Tornado History

South Carolina Tornado History

This page summarizes tornado history for South Carolina. The local dataset contains 1,266 tornado records from 1950 through 2026, with a strongest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage) and at least $599.1M in reported property damage. The latest tornado record in this group is May 23, 2026. Across these records, NOAA lists 67 deaths and 1,357 injuries.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes1,266
Total Deaths67
Total Injuries1,357
Property Damage$599.1M
Avg Length3.5 mi
Avg Width134 yd

Key Tornado Facts for South Carolina

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 16.4 tornadoes per year (31.8/yr in last decade)
April is the peak tornado month with 240 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F4 in South Carolina with 7 deaths
2004 was the most active year with 89 tornadoes
The 2000s had the most tornado activity (313 events)
Longest tornado: 150 miles in South Carolina
Widest tornado: 2,600.0 yards in South Carolina
Most tornadoes in one day: 44 on Sep 7, 2004

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In South Carolina, April is the most active month with 240 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

8960300

Summary: 2004 was the most active year with 89 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
EF3
F4
EF4
Unknown
EFU

Summary: F1 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 315 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$230.6M$23.1M$2.3M$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1984 with at least $230.6M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Tornado Count By County

Compares the counties with the most tornado records in this state dataset.

Orangeburg
Charleston
Horry
Lexington
Aiken
Richland
Newberry
Berkeley
Anderson
Greenville
Spartanburg
Clarendon
Florence
Colleton
Pickens
Fairfield
Oconee
Beaufort
Sumter
Calhoun

Summary: Orangeburg County has the highest count in this state group with 73 tornado records.

Historical Track Sketch

F4 March 28, 19841984F4 March 28, 19841984F4 March 28, 19841984F4 March 28, 19841984F4 March 28, 19841984F4 March 28, 19841984F4 December 13, 19731973F4 March 31, 19731973F4 March 31, 19731973F4 May 5, 19891989F4 May 5, 19891989F4 April 8, 19571957F4 April 8, 19571957F4 April 8, 19571957EF4 April 13, 2020EF3 April 13, 2020EF3 April 10, 2009F3 September 11, 1960F3 December 13, 1973F3 December 13, 1973F3 December 13, 1973F3 December 13, 1973F3 December 13, 1973F3 May 27, 1973F3 May 27, 1973F3 May 27, 1973F3 May 20, 1980F3 April 23, 1983F3 April 23, 1983F3 April 23, 1983F3 March 28, 1984F3 March 28, 1984F3 November 22, 1992F3 May 7, 1998F3 August 16, 1994F3 May 7, 1998F3 August 17, 1965F3 April 18, 1969F3 November 22, 1992F3 November 22, 1992F3 November 22, 1992F3 November 24, 1967F3 April 8, 1974F3 May 10, 1952F3 May 10, 1952F3 August 16, 1994F3 September 7, 2004F3 December 10, 2004EF3 April 15, 2007EF3 March 15, 2008EF3 March 15, 2008EF3 April 13, 2020EF3 April 13, 2020EF3 April 13, 2020EF3 April 13, 2020EF3 April 13, 2020EF3 April 13, 2020EF3 April 5, 2022EF3 April 5, 2022F2 March 28, 1984F2 March 28, 1984F2 July 6, 2001EF2 April 25, 2010F2 April 15, 1993F2 April 16, 1994F2 May 10, 1998EF2 April 25, 2020F2 September 16, 1996F2 January 7, 1998F2 September 3, 1998F2 September 29, 1963F2 December 13, 1973F2 September 4, 1979F2 September 4, 1979F2 March 23, 1979F2 April 13, 1980F2 April 13, 1980F2 May 20, 1980F2 June 10, 1982F2 June 10, 1982© OpenStreetMap contributors
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near South Carolina.
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Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
March 28, 1984F4Marlboro, South Carolina14 mi700 yd7100$25.0M
March 28, 1984F4Fairfield, South Carolina21 mi1000 yd549$25.0M
March 28, 1984F4Marlboro, South Carolina5 mi2600 yd2115$25.0M
March 28, 1984F4Kershaw, South Carolina2 mi530 yd031$25.0M
March 28, 1984F4Lancaster, South Carolina2 mi530 yd05$25.0M
March 28, 1984F4Chesterfield, South Carolina7 mi700 yd024$25.0M
March 31, 1973F4Abbeville, South Carolina19.9 mi200 yd730$2.5M
December 13, 1973F4Greenwood, South Carolina1 mi50 yd20$2.5M
May 5, 1989F4Spartanburg, South Carolina6 mi700 yd235$2.5M
March 31, 1973F4Greenwood, South Carolina2.7 mi200 yd00$2.5M
May 5, 1989F4Cherokee, South Carolina3 mi700 yd00$2.5M
April 8, 1957F4Lancaster, South Carolina6.8 mi133 yd00$250K
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Source And Limits

Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.

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