Posted on Wed, Jun. 14, 2006

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Alberto might bring tornadoes

2 to 4 inches of rain expected in Midlands

By JOEY HOLLEMAN

jholleman@thestate.com

ELSEWHERE Along Florida’s Gulf Coast, the first tropical storm of the hurricane season was less than advertised. Page A12

Tropical Storm Alberto started its slow march through South Carolina on Tuesday with heavy coastal rainfall and tornadoes in the Lowcountry. Forecasters expect more rainfall and the possibility of more tornadoes today.

A small tornado in downtown Charleston around 6 p.m. broke windows in police cars and twisted a garage door near the Medical University of South Carolina. A tornado also touched down near Awendaw around 8 p.m., knocking down trees.

Portions of Beaufort County had received more than 2 inches of rainfall by late Tuesday afternoon. The tornado, spotted by a trained observer near Parris Island about 2:30 p.m., never touched down over land and caused no problems, said William Winn, director of emergency management for the county.

Coastal areas were expected to get 2 to 4 inches of rain Tuesday and possibly as much again today, said Scott Malsick of the State Climate Office.

About half as much rainfall — 2 to 4 inches — is expected in the Midlands, with about an inch in the Upstate, as the center of the storm passes over the state.

Forecasters also warned that small tornadoes could spin off of Alberto as the storm moved northeast. Tornadoes often are associated with the leading edge of tropical systems. A tornado watch was issued until 5 a.m. today for much of the Lowcountry and Pee Dee.

A wind advisory for sustained winds of up to 25 mph in inland areas along the south coast also was posted.

Fortunately, much of the state has been in droughtlike conditions, so rivers aren’t expected to flood.

Even along the Grand Strand, where a separate weather system dumped 4.28 inches on Myrtle Beach on Monday, hydrologists expect the Waccamaw River at Conway to remain well below flood stage through the end of the week.

Alberto, with maximum sustained winds of about 50 mph, made landfall early Tuesday afternoon near Adams Beach, Fla., about 50 miles southeast of Tallahassee.