Could a tornado watch in effect in parts of South Carolina keep some voters away from the polls on the state's primary day? That will be one of the things to watch as South Carolina voters cast their ballots in the state's Republican presidential primary.

The National Weather Service initially issued a tornado watch in 14 of the state's 46 counties on Saturday, including the state capital and largest city, Columbia. However, it cancelled the watch in most of the Midlands except for two counties - Aiken and Orangeburg -in the afternoon. The watch is in effect until 8 p.m. ET, one hour after the polls are scheduled to close.

"Overall, it'll probably be a little bit lower with the tornado warnings," South Carolina GOP Chairman Chad Connelly said. "We won't really know until next week when we can look at it precinct by precinct, but people just aren't as likely to come out when it's pouring rain."

CNN is reporting that turnout overall appears to be lower this year than in past primaries. However, The State is reporting that turnout appears to be mixed, with the weather possibly playing a factor.

According to The State:

Turnout was heavier than normal in some portions of Charleston, Calhoun, Georgetown, Greenville, Kershaw, Pickens, Richland, Saluda and York counties, the state election commission n reported based on anecdotal responses from county elections offices.

Turnout was light in Allendale, Bamberg, Dillon, Hampton, Jasper, Newberry, Orangeburg, Union and Williamsburg counties, most of which lean Democratic.

The weather might be playing a role. Rain has been falling much of the day in the Upstate and rain arrived in the Midlands by mid-morning.

Nico Hines, a Washington-based reporter for The Times of London, speculated that the weather could hurt Mitt Romney. Hines tweeted: More bad news for Mitt Romney: tornado watch in place for four moderate South Carolina counties that voted for McCain in '08