUT OF THE WATER AND   
DEPOSITED SIDEWAYS ON THE END OF A DOCK. RESULTS DETERMINED IT WAS   
AN EF1 TORNADO WITH WINDS AROUND 95-100 MPH AT THE INITIAL   
TOUCHDOWN. THE LENGTH OF THE PATH WAS ABOUT 9.5 MILES AND 200 YARDS   
WIDE.