Tornado History

Spartanburg Tornado History

This county-level tornado history page focuses on Spartanburg, South Carolina. The records below identify 35 tornadoes from 1952 through 2024, including a highest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage). NOAA damage estimates in this group total at least $21.3M, with 4 deaths and 103 injuries recorded across the listed events.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes35
Total Deaths4
Total Injuries103
Property Damage$21.3M
Avg Length5.3 mi
Avg Width95 yd

Key Tornado Facts for Spartanburg, South Carolina

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

Average 0.5 tornadoes per year (0.9/yr in last decade)
April is the peak tornado month with 7 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F3 in Spartanburg, South Carolina with 2 deaths
1964 was the most active year with 3 tornadoes
The 1990s had the most tornado activity (9 events)
Longest tornado: 33 miles in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Widest tornado: 700.0 yards in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Most tornadoes in one day: 2 on Apr 28, 1964

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 Spartanburg, South Carolina, April is the most active month with 7 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

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

3210

Summary: 1964 was the most active year with 3 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
F4
Unknown

Summary: F1 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 10 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.

$10.0M$1.0M$100K$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 2020 with at least $10.0M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Historical Track Sketch

F4 May 5, 19891989F3 May 27, 19731973F3 May 10, 19521952F2 August 17, 19851985EF2 October 23, 20172017F2 March 27, 19941994F2 February 21, 19971997F2 May 23, 19801980F2 April 4, 19891989EF1 February 6, 20202020F1 March 27, 19941994F1 May 18, 19691969F1 April 28, 19901990EF1 October 8, 20172017EF1 October 23, 2017EF1 May 23, 2022F1 December 5, 1977F1 September 7, 1977F1 March 22, 1968F1 April 7, 1964F1 June 19, 1976F1 February 10, 1990F1 July 26, 1996EF1 March 3, 2023F0 April 28, 1990F0 January 5, 2007F0 October 22, 1994F0 April 28, 1964F0 June 6, 1998F0 March 11, 2000F0 July 7, 2005EF0 November 30, 2016EF0 April 10, 2021EF0 December 29, 2024Unknown April 28, 1964© OpenStreetMap contributors
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Spartanburg, 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
May 5, 1989F4Spartanburg, South Carolina6 mi700 yd235$2.5M
May 27, 1973F3Spartanburg, South Carolina11.1 mi150 yd016$2.5M
May 10, 1952F3Spartanburg, South Carolina16.1 mi83 yd24$30
August 17, 1985F2Spartanburg, South Carolina9 mi100 yd039$2.5M
October 23, 2017EF2Spartanburg, South Carolina3.02 mi350 yd01$1.0M
March 27, 1994F2Spartanburg, South Carolina25 mi75 yd00$500K
February 21, 1997F2Spartanburg, South Carolina1 mi75 yd00$330K
May 23, 1980F2Spartanburg, South Carolina2.5 mi100 yd00$250K
April 4, 1989F2Spartanburg, South Carolina2 mi73 yd00$250K
February 6, 2020EF1Spartanburg, South Carolina10.14 mi100 yd00$10.0M
March 27, 1994F1Spartanburg, South Carolina33 mi100 yd04$500K
May 18, 1969F1Spartanburg, South Carolina0.1 mi50 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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