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Lexington, SC Tornado History — 122 Tornadoes Since 1950

South Carolina · 25-mile radius · NOAA Storm Prediction Center

How many tornadoes has Lexington, SC had?

Lexington has had 122 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950, including 7 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes.

When was the most recent tornado near Lexington?

The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lexington was an EF1 on June 9, 2025.

When is tornado season in Lexington?

March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lexington, with 21 on record. April through June account for 30 of the 122 tornadoes on record near Lexington.

At a Glance

Tornadoes Since 1950
122
Within search radius
Violent (EF3+)
7
5.7% of total
Peak Month
March
21 on record
Per Year Avg
1.6
Across 76 years

Recent Tornado Activity Near Lexington

The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 52 total, averaging 2.6 per year over this window.

2026 0+1 prelim
2025 2
2024 7
2023 4
2022 2
2021 6
2020 1
2019 8
2018 3
2017 3
2016 1
2015 1
2014 0
2013 0
2012 2
2011 0
2010 3
2009 0
2008 9
2007 0

Striped bars mark preliminary reports not yet confirmed by NWS survey — excluded from the confirmed counts.

Preliminary tornado reports near Lexington since December 29, 2025

This is a preliminary report, not confirmed tornadoes. It has not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and is 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Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete.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.

Preliminary March 12, 2026
1 SW Lake Murray Dam, Lexington County, SC
Public reported video of a tornadic waterspout over Lake Murray near the Saluda Dam associated with a severe thunderstorm and strong velocity couplet from KCAE radar. T (CAE)

Within 25 miles of Lexington. Quoted text is the report narrative exactly as filed. Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.

Tornadoes by Decade

1950s 4
1960s 7
1970s 8
1980s 7
1990s 30
2000s 23
2010s 21
2020s 22

Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating

F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.

EF0 46
EF1 46
EF2 23
EF3 7

Tornadoes by Month

Jan 12
Feb 10
Mar 21
Apr 14
May 11
Jun 5
Jul 2
Aug 16
Sep 8
Oct 4
Nov 13
Dec 6

Casualties on Record Near Lexington

6 fatalities have been recorded within 25 miles of Lexington since 1950, across 5 events. 110 injuries have been reported across all events. 1955 was the deadliest year on record near Lexington.

The deadliest single event was an F2 on March 13, 1955, which caused 2 fatalities along a 9.9-mile track.

Notable Tornadoes Near Lexington

Deadliest Tornado
F2 on March 13, 1955 — 2 fatalities, 9.9 mi path, 133 yd wide.
Costliest Tornado
F3 on August 16, 1994 — est. ~$27.5M (NOAA damage class, pre-1996 estimate).
Widest Tornado
EF3 on March 15, 2008 — 1,320 yards wide.
Longest Path
F3 on November 22, 1992 — 67.0 mile track.
Most Recent
EF1 on June 9, 2025.

What the record shows near Lexington

The 1990s were the busiest decade near Lexington, with 30 of the 122 confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles; the 2020s have produced 22 so far. The Lexington record runs from the 1950s to today.

Of the tornadoes rated near Lexington, 92 reached EF0 or EF1 and 30 reached EF2 or stronger. The most intense on record near Lexington is rated EF3, of which 7 are logged.

Across the last 20 years Lexington has averaged 2.6 confirmed tornadoes a year within 25 miles, 52 in total. 2008 was the busiest of them with 9, and 6 of those years passed with none at all.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tornadoes has Lexington, SC had?
Since 1950, 122 tornadoes have been recorded within 25 miles of Lexington. Data source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center.
What was the deadliest tornado near Lexington?
The deadliest tornado on record within 25 miles of Lexington was an F2 on March 13, 1955, which caused 2 fatalities.
When is tornado season in Lexington?
March is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Lexington, with 21 tornadoes on record. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring months (April–June) generally see the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
When was the most recent tornado near Lexington?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Lexington was an EF1 on June 9, 2025.
How do I get tornado warnings for Lexington?
Vortex delivers real-time tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm alerts, and SPC outlook updates for any US location via push notification and phone call. Alerts are sourced directly from the National Weather Service and updated within seconds of issuance.

Official Resources

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