NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Williamston, 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
18 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Williamston, South Carolina since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 104 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 4 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 18
- Tornadoes
- 104
- EF3 or stronger
- 4
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Williamston
None of the 18 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Williamston; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1949, a tropical storm with 58 mph winds when its centre passed 15 miles away. The record near Williamston begins with an unnamed storm in 1859; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 42 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 4 systems. Of the 18 systems, 3 have come since 2000. Of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site, 87% have more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than Williamston. The highest rating among the 104 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 4 times; the most recent, on April 13, 2020, came within 20 miles. The deadliest, an F3 on May 10, 1952, killed 2 people. Of the 104, 7 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 54 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 20. The most recent tornado was on May 3, 2025. Williamston has more tornadoes within 25 miles than 84% of the 246 South Carolina cities. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 79 times since 1963, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Williamston has more hail reports within 10 miles than 62% of the 246 South Carolina cities.
Compare Williamston's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Williamston
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2020 | ZetaOct 29 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | GracieSep 30 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 18 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 28 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 3 | 54 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 19 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 Williamston: 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 Williamston
By decade
- 2020s17(1 EF3+)
- 2010s13
- 2000s24
- 1990s22
- 1980s5
- 1970s11(2 EF3+)
- 1960s8
- 1950s4(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 1952 | F3 | 19 mi | 22.7 mi | 2 / 4 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 20 mi | 16.71 mi | 1 / 5 |
| Apr 8, 1974 | F3 | 20 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 27, 1973 | F3 | 11 mi | 60.2 mi | 0 / 40 |
| Mar 23, 2022 | EF2 | 24 mi | 6.25 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 25, 2020 | EF2 | 20 mi | 5.47 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Oct 8, 2017 | EF2 | 17 mi | 8.42 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 26, 2008 | EF2 | 17 mi | 5.48 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 7, 1998 | F2 | 13 mi | 1.5 mi | 0 / 4 |
| Sep 16, 1996 | F2 | 11 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 4, 1989 | F2 | 9 mi | 5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 28, 1984 | F2 | 25 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 43 |
The strongest 12 of 104, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Williamston
The Storm Prediction Center has 79 hail reports within 10 miles of Williamston since 1963, made on 64 separate days. Of these, 46 were 1 inch across or larger, and one reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on June 16, 2009. The most recent report is from May 17, 2025. June has the most reports, 29.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Williamston
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is W Pelzer, SC, 3 miles northeast of Williamston at 705 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 68°F; January is the coolest, at 52°F and 31°F. December is the wettest at 4.9 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 3.2 inches; the year adds up to 48.0 inches over 64 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 47% of the year's precipitation (22.7 of 48.0 inches); the other six months are wetter. September has brought the most of the 18 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (8); a normal September there has highs of 83°F and 3.4 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 51 days a year, almost all from May to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 70 nights a year. Snowfall averages 1.4 inches a year, most of it in January. That 48.0 inches is more than at 35 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (45%). Anderson, 12 miles southwest, has its own station (Anderson, SC): 50.4 inches a year, 2.4 more than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 31 | 4.3 | 6 | 0.6 |
| Feb | 56 | 33 | 3.8 | 6 | 0.1 |
| Mar | 64 | 40 | 4.7 | 6 | 0.5 |
| Apr | 73 | 47 | 3.9 | 5 | 0.0 |
| May | 80 | 57 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 87 | 65 | 4.0 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 90 | 68 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 88 | 67 | 4.7 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 83 | 61 | 3.4 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 73 | 49 | 3.2 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 64 | 39 | 3.8 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 55 | 33 | 4.9 | 7 | 0.2 |
| Year | 72 | 49 | 48.0 | 64 | 1.4 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at W Pelzer, SC (705 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 Williamston
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 160 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Williamston: 147 thunderstorm wind reports, 8 flash floods, 4 lightning strikes and 1 flood. They killed 0 people and injured 4, and the NWS estimated $469,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 81 mph, on July 8, 2022. January 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 Williamston.
March 28, 2010: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Williamston — 2 injured, $5,000 damage.
July 23, 1997: thunderstorm wind 8 miles from the centre of Williamston — 1 injured, $8,000 damage.
April 8, 1999: thunderstorm wind 3 miles from the centre of Williamston — 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
Anderson County, which includes Williamston, has been named in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 7 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 2 biological emergencies, 2 ice storms, 2 severe storms). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 29, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Anderson County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for hail and inland flooding; Relatively Low for hurricanes and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $67.3 million a year, the 12th highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $33.0 million (49%), 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.