NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Barnwell, SC
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
66 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Barnwell, South Carolina since 1851, 6 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Idalia in 2023. Since 1950, 90 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 10 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 6
- Tropical storms
- 60
- Tornadoes
- 90
- EF3 or stronger
- 10
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Barnwell
The strongest storm to pass near Barnwell was Hugo in 1989, a Category 2 hurricane with 96 mph winds when its centre passed 63 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 13 miles. The record near Barnwell begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Idalia in 2023, a tropical storm 45 miles away. The 1890s and the 1940s were the busiest decades, with 7 systems each. Of the 66 systems, 10 have come since 2000. Barnwell has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 52% of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site. The highest rating among the 90 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 10 times; the most recent, on April 5, 2022, came within 15 miles. The deadliest, an EF3 on April 13, 2020, killed 2 people. Of the 90, 5 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 55 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 29. The most recent tornado was on March 16, 2025. Barnwell has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 71% of the 246 South Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 35 times since 1985, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 87% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Barnwell.
Compare Barnwell's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Barnwell
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 31 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | ColinJul 2 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 16 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 63 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 15 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 30 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | GracieSep 29 | 33 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 12 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 14 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormOct 9 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 28 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 18 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 39 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 27 | 62 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 4 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 13 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | overhead | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 63 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Barnwell: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Barnwell
By decade
- 2020s15(7 EF3+)
- 2010s6
- 2000s34(2 EF3+)
- 1990s17
- 1980s5(1 EF3+)
- 1970s5
- 1960s6
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 7 mi | 35.68 mi | 2 / 7 |
| Apr 5, 2022 | EF3 | 12 mi | 34.49 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 2022 | EF3 | 15 mi | 13.28 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 5 mi | 5.37 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 8 mi | 1.39 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 9 mi | 8.49 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 13 mi | 37.88 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF3 | 23 mi | 26.33 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF3 | 18 mi | 14.57 mi | 0 / 14 |
| Apr 23, 1983 | F3 | 2 mi | 33 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Sep 22, 2000 | F2 | 8 mi | 4.8 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Jan 9, 2024 | EF2 | 19 mi | 2.14 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 90, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Barnwell
The Storm Prediction Center has 35 hail reports within 10 miles of Barnwell since 1985, made on 32 separate days. Of these, 19 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on May 20, 2008. The most recent report is from July 19, 2017. May has the most reports, 12.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Barnwell
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Barnwell 5 ENE, SC, 7 miles east of Barnwell at 245 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 59°F and 35°F. July is the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.8 inches; the year adds up to 49.0 inches. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 54% of the year's precipitation (26.6 of 49.0 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 66 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (24); a normal September there has highs of 87°F and 4.3 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 100 days a year, almost all from April to October. Lows fall below freezing on about 50 nights a year. That 49.0 inches is more than at 44 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (56%). Blackville, 10 miles northeast, has its own station (Blackville 3 W, SC): 46.2 inches a year, 2.8 less than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59 | 35 | 3.8 |
| Feb | 63 | 37 | 3.9 |
| Mar | 70 | 43 | 4.2 |
| Apr | 78 | 50 | 3.1 |
| May | 85 | 59 | 3.6 |
| Jun | 90 | 67 | 5.5 |
| Jul | 93 | 71 | 5.6 |
| Aug | 92 | 70 | 5.3 |
| Sep | 87 | 64 | 4.3 |
| Oct | 78 | 53 | 3.1 |
| Nov | 69 | 41 | 2.8 |
| Dec | 61 | 37 | 3.8 |
| Year | 77 | 52 | 49.0 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Barnwell 5 ENE, SC (245 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Barnwell
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 104 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Barnwell: 97 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods, 2 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $2.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 90 mph, on January 4, 2023.
August 11, 2023: lightning strike 1 mile from the centre of Barnwell — $2.0 million damage.
NWS: “Hagood Avenue Baptist Church in the town of Barnwell was struck by lightning and caught fire. The fire caused extensive damage to the church.”
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Barnwell County, which includes Barnwell, has been named in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 13 hurricanes, 4 severe storms, 3 ice storms, 3 tropical storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Debby, on September 29, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Barnwell County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for hurricanes and tornadoes; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding, strong wind, lightning and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $8.4 million a year, the 40th highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.4 million (28%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Barnwell
- Blackville, SC10 mi
- Williston, SC13 mi
- Denmark, SC14 mi
- Allendale, SC15 mi
- Bamberg, SC19 mi
- Fairfax, SC19 mi
- Windsor, SC20 mi
- Norway, SC20 mi
- New Ellenton, SC23 mi
- Cope, SC24 mi
- Neeses, SC25 mi
- Salley, SC25 mi
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