NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Charleston Afb, 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
106 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Charleston Afb, South Carolina since 1851, 27 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Chantal in 2025. Since 1950, 83 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 27
- Tropical storms
- 79
- Tornadoes
- 83
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
1 deaths in all
What the records show for Charleston Afb
The strongest storm to pass near Charleston Afb was Gracie in 1959, a Category 4 hurricane with 132 mph winds when its centre passed 34 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1928, whose centre came within 5 miles. The record near Charleston Afb begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Chantal in 2025, a tropical storm 72 miles away. The 2010s and the 2020s were the busiest decades, with 9 systems each. Of the 106 systems, 23 have come since 2000. Charleston Afb has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 90% of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site. The highest rating among the 83 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 13, 2020, came within 20 miles. The deadliest, an F2 on May 10, 1998, killed 1 person. Of the 83, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 53 have come since 2000. September has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on September 27, 2024. Charleston Afb has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 52% of the 246 South Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 257 times since 1957, with stones up to 2.5 inches (tennis ball size). Charleston Afb has more hail reports within 10 miles than any other of the 246 South Carolina cities.
Compare Charleston Afb's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Charleston Afb
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ChantalJul 6 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 8 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 31 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | IanSep 30 | 52 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2022 | ColinJul 2 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | DannyJun 28 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | EtaNov 13 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 3 | 55 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | BerthaMay 27 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | DorianSep 5 | 67 mi | Category 3 (110 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 15 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 8 | 23 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 15 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | GastonAug 29 | 28 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 34 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 10 mi | Category 3 (129 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 29 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 19 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 15 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | DottieAug 20 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 24 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1975 | HallieOct 26 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | Unnamed 1972 stormJul 12 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | GracieSep 29 | 34 mi | Category 4 (132 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | CindyJul 9 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJul 11 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 41 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormJul 5 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 11 | 57 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 5 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 17 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormJun 27 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 14 | 28 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormOct 8 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 28 | 57 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormOct 23 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 20 | 68 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 17 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 14 | 52 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 31 | 66 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 70 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 39 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 27 | 15 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 27 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 63 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | overhead | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 12 mi | Category 2 (101 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 12 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 12 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 47 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 15 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 7 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 20 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 28 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 19 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 22 | 20 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 14 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1853 | Unnamed 1853 stormOct 21 | 67 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 28 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Charleston Afb: 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 Charleston Afb
By decade
- 2020s19(1 EF3+)
- 2010s8
- 2000s26
- 1990s6
- 1980s3
- 1970s7
- 1960s11(1 EF3+)
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 20 mi | 5.74 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Sep 11, 1960 | F3 | 8 mi | 8.8 mi | 0 / 10 |
| May 10, 1998 | F2 | 6 mi | 10.5 mi | 1 / 7 |
| Sep 24, 2015 | EF2 | 7 mi | 6.85 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 11, 2008 | EF2 | 15 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 3, 1998 | F2 | 20 mi | 7 mi | 0 / 9 |
| Aug 29, 1964 | F2 | 12 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | EF1 | 19 mi | 2.49 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 6, 2024 | EF1 | 22 mi | 3.88 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Aug 5, 2024 | EF1 | 17 mi | 0.71 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 30, 2023 | EF1 | 23 mi | 1.88 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 8, 2021 | EF1 | 19 mi | 0.82 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 83, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Charleston Afb
The Storm Prediction Center has 257 hail reports within 10 miles of Charleston Afb since 1957, made on 114 separate days. Of these, 154 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.5 inches (tennis ball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently June 26, 2013. The most recent report is from July 14, 2024. May has the most reports, 67.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Charleston Afb
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Charleston International Airport, SC, 1 mile east of Charleston Afb at 40 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 74°F; January is the coolest, at 60°F and 39°F. August is the wettest at 7.0 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 2.7 inches; the year adds up to 52.7 inches over 74 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 62% of the year's precipitation (32.8 of 52.7 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 106 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (33); a normal September there has highs of 85°F and 6.0 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 64 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 22 nights a year. That 52.7 inches is more than at 65 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (83%). Charleston, 9 miles southeast, has its own station (Charleston City, SC): 44.5 inches a year, 8.2 less than here, and a July average high of 88°F against 91°F.
Water temperature at the NOAA tide station Charleston, SC, 11 miles southeast, averaged 86°F in July and 54°F in January over 2021–2025. It averaged 80°F or warmer from June to September. Sea level at the Charleston tide gauge, 11 miles from Charleston Afb, has risen 1.38 ± 0.04 inches per decade from 1901 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 13.8 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 82 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Water °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60 | 39 | 3.4 | 6 | 54 |
| Feb | 64 | 42 | 3.1 | 5 | 54 |
| Mar | 70 | 47 | 3.4 | 5 | 61 |
| Apr | 77 | 55 | 3.3 | 5 | 68 |
| May | 84 | 63 | 3.3 | 5 | 76 |
| Jun | 89 | 70 | 6.2 | 8 | 82 |
| Jul | 91 | 74 | 6.6 | 9 | 86 |
| Aug | 90 | 73 | 7.0 | 9 | 84 |
| Sep | 85 | 68 | 6.0 | 7 | 81 |
| Oct | 78 | 58 | 4.3 | 5 | 73 |
| Nov | 69 | 47 | 2.7 | 4 | 65 |
| Dec | 63 | 42 | 3.4 | 6 | 57 |
| Year | 77 | 56 | 52.7 | 74 | 70 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Charleston International Airport, SC (40 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals; water temperature: average of hourly readings 2021–2025 at the NOAA tide station Charleston, SC, from NOAA Tides & Currents. 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 Charleston Afb
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 633 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Charleston Afb: 395 thunderstorm wind reports, 195 flash floods, 35 lightning strikes, 5 floods and 3 heavy rain events. They killed 1 person and injured 8, and the NWS estimated $14.7 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 85 mph, on June 10, 2024. August has had the most flash floods, 62 of 195. Of the 241 South Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 233 have had fewer than Charleston Afb.
August 13, 2010: heavy rain event 4 miles from the centre of Charleston Afb — 1 killed, $10,000 damage.
July 26, 2010: lightning strike 6 miles from the centre of Charleston Afb — 2 injured.
June 27, 2013: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Charleston Afb — 1 injured, $500 damage.
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
Charleston County, which includes Charleston Afb, has been named in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 12 of them major disasters (by incident: 16 hurricanes, 3 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 tropical storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Ian, on November 21, 2022. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Charleston County a Relatively High rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes and coastal flooding; Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves; Relatively Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $499.8 million a year, the highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $281.3 million (56%), 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 Charleston Afb
- North Charleston, SC1 mi
- Goose Creek, SC7 mi
- Ladson, SC7 mi
- Charleston, SC9 mi
- Daniel Island, SC10 mi
- Summerville, SC10 mi
- Ravenel, SC12 mi
- Johns Island, SC13 mi
- Mount Pleasant, SC14 mi
- Sullivans Island, SC16 mi
- Hollywood, SC17 mi
- Ridgeville, SC18 mi
All South Carolina cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Charleston Afb with another place →