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Tornado in Anderson County, South Carolina
38 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 38 tornado events in Anderson County, South Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 21 years.
April is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 18 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.9% of the 1,319 tornado events recorded in South Carolina; its 5.3 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
By rating: 18 at (E)F0, 15 at (E)F1, 4 at (E)F2, 1 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Carolina
| Measure | Anderson County | South Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 38 | 1,319 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.3 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 67 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
2Mar
2Apr
12May
0Jun
4Jul
3Aug
4Sep
6Oct
0Nov
2Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 38 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Aug 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF0 | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2013 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF1 | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2005 | Tornado | F1 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2005 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2003 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Nov 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $3.0M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 16 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1993 | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1980 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 5 | County |
| 8 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F3 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Nov 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 1968 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1955 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Anderson County had?
38 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Anderson County?
17 Aug 2021 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Anderson County?
The tornado of 16 Sep 1996, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.0M.
How does Anderson County compare with South Carolina for tornado?
5.3 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 38 of the state's 1,319 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.