32,564
Recorded events
46
Counties covered
308
Direct deaths
$1.9B
Property damage
South Carolina severe weather history covers 32,564 recorded events across 46 counties between 1950 and 2026.
The South Carolina severe weather history record is dominated by thunderstorm wind, which accounts for 50.2% of everything logged statewide across 46 counties. Statewide, recorded events have caused 308 direct deaths since 1950.
By hazard type
South Carolina severe weather history by hazard
| Hazard | Events | Counties | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 16,334 | 46 | 27 | $72.4M | 1955–2026 |
| Hail | 6,674 | 46 | 0 | $88.1M | 1955–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 1,759 | 46 | 27 | $174.5M | 1996–2025 |
| Tornado | 1,317 | 46 | 66 | $662.7M | 1950–2026 |
| Drought | 814 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 1996–2026 |
| Winter Weather | 670 | 0 | 1 | $119K | 1996–2026 |
| Strong Wind | 618 | 1 | 14 | $1.7M | 1996–2026 |
| Lightning | 514 | 44 | 22 | $41.8M | 1996–2026 |
| Winter Storm | 441 | 0 | 2 | $254K | 1996–2026 |
| Flood | 420 | 38 | 4 | $37.8M | 1996–2025 |
| Tropical Storm | 417 | 0 | 26 | $353.6M | 1996–2024 |
| Heavy Snow | 393 | 1 | 1 | $2.0M | 1996–2026 |
| High Wind | 381 | 0 | 5 | $15.4M | 1996–2024 |
| Coastal Flood | 359 | 0 | 0 | $450K | 2007–2025 |
| Ice Storm | 302 | 0 | 1 | $148.9M | 1996–2026 |
| Heavy Rain | 281 | 40 | 2 | $3.5M | 1996–2025 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 145 | 0 | 17 | $0 | 1996–2026 |
| Heat | 134 | 0 | 31 | $0 | 1996–2022 |
| Funnel Cloud | 85 | 28 | 0 | $0 | 1996–2024 |
| Rip Current | 82 | 2 | 52 | $0 | 1997–2025 |
| Dense Fog | 53 | 0 | 1 | $35K | 1997–2024 |
| Excessive Heat | 52 | 0 | 4 | $0 | 2007–2025 |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | 44 | 0 | 1 | $236.9M | 1996–2018 |
| Frost/Freeze | 40 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2002–2022 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 38 | 0 | 3 | $0 | 2000–2026 |
| Tropical Depression | 38 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 2012–2022 |
| High Surf | 38 | 0 | 1 | $379K | 2005–2023 |
| Storm Surge/Tide | 35 | 1 | 0 | $0 | 1998–2023 |
| Sleet | 33 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 1998–2004 |
| Wildfire | 24 | 1 | 0 | $55.6M | 1997–2025 |
| Waterspout | 16 | 4 | 0 | $0 | 1996–2001 |
| Freezing Fog | 8 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2005–2025 |
| Dust Devil | 2 | 2 | 0 | $3K | 2008–2011 |
| Astronomical Low Tide | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2011–2011 |
| Debris Flow | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2006–2006 |
| Dense Smoke | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2008–2008 |
County index
Most active counties
| County | Events | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Richland County | 1,414 | 13 |
| Charleston County | 1,351 | 3 |
| Lexington County | 1,273 | 5 |
| Greenville County | 1,176 | 5 |
| Colleton County | 1,159 | 1 |
| Spartanburg County | 1,079 | 8 |
| Horry County | 1,020 | 12 |
| Berkeley County | 959 | 3 |
| Orangeburg County | 922 | 7 |
| Anderson County | 860 | 3 |
| Beaufort County | 856 | 4 |
| Aiken County | 819 | 1 |
| Dorchester County | 801 | 0 |
| Sumter County | 640 | 2 |
| Florence County | 628 | 3 |
| York County | 613 | 7 |
| Oconee County | 612 | 1 |
| Newberry County | 584 | 2 |
| Pickens County | 576 | 4 |
| Laurens County | 543 | 4 |
| Darlington County | 535 | 1 |
| Lancaster County | 507 | 2 |
| Kershaw County | 501 | 2 |
| Jasper County | 483 | 0 |
| Clarendon County | 474 | 5 |
Full index
Every county in South Carolina
- Richland County
- Charleston County
- Lexington County
- Greenville County
- Colleton County
- Spartanburg County
- Horry County
- Berkeley County
- Orangeburg County
- Anderson County
- Beaufort County
- Aiken County
- Dorchester County
- Sumter County
- Florence County
- York County
- Oconee County
- Newberry County
- Pickens County
- Laurens County
- Darlington County
- Lancaster County
- Kershaw County
- Jasper County
- Clarendon County
- Chesterfield County
- Fairfield County
- Cherokee County
- Greenwood County
- Georgetown County
- Hampton County
- Union County
- Calhoun County
- Marlboro County
- Edgefield County
- Chester County
- Marion County
- Saluda County
- Barnwell County
- Bamberg County
- Abbeville County
- Williamsburg County
- Dillon County
- Allendale County
- Lee County
- McCormick County
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events are recorded in South Carolina?
32,564 events are on record across South Carolina, covering 46 counties between 1950 and 2026.
Which county in South Carolina has the most severe weather on record?
Richland County leads South Carolina with 1,414 recorded events. Ranking reflects reported events, so densely populated counties tend to report more than sparsely populated ones.
Where does the South Carolina severe weather history data come from?
Totals are aggregated from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of United States severe weather reports, with FEMA and U.S. Census records providing risk and population context. Dates are UTC and recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“South Carolina Severe Weather History.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/state/south-carolina/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.