South Carolina Primary and Strong Thunderstorms Today

January 21, 2012; 3:16 PM
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South Carolinians heading to voting booths for today's presidential primary will have to keep an eye to the sky with locally strong thunderstorms a threat.

Showers and thunderstorms accompanied voters to polling places throughout central and upstate South Carolina this morning.

More showers and thunderstorms will develop across the state into this evening with the arrival of the Northeast snowstorm's cold front.

The potential exists for a few of the thunderstorms to turn violent with damaging winds and hail. A tornado or two could also touch down.

A greater number of the thunderstorms will unleash downpours, posing a danger to those driving to cast their vote. Visibility will dramatically drop and the risk of vehicles hydroplaning will increase in these downpours.

Anyone standing outside of or walking to polling places should seek shelter at the first clasp of thunder. If thunder is heard, you are close enough to get struck by potentially deadly lightning.

The threat of locally strong thunderstorms is not confined to South Carolina today, but also extends southwestward to southern Mississippi.

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