Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Central South Carolina Through 10:30 AM EDT
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Columbia, Lexington, and surrounding counties as 60 mph wind gusts and potential tornadoes threaten the region.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Severe Thunderstorm Warning
- Affected area
- Central South Carolina
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Columbia SC
Storm notices can cover different combinations of wind, hail, lightning, and rainfall. Use the original notice for the hazards and boundaries attached to this specific record.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Central South Carolina.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Columbia has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for multiple counties in central South Carolina. The alert was issued at 9:41 AM EDT following radar-indicated severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds.
Affected Areas
The warning covers a broad portion of central South Carolina, including the following counties and specific locations:
- Counties: Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Richland.
- Cities and Communities: Columbia, Lexington, West Columbia, Cayce, Irmo, Forest Acres, Camden, Bamberg, Winnsboro, Denmark, Springdale, Dentsville, Oak Grove, Lake Wateree Dam, St. Andrews, McEntire Air Base, Highway 6 at Lake Murray Dam, Red Bank, Williston, and Blackville.
- Highways:
- Interstate 126 between mile markers 0 and 3.
- Interstate 20 between mile markers 35 and 98.
- Interstate 26 between mile markers 94 and 142.
- Interstate 77 between mile markers 0 and 51.
What You Should Do
Residents in the warning area should move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building immediately.
Because tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms, remain alert for changing conditions. If a tornado is spotted, seek shelter in a basement or a small central room.
Those on or near Lake Murray should move away from the water and take shelter, as these storms can produce large capsizing waves and frequent lightning.
Expected Conditions
- Wind: Gusts up to 60 mph are expected.
- Hazards: Radar indicates the potential for damage to trees and powerlines.
- Storm Movement: At 9:41 AM EDT, a line of severe thunderstorms was located from near Great Falls to 10 miles southwest of Red Bank, moving east at 35 mph.
- Tornado Potential: Tornado development is possible.
Timeline
The Severe Thunderstorm Warning is effective until 10:30 AM EDT on March 12, 2026. Additionally, a Tornado Watch remains in effect for central South Carolina until 1:00 PM EDT.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
Related Weather Alerts
All Weather Alerts →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this NWS weather alert.