Thunderstorms, possible tornadoes to hit Beaufort County Wednesday. Here’s what to expect.
It’s Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week in South Carolina, a time the state’s Office of Emergency Management sets aside to promote storm and flood readiness. But a cold front moving into the state will likely bring some actual severe weather, postponing the tornado drill planned for Wednesday.
A storm system that will form over the western part of the country Monday evening, moving west towards the Great Lakes and causing a cold front that moves across the Southwest. This cold front will bring thunderstorms to the state starting late Tuesday night and reach the Lowcountry by Wednesday afternoon.
The storm will likely bring locally damaging strong winds, with gusts up to 70 miles per hour during the storms Tuesday night into Wednesday. Hail the size of quarters is also possible, according to a National Weather Service briefing.
“I’ll be playing pickleball Tuesday evening; that will be a comedy of errors,” S.C. Department of Natural Resources Severe Weather Liaison Frank Strait said in a newsletter.
The thunderstorms bring a risk of tornadoes, though the exact chances are uncertain at this point. If the temperatures are higher ahead of the cold front, that risk will likely be higher as tornadoes form when warm, moist air near the ground meets cooler, dry air higher up in the sky.
The severe weather comes during the South Carolina Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week, which is sponsored by the NWS and the state’s Emergency Management Division. Both agencies organized the week to spread awareness about severe weather preparedness.
NWS postponed a statewide tornado drill that was scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday to avoid any confusion during a period of actual severe weather. The agency has rescheduled the drill for 9 a.m. Friday.
This story was updated to reflect the correct date for the rescheduled tornado drill.
This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 11:29 AM.
