EF2 Tornado — Abbeville, South Carolina

2021-05-03 · near Lowndesville, Abbeville, South Carolina

Event narrative

NWS storm survey found the path of a significant tornado that began just of Russel Lake on Harpers Ferry Rd. Damage was initially limited to downed trees and limbs as the tornado moved east northeast. The first structural damage occurred along Tater Hill Rd, where several outbuildings were heavily damaged and a man was injured when he was thrown from his back porch. The tornado continued east northeast from there, entering a heavily wooded area and crossing a finger of Russell Lake before emerging on Highway 81 just south of Tom Young Bridge Rd. Damage was limited to sporadic tree damage along this section of the path. The tornado remained weak as it continued east before intensifying after crossing Monterey Rd, as much of the roof was removed from a frame home on Fairfield Church Rd. The tornado weakened again from there, with damage limited primarily to uprooted hardwoods and snapped softwoods as it crossed Highway 71, 28, and 20, passing just north of the Abbeville city limits. The tornado intensified again after crossing Old Douglas Mill Rd, as multiple small to medium hardwoods were snapped 10 to 20 feet above the ground along portions of Stevenson Rd and Old Hodges Rd. The tornado weakened again east of this location, with additional EF1 tree damage observed before it moved into Greenwood County near Johns Creek Rd.

Wider weather episode

Multiple supercell thunderstorms developed across upstate South Carolina during the afternoon. Two tornadoes developed across the Piedmont, including one significant tornado that produced the longest tornado track in the Upstate in almost 30 years.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.1740, -82.6960)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 962594. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.