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Tornado Watch, Severe Thunderstorm Watch in Effect through Monday Night

A Tornado Watch is in effect over the Upstate and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect over the Midlands Monday afternoon and evening, during which time a line of strong thunderstorms is expected to push through the Palmetto state. The threat arises from a low pressure center that is lifting from the Gulf Coast into the Mid Atlantic.

Late Sunday evening, an area of low pressure was centered over the northern Gulf of Mexico and was being monitored by the National Hurricane Center for potential development into a tropical system. The low moved ashore the Central Gulf Coast around midnight on Monday morning and has continued to track northeastward through Alabama and Georgia. Although it no longer is being watched for tropical development, the low continues to show signs of subtle intensification, and it’s energy will likely fuel thunderstorm development over Georgia and South Carolina this evening.

A squall line of storms is expected to develop over the Upstate late Monday afternoon and progress eastward through the Midlands on Monday evening. Although there are atmospheric factors present that should limit overall storm strength, a few thunderstorms embedded within the line could acquire rotation. This could allow them to produce damaging straight-line winds or even a few stray tornadoes. The line is expected to track from the Midlands into the I-95 corridor, Pee Dee, and Low Country around and shortly after midnight Tuesday morning.

As these storms are expected to arrive during the evening and overnight, residents are urged to have multiple ways of getting weather alerts, and methods that will wake them up should a storm threaten their area while they are sleeping.

After the system passes through the state, quiet conditions are expected for the remainder of the day Tuesday before thunderstorm chances increase by midweek.