61
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
17
Direct injuries
$6.0M
Property damage
Tornado in Charleston County, South Carolina: 61 recorded events between 1957 and 2024. The strongest on record measured F3. That places the county #235 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Tornado in Charleston County, South Carolina: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for tornado in Charleston County is the 2000s, when 18 of the county's 61 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 Charleston County archive, tornado makes up 4.5% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #235 for this hazard and #2 within South Carolina, putting it in the 91.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Sep is the peak month for tornado in Charleston County with 15 recorded events, while Jan 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.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
| Date | Scale | Path length | Max width | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960-09-11 | EF3 | 8.8 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 1998-05-10 | EF2 | 10.5 mi | 670 yd | Crossed in |
| 2015-09-24 | EF2 | 6.9 mi | 880 yd | Touched down here |
| 2008-05-11 | EF2 | 12.0 mi | 1,760 yd | Touched down here |
| 1964-08-29 | EF2 | 1.0 mi | 67 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-08-05 | EF1 | 0.7 mi | 75 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-09-27 | EF1 | 2.5 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
| 2024-08-05 | EF1 | 2.9 mi | 300 yd | Crossed in |
| 2021-07-07 | EF1 | 1.1 mi | 100 yd | Touched down here |
| 2021-07-08 | EF1 | 0.8 mi | 150 yd | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 11, 1960 | F3 | 0 | 10 | $2.5M | |
| Jul 26, 1986 | F0 | 0 | 3 | $25K | |
| Aug 29, 1964 | F2 | 0 | 2 | $3K | |
| Apr 8, 2006 | ADAMS RUN | F1 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Mar 9, 1976 | F1 | 0 | 1 | $25K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2024 | ROCKVILLE | EF1 | $0 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | RANTOWLES | EF0 | $0 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | YONGES IS | EF0 | $0 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | JOHNS IS | EF0 | $0 |
| Aug 6, 2024 | ISLE OF PALMS | EF1 | $0 |
| Aug 6, 2024 | DUPONT | EF0 | $0 |
| Aug 6, 2024 | ROCKVILLE | EF0 | $0 |
| Aug 6, 2024 | EDISTO IS ARPT | EF1 | $0 |
| Aug 6, 2024 | EDISTO IS ARPT | EF1 | $0 |
| Aug 30, 2023 | TEN MILE | EF0 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Charleston County
- Thunderstorm Wind 619
- Hail 300
- Flash Flood 296
- Lightning 47
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The National Weather Service in Charleston, South Carolina completed a damage survey and determined that an EF-0 Tornado occurred around 335 pm EDT Sunday, June 29. The Tornado initially touched down just west of Chisholm Road very near Angle Oak Elementary School. The Tornado moved quickly east and crossed Chisholm Road and portions of Point Park Road before lifting just behind Saint Johns High School near Church Point Lane. The track of the Tornado was approximately one half mile and the maximum width was around two tenths of a mile. The Tornado damaged some small structures in the area. Portions of the fence surrounding Saint Johns High School stadium was also destroyed.
NWS damage survey determined F0 tornado touched down near the intersection of Pickens and Lincolnville Roads. Survey determined winds 60 to 70 mph. Path length of 1/4 mile long with path width of 100 yards. Tree damage was found along with minor house damage.
NWS damage survey confirms brief F0 tornado touch down near the Medical University of South Carolina Hospital. Storm track was 1 mile long with tornado path 30 yards. Tree damage was observed at the MUSC Hospital parking lot as well as numerous cars damaged from flying debris at the hospital and nearby hotel parking lot. The tornado crossed Highway 17 and produced additional tree damage off Lockwood Blvd and damaged police cars at the Charleston Police station motorpool. Winds estimated at 60 to 70 mph.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many tornado events are on record in Charleston County, South Carolina?
61 tornado events are recorded in Charleston County between 1957 and 2024, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest tornado recorded in Charleston County?
The strongest tornado on record in Charleston County measured F3.
Where does the tornado data for Charleston 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
“Tornado in Charleston County, South Carolina.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/south-carolina/charleston-county/tornado/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.