EF0 Tornado — Marlboro, South Carolina

2024-05-14 · near Bristow, Marlboro, South Carolina

Event narrative

A narrow tornado started near River Road where a few oak trees

were uprooted and snapped, along with numerous downed limbs in the

area. The tornado appeared to peak in strength as it continued

northeastward and reached Screwpin Road where it caused extensive

shingle removal on the southwest side of a single-family

residence, snapped 4 Bradford Pear trees at the front of the

property, tossed one whole tree about 50-60 yards to the west of

its base, and uprooted numerous oak trees with a converging

pattern in a grove of trees just northwest of the property. On

the adjacent property to the immediate west, a small water pump

shed was destroyed and a 50-60 ft flagpole was snapped about 5 ft

above the base and thrown an unknown distance.

The tornado then tracked northeastward across a farm field with a

few large limbs scattered across the field and some weak but noticeable

ground scouring amongst new crops from the grove of trees northeastward

to a private lake. At the lake, a small boat with an attached

motor was flipped within a covered dock on its southwest side and

additional downed oak trees and large limbs were observed on its

northeast side. The tornado may have briefly lifted as it moved

across SC Highway 38 with minimal tree limb damage observed on

either side of the highway before it appeared to strengthen again

when moving into another property.

Additional large limbs were snapped on the southwest side of this

property and an old home suffered considerable metal roof panel removal

with the panels scattered northwest and west of the home. Minor metal

roof damage to a few equipment shelters, a newer barn door which was pushed

in enough to break it from its hinges, and several large pecan

tree limbs which snapped off were observed on the northwest side

of this property. Lastly, young corn crops were nearly flattened

and an open two-tier wood fence was blown down and tossed to the

northwest just before the tornado crossed Old Highway 38 South.

The tornado dissipated just northeast of this road with no

additional damage observed at Allen Ridge Road.

Wider weather episode

Some low-topped supercells occurred in association with an upper level disturbance in an environment with minimal instability but strong wind shear was present.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.4198, -79.6459)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1173580. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.