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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Columbia SC
356 PM EDT Fri Apr 17 2020

...SUMMARY OF ALL DAMAGE SURVEYS IN CENTRAL SC AND EAST-CENTRAL 
GA FOR THE APRIL 13, 2020 TORNADO EVENT...


.Overview...
Unless new information is received, the National Weather Service 
in Columbia has completed surveying the tornado damage from the 
April 13, 2020 tornado event. Here is a recap of all tornadoes in 
Central South Carolina and East-Central Georgia. This summary:

-Includes two new EF-3 tornadoes not included in previous Public
Information Statements.

-Includes changes to some path lengths of previously identified
tornadoes based on new data.

-Changes the names of some tornadoes to be more descriptive given
the large number of tornadoes effecting the same counties.

In total, there were 5 EF-3 and 2 EF-2 tornadoes in Central South
Carolina and East-Central Georgia, causing 2 fatalities and at
least 7 significant injuries.

&&

...Northwest Burke County, Georgia EF-2 Tornado...

Start Location...6 NNE Vidette in Burke County GA
End Location...10 ESE Hephzibah in Burke County GA
Date...04/13/2020
Estimated Time...04:53 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF2
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...125 mph
Maximum Path Width...700.0 yards
Path Length...16.94 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...33.1066 / -82.1918
Ending Lat/Lon...33.2265 / -81.9452
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
A tornado touched down northeast of Vidette in Burke County, GA
near Highway 80. The tornado continued in a general northeastern
direction, crossing Quaker Road, US 25, and dissipated near
Highway 56 and Collins Road. The tornado produced mainly EF-0 and
EF-1 damage along its path, but reached EF-2 intensity in several
locations with peak wind speeds of 125 mph. The tornado had a 
path length of approximately 17 miles with a path width of around 
700 yards. 

The tornado uprooted or snapped a significant amount of trees 
along its entire path. Along Highway 80, a former auto service 
cinder block building had its bay doors blown in, causing the roof
to lift off and some of the block walls to collapse. Along 
Coursey Road, nearly all of the pine trees snapped in a field and
a couple of houses had significant roof damage. A couple of pecan
groves had significant damage with many pecan trees snapped or 
uprooted near Quaker Road and Taylor Road. West of Story Mill 
Road near George Perkins Road, there were an extensive amount of 
hardwood trees snapped and uprooted, with many of them falling on 
a home and vehicle. Major damage also occurred at a dairy farm 
along Highway 25, where metal posts supporting a canopy bent and 
snapped over a feeding area, a feed shed had its roof torn off and
the metal framing bent and several other structures on the 
property had significant roof damage or total roof loss. 

&&

...Savannah River Site to Williston to Springfield EF-3 Tornado 
in Aiken, Barnwell and Orangeburg Counties...

Start Location...5 W Savannah River Site in Aiken County SC
End Location...4 NE Springfield in Orangeburg County SC
Date...04/13/2020
Estimated Time...05:21 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF3
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...140 mph
Maximum Path Width...800.0 yards
Path Length...33.48 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...33.2751 / -81.7048
Ending Lat/Lon...33.5219 / -81.2168
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
A strong, long-track tornado began in the Savannah River Site
southeast of Jackson, SC, then moved in a general northeast 
direction in Aiken County near the Barnwell County border. The 
tornado crossed into Barnwell County northwest of Williston near 
Davis Bridge Road. The tornado continued northeast across northern
Barnwell County and crossed into Orangeburg County and dissipated
northeast of Springfield. The tornado path length was approximately
33.5 miles, and at its widest point was just under 0.5 miles. The
tornado rating was an EF-3, with peak wind speeds of 140 mph.

Based off of high resolution imagery, radar data (including the
height debris was detected), and correspondence with Savannah 
River Site officials, it has been determined that the tornado
became strong within the Savannah River Site boundaries as it
moved to the northeast. 

As the tornado moved out of the Savannah River Site, it produced 
significant damage near Williston Road and Jaywood Road west of 
Williston. In this area, significant roof damage and a partial 
wall collapse to a brick house occurred, with a small cinder block 
workshop destroyed. The tornado then destroyed a vacant 
cinder block store building, and removed the roof and some of the
walls of a metal auto shop building. Nearby trees were all 
snapped near the base. A mobile home was shifted about 6-10 feet 
off its foundation along Cherry Tree Road. Along Tinker Creek 
Road, the tornado destroyed a brick shed and removed most of the 
roof off a home, completely destroyed a manufactured home near 
Charleston Highway, and based on aerial photographs blew down a 
large swath of trees east of the roadway. The tornado then crossed
Charleston Highway, removing a large portion of the roof and 
collapsing an exterior wall of a business. The tornado continued 
to snap and uproot countless trees as it crossed Davis Bridge 
Road, and New Forest Road in northern Barnwell County. The tornado
moved into Orangeburg County, uprooting many large trees in the 
town of Springfield, some of which fell on homes and one on a 
church. The tornado finally dissipated northeast of Springfield, 
just before reaching the path of another EF-3 tornado just to the 
east. 

&&

...Eastern Savannah River Site EF-3 Tornado in Barnwell County...

Start Location...5 NW Snelling in Barnwell County SC
End Location...3 SW Elko in Barnwell County SC
Date...04/13/2020
Estimated Time...05:35 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF3
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...138 mph
Maximum Path Width...50.0 yards
Path Length...6.04 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...33.2995 / -81.5114
Ending Lat/Lon...33.3512 / -81.428
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
Sentinel Satellite Data from April 13, 2020 clearly shows a 
damage scar beginning at the northern tip of Parr Pond in the 
Savannah River Site and ending near the intersection of Highway 
278 and State Road 21. A tornadic debris signature detected by the
KCAE radar aligns with the damage scar. A ground survey also 
indicated a few trees down just off a field on the eastern side of
Fellowship Road as tornado dissipated. Based off of high 
resolution imagery, radar data (including the height debris was 
detected), and correspondence with a Savannah River Site official,
it is estimated that winds reached EF-3 strength, with speeds up 
to 138 mph. 

&&

...Elko to Livingston to St. Matthews EF-3 Tornado in Barnwell,
Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties...

Start Location...4 S Elko in Barnwell County SC
End Location...8 WSW St. Matthews in Calhoun County SC
Date...04/13/2020
Estimated Time...05:43 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF3
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...140 mph
Maximum Path Width...770.0 yards
Path Length...36.9 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...33.3158 / -81.3944
Ending Lat/Lon...33.624 / -80.9115
* Fatalities...2
* Injuries...7

...Summary...
A strong, long-track tornado began just south of the town of Elko
in Barnwell County , then moved in a general northeast direction
through Orangeburg County, before dissipating southwest of St.
Matthews in Calhoun County before reaching I-26. The tornado path
length was about 37 miles, and at its widest point was just under
0.5 miles. The tornado was rated an EF-3, with peak wind speeds 
of 140 mph. There were 2 confirmed fatalities with at least 7 
injured. 

The tornado began near Orchard Road and Highway 37. Along its 
entire path, there was widespread tree damage. The tornado snapped
7 wood power poles near US 78 and Turkey Creek. The tornado 
strengthened as it approached Highway 3 and Gardenia Road, where 
it destroyed and tossed a wood framed home anchored to the ground,
lifted a significant portion of a roof on a brick home, destroyed
a fifth wheel camper, and knocked over a pivot irrigation system.
The tornado then crossed Norway Road where it snapped multiple 
power poles. As the tornado reached Fire Tower Road west of 
Neeses, it intensified further, destroying 3 anchored manufactured
homes on Preserver Road near Ninety Six Road It was in this area 
that the 2 known fatalities occurred to residents in a double-wide
manufactured home. The tornado then turned more eastward, 
crossing Savannah Highway and Dragstrip Rd north of Livingston. 
There were several homes or manufactured homes that were heavily 
damaged or destroyed in this area. The tornado gradually weakened 
as it crossed North Road and dissipated as it crossed into Calhoun
County. 

&&

...Blackville EF-3 Tornado in Barnwell County...

Start Location...3 S Blackville in Barnwell County SC
End Location...2 S Blackville in Barnwell County SC
Date...04/13/2020
Estimated Time...05:49 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF3
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...140 mph
Maximum Path Width...40.0 yards
Path Length...1.38 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...33.3177 / -81.2903
Ending Lat/Lon...33.3369 / -81.2833
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
A tornado started just south of Blackville, SC east of Whitehall
Drive near Toby Creek. The tornado damaged several chicken houses
by causing the walls to collapse in a few places. The tornado 
then moved northeast crossing a large empty field, before 
intensifying as it approached a fiberglass coating facility near 
Lake Cynthia Road. The tornado collapsed a large segment of a 75 
ft tall, 150 ft x 150 ft warehouse, with large steel support beams
twisted. 30 cylindrical containers weighing up to 20- 25 thousand
pounds each lifted out of their u-shaped saddles and rolled 
throughout the facility. There was evidence of very minimal tree 
damage east of Blackville but not enough damage to suggest the 
tornado track continued that far north. As a result, the tornado 
likely lifted prior to reaching Highway 3. The tornado path length
was just under 1.5 miles and had a width of about 40 yards. The 
tornado was rated EF-3, with peak winds of 140 mph. 

&&

...Hilda EF-3 Tornado in Barnwell County...

Start Location...5 S Hilda in Barnwell County SC
End Location...1 E Hilda in Barnwell County SC
Date...04/13/2020
Estimated Time...05:50 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF3
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...145 mph
Maximum Path Width...800.0 yards
Path Length...5.45 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...33.2071 / -81.2742
Ending Lat/Lon...33.2715 / -81.2223
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
A tornado touched down in far southeast Barnwell moving
northeastward toward the Bamberg county line southeast of the
town of Hilda, briefly intensifying to a strong tornado along
Hartzog Road. The tornado length was 5.5 miles and had a width of
800 yards at its widest point. The tornado was rated EF-3, with
peak winds of 145 mph. 

The tornado began just north of Highway 64 at Green Branch Road 
near Indigo Road. The tornado moved northeast across Hercules 
Creek and caused significant tree damage at a residence on 
Friendship Road. Several oak and pine trees were uprooted and 
snapped. A cinder block garage had its metal roofing peeled off 
and the wind stress shifted the cinder blocks about half way up 
the wall. Along its northeastward path, there was continued tree 
damage but the tornado strengthened rapidly as it crossed Hartzog 
Road just south of November Road. A well built bolted down metal 
building structure and tin tractor shed was completely destroyed. 
Further north along Hartzog Road, a residence had part of its roof
lifted off and behind the residence, a two story wood frame 
building was shifted off its foundation and destroyed and an 
unanchored log cabin was destroyed. As the tornado moved 
northeast toward Huckleberry Bay Road there were multiple hardwood
trees snapped near the base of the trees. The tornado began to 
weaken as it crossed Old Salem Road continuing to damage trees 
along its path before dissipating just north of Huttos Chapel 
Road.

&&

...Rowesville to Cameron EF-2 Tornado in Orangeburg and Calhoun 
Counties...

Start Location...3 NE Rowesville in Orangeburg County SC
End Location...4 SE Cameron in Calhoun County SC
Date...04/13/2020
Estimated Time...06:25 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF2
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...119 mph
Maximum Path Width...700.0 yards
Path Length...10.29 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...33.4032 / -80.787
Ending Lat/Lon...33.5123 / -80.6716
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
A tornado touched down in Orangeburg County about 4 miles
northeast of Rowesville and tracked northeastward across
Interstate 26 and Highway 301. EF0 damage occurred from the
intersection of Garland and Bethel Forest Road, where the tornado
started, to just prior to crossing I-26. The tornado strengthened
producing EF-1 damage across agricultural fields and in the
Orangeburg Industrial Park. As the tornado crossed I-26 it
further strengthened to EF-2 then crossed Highway 301. The
tornado rapidly weakened to EF-1 then just north of Highway
301 and further to EF-0 as it moved into the Middle Pen Swamp.
Through the remainder of the tornado path it cycled between EF-1 
and EF-0 then finally lifted just north of the intersection of 
Houcks Gin Road and Old State Road. The total tornado path length 
was 10.3 miles with a maximum width of 700 yards.The tornado 
caused numerous hardwood and softwood trees to be snapped along 
the path and overturned multiple pivot irrigation systems. Damage 
was done to a tractor dealership with the front windows being 
shattered and the overhead doors being blown in by the wind. 
Several of the snapped and uprooted trees were blown onto 
structures causing roof damage to residential and industrial 
structures. Damage to grain silos and outbuildings on the north 
side of Highway 301 was estimated by the owner to be $1 million. 

&&

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

* The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

$$

JAQ/RJO/HC/MP/LCV