A tornado watch was issued for most of South Carolina Sunday morning as severe thunderstorms moved across the state, and tornadoes were confirmed by the National Weather Service.
The flurry of tornadoes hit during a short span of time in Richland and Fairfield counties, according to the National Weather Service.
Tornado damage in Fairfield County from storms that rolled through the area Dec. 29, 2024. Provided Fairfield County
No injuries or deaths were caused by any of the tornadoes, the National Weather Service reported.
The strongest tornado was rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale that determines wind speed, and it was confirmed near Winnsboro in Fairfield County, the National Weather Service said. The tornado’s winds were estimated to have reached peak speeds of 95 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
It was recorded at 8:56 a.m., had a maximum width of 250 yards and its path traveled 4.89 miles, the National Weather Service said.
It was preceded by a pair of EF0 tornadoes.
The first confirmed tornado of the day was at 8:35 a.m. It traveled through both Richland County and Fairfield County as its path spanned 11.2 miles near the Spring Hill area, according to the National Weather Service.
Weather officials said that tornado’s winds were estimated to have reached peak speeds of 75 mph, and its maximum width was 150 yards.
Also an EF0 tornado with wind speeds estimated to have reached a top speed of 80 mph, as it covered a width of 200 yards during its 3,72 mile journey, the National Weather Service reported.
Tornado damage in Fairfield County from storms that rolled through the area Dec. 29, 2024. Provided Fairfield County
“It’s estimated that about 350 homes and businesses lost power, with most being restored by last night, thanks to the amazing efforts of the Town of Winnsboro and the electricity providers in the county,” Gene Stephens, public information officer for Fairfield County, said in a statement about impacts to that area. “Fairfield County Public Works also helped clear some of the debris from roads around the impacted areas.”
Although nobody was hurt by the tornadoes, damage was caused, weather officials said. Potential damage stretched as far southwest as the Chapin area near Lake Murray, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service’s Columbia office said these three tornadoes raised the total to 22 that have occurred in its coverage area in 2024. The previous 19 tornadoes occurred during events on Jan. 9, Jan. 27, May 9 and overnight on Sept. 26 and 27 when Hurricane Helene hit South Carolina, according to the National Weather Service.
“The strongest tornado this year was the EF2 that impacted Bamberg in January,” National Weather Service Columbia officials said.
Tornado damage in Fairfield County from storms that rolled through the area Dec. 29, 2024. Provided Fairfield County
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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999.Support my work with a digital subscription
