Weekend storms destroy Bluffton park pavilion, lightning strike sets Fripp attic on fire

Sarah Haselhorst
·2 min read

Strong and prolonged storms ripped through Beaufort County over the weekend, destroying a park pavilion and vacation rental’s attic in their wake.

As of Monday morning, nine preliminary storm reports had been submitted to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration over the weekend. Four described hail, including quarter-sized pellets on Hunting Island State Park and golf ball-sized hail on Fripp Island.

There were five reports of felled trees, which came down on Hilton Head Island, St. Helena Island and along two Beaufort roads. The highest-clocked wind speed was recorded at Beaufort’s Marine Corps Air Station, gusting up to 68 mph.

No South Carolina storm reports were submitted to NOAA on Saturday, according to the administration’s website.

On Saturday, a tree came crashing down on a pavilion at DuBois Park, which is nestled in the heart of Old Town Bluffton. Part of the wooden structure was completely destroyed and led to the temporary closure of the park.

The water oak was very old and too heavy for its root system, said Bluffton spokesperson Debbie Szpanka. While Saturday’s storm was not “tremendous,” Szpanka said it was the “last straw” for the tree.

A pavilion at DuBois Park in the heart of Old Town Bluffton was cordoned off after a storm partially destroyed it, resulting in a temporary park closure. The playground was reopened on Monday, May 20, 2024.
A pavilion at DuBois Park in the heart of Old Town Bluffton was cordoned off after a storm partially destroyed it, resulting in a temporary park closure. The playground was reopened on Monday, May 20, 2024.

The area was cordoned off with caution tape Monday, but the playground was reopened to the public.

“Stay clear of all roped off areas,” a Town of Bluffton Facebook post read.

On Saturday, lightning struck a three-bedroom rental home on Fripp Island, called Frippin Unreel, causing a fire in the home’s attic, according to the rental’s Facebook page.

“We all got out safely,” a post read the following day, adding that “the inside is a goner.”

Shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday, dark gray skies and swollen clouds rushed into the Lowcountry, triggering an initial alert of severe weather. A second notifying of a severe thunderstorm followed two hours later. And a flood advisory held until 6:15 p.m.

Fripp Islanders shared videos Sunday of winds blowing through with enough force to slightly bend the tops of palmetto trees. Hail that showered the island at about 2:30 p.m. sent “large chunks” bouncing off homes and structures, a video re-posted by Charleston meteorologist Shea Gibson showed.

Hail ranged from the size of a quarter to the shape of a golf ball, according to NOAA reports. Lady’s Island residents also reported hail that was ping-pong ball-sized.

A video circulating on Nextdoor — a social networking site for neighborhoods — noted “tornado-like activity” on Fripp Island. National Weather Service Charleston meteorologist Dwight Koehn confirmed there were no tornadoes in Beaufort County on Sunday.

Weekend rain totals on Hilton Head Island, where the gauges are located, were between 1.4 and 2.58 inches, Koehn said.

During an NWS Charleston routine Monday briefing, local meteorologists said there’s a chance of showers and thunderstorms over Memorial Day weekend.

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