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Tornado in Berkeley County, South Carolina
39 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.
Berkeley County, South Carolina, has 39 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 21 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 20 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3% of the 1,319 tornado events recorded in South Carolina; its 3.5 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 24 at (E)F0, 12 at (E)F1, 2 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 | Berkeley County | South Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 39 | 1,319 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.5 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.6 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 67 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
2Apr
9May
10Jun
6Jul
1Aug
6Sep
3Oct
0Nov
0Dec
1
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 39 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Aug 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 30 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 30 Aug 2023 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 6 | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | $18K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2015 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $20K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 15 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $150K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 15 Mar 2008 | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $20K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2006 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2006 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1999 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $2.8M | — | — | 9 | County |
| 10 May 1998 | Tornado | F2 | $5.0M | — | 1 | 7 | County |
| 10 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1998 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 1990 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1967 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1965 | Tornado | F0 | $30 | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1963 | Tornado | F0 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 1956 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Apr 1950 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Berkeley County had?
39 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 Berkeley County?
6 Aug 2024 (Tornado, EF1). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Berkeley County?
The tornado of 10 May 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $5.0M; 1 death recorded.
How does Berkeley County compare with South Carolina for tornado?
3.5 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 39 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.