Hurricane Helene’s wrath spawned three EF-0 tornadoes in Beaufort County between Thursday and Friday mornings, according to the National Weather Service’s Charleston Office.
On Wednesday, nearly 24 hours before the first twister touched down on Daufuskie Island, the NWS urged residents to prepare for scattered tornadoes, as meteorologists said the storm system had a “very good” setup for tornadoes to form.
Hurricanes and tropical storms can lead to the formation of tornadoes, because as the outer bands of a storm reach land, winds are slowed closer to the ground but remain strong at higher altitudes. The difference causes wind shear, which is a variation in wind speed and direction at different heights, and creates the spin required for tornado formation.
The first blaring of a tornado warning came at 7:05 a.m. Thursday, quickly following an EF-0 tornado that was packing 80 mph winds and had touched down on Daufuskie Island near Driftwood Cottage Lane at 7:03 a.m. The twister, which covered 6.66 miles and had a path width of 150 yards, spun northward across the island and lifted north of Big House Plantation Road near Myrtle Island on the mainland, according to the NWS.
At 7:18 a.m., a second warning rang out. Two minutes later, an EF-0 tornado with maximum winds of 76 mph touched down near Headwaters Road in Palmetto Bluff near Pritchardville, the service reported. The twister, which traveled 1.27 miles and had a 100-yard path width, rotated north and crossed the far western marshy area of the May River before crossing May River Road. The tornado dissipated north of May River Road.
Shortly after midnight, at 1:29 a.m. Friday, an EF-0 tornado with maximum winds near 70 mph hit the Gardens Corner area, north of Beaufort. The twister touched down southeast of Washington Farm Road, then spun northwest across Stroban Road near Daniels Drive, according to the NWS. The rotating system, which covered 3.87 miles and had a 175-yard path width, then crossed US Highway 17 before dissipating in a marshy area.
Based on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, tornado ratings account for estimated wind speeds and related damages. An EF-0 tornado must have an estimated 3-second wind gust between 65 mph and 85 mph.
As of Monday morning, NWS Meteorologist Jonathan Lamb said the three tornadoes were the only confirmed in Beaufort County so far. Most recently, in early August, the NWS reported two short-lived EF-0 twisters, one on Lady’s Island and the other on Saint Helena Island, as a result of Tropical Storm Debby.
Source Agencies
