NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Salem, 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
10 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Salem, South Carolina since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 80 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 10
- Tornadoes
- 80
- EF3 or stronger
- 3
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Salem
None of the 10 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Salem; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1949, a tropical storm with 58 mph winds when its centre passed 45 miles away. The record near Salem begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 29 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 3 systems. Of the 10 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site, 99% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Salem. The highest rating among the 80 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 3 times; the most recent, on April 13, 2020, came within 13 miles. Of the 80, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 45 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 17. The most recent tornado was on May 3, 2025. Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 50% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Salem. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 92 times since 1974, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Salem has more hail reports within 10 miles than 68% of the 246 South Carolina cities.
Compare Salem's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Salem
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 48 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 Salem: 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 Salem
By decade
- 2020s19(1 EF3+)
- 2010s11(1 EF3+)
- 2000s15
- 1990s18(1 EF3+)
- 1980s6
- 1970s10
- 1960s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 13 mi | 16.71 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | 24 mi | 36.99 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 4 mi | 28 mi | 0 / 37 |
| Mar 23, 2022 | EF2 | 8 mi | 6.25 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF2 | 17 mi | 7.97 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Oct 8, 2017 | EF2 | 13 mi | 8.42 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 26, 2008 | EF2 | 18 mi | 5.48 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 7, 1998 | F2 | 21 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Sep 16, 1996 | F2 | 21 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F2 | 2 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 1 |
| May 5, 1989 | F2 | 19 mi | 10.5 mi | 0 / 15 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 15 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 80, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Salem
The Storm Prediction Center has 92 hail reports within 10 miles of Salem since 1974, made on 65 separate days. Of these, 62 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest size, 2.75 inches (baseball size), was reported on 2 days, most recently May 11, 2011. The most recent report is from July 10, 2025. June has the most reports, 25.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Salem
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Jocassee 8 WNW, SC, 9 miles northwest of Salem at 2,540 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 80°F and low of 59°F; January is the coolest, at 48°F and 26°F. August is the wettest at 8.9 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 6.2 inches; the year adds up to 87.5 inches over 94 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 51% of the year's precipitation (44.9 of 87.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 10 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (5); a normal September there has highs of 75°F and 7.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 1 days a year. Lows fall below freezing on about 114 nights a year. Snowfall averages 3.5 inches a year, most of it in January. That 87.5 inches is more than at 77 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (99%). Sunset, 8 miles northeast, has its own station (Pickens, SC): 56.7 inches a year, 30.8 less than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 80°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | 26 | 8.1 | 7 | 1.4 |
| Feb | 52 | 28 | 6.2 | 7 | 0.7 |
| Mar | 58 | 32 | 7.3 | 8 | 0.2 |
| Apr | 66 | 39 | 6.7 | 8 | 0.0 |
| May | 72 | 47 | 6.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 78 | 56 | 7.8 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 80 | 59 | 7.1 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 80 | 59 | 8.9 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 75 | 53 | 7.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 67 | 41 | 6.4 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 59 | 32 | 7.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 50 | 28 | 7.7 | 8 | 1.2 |
| Year | 65 | 42 | 87.5 | 94 | 3.5 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Jocassee 8 WNW, SC (2,540 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 Salem
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 115 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Salem: 106 thunderstorm wind reports, 4 flash floods, 4 lightning strikes and 1 flood. They killed 2 people and injured 5, and the NWS estimated $788,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on April 22, 2005.
July 18, 2019: thunderstorm wind 6 miles from the centre of Salem — 2 killed, 2 injured, $50,000 damage.
September 6, 2014: lightning strike 8 miles from the centre of Salem — 2 injured.
NWS: “EM reported two people sustained minor injuries after lightning struck near them at a campground off Highway 107.”
July 4, 1997: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Salem — 1 injured.
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
Oconee County, which includes Salem, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 11 hurricanes, 3 ice storms, 3 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Winter Storm, on April 7, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Oconee County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding and strong wind; Relatively Low for hurricanes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $45.1 million a year, the 15th highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $16.3 million (36%), 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.