575
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
9
Direct injuries
$999K
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Beaufort County, South Carolina: 575 recorded events between 1957 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 100. That places the county #73 nationally and #6 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Beaufort County, South Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Beaufort County is the 2010s, when 218 of the county's 575 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Beaufort County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 67.2% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #73 for this hazard and #6 within South Carolina, putting it in the 97.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jun is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Beaufort County with 177 recorded events, while Feb is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2016 | HILTON HEAD IS | 50 | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Apr 8, 2006 | HILTON HEAD IS | 50 | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Jun 2, 1998 | BLUFFTON | 50 | 0 | 2 | $0 |
| Aug 12, 2011 | BLUFFTON | 50 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jun 13, 1995 | Fripp/St. Helena | 0 | 0 | 1 | $50K |
| Aug 21, 1988 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 5, 2025 | SHELDON | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 18, 2025 | COOSAW | 40 | $15K |
| Jul 18, 2025 | SHELDON | 40 | $1K |
| Jul 18, 2025 | PORT ROYAL | 40 | $1K |
| Jul 18, 2025 | SHELL PT | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 12, 2025 | SHELL PT | 40 | $1K |
| Jun 10, 2025 | BLUFFTON | 45 | $500 |
| Jun 10, 2025 | GARDENS CORNER | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 10, 2025 | SHELDON | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 5, 2025 | WADDELL GARDENS | 45 | $2K |
Other hazards here
More from Beaufort County
- Hail 133
- Lightning 66
- Flash Flood 42
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The Beaufort County 911 Dispatch center reported numerous trees and power lines down across the county. Two trees were reported down on vehicles and three trees were reported down on homes. Two boats also sank in the Broad River when strong thunderstorm winds caused them to capsize.
An intense low pressure area formed over northern Georgia late on the 29th and moved northeastward to a position off Virginia early on the 31st. A squall line developed in southeastern South Carolina ahead of the cold frontal passage and was accompanied by several small but rapid-moving thunderstorm cells. Several homes and cars were damaged by falling trees at Hilton Head. A 130 ft radio tower at Hilton Head was also downed.
The Beaufort county Emergency Manager reported four trees down causing roof damage to several homes in the Sea Pines Subdivision on the southern end of Hilton Head Island. In addition, one tree was reported down on a commercial building, two trees were reported down on automobiles, 1 tree was knocked down on a power line, two trees were blocking residents driveways, and 10 trees were reported to be blocking roads. In all, there were 21 trees reported down across the Island.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Beaufort County, South Carolina?
575 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Beaufort County between 1957 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Beaufort County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Beaufort County measured 100.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Beaufort County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Beaufort County, South Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/south-carolina/beaufort-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.