NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Camden, 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
57 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Camden, South Carolina since 1851, 3 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 70 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 3
- Tropical storms
- 54
- Tornadoes
- 70
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
10 deaths in all
What the records show for Camden
The strongest storm to pass near Camden was an unnamed storm in 1896, a Category 1 hurricane with 89 mph winds when its centre passed 30 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Hugo in 1989, whose centre came within 8 miles. The record near Camden begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Debby in 2024, a tropical storm 22 miles away. The 1850s and the 1880s were the busiest decades, with 6 systems each. Of the 57 systems, 8 have come since 2000. Of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site, 55% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than Camden. The highest rating among the 70 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4, reached 3 times; the most recent, on March 28, 1984, came within 21 miles. Of the 70, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 32 have come since 2000. March has had the most tornadoes, 16. The most recent tornado was on September 27, 2024. Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 72% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Camden. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 62 times since 1970, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 52% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Camden.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Camden
Of the 57 tracks on the map, 33 were moving northeast as they passed Camden, 14 north and 5 northwest. The unnamed 1896 storm, the strongest pass, was heading northeast; its centre passed 30 miles southeast of Camden. None made landfall within 75 miles of Camden; 45 of the 57 were hurricanes at their peak, 3 at their closest to the city. In the last 30 seasons (1996–2025), 9 came near Camden: 3.0 a decade, against 3.3 a decade from 1851 to 1995.
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 8 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2022 | IanOct 1 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 16 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 8 mi | Category 1 (87 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 15 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | GracieSep 30 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | CindyJul 9 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1952 | Unnamed 1952 stormAug 28 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 9 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 14 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormOct 9 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 18 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 14 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 13 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 30 mi | Category 1 (89 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 4 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 19 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 23 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 28 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Camden: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Check hail and hurricane history for any address
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Camden
By decade
- 2020s6
- 2010s5
- 2000s21(1 EF3+)
- 1990s15
- 1980s7(2 EF3+)
- 1970s5
- 1960s10
- 1950s1(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 1984 | F4 | 21 mi | 21 mi | 5 / 49 |
| Apr 8, 1957 | F4 | 24 mi | 121.4 mi | 4 / 70 |
| Mar 28, 1984 | F4 | 18 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 36 |
| Sep 7, 2004 | F3 | in town | 7 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Sep 27, 2004 | F2 | 22 mi | 2 mi | 1 / 13 |
| May 5, 2020 | EF2 | 21 mi | 13.98 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 11, 2020 | EF2 | 11 mi | 0.55 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF2 | 19 mi | 14.08 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF2 | 10 mi | 6.89 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF2 | 3 mi | 23.04 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 23, 1997 | F2 | 2 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Aug 16, 1994 | F2 | 16 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 70, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Camden
The Storm Prediction Center has 62 hail reports within 10 miles of Camden since 1970, made on 50 separate days. Of these, 27 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on April 9, 2011. The most recent report is from March 27, 2024. June has the most reports, 16.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Camden
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Sandhill Rsch - Elgin, SC, 19 miles southwest of Camden at 440 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 33°F. July and August are the wettest at 4.7 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 46.2 inches over 75 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (24.6 of 46.2 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 57 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (22); a normal September there has highs of 85°F and 4.6 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 47 nights a year. That 46.2 inches is more than at 23 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (29%). Cassatt, 8 miles northeast, has its own station (Bishopville 1ENE, SC): 46.7 inches a year, 0.5 more than here, and a July average high of 92°F against 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 33 | 3.7 | 7 |
| Feb | 60 | 36 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Mar | 67 | 42 | 3.8 | 6 |
| Apr | 76 | 51 | 3.2 | 6 |
| May | 83 | 59 | 3.2 | 6 |
| Jun | 89 | 67 | 4.4 | 8 |
| Jul | 93 | 71 | 4.7 | 8 |
| Aug | 91 | 70 | 4.7 | 7 |
| Sep | 85 | 64 | 4.6 | 6 |
| Oct | 76 | 53 | 3.2 | 5 |
| Nov | 66 | 42 | 3.0 | 4 |
| Dec | 59 | 37 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Year | 75 | 52 | 46.2 | 75 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Sandhill Rsch - Elgin, SC (440 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 Camden
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 154 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Camden: 144 thunderstorm wind reports, 5 flash floods, 3 floods and 2 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 14, and the NWS estimated $588,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 92 mph, on May 6, 1999. June has had the most flash floods, 3 of 5. Of the 241 South Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 55 have had fewer than Camden.
October 4, 2015: flash flood 7 miles from the centre of Camden — 1 killed, 2 injured, $20,000 damage.
May 6, 1999: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Camden — 12 injured.
July 17, 2013: lightning strike 2 miles from the centre of Camden — $180,000 damage.
NWS: “EM reported 9 homes were struck by lightning and damaged.”
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 Camden's ZIP code 29020 have filed 51 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $232,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Helene in 2024: 13 claims (25% of all) and $106,000. 35% 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, 59 have fewer than Camden.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene2024 | 13 | $106,000 |
Kershaw County, which includes Camden, has been named in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 13 of them major disasters (by incident: 15 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 floods, 2 ice storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 29, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Kershaw County a Relatively Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for strong wind; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes and lightning; Relatively Low for hail, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $23.5 million a year, the 27th highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $9.6 million (41%), 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 Camden
- Cassatt, SC8 mi
- Lugoff, SC8 mi
- Rembert, SC13 mi
- Elgin, SC15 mi
- Bethune, SC16 mi
- Ridgeway, SC17 mi
- Kershaw, SC19 mi
- Dalzell, SC19 mi
- Bishopville, SC19 mi
- Heath Springs, SC22 mi
- Shaw Afb, SC22 mi
- Mc Bee, SC23 mi
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