514
Recorded events
44
Counties affected
22
Direct deaths
$41.8M
Property damage
South Carolina lightning history: 514 recorded events across 44 counties between 1996 and 2026.
Decade by decade
South Carolina lightning history by decade
The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 188 reported lightning events across South Carolina. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most lightning events in South Carolina
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Beaufort County | 66 | 3 | $3.7M | 1996–2025 |
| #2 | Charleston County | 47 | 2 | $1.3M | 1998–2025 |
| #3 | Horry County | 46 | 1 | $8.6M | 1996–2026 |
| #4 | Spartanburg County | 34 | 2 | $1.8M | 1996–2023 |
| #5 | Berkeley County | 26 | 1 | $445K | 2004–2025 |
| #6 | Richland County | 24 | 0 | $4.2M | 1996–2025 |
| #7 | York County | 20 | 2 | $403K | 1996–2012 |
| #8 | Anderson County | 20 | 0 | $5.5M | 1996–2023 |
| #9 | Dorchester County | 19 | 0 | $227K | 1996–2025 |
| #10 | Georgetown County | 17 | 1 | $624K | 1996–2019 |
| #11 | Florence County | 16 | 1 | $972K | 1996–2017 |
| #12 | Cherokee County | 13 | 0 | $1.2M | 1996–2023 |
| #13 | Oconee County | 13 | 0 | $751K | 1996–2017 |
| #14 | Greenville County | 13 | 0 | $1.1M | 1996–2023 |
| #15 | Lexington County | 12 | 2 | $1.5M | 1996–2025 |
| #16 | Aiken County | 11 | 1 | $640K | 1997–2022 |
| #17 | Colleton County | 11 | 0 | $163K | 1998–2025 |
| #18 | Greenwood County | 10 | 0 | $175K | 1996–2010 |
| #19 | Orangeburg County | 8 | 1 | $650K | 1996–2008 |
| #20 | Union County | 8 | 1 | $135K | 1997–2013 |
| #21 | Abbeville County | 7 | 0 | $410K | 1996–2005 |
| #22 | Sumter County | 7 | 0 | $1.7M | 1997–2023 |
| #23 | Laurens County | 7 | 0 | $809K | 1996–2013 |
| #24 | Marion County | 6 | 0 | $720K | 1999–2011 |
| #25 | Barnwell County | 6 | 0 | $2.1M | 2003–2023 |
Significant events
Deadliest lightning events in South Carolina
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 11, 2008 | Aiken County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jun 21, 2011 | Chesterfield County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 5, 2008 | Orangeburg County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 27, 1998 | Beaufort County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 17, 2000 | Clarendon County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 22, 2006 | Spartanburg County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 26, 2002 | Beaufort County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 18, 2000 | Clarendon County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 29, 2007 | Spartanburg County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 30, 2007 | Beaufort County | — | 1 | 1 |