NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Walterboro, 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
94 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Walterboro, South Carolina since 1851, 19 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 62 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 2 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 19
- Tropical storms
- 75
- Tornadoes
- 62
- EF3 or stronger
- 2
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
5 deaths in all
What the records show for Walterboro
The strongest storm to pass near Walterboro was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 3 hurricane with 121 mph winds when its centre passed 60 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Gracie in 1959, whose centre came within 2 miles. The record near Walterboro begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Debby in 2024, a tropical storm 59 miles away. The busiest decade was the 2010s, with 8 systems, one of them at hurricane strength. Of the 94 systems, 18 have come since 2000. Walterboro has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 79% of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site. The strongest of the 62 tornadoes within 25 miles was an EF4 on April 13, 2020; its path came within 15 miles, and it killed 5 people. Of the 62, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 46 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 20. The most recent tornado was on September 27, 2024. Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 85% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Walterboro. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 48 times since 1963, with stones up to 2 inches (hen egg size). Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 70% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Walterboro.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Walterboro
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 8 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 31 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | ColinJul 2 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | DannyJun 28 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | BerthaMay 27 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 16 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 8 | 49 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | GastonAug 29 | 63 mi | Category 1 (75 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 67 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 40 mi | Category 3 (115 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1981 | DennisAug 19 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 15 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | DottieAug 20 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | GracieSep 29 | 2 mi | Category 3 (114 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | CindyJul 9 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJul 10 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 7 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 11 | 55 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 34 mi | Category 1 (85 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormJun 27 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 14 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormOct 9 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 28 | 48 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1908 | Unnamed 1908 stormOct 23 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 18 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 51 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 7 mi | Category 1 (94 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (70 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 27 | 16 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 60 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 28 mi | Category 2 (96 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 39 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 12 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 20 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 37 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 20 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 28 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 19 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 22 | 55 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 14 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 48 mi | Category 1 (74 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (55 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Walterboro: 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 Walterboro
By decade
- 2020s16(1 EF3+)
- 2010s6
- 2000s24(1 EF3+)
- 1990s5
- 1980s4
- 1970s1
- 1960s2
- 1950s4
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF4 | 15 mi | 23.73 mi | 5 / 60 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF3 | 24 mi | 10.11 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 26, 2024 | EF1 | 19 mi | 7.78 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 2020 | EF1 | 22 mi | 0.6 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF1 | 20 mi | 2.29 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF1 | in town | 17.33 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF1 | 2 mi | 3.14 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF1 | 10 mi | 1.44 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 12, 2019 | EF1 | 25 mi | 0.61 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 4, 2017 | EF1 | 12 mi | 2.02 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 4, 2017 | EF1 | 6 mi | 6.03 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 4, 2017 | EF1 | 2 mi | 12.52 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 62, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Walterboro
The Storm Prediction Center has 48 hail reports within 10 miles of Walterboro since 1963, made on 31 separate days. Of these, 24 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2 inches (hen egg size), fell on May 14, 2006. The most recent report is from June 25, 2025. May has the most reports, 25.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Walterboro
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Walterboro 1 SW, SC, 1 mile south of Walterboro at 56 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 91°F and low of 71°F; January is the coolest, at 58°F and 35°F. August is the wettest at 7.2 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 3.1 inches; the year adds up to 51.5 inches over 74 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 57% of the year's precipitation (29.4 of 51.5 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 94 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (29); a normal September there has highs of 84°F and 4.6 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 67 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 44 nights a year. That 51.5 inches is more than at 57 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (73%). Yemassee, 18 miles southwest, has its own station (Yemassee 1 N, SC): 53.7 inches a year, 2.2 more than here, and a July average high of 90°F against 91°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58 | 35 | 4.0 | 6 |
| Feb | 62 | 38 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Mar | 69 | 44 | 3.5 | 6 |
| Apr | 76 | 50 | 3.6 | 5 |
| May | 83 | 60 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Jun | 87 | 68 | 5.6 | 8 |
| Jul | 91 | 71 | 5.2 | 8 |
| Aug | 89 | 70 | 7.2 | 9 |
| Sep | 84 | 65 | 4.6 | 7 |
| Oct | 76 | 53 | 3.7 | 4 |
| Nov | 68 | 42 | 3.1 | 4 |
| Dec | 61 | 38 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Year | 75 | 53 | 51.5 | 74 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Walterboro 1 SW, SC (56 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 Walterboro
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 460 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Walterboro: 431 thunderstorm wind reports, 15 flash floods, 8 floods, 3 heavy rain events and 3 lightning strikes. They killed 1 person and injured 1, and the NWS estimated $2.6 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on April 13, 2020. August has had the most flash floods, 9 of 15. Of the 241 South Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 171 have had fewer than Walterboro.
April 13, 2020: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Walterboro — 1 killed, 1 injured.
NWS: “The Colleton County Fire Rescue Emergency Management Division reported a tree down on a residence in the 700 block of Barracada Road due to strong inflow winds near a passing tornado. Three people were trapped inside, which included one injured person and one adult female fatality.”
October 3, 2015: flash flood 9 miles from the centre of Walterboro — $508,000 damage.
NWS: “An emergency manager reported a few roads near Walterboro closed due to flooding. Roads closed due to flooding included Cane Branch Road and Ruffin Road at a railroad crossing.”
October 3, 2015: flash flood 6 miles from the centre of Walterboro — $508,000 damage.
NWS: “An emergency manager and law enforcement reported a few roads closed due to flooding. Ritter Road was closed at the intersection with Cooks Hill Road and Ford Lane was washed out due to flooding.”
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 Walterboro's ZIP code 29488 have filed 46 claims with the National Flood Insurance Program since 1979, and were paid $373,000 for buildings and contents, in the dollars of each year. The most came from October severe storms in 2015: 12 claims (26% of all) and $109,000. 50% 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, 53 have fewer than Walterboro.
| Event | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| October severe storms2015 | 12 | $109,000 |
Colleton County, which includes Walterboro, has been named in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1989, 14 of them major disasters (by incident: 16 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 Colleton County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for hurricanes; Relatively Moderate for coastal flooding, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Low for tornadoes, inland flooding and heat waves; Very Low for hail. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $37.8 million a year, the 19th highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $20.1 million (53%), 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 Walterboro
- Ruffin, SC10 mi
- Cottageville, SC12 mi
- Yemassee, SC18 mi
- Saint George, SC21 mi
- Ridgeville, SC22 mi
- Dorchester, SC23 mi
- Varnville, SC23 mi
- Seabrook, SC23 mi
- Branchville, SC24 mi
- Hampton, SC26 mi
- Harleyville, SC27 mi
- Hollywood, SC27 mi
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