CHESTER, S.C. (CN2 NEW) – The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF 0 tornado touched down in Great Falls in the DeWitt Road area.
Chester Emergency Management Director Ed Darby says there was no damage to structures or injuries, just tree damage.
The wind for a EF 0 tornado is about 75 miles per hour. Darby adding the last tornado to come through Great Falls was in 2020 and it was an EF3.
Coordinates:
NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 05/05/20 TORNADO EVENT... ...Great Falls EF-2 Tornado in Chester and Lancaster Counties... Start Location...7 W Great Falls in Chester County SC End Location...7 ESE Great Falls in Lancaster County SC Date...05/05/2020 Estimated Time...06:45 PM EDT Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF2 Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...115 mph Maximum Path Width...200.0 yards Path Length...14.24 miles Beginning Lat/Lon...34.5925 / -81.0262 Ending Lat/Lon...34.5246 / -80.7958 * Fatalities...0 * Injuries...0 ...Summary... National Weather Service Storm Survey Teams from the offices in Greenville-Spartanburg and Columbia, SC have confirmed a tornado began in southeastern Chester County and dissipated in southwestern Lancaster County. The tornado produced winds up to 115 mph, which is an EF-2. The path length was just over 14 miles and path width was approximately 200 yards at its widest point. The tornado began west of Great Falls in Chester County, near Old Catholic Church Road. The tornado then moved east, crossed Interstate 77, and produced damage across Mountain Gap Road, Ross Dye Road and Georgetown Road, before turning southeast toward the town of Great Falls. The tornado crossed Highway 21 and produced damage in areas including Walnut Street, Hampton Street, Duke Street, and Republic Street. Estimated winds were up to 105 mph in Chester County, based on large trees being uprooted or snapped. In addition, a house on Republic Street was destroyed when a tree fell on it. The tornado strengthened as it crossed the Catawba River and entered southwestern Lancaster County. The tornado moved southeast, producing significant tree damage, with numerous large hardwood and softwood trees uprooted or snapped. The most significant damage occurred between Green Road and Cedar Creek Road near Mount Carmel Road, where estimated winds were up to 115 mph. A tree also fell on a vehicle on Cedar Creek Road. The tornado then crossed Cunningham Quarters Road, before dissipating near Mable Anthony Road. This supercell thunderstorm also produced large hail up to Golf Ball size in Chester and Lancaster Counties, and later up to Tennis Ball size in Bethune in northern Kershaw County. 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 event and publication in NWS Storm Data.
