Lowcountry weather alert: Hail reported on Hilton Head, Beaufort County in tornado watch
A tornado watch has been issued for Beaufort and Jasper counties from 12:40- 7 p.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Hampton, Berekley counties and Chatham County, Ga. are also included in the watch.
Large hail was reported across Hilton Head Island Tuesday afternoon.
Dangerous thunderstorms with strong winds, hail, flash floods, and possible isolated tornadoes threaten the Lowcountry Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service in Charleston.
The weather is expected to be fairly calm throughout the morning, then chances of seeing severe weather start increasing around 1 p.m., according to NWS forecasters.
In Beaufort County, areas east of I-95, including Bluffton, Beaufort, and Hilton Head Island, have the biggest potential for severe weather Tuesday, as the major storm system makes its way through the southeast.
Forecasters say the Lowcountry will likely see severe weather between 1 and 6 p.m. Tuesday, according to Bob Bright, meteorologists at the National Weather Service.
“The biggest threats for this storm would be wind and hail,” Bright said. “We’re looking at hail over an inch in diameter and wind gusts over 30 mph."
Gusts could reach 60 mph in parts of the county today, meteorologists say.
AccuWeather meteorologists warn residents from Charleston to Savannah to be prepared for possible power outages and property damage as the storm moves through.
According to AccuWeather, the eastern region of South Carolina has the highest potential for tornadoes in the region.
Because there are no tornado sirens in Beaufort County, so officials suggest downloading the Beaufort County Emergency Management app, available for Apple and android phones, and sign up for Nixle alerts at www.nixle.com.
Tornadoes reported
Overnight Monday, the Southeast was pounded by the storm.
AccuWeather reported several tornadoes through Jacksonville, Ala. along with baseball-sized hail.
Tornado damage left parts of the Atlanta metro area in the dark as the storm system moved east. WSB-TV reported.
Cooler weather on way
The risk for severe weather in Beaufort and Jasper Counties continues throughout Tuesday.
After the storms, drier and cooler air will follow, combined with the chance of high, gusty winds, meteorologists say.
This cold front moving into the area Wednesday could cause temperatures to dip into the 30s by Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
This story was originally published March 20, 2018 at 9:58 AM with the headline "Lowcountry weather alert: Hail reported on Hilton Head, Beaufort County in tornado watch."