Strong and prolonged storms ripped through Beaufort County over the weekend, destroying a park pavilion and vacation rental’s attic in their wake.
Shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday, dark gray skies and swollen clouds rushed into the Lowcountry, triggering an initial alert of severe weather. A second notifying of a severe thunderstorm followed two hours later. And a flood advisory held until 6:15 p.m.
As of Monday morning, nine preliminary storm reports had been submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Four described hail, including quarter-sized pellets on Hunting Island State Park and golf-ball sized hail on Fripp Island. There were five reports of felled trees, which came down on Hilton Head Island, St. Helena Island and along two Beaufort roads. The highest-clocked wind speed was recorded at the Marine Corps Air Station, gusting up to 68 mph.
A tree came crashing down on a pavilion at DuBois Park on Saturday, which is nestled in the heart of Old Town Bluffton. Part of the wooden structure was completely destroyed and led to the temporary closure of the park.
On Monday morning, the area was cordoned off with caution tape, but the playground was reopened to the public.
“Stay clear of all roped off areas,” a Town of Bluffton Facebook post read.
North of the town, Fripp Islanders shared videos Sunday of winds blowing through with enough force to slightly bend the tops of palmetto trees. Hail that showered the island at about 2:30 p.m. sent “large chunks” bouncing off homes and structures, a video re-posted by Charleston meteorologist Shea Gibson showed.
Hail ranged from the size of a quarter to the shape of a golf ball, according to NOAA reports. Lady’s Island residents also reported hail that was ping-pong ball-sized.
On Saturday, lightning struck a three-bedroom rental home on Fripp Island, called Frippin Unreel, causing a fire in the home’s attic, according to the rental’s Facebook page.
“We all got out safely,” a post read the following day, adding that “the inside is a goner.”
No South Carolina storm reports were submitted to NOAA on Saturday, according to the administration’s website. A video circulating on Nextdoor — a social networking site for neighborhoods — noted “tornado-like activity” on Fripp Island. National Weather Service Charleston meteorologist Dwight Koehn confirmed there were no tornadoes in Beaufort County on Sunday.
Weekend rain totals on Hilton Head Island, where the gauges are located, were between 1.4 and 2.58 inches, Koehn said. During an NWS Charleston routine Monday briefing, local meteorologists said there’s a chance of showers and thunderstorms over Memorial Day weekend.
Source Agencies
