MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — Twenty-four years ago, Myrtle Beach had an F-2 tornado impact the beach on one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Thousands of tourists were in town celebrating the 4th of July, and meanwhile, a favorable environment for thunderstorms capable of tornadoes was brewing in the afternoon.
On July 6, 2001, a cold front was moving in from the north, eventually colliding with the sea breeze. The collision of these two fronts led to an environment where the wind turned with height.
The change of wind speed and direction with height, also called wind shear in meteorology, is one of a handful of ingredients needed for tornadoes to be possible…