NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Pawleys Island, 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
112 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Pawleys Island, South Carolina since 1851, 35 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Chantal in 2025. Since 1950, 44 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 0 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 35
- Tropical storms
- 77
- Tornadoes
- 44
- EF3 or stronger
- 0
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
6 deaths in all
What the records show for Pawleys Island
The strongest storm to pass near Pawleys Island was Helene in 1958, a Category 4 hurricane with 138 mph winds when its centre passed 44 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Matthew in 2016, whose centre came within 4 miles. The record near Pawleys Island begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Chantal in 2025, a tropical storm 10 miles away. Of the 112 systems, 23 have come since 2000. Pawleys Island has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 96% of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site. The highest rating among the 44 tornadoes within 25 miles is F2 or EF2, reached 4 times; the most recent, on April 13, 2020, came within 3 miles. The deadliest, an F1 on May 26, 1974, killed 6 people. Of the 44, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 25 have come since 2000. September has had the most tornadoes, 14. The most recent tornado was on September 27, 2024. Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 98% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Pawleys Island. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 40 times since 1996, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 82% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Pawleys Island.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Pawleys Island
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | ChantalJul 6 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2024 | DebbyAug 8 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 31 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | IanSep 30 | 5 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2022 | ColinJul 2 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | IsaiasAug 4 | 21 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2020 | BerthaMay 27 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | DorianSep 5 | 49 mi | Category 2 (107 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 15 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 8 | 4 mi | Category 1 (82 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2015 | AnaMay 10 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2014 | ArthurJul 3 | 62 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2008 | HannaSep 6 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2008 | CristobalJul 19 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | ErnestoSep 1 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | GastonAug 29 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 7 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1999 | IreneOct 17 | 70 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1999 | FloydSep 16 | 56 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 4 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1996 | FranSep 5 | 67 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | BerthaJul 12 | 57 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1996 | ArthurJun 19 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 57 mi | Category 3 (124 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 29 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1984 | DianaSep 13 | 60 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 19 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 19 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 15 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | DottieAug 21 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 24 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1975 | HallieOct 26 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | Unnamed 1972 stormJul 12 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | Unnamed 1970 stormAug 17 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | GladysOct 19 | 66 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1967 | Unnamed 1967 stormJun 17 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 11 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1961 | Unnamed 1961 stormSep 14 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1960 | DonnaSep 12 | 57 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | CindyJul 9 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1958 | HeleneSep 27 | 44 mi | Category 4 (138 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | Unnamed 1956 stormOct 17 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | HazelOct 15 | 28 mi | Category 4 (132 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | Unnamed 1952 stormAug 28 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormJul 6 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormJun 25 | 57 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormAug 1 | 61 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 17 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1920 | Unnamed 1920 stormSep 23 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormSep 6 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 14 | 38 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormOct 8 | 29 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 20 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormOct 23 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 17 | 12 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormNov 4 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1904 | Unnamed 1904 stormSep 14 | 8 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormJul 13 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1899 | Unnamed 1899 stormOct 31 | 8 mi | Category 2 (109 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 70 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 27 | 21 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 9 mi | Category 3 (114 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 5 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1883 | Unnamed 1883 stormSep 11 | 34 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 12 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormSep 9 | 66 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 39 mi | Category 1 (78 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 75 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 61 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1876 | Unnamed 1876 stormSep 17 | 75 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 15 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 20 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1872 | Unnamed 1872 stormOct 24 | 67 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 7 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 29 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 20 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 22 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1857 | Unnamed 1857 stormSep 12 | 49 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 28 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 25 | 59 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 Pawleys Island: 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 Pawleys Island
By decade
- 2020s8
- 2010s10
- 2000s7
- 1990s6
- 1980s1
- 1970s6
- 1960s2
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF2 | 3 mi | 4.56 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 11, 2002 | F2 | 12 mi | 1.2 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Jul 6, 2001 | F2 | 22 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 39 |
| Sep 4, 1979 | F2 | 12 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 26, 1974 | F1 | 6 mi | 3 mi | 6 / 1 |
| Dec 17, 2023 | EF1 | 17 mi | 2.35 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF1 | 9 mi | 11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF1 | 17 mi | 4.76 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF1 | 13 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF1 | 18 mi | 0.45 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 27, 2004 | F1 | 21 mi | 1.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 18, 2000 | F1 | 14 mi | 0.3 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 44, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Pawleys Island
The Storm Prediction Center has 40 hail reports within 10 miles of Pawleys Island since 1996, made on 27 separate days. Of these, 29 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 6 days, most recently July 9, 2016. The most recent report is from May 3, 2021. May has the most reports, 17.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Pawleys Island
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Brookgreen Gardens, SC, 4 miles northeast of Pawleys Island at 20 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 88°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 57°F and 37°F. September is the wettest at 7.1 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 3.0 inches; the year adds up to 55.3 inches over 75 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 58% of the year's precipitation (32.2 of 55.3 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 112 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (41); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 7.1 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 39 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 32 nights a year. That 55.3 inches is more than at 70 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (90%). Myrtle Beach, 20 miles northeast, has its own station (Conway, SC): 55.2 inches a year, 0.1 less than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 88°F.
Sea level at the Springmaid Pier tide gauge, 18 miles from Pawleys Island, has risen 1.32 ± 0.09 inches per decade from 1957 to 2025, NOAA's linear trend; at that pace it is 13.2 inches in a hundred years. That is faster than at 78 of the 144 U.S. gauges with a NOAA trend.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57 | 37 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Feb | 59 | 39 | 3.4 | 6 |
| Mar | 66 | 44 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Apr | 74 | 52 | 3.5 | 5 |
| May | 80 | 61 | 3.8 | 6 |
| Jun | 86 | 68 | 4.9 | 8 |
| Jul | 88 | 72 | 6.0 | 9 |
| Aug | 87 | 71 | 6.1 | 8 |
| Sep | 83 | 66 | 7.1 | 6 |
| Oct | 76 | 56 | 5.1 | 5 |
| Nov | 66 | 45 | 3.0 | 5 |
| Dec | 59 | 39 | 4.6 | 6 |
| Year | 73 | 54 | 55.3 | 75 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Brookgreen Gardens, SC (20 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 Pawleys Island
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 60 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Pawleys Island: 33 thunderstorm wind reports, 14 flash floods, 6 floods, 5 lightning strikes and 2 heavy rain events. They killed 1 person and injured 3, and the NWS estimated $648,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 69 mph, on October 8, 1996. August has had the most flash floods, 6 of 14. Of the 241 South Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 161 have had fewer than Pawleys Island.
September 16, 2018: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of Pawleys Island — 1 killed, $20,000 damage.
NWS: “A person accidentally drove into a flooded area and drowned.”
July 7, 2008: lightning strike in Pawleys Island — 1 injured.
NWS: “Multiple lightning strikes hit 10 homes, setting one ablaze. The homes were in the Debordieu and Prince George Island communities of Pawleys Island.”
May 11, 2015: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Pawleys Island — 1 injured.
NWS: “A man was under his truck when it was struck by lightning. He sustained only minor injuries.”
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 Pawleys Island's ZIP code 29585 have filed 2,374 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $54.6 million for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from Hurricane Hugo in 1989: 984 claims (41% of all) and $29.5 million, then Hurricane Matthew in 2016 with 331 and Flooding in 1987 with 257. 91% 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, 103 have fewer than Pawleys Island.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Hugo1989 | 984 | $29.5 million |
| Hurricane Matthew2016 | 331 | $7.5 million |
| Flooding1987 | 257 | $1.2 million |
| Hurricane Ian2022 | 244 | $11.8 million |
| Hurricane Floyd1999 | 95 | $250,000 |
| October severe storms2015 | 78 | $748,000 |
Georgetown County, which includes Pawleys Island, has been named in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1989, 16 of them major disasters (by incident: 17 hurricanes, 3 severe storms, 3 tropical storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Debby, on September 29, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Georgetown County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Very High for hurricanes; Relatively High for coastal flooding and lightning; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding and heat waves; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail and strong wind. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $90.2 million a year, the 10th highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $63.6 million (70%), 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 Pawleys Island
- Murrells Inlet, SC9 mi
- Georgetown, SC13 mi
- Surfside Beach, SC14 mi
- Myrtle Beach, SC20 mi
- Hemingway, SC23 mi
- Conway, SC26 mi
- Andrews, SC27 mi
- Johnsonville, SC31 mi
- Mc Clellanville, SC32 mi
- Gresham, SC35 mi
- North Myrtle Beach, SC36 mi
- Aynor, SC36 mi
All South Carolina cities →All hurricanes since 1851 →Compare Pawleys Island with another place →