NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Beaufort, 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
103 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Beaufort, South Carolina since 1851, 22 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 50 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 22
- Tropical storms
- 81
- Tornadoes
- 50
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for Beaufort
The strongest storm to pass near Beaufort was Hugo in 1989, a Category 4 hurricane with 133 mph winds when its centre passed 58 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Able in 1952, whose centre came within 3 miles. The record near Beaufort begins with an unnamed storm in 1852; the most recent system was Debby in 2024, a tropical storm 34 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 10 systems, 2 of them at hurricane strength. Of the 103 systems, 18 have come since 2000. Beaufort has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 83% of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site. The highest rating among the 50 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2 or EF2, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 13, 2020, came within 21 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on September 3, 1998, killed 1 person. Of the 50, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 32 have come since 2000. June has had the most tornadoes, 12. The most recent tornado was on September 26, 2024. Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 97% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Beaufort. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 48 times since 1970, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 70% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Beaufort.
Compare Beaufort's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Beaufort
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 6 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | ColinJul 1 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | DannyJun 28 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | BerthaMay 27 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 8 | 26 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | GastonAug 29 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 57 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 58 mi | Category 4 (133 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 29 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 19 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 24 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 15 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | DottieAug 20 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 24 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1975 | HallieOct 26 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | GracieSep 29 | 7 mi | Category 4 (132 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | CindyJul 9 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJul 10 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 3 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 45 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 11 | 23 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 12 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormJun 27 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 4 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormOct 8 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 28 | 17 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 20 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 23 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 19 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 27 | 4 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 47 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 28 mi | Category 2 (100 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 28 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 12 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 12 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 56 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 17 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 22 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | overhead | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 29 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 19 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 22 | 52 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 14 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 43 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1853 | Unnamed 1853 stormOct 21 | 62 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Beaufort: 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 Beaufort
By decade
- 2020s13
- 2010s5
- 2000s14
- 1990s9
- 1980s4
- 1970s1
- 1960s3
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3, 1998 | F2 | 15 mi | 18 mi | 1 / 4 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF2 | 21 mi | 1.16 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 5, 2024 | EF1 | 21 mi | 0.56 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 5, 2024 | EF1 | 22 mi | 2.89 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 7, 2021 | EF1 | 25 mi | 1.12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 7, 2021 | EF1 | 4 mi | 0.63 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 7, 2021 | EF1 | 8 mi | 0.13 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 4, 2017 | EF1 | 25 mi | 12.52 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 11, 2012 | EF1 | 13 mi | 4.11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 8, 2006 | F1 | 24 mi | 4.5 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Sep 7, 2004 | F1 | 19 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 6, 2004 | F1 | 23 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 50, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Beaufort
The Storm Prediction Center has 48 hail reports within 10 miles of Beaufort since 1970, made on 30 separate days. Of these, 29 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), fell on March 27, 2011. The most recent report is from May 25, 2025. March has the most reports, 16.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Beaufort
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Beaufort Mcas, SC, 3 miles north of Beaufort at 37 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 92°F and low of 75°F; January is the coolest, at 60°F and 40°F. August is the wettest at 6.5 inches of precipitation on average and May and November the driest at 2.5 inches; the year adds up to 45.1 inches over 68 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 61% of the year's precipitation (27.4 of 45.1 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 103 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (30); a normal September there has highs of 86°F and 4.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 73 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 17 nights a year. That 45.1 inches is more than at 12 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (15%). Yemassee, 18 miles northwest, has its own station (Yemassee 1 N, SC): 53.7 inches a year, 8.6 more than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 92°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 40 | 2.9 | 5 |
| Feb | 64 | 43 | 2.9 | 5 |
| Mar | 70 | 49 | 3.1 | 6 |
| Apr | 77 | 56 | 3.1 | 4 |
| May | 84 | 64 | 2.5 | 5 |
| Jun | 89 | 71 | 5.0 | 8 |
| Jul | 92 | 75 | 5.6 | 8 |
| Aug | 90 | 74 | 6.5 | 8 |
| Sep | 86 | 70 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Oct | 78 | 59 | 3.8 | 4 |
| Nov | 69 | 48 | 2.5 | 4 |
| Dec | 63 | 43 | 3.2 | 5 |
| Year | 77 | 58 | 45.1 | 68 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Beaufort Mcas, SC (37 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 Beaufort
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 315 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Beaufort: 285 thunderstorm wind reports, 18 lightning strikes, 11 flash floods and 1 flood. They killed 0 people and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $2.3 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on March 15, 2008. August has had the most flash floods, 9 of 11. Of the 241 South Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 131 have had fewer than Beaufort.
July 27, 2009: lightning strike 4 miles from the centre of Beaufort — 1 injured.
NWS: “Law Enforcement reported that a man was struck by lightning near a home on Lawson Road. He was reported to be conscious and alert after being struck, but no other information was available regarding the condition of the victim.”
August 19, 2018: lightning strike 2 miles from the centre of Beaufort — $1.7 million damage.
NWS: “The Island Packet Newspaper reported a house in the Pleasant Point neighborhood was struck by lightning and burned to the ground.”
August 7, 2008: thunderstorm wind 1 mile from the centre of Beaufort — $100,000 damage.
NWS: “The Beaufort County 911 Dispatch center reported numerous trees and power lines down across the county. Two trees were reported down on vehicles and three trees were reported down on homes.”
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
Flood insurance policyholders in Beaufort's 3 ZIP codes have filed 585 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $7.1 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Matthew in 2016: 229 claims (39% of all) and $3.3 million, then Hurricane Irma in 2017 with 130. 68% of the claims carry the name of a storm or flood event; the rest have no event name. Of the 110 South Carolina cities on this site with 10 or more claims, 92 have fewer than Beaufort.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Matthew2016 | 229 | $3.3 million |
| Hurricane Irma2017 | 130 | $2.5 million |
Beaufort County, which includes Beaufort, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 9 of them major disasters (by incident: 14 hurricanes, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies, 1 drought). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Debby, on September 29, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Beaufort County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes; Relatively High for coastal flooding, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $255.6 million a year, the 3rd highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $200.6 million (78%), is from hurricanes.
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 Beaufort
- Port Royal, SC4 mi
- Seabrook, SC9 mi
- Saint Helena Island, SC10 mi
- Okatie, SC15 mi
- Ridgeland, SC16 mi
- Hilton Head Island, SC17 mi
- Bluffton, SC17 mi
- Yemassee, SC18 mi
- Edisto Island, SC23 mi
- Hardeeville, SC25 mi
- Tybee Island, GA31 mi
- Hollywood, SC32 mi
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