690
NOUS42 KCHS 020812
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114-115-137-216>219-238>241-SCZ040-042>045-
147>152-022015-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
412 AM EDT SUN AUG 2 2026
..NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR AUGUST 1, 2026
FOLLY BEACH, SC WATERSPOUT/TORNADO
RATING: EF0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 55 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 0.05 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 15 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0
START DATE: 08/01/2026
START TIME: 02:33 PM EDT
START LOCATION: FOLLY BEACH / CHARLESTON COUNTY / SC
START LAT/LON: 32.6562 / -79.9357
END DATE: 08/01/2026
END TIME: 02:34 PM EDT
END LOCATION: FOLLY BEACH / CHARLESTON COUNTY / SC
END LAT/LON: 32.6568 / -79.9363
SURVEY SUMMARY:
A WELL-DEFINED WATERSPOUT DEVELOPED FROM A SHOWER OFFSHORE OF
FOLLY BEACH, SC, JUST NORTH OF THE FOLLY BEACH PIER AROUND 223 PM.
THE WATERSPOUT MOVED SLOWLY WEST-NORTHWEST OVER THE OCEAN FOR
ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE COMING ONSHORE AS A TORNADO AROUND 233 PM,
JUST SOUTH OF THE 3RD STREET EAST PUBLIC BEACH ACCESS POINT.
THE TORNADO MOVED ACROSS THE BEACH, THROWING A NUMBER OF A TENTS,
CHAIRS AND BEACH COVERINGS INTO THE AIR BEFORE DISSIPATING ALONG
EAST ARCTIC AVENUE. DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL, WITH ONLY MINOR IMPACTS
NOTED TO LOW-GROWTH BEACH VEGETATION AND NO DAMAGE TO NEARBY TREES
OR HOMES. DESPITE THE TORNADO MOVING DIRECTLY THROUGH A LARGE GROUP
OF PEOPLE, NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
BASED ON PUBLIC VIDEO FOOTAGE AND THE LACK OF DAMAGE INDICATORS,
THE TORNADO IS RATED EF0 WITH MAXIMUM WINDS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR
55 MPH.
EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
EF0.....65 TO 85 MPH
EF1.....86 TO 110 MPH
EF2.....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3.....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4.....166 TO 200 MPH
EF5.....>200 MPH
NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN
NWS STORM DATA.
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