South Carolina Tornado History — 1,217 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes does South Carolina get per year?
South Carolina has had 1,217 tornadoes on record since 1950, including 46 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes — averaging about 16.0 per year since 1950 (about 27.3 per year over the last decade). Counts come from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center archive for South Carolina. The 33 cities below report tornadoes within their own search radius, so those figures overlap each other and do not sum to the state total.
When was the most recent tornado in South Carolina?
The most recent confirmed tornado in our South Carolina dataset was an EF0 tornado on July 10, 2025. Confirmed records are complete through December 29, 2025; more recent preliminary reports are listed below.
When is tornado season in South Carolina?
April is historically the peak month for tornadoes in South Carolina, with 216 on record since 1950. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most US states.
South Carolina at a Glance
Notable Tornadoes in South Carolina
5 preliminary tornado reports in South Carolina since December 29, 2025
These are 5 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.