Tornado History

Cherokee Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Cherokee, South Carolina. The records below identify 17 tornadoes from 1954 through 2020, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $5.8M, with 0 deaths and 5 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes17
Total Deaths0
Total Injuries5
Property Damage$5.8M
Avg Length3.9 mi
Avg Width118 yd

Key Tornado Facts for Cherokee, South Carolina

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

Average 0.3 tornadoes per year (0.4/yr in last decade)
May is the peak tornado month with 6 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F1 in Cherokee, South Carolina with 0 deaths
2017 was the most active year with 3 tornadoes
The 1990s had the most tornado activity (4 events)
Longest tornado: 19.8 miles in Cherokee, South Carolina
Widest tornado: 700.0 yards in Cherokee, South Carolina
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Oct 23, 2017

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 Cherokee, South Carolina, May is the most active month with 6 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

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

3210

Summary: 2017 was the most active year with 3 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
F4

Summary: F1 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 7 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.

$2.5M$250K$25K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1989 with at least $2.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F4 May 5, 19891989F3 May 27, 19731973EF2 October 23, 20172017F2 April 18, 19691969F1 February 10, 19901990F1 September 27, 20042004F1 December 5, 19771977F1 April 28, 19901990EF1 October 8, 20172017EF1 October 23, 20172017F1 February 16, 19541954F1 April 4, 19891989F1 May 22, 19631963EF1 May 22, 20202020F0 May 1, 1995F0 July 15, 1964F0 May 29, 1996© OpenStreetMap contributors
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Cherokee, South Carolina.
Measure distance free

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
May 5, 1989F4Cherokee, South Carolina3 mi700 yd00$2.5M
May 27, 1973F3Cherokee, South Carolina19.8 mi100 yd04$2.5M
October 23, 2017EF2Cherokee, South Carolina4.58 mi150 yd00$250K
April 18, 1969F2Cherokee, South Carolina0.5 mi83 yd00$25K
February 10, 1990F1Cherokee, South Carolina3 mi50 yd00$250K
September 27, 2004F1Cherokee, South Carolina0.8 mi50 yd00$88K
December 5, 1977F1Cherokee, South Carolina0.2 mi17 yd01$25K
April 28, 1990F1Cherokee, South Carolina5 mi40 yd00$25K
October 8, 2017EF1Cherokee, South Carolina0.07 mi100 yd00$20K
October 23, 2017EF1Cherokee, South Carolina3.28 mi150 yd00$5K
February 16, 1954F1Cherokee, South Carolina1 mi33 yd00$2K
April 4, 1989F1Cherokee, South Carolina8 mi50 yd00$2K
Did any of these records occur near a property you care about?Use an exact street address for a property-centered preview around Cherokee, South Carolina.
Check a Cherokee, South Carolina address

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.

Terms · Privacy