Tropical Storm — Fairfield, South Carolina

2022-09-30 · Fairfield, South Carolina

Event narrative

A tree was downed on SC Hwy 200 and Camp Welfare Rd at 0950 EST (1050 EDT). COOP observer in Longtown reported a storm total rainfall amount of 4.18 inches. A peak wind gust of 37 mph was recorded at the Fairfield Co Airport in Winnsboro at 1715 EST (1815 EDT). The Emergency Manager reported that a total of 17 trees were downed across the county, with 4 of them falling on power lines.

Wider weather episode

Ian first formed as Tropical Depression Nine in the Caribbean Sea on September 23,

2022. It moved west and northwest into the Western Caribbean and strengthened

into a hurricane. The cyclone turned to the north and crossed over the western tip

of Cuba on September 27th.

Ian strengthened into a major hurricane and moved NNE across the SE Gulf of Mexico,

and intensified into a high end category 4 hurricane, making landfall on the SW coast

of Florida on September 28th. Ian moved NE across central FL during the day and

night of September 28th, while gradually weakening into a Tropical Storm.

The cyclone moved off the east central Florida coast into the Atlantic Ocean, as a

Tropical Storm, during the morning of September 29th. Ian moved northeast then

turned to the north while re-intensifying to a category 1 hurricane during the day and

night of September 29th.

Hurricane Ian made landfall as a category 1 hurricane on the South Carolina coast

near Georgetown on the afternoon of Friday September 30th. At the time of landfall,

the hurricane was producing maximum sustained winds of 85 MPH and the minimum

central pressure was estimated to be 977 mb.

Ian moved to the NNW across the north coast and Pee Dee regions of SC, while

weakening to Tropical Storm status, on the afternoon and early evening of

September 30th. The Tropical Storm continued moving to the NNW across central

North Carolina, and slowed down, while weakening to post tropical cyclone status, on

the night of September 30th and morning of October 1st.

Across the Midlands of SC, widespread peak wind gusts around 30 to 40 MPH were

observed, with numerous reports of downed trees and power lines. The highest wind

gust report in the Midlands was 51 mph at McEntire JNG Base in Eastover (Richland

Co, SC). Rainfall amounts across the Midlands of SC ranged from around 1 to 5

inches, with highest amounts observed across the SE and E Midlands. The highest

reported total rainfall amount in the Midlands was 7.00 inches, reported by a

CoCoRaHS observer near Holly Hill, SC (Orangeburg Co).

One direct injury occurred when a tree fell onto a moving occupied vehicle in Irmo

(Richland Co, SC) on the afternoon of September 29th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1050604. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.