NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Greer, 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
18 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Greer, South Carolina since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 87 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 18
- Tornadoes
- 87
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
4 deaths in all
What the records show for Greer
None of the 18 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Greer; the strongest was Hugo in 1989, a tropical storm with 72 mph winds when its centre passed 56 miles away. The record near Greer begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 66 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 4 systems. Of the 18 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site, 87% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Greer. The strongest of the 87 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F4 on May 5, 1989; its path came within 20 miles, and it killed 2 people. Of the 87, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 41 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 15. The most recent tornado was on May 3, 2025. Greer has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 63% of the 246 South Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 221 times since 1975, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Greer has more hail reports within 10 miles than 95% of the 246 South Carolina cities.
Compare Greer's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Greer
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1959 | GracieSep 30 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 11 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 18 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Greer: 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 Greer
By decade
- 2020s16
- 2010s14
- 2000s11
- 1990s20(1 EF3+)
- 1980s5(1 EF3+)
- 1970s10(1 EF3+)
- 1960s9
- 1950s2(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 1989 | F4 | 20 mi | 15 mi | 2 / 35 |
| May 10, 1952 | F3 | 9 mi | 22.7 mi | 2 / 4 |
| Aug 16, 1994 | F3 | 24 mi | 30 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 1973 | F3 | 2 mi | 60.2 mi | 0 / 40 |
| Apr 25, 2020 | EF2 | 5 mi | 5.47 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF2 | 20 mi | 7.97 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Oct 23, 2017 | EF2 | 14 mi | 3.02 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Oct 8, 2017 | EF2 | 24 mi | 22.28 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 7, 1998 | F2 | 22 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Feb 21, 1997 | F2 | 15 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F2 | 14 mi | 45.4 mi | 0 / 13 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 11 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 87, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Greer
The Storm Prediction Center has 221 hail reports within 10 miles of Greer since 1975, made on 128 separate days. Of these, 114 were 1 inch across or larger, and 14 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 3 inches (tea cup size), was reported on 2 days, most recently March 21, 2017. The most recent report is from June 25, 2025. June has the most reports, 58.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Greer
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Greer, SC, 3 miles south of Greer at 940 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 53°F and 32°F. July is the wettest at 4.8 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.6 inches; the year adds up to 49.6 inches over 77 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 49% of the year's precipitation (24.5 of 49.6 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 18 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (9); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 3.7 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 48 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 54 nights a year. Snowfall averages 3.9 inches a year, most of it in January. That 49.6 inches is more than at 48 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (62%). Taylors, 5 miles west, has its own station (Greenville Dwtn Airport, SC): 47.2 inches a year, 2.4 less than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53 | 32 | 4.1 | 7 | 1.6 |
| Feb | 57 | 35 | 3.8 | 7 | 1.0 |
| Mar | 64 | 41 | 4.5 | 7 | 0.6 |
| Apr | 73 | 49 | 4.0 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 80 | 58 | 4.1 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 3.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 90 | 69 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 89 | 68 | 4.7 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 62 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 73 | 50 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 63 | 40 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.1 |
| Dec | 55 | 35 | 4.6 | 7 | 0.6 |
| Year | 72 | 50 | 49.6 | 77 | 3.9 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Greer, SC (940 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 Greer
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 266 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Greer: 226 thunderstorm wind reports, 18 flash floods, 15 floods, 5 lightning strikes and 2 heavy rain events. They killed 4 people and injured 10, and the NWS estimated $5.7 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on May 2, 2003. August has had the most flash floods, 5 of 18. Of the 241 South Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 188 have had fewer than Greer.
August 9, 2014: flash flood 10 miles from the centre of Greer — 2 killed, $1.5 million damage.
March 15, 1996: thunderstorm wind in Greer — 1 killed, 3 injured, $100,000 damage.
August 20, 2006: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of Greer — 1 killed.
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 Greer's 2 ZIP codes have filed 42 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1982, and were paid $381,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Helene in 2024: 19 claims (45% of all) and $251,000. 45% 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, 46 have fewer than Greer.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene2024 | 19 | $251,000 |
Greenville County, which includes Greer, has been named in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 11 hurricanes, 3 ice storms, 2 biological emergencies, 2 fires). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on April 7, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Greenville County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for lightning; Relatively High for tornadoes, inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $169.0 million a year, the 6th highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $104.5 million (62%), 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.