Tornado Alley: A Wake-Up Call

It was a chaotic night when Hurricane Helene hit the Midlands, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The storm brought with it a total of nine tornadoes, which touched down in various parts of the region. The tornadoes were all classified as EF0 or EF1, the lowest levels on the National Weather Service's scale, with wind speeds reaching up to 112 mph. As the storm made its way across the region, people were left bewildered, trying to make sense of the sudden changes in the weather. Dark, greenish skies, large hail, and low-lying clouds were clear signs of an approaching tornado. Many residents reported hearing a loud roar, similar to the sound of a freight train, which was a stark reminder of the danger lurking nearby.In Orangeburg County, Cordova, Rowesville, Woodford, Branchville, and Bowman were all affected by the tornadoes. The villages of Wedgefield and Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter County, Bamberg in Bamberg County, Staley Crossroads in Calhoun County, and Duncan Chapel in Orangeburg County were also hit by the twisters. As the storm made its way across the state, more than 60 tornado warnings were issued, causing widespread panic and disruption. The National Weather Service in Columbia believes that most of the remaining damage was caused by straight-line winds rather than tornadoes.