NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Travelers Rest, 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
17 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Travelers Rest, South Carolina since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 79 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 17
- Tornadoes
- 79
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
2 deaths in all
What the records show for Travelers Rest
None of the 17 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Travelers Rest; the strongest was Hugo in 1989, a tropical storm with 70 mph winds when its centre passed 64 miles away. The record near Travelers Rest begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 59 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 4 systems. Of the 17 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site, 91% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Travelers Rest. The highest rating among the 79 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3, reached 2 times; the most recent, on May 27, 1973, came within 14 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on May 10, 1952, killed 2 people. Of the 79, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 38 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 15. The most recent tornado was on May 3, 2025. Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 53% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Travelers Rest. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 138 times since 1959, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Travelers Rest has more hail reports within 10 miles than 88% of the 246 South Carolina cities.
Compare Travelers Rest's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Travelers Rest
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1959 | GracieSep 30 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | overhead | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 18 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 40 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 Travelers Rest: 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 Travelers Rest
By decade
- 2020s16
- 2010s13
- 2000s9
- 1990s16
- 1980s5
- 1970s12(1 EF3+)
- 1960s7
- 1950s1(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 1952 | F3 | 18 mi | 22.7 mi | 2 / 4 |
| May 27, 1973 | F3 | 14 mi | 60.2 mi | 0 / 40 |
| Mar 23, 2022 | EF2 | 19 mi | 6.25 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 25, 2020 | EF2 | 9 mi | 5.47 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF2 | 7 mi | 7.97 mi | 0 / 8 |
| Oct 8, 2017 | EF2 | 19 mi | 8.42 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 7, 1998 | F2 | 16 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F2 | 22 mi | 45.4 mi | 0 / 13 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 23 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 14 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 17, 1985 | F2 | 25 mi | 9 mi | 0 / 39 |
| Apr 13, 1980 | F2 | 21 mi | 33.4 mi | 0 / 5 |
The strongest 12 of 79, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Travelers Rest
The Storm Prediction Center has 138 hail reports within 10 miles of Travelers Rest since 1959, made on 92 separate days. Of these, 73 were 1 inch across or larger, and 5 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on May 10, 2011. The most recent report is from June 25, 2025. June has the most reports, 39.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Travelers Rest
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Caesars Head, SC, 13 miles northwest of Travelers Rest at 3,200 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 78°F and low of 64°F; January is the coolest, at 45°F and 28°F. December is the wettest at 7.1 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 4.8 inches; the year adds up to 74.1 inches over 97 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 53% of the year's precipitation (39.0 of 74.1 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 17 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (9); a normal September there has highs of 71°F and 6.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 1 days a year. Lows fall below freezing on about 78 nights a year. Snowfall averages 7.3 inches a year, most of it in January. That 74.1 inches is more than at 76 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (97%). Taylors, 8 miles southeast, has its own station (Greenville Dwtn Airport, SC): 47.2 inches a year, 26.9 less than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 78°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45 | 28 | 6.0 | 7 | 2.7 |
| Feb | 48 | 30 | 4.8 | 7 | 1.6 |
| Mar | 56 | 37 | 5.2 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Apr | 65 | 44 | 5.9 | 8 | 0.0 |
| May | 70 | 53 | 6.1 | 8 | 0.1 |
| Jun | 75 | 60 | 6.9 | 10 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 78 | 64 | 7.0 | 12 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 76 | 63 | 7.0 | 11 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 71 | 58 | 6.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 63 | 48 | 5.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 55 | 38 | 5.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 48 | 32 | 7.1 | 8 | 2.6 |
| Year | 62 | 46 | 74.1 | 97 | 7.3 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Caesars Head, SC (3,200 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 Travelers Rest
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 186 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Travelers Rest: 169 thunderstorm wind reports, 10 flash floods, 4 floods, 2 lightning strikes and 1 heavy rain event. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $2.6 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on July 21, 2008. July has had the most flash floods, 3 of 10. Of the 241 South Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 123 have had fewer than Travelers Rest.
September 27, 2024: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Travelers Rest — $1.0 million damage.
July 21, 2008: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Travelers Rest — $500,000 damage.
NWS: “A microburst caused major roof damage to a building on the campus of North Greenville College. The portion of roof that was removed was thrown on to the roof of another building, causing additional damage.”
March 15, 1996: thunderstorm wind 3 miles from the centre of Travelers Rest — $400,000 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
Flood insurance policyholders in Travelers Rest's ZIP code 29690 have filed 11 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $27,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. 27% 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, 5 have fewer than Travelers Rest.
Greenville County, which includes Travelers Rest, 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.