NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Windsor, 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
58 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Windsor, South Carolina since 1851, 5 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Idalia in 2023. Since 1950, 78 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 8 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 5
- Tropical storms
- 53
- Tornadoes
- 78
- EF3 or stronger
- 8
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
What the records show for Windsor
The strongest storm to pass near Windsor was an unnamed storm in 1896, a Category 1 hurricane with 93 mph winds when its centre passed 55 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was an unnamed storm in 1893, whose centre came within 23 miles. The record near Windsor begins with an unnamed storm in 1851; the most recent system was Idalia in 2023, a tropical storm 64 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1940s, with 6 systems. Of the 58 systems, 8 have come since 2000. Windsor has more hurricanes within 75 miles than 48% of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site. The highest rating among the 78 tornadoes within 25 miles is F3 or EF3, reached 8 times; the most recent, on April 13, 2020, came within 7 miles. The deadliest, an EF3 on April 13, 2020, killed 2 people. Of the 78, 2 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 40 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 18. The most recent tornado was on May 12, 2025. Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 56% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Windsor. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 28 times since 1976, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 93% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Windsor.
Compare Windsor's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Windsor
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 31 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2019 | NestorOct 20 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2018 | FlorenceSep 16 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 74 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 44 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 64 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 15 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1972 | AgnesJun 21 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 26 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 30 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1959 | GracieSep 29 | 38 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (61 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 58 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 14 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 61 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1913 | Unnamed 1913 stormOct 9 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 18 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 13 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (62 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 55 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 64 mi | Tropical storm (71 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 4 | 39 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 23 mi | Category 1 (91 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 45 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 75 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 12 mi | Tropical storm (67 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormAug 27 | 7 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1851 | Unnamed 1851 stormAug 24 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Windsor: 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 Windsor
By decade
- 2020s11(5 EF3+)
- 2010s7
- 2000s22(1 EF3+)
- 1990s14(1 EF3+)
- 1980s5(1 EF3+)
- 1970s10
- 1960s6
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 13 mi | 35.68 mi | 2 / 7 |
| May 7, 1998 | F3 | 23 mi | 12 mi | 1 / 9 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 22 mi | 5.37 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 17 mi | 1.39 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 10 mi | 8.49 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 13, 2020 | EF3 | 7 mi | 37.88 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 10, 2009 | EF3 | 8 mi | 14.57 mi | 0 / 14 |
| Apr 23, 1983 | F3 | 21 mi | 33 mi | 0 / 6 |
| Apr 5, 2022 | EF2 | 22 mi | 5.68 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Jan 21, 2017 | EF2 | 14 mi | 13.78 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Apr 19, 2015 | EF2 | 12 mi | 19.54 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 24, 2012 | EF2 | 18 mi | 9.19 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 78, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Windsor
The Storm Prediction Center has 28 hail reports within 10 miles of Windsor since 1976, made on 25 separate days. Of these, 10 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 3 days, most recently March 15, 2008. The most recent report is from July 7, 2017. June and July have the most reports, 6 each.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Windsor
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Aiken 5SE, SC, 10 miles west of Windsor at 492 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 93°F and low of 72°F; January is the coolest, at 56°F and 35°F. July is the wettest at 5.6 inches of precipitation on average and October the driest at 2.9 inches; the year adds up to 50.8 inches over 76 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 52% of the year's precipitation (26.4 of 50.8 inches); the other six months are drier. September has brought the most of the 58 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (21); a normal September there has highs of 85°F and 4.1 inches of precipitation. Highs reach 90°F on about 86 days a year, almost all from April to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 51 nights a year. Snowfall averages 0.7 inches a year, most of it in January. That 50.8 inches is more than at 56 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (72%). Williston, 7 miles southeast, has its own station (Blackville 3 W, SC): 46.2 inches a year, 4.6 less than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 93°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 35 | 4.6 | 8 | 0.7 |
| Feb | 60 | 38 | 4.2 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 68 | 44 | 4.7 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 76 | 52 | 3.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| May | 84 | 61 | 3.5 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 89 | 69 | 5.4 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 93 | 72 | 5.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 90 | 71 | 5.0 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 85 | 65 | 4.1 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 77 | 53 | 2.9 | 4 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 67 | 41 | 3.4 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 59 | 36 | 4.3 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Year | 75 | 53 | 50.8 | 76 | 0.7 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Aiken 5SE, SC (492 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 Windsor
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 102 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Windsor: 96 thunderstorm wind reports, 3 heavy rain events, 2 floods and 1 lightning strike. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $685,000 in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 86 mph, on April 22, 2005.
July 10, 2012: lightning strike 9 miles from the centre of Windsor — $550,000 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
Aiken County, which includes Windsor, has been named in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 10 of them major disasters (by incident: 10 hurricanes, 3 ice storms, 3 severe storms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Hurricane Helene, on September 29, 2024. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Aiken County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for lightning; Relatively Moderate for hurricanes, tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, strong wind and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $47.5 million a year, the 14th highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $22.6 million (47%), 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 Windsor
- Williston, SC7 mi
- New Ellenton, SC10 mi
- Aiken, SC11 mi
- Salley, SC14 mi
- Wagener, SC14 mi
- Blackville, SC16 mi
- Warrenville, SC18 mi
- Barnwell, SC20 mi
- Graniteville, SC20 mi
- Jackson, SC20 mi
- Beech Island, SC21 mi
- Norway, SC23 mi
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