South Carolina tornadoes

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1,225 confirmed tornadoes since 1950. Most recent: July 10, 2025, EF0. 2026 so far: 14 preliminary reports preliminary

Counties with the most tornadoes

CountyTornadoes since 1950Per 1,000 sq mi
Orangeburg County7669
Charleston County6065
Horry County6053
Lexington County4869
Aiken County4441
Richland County4357
Berkeley County4036
Greenville County3950
Newberry County3962
Anderson County3853
Clarendon County3863
Spartanburg County3847
Florence County3544
Pickens County3570
Colleton County3432

When tornadoes hit here

By month

2150 Jan: 47Feb: 55Mar: 136Apr: 215May: 170Jun: 100Jul: 71Aug: 106Sep: 173Oct: 47Nov: 72Dec: 33JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

April is the peak month, with 215 of 1225 tornadoes.

By time of day

1380 12 AM: 12: 23: 213 AM: 23: 26: 266 AM: 30: 32: 149 AM: 32: 37: 4212 PM: 87: 88: 1163 PM: 138: 129: 1066 PM: 80: 47: 339 PM: 30: 28: 2512 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Most often around 3:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

860 1950: 1: 1: 2: 4: 1: 7: 6: 7: 4: 41960: 4: 13: 10: 11: 21: 19: 10: 11: 8: 111970: 1: 4: 5: 23: 11: 11: 14: 12: 6: 81980: 9: 11: 8: 11: 18: 9: 1: 2: 2: 181990: 12: 10: 9: 13: 40: 54: 24: 17: 42: 172000: 20: 14: 12: 18: 86: 14: 36: 19: 57: 192010: 23: 20: 10: 10: 7: 8: 4: 43: 18: 252020: 62: 24: 25: 17: 48: 919501960197019801990200020102020

The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones. This year so far: 14 preliminary reports.

By rating

EF0
521
EF1
489
EF2
162
EF3
37
EF4
11
Unknown
5

Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.

Notable tornadoes

Deadliest

F4, March 31, 1973

7 deaths Longest path

121.4 miles, F4

April 8, 1957

Most recent tornadoes

DateRatingPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
Jul 10, 2025EF00.63 mi60 yd00
Jun 9, 2025EF16.17 mi200 yd00
Jun 9, 2025EF11.54 mi200 yd00
May 30, 2025EF19.99 mi200 yd00
May 12, 2025EF01.69 mi20 yd00
May 12, 2025EF11.34 mi250 yd00
May 3, 2025EF02.68 mi25 yd00
Mar 16, 2025EF15.83 mi125 yd00
Mar 16, 2025EF00.3 mi50 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF03.02 mi50 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF14.74 mi250 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF03.28 mi200 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF011.22 mi150 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF02.24 mi25 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF06.97 mi50 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF02.24 mi30 yd00
Dec 29, 2024EF01.7 mi30 yd00
Sep 27, 2024EF06.68 mi20 yd00
Sep 27, 2024EF03.89 mi20 yd00
Sep 27, 2024EFU5.29 mi50 yd00

Every South Carolina county

Coming soon

Free tornado alerts for South Carolina

We are building free email alerts for tornado warnings. Join the waiting list and we will email you once when they are ready. Until then, please rely on the National Weather Service and your phone's emergency alerts.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched.