NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit York, 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
33 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of York, South Carolina since 1851, 2 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 80 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 2
- Tropical storms
- 31
- Tornadoes
- 80
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
5 deaths in all
What the records show for York
The strongest storm to pass near York was an unnamed storm in 1893, a Category 1 hurricane with 79 mph winds when its centre passed 30 miles away. The closest pass by a hurricane was Hugo in 1989, whose centre came within 2 miles. The record near York begins with an unnamed storm in 1854; the most recent system was Debby in 2024, a tropical storm 56 miles away. The busiest decade was the 1880s, with 5 systems. Of the 33 systems, 4 have come since 2000. Of the 246 South Carolina cities on this site, 69% have more hurricanes within 75 miles than York. The strongest of the 80 tornadoes within 25 miles was an F3 on March 27, 1994; its path came within 13 miles. The deadliest, an EF2 on November 16, 2011, killed 3 people. Of the 80, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 34 have come since 2000. May has had the most tornadoes, 21. The most recent tornado was on December 29, 2024. Of the 246 South Carolina cities, 50% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than York. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 75 times since 1955, with stones up to 4 inches (softball size). York has more hail reports within 10 miles than 56% of the 246 South Carolina cities.
Compare York's storm record with another city →
Tropical storms and hurricanes near York
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 8 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2018 | MichaelOct 11 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2006 | AlbertoJun 14 | 57 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 2 mi | Category 1 (76 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 5 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1965 | Unnamed 1965 stormJun 16 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | GracieSep 30 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1949 | Unnamed 1949 stormAug 28 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 9 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 2 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormJul 15 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (53 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormAug 3 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJun 14 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 23 | 42 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormSep 18 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormOct 11 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 16 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 4 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 30 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1889 | Unnamed 1889 stormSep 24 | 24 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 71 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJun 22 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormSep 11 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (64 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormOct 4 | 72 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1859 | Unnamed 1859 stormSep 17 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 63 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 York: 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 York
By decade
- 2020s11
- 2010s8
- 2000s15
- 1990s24(1 EF3+)
- 1980s6
- 1970s11
- 1960s4
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 1994 | F3 | 13 mi | 18.5 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Nov 16, 2011 | EF2 | 12 mi | 5.8 mi | 3 / 5 |
| Apr 15, 1994 | F2 | 16 mi | 3 mi | 1 / 4 |
| Feb 6, 2020 | EF2 | 13 mi | 8.66 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 9, 2008 | EF2 | 17 mi | 18.21 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 7, 2004 | F2 | 10 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 16, 1994 | F2 | 17 mi | 10 mi | 0 / 1 |
| Aug 16, 1994 | F2 | 18 mi | 4 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 27, 1994 | F2 | 25 mi | 45.4 mi | 0 / 13 |
| Apr 15, 1993 | F2 | 23 mi | 6 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 10, 1992 | F2 | 14 mi | 3.4 mi | 0 / 18 |
| Feb 10, 1990 | F2 | 23 mi | 0.4 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 80, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in York
The Storm Prediction Center has 75 hail reports within 10 miles of York since 1955, made on 58 separate days. Of these, 43 were 1 inch across or larger, and 6 reached 2 inches. The largest, 4 inches (softball size), fell on April 9, 2011. The most recent report is from June 25, 2025. April has the most reports, 22.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in York
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is York 5 SSE, SC, 6 miles south of York at 660 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 89°F and low of 69°F; January is the coolest, at 51°F and 30°F. July is the wettest at 4.4 inches of precipitation on average and February the driest at 3.1 inches; the year adds up to 44.2 inches over 72 days with at least a tenth of an inch. June to November, the hurricane season months, bring 50% of the year's precipitation (21.9 of 44.2 inches). September has brought the most of the 33 tropical systems that passed within 75 miles (12); a normal September there has highs of 82°F and 3.5 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 72 nights a year. That 44.2 inches is more than at 7 of the 78 South Carolina stations used on this site (9%). Clover, 7 miles north, has its own station (Gastonia Municipal Airport, NC): 43.4 inches a year, 0.8 less than here, and a July average high of 91°F against 89°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51 | 30 | 3.6 | 6 |
| Feb | 55 | 32 | 3.1 | 6 |
| Mar | 63 | 37 | 4.1 | 6 |
| Apr | 72 | 47 | 3.8 | 6 |
| May | 79 | 56 | 3.7 | 6 |
| Jun | 86 | 64 | 3.4 | 6 |
| Jul | 89 | 69 | 4.4 | 7 |
| Aug | 88 | 67 | 3.9 | 6 |
| Sep | 82 | 61 | 3.5 | 5 |
| Oct | 72 | 49 | 3.3 | 5 |
| Nov | 61 | 38 | 3.4 | 5 |
| Dec | 54 | 32 | 4.0 | 7 |
| Year | 71 | 48 | 44.2 | 72 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at York 5 SSE, SC (660 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 York
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 147 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of York: 129 thunderstorm wind reports, 9 floods, 6 flash floods, 2 heavy rain events and 1 lightning strike. They killed 0 people and injured 2, and the NWS estimated $2.0 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 92 mph, on April 20, 2024. January has had the most flash floods, 2 of 6. Of the 241 South Carolina cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 71 have had fewer than York.
April 15, 2018: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of York — 1 injured, $20,000 damage.
NWS: “Multiple sources reported wind damage, mainly in the form of downed trees and limbs from the York area to Lake Wylie. With several trees on homes and power lines.”
July 31, 1999: thunderstorm wind 9 miles from the centre of York — 1 injured.
April 20, 2024: thunderstorm wind 10 miles from the centre of York — $1.0 million 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
York County, which includes York, has been named in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1977, 8 of them major disasters (by incident: 12 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 York County a Relatively Moderate rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively High for tornadoes, strong wind and lightning; Relatively Moderate for inland flooding; Relatively Low for hurricanes, hail and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $99.2 million a year, the 9th highest of 46 South Carolina counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $51.5 million (52%), 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.