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Thunderstorm expected to bring winds, hail to Columbia midday Saturday

Severe thunderstorms may hit the Midlands Saturday, bringing wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail that could be the size of a quarter, according to the National Weather Service.

A cold front and line of thunderstorms will move through the Midlands during the morning and afternoon. The biggest thunderstorm risk will be southeast of Columbia and a marginal risk is expected in Columbia and the central Midlands.

The front is expected to move into the Midlands around noon and pass before early evening, according to the National Weather Service

A wind advisory has already been issued for wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Damaging winds and large hail are the primary hazards, though there is a small risk of tornadoes.

The front that is expected to pass through the Midlands passed through Arkansas on Friday, causing at least one tornado to touch down and flip cars in Little Rock.

But the atmosphere in South Carolina is different and similar threats of tornadoes are not expected. Still, residents need to be prepared, according to meteorologist Dan Miller of the National Weather Service’s Columbia office.

“Whenever the storms approach, people need to take shelter inside to protect themselves from lightning or strong wind gusts,” Miller said.

The storms should have cleared out of the Midlands by the evening, though winds will linger and diminish throughout the night. Sunday is forecast to be a sunny, 70-degree day with a light breeze, according to the National Weather Service.

“If you have a choice of which day to do your outdoor activities, Sunday is the much better day.”

There have already been powerful storms that affected the Midlands in 2023.

Five tornadoes were confirmed in the Midlands in the first week of January, and wind gusts as powerful as 90 mph were confirmed in South Carolina, the National Weather Service said.

Another tornado was confirmed a week later when storms rolled through the Midlands. And another round of storms rumbled through the region in the last week of January.

February was largely free of severe weather, but a severe thunderstorm watch went in effect earlier this week as thunder boomed and lightning flashed across the Midlands.