NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Westminster, 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
12 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Westminster, South Carolina since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 102 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 12
- Tornadoes
- 102
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
5 deaths in all
What the records show for Westminster
None of the 12 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Westminster; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1949, a tropical storm with 59 mph winds when its centre passed 49 miles away. The record near Westminster begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 12 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 3 systems. Of the 12 systems, 2 have come since 2000. Of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site, 98% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Westminster. The highest rating among the 102 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on April 13, 2020, came within 2 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on March 27, 1994, killed 3 people. Of the 102, 6 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 51 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 20. The most recent tornado was on September 25, 2024. Westminster has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 83% of the 246 South Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 102 times since 1959, with stones up to 3 inches (tea cup size). Westminster has more hail reports within 10 miles than 73% of the 246 South Carolina cities.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Westminster
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | overhead | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 16 | 38 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 Westminster: 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 Westminster
By decade
- 2020s16(1 EF3+)
- 2010s10
- 2000s25
- 1990s22(2 EF3+)
- 1980s13(1 EF3+)
- 1970s11
- 1960s3
- 1950s2
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 21 mi | 44 mi | 3 / 45 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 2 mi | 16.71 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 11 mi | 28 mi | 0 / 37 |
| Nov 15, 1989 | F3 | 22 mi | 8 mi | 0 / 3 |
| Sep 16, 2004 | F2 | 23 mi | 5.5 mi | 1 / 1 |
| Mar 23, 2022 | EF2 | 22 mi | 6.25 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 8, 2017 | EF2 | 22 mi | 8.42 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF2 | 13 mi | 9.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 26, 2008 | EF2 | 18 mi | 5.48 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 16, 2004 | F2 | 25 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 16, 1996 | F2 | 18 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Jun 26, 1994 | F2 | 16 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 102, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Westminster
The Storm Prediction Center has 102 hail reports within 10 miles of Westminster since 1959, made on 82 separate days. Of these, 61 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 3 inches (tea cup size), fell on April 28, 2002. The most recent report is from May 2, 2025. May has the most reports, 25.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Westminster
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Walhalla, SC, 9 miles north of Westminster at 980 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 67°F; January is the coolest, at 52°F and 29°F. August is the wettest at 6.2 inches of precipitation on average and November the driest at 4.5 inches; the year adds up to 61.2 inches over 86 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 50% of the year's precipitation (30.4 of 61.2 inches). September has brought the most of the 12 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (6); a normal September there has highs of 82°F and 4.9 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 44 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 79 nights a year. Snowfall averages 2.2 inches a year, most of it in January. That 61.2 inches is more than at 74 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (95%). Seneca, 10 miles east, has its own station (Clemson Oconee Co Airport, SC): 49.1 inches a year, 12.1 less than here, and the same July average high, 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 29 | 5.4 | 8 | 0.8 |
| Feb | 56 | 31 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.7 |
| Mar | 63 | 37 | 5.2 | 8 | 0.2 |
| Apr | 72 | 45 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| May | 79 | 55 | 4.8 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 85 | 63 | 5.3 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 89 | 67 | 4.9 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 87 | 66 | 6.2 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 82 | 60 | 4.9 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 72 | 48 | 4.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 62 | 37 | 4.5 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 54 | 32 | 5.8 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Year | 71 | 47 | 61.2 | 86 | 2.2 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Walhalla, SC (980 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 Westminster
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 171 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Westminster: 158 thunderstorm wind reports, 8 flash floods, 2 floods, 2 heavy rain events and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $488,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 75 mph, on April 28, 2002. July has had the most flash floods, 3 of 8. Of the 241 South Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 103 have had fewer than Westminster.
February 21, 1997: thunderstorm wind 7 miles from the centre of Westminster — $130,000 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
Oconee County, which includes Westminster, 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.
Cities near Westminster
- Walhalla, SC10 mi
- Seneca, SC10 mi
- Martin, GA10 mi
- West Union, SC11 mi
- Fair Play, SC11 mi
- Eastanollee, GA12 mi
- Toccoa, GA13 mi
- Lavonia, GA13 mi
- Townville, SC16 mi
- Clemson, SC19 mi
- Salem, SC20 mi
- Pendleton, SC20 mi
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