Heavy rain passes over Beaufort County; tornado watch canceled as storms move north
Beaufort County on Thursday watched as a line of severe thunderstorms swept across the area, with heavy rainfall blanketing the Lowcountry for about an hour.
Meteorologists had warned that the weather could bring damaging winds, hail and a chance of tornadoes.
The sun was shining in Bluffton, though, by 4:30 p.m. Radar showed the storms moving north, away from the area.
Local governments closed their buildings early Thursday due to the forecast, and schools dismissed classes before the rain started to fall.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning briefly for a portion of Jasper County and parts of Georgia, but quickly canceled it as that storm weakened.
A tornado watch in Beaufort and Jasper counties was also canceled around 4:30 p.m.
The storms, which were at the edge of a cold front, left a path of destruction throughout the Deep South earlier this week. More than 20 unconfirmed tornadoes were reported in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi as the front moved east, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
The National Weather Service previously designated the Lowcountry as having a “moderate” risk for severe weather, but on Thursday morning downgraded that warning to an “enhanced” risk.
“It is simply an attempt to better message the uncertainty with how widespread today’s severe weather will be,” forecasters said.
The weather service, though, on Thursday stressed that conditions “still remained favorable” for serious thunderstorms and a few strong tornadoes. The storms were predicted to bring rain and damaging winds to much of South Carolina.
Thunderstorms were originally expected to move across Beaufort County from 2 to 6 p.m., potentially with strong wind gusts.
Meteorologists said the weather would improve by Friday. Here’s the local forecast, according to the National Weather Service:
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 66 degrees. West wind, 10 to 13 mph.
Friday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41 degrees. Northeast wind, 9 to 15 mph.
Storm closings
The Beaufort County School District’s 21,000-plus students were dismissed early Thursday, with elementary schools dismissing at 11:45 a.m., and middle and high schools dismissing at 12:45 p.m.
All after-school activities were canceled, and district buildings were cleared and shut down by 1:30 p.m., according to a news release.
Neighboring Jasper County, Hampton 1 and Hampton 2 school districts opted to conduct online-only classes Thursday.
Several local private and charter schools also prepared for the weather:
Hilton Head Preparatory School dismissed “all divisions” at 1:10 p.m.
Cross Schools in Bluffton dismissed students early. Kindergarten through fourth grade students left at 11:15 a.m., fifth through ninth grade students left at 11:30 a.m., and preschoolers left at noon.
Hilton Head Christian Academy dismissed students at 1 p.m., with lower school students and bus riders leaving at 12:45 p.m.
Beaufort Academy dismissed at 11:30 a.m.
Riverview Charter School dismissed students at noon, and the building was cleared by 1 p.m.
Local governments shuttered their buildings, too:
Beaufort County closed its offices at noon, according to County Council Chair Joe Passiment.
Bluffton officials closed all public offices at 1 p.m., according to a news release.
Port Royal offices closed at 1 p.m., Town Manager Van Willis said.
The Yemassee Municipal Complex closed at noon. Municipal Court heard 10 a.m. cases, but the 3 p.m. cases were rescheduled for April 15.
The Town of Hilton Head Island’s offices closed at noon.
Hampton County closed its government offices at 1 p.m.
Reporters Sam Ogozalek, Rachel Jones, Lana Ferguson, Kacen Bayless, Kate Hidalgo Bellows and Katherine Kokal contributed to this story.
This story was originally published March 18, 2021 at 10:37 AM.
