WINNSBORO – The National Weather Service has confirmed three tornadoes swept through Fairfield County Sunday morning.
The most significant of the three tornadoes was the last one to hit the county and was rated an EF-1 with peak winds of 95 mph. It began just south of Winnsboro near a manufacturing plant on Highway 321 and Guardian Way around 8:56 am. As the tornado ripped through, it overturned four empty trailers and snapped multiple utility poles along Highway 321.
As the tornado advanced eastward, it caused damage to industrial facilities, snapping numerous trees along Industrial Park Road, and crossing Highway 34 East.
The tornado then traveled a total of 4.89 miles with a maximum width of 250 yards before dissipating near Horse Creek Road.
Two other tornadoes had already touched down, both less severe EF-0s.
The first of the three tornadoes hit around 8:52 a.m. with peak winds of 80 mph, touching down near Highway 269 and Mockingbird Lane south of Rion in Fairfield County. It traveled 3.72 miles with a maximum width of 200 yards.
This tornado caused minor shingle damage to homes, snapped some tree limbs, uprooted at least one tree, and crossed several roads, including Bundrick Road and Greenbrier- Mossydale Road, before dissipating near Highway 321.
The second of the three tornadoes, also rated an EF-0 with peak winds of 75 mph, began in Richland County near Old Hilton Road, east of Chapin, and moved northeast into Fairfield County around 8:35 am.
This tornado had a path length of 11.2 miles and a maximum width of 150 yards. It caused sporadic tree damage, crossing I-26 and Bush Mill Road, as it continued over the Broad River into Fairfield County before dissipating near Highway 269.
