EF2 tornado in Kershaw County, South Carolina

A NWS Storm Survey Team found considerable damage occurred to North-Central High School in Kershaw County, SC as a result of an EF-2 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 130 mph. The tornado began near the intersection of Lockhart Rd and Keys Ln, then traveled northeast across the campus of the High School before lifting approximately a half mile later beyond the parking lot on the northeast side of

the school. The tornado snapped numerous pine trees at the beginning of the track, then partially collapsed concrete stadium bleachers and a press box. The tornado continued across the gymnasium, lifting all of the HVAC units off the roof. The

tornado then lifted a large portion of the roof off of the school, including over the main office, library and an older auditorium, then collapsed the exterior wall along a portion of the west side of the building. The tornado then moved into the parking lot on the north side of the building where it moved 4 school buses, and resulted in broken windows and other damages to 31 parked school buses. The tornado then destroyed a small building just beyond the parking lot before lifting. Strong inflow into the tornado also snapped numerous pine trees south of the baseball field, collapsed 2 large light stands near the baseball field, and lifted and displaced a Conex shipping container approximately 50 yards. The tornado path length was about 0.50 miles and the path width was about 150 yards.

A line of thunderstorms, some severe, moved through the region during the evening of Saturday January 11, 2019, and early morning hours of Sunday January 12, 2019. There were numerous reports of wind damage, such as trees down. An isolated tornado, of EF-2 magnitude, did considerable damage to a high school in Kershaw Co SC.