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Tornado in Chester County, South Carolina
19 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 19 tornado events in Chester County, South Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 14 years.
May is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 1,319 tornado events recorded in South Carolina; its 3.3 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 6 at (E)F0, 10 at (E)F1, 1 at (E)F2, 0 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Carolina
| Measure | Chester County | South Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 19 | 1,319 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 3.3 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 5.9 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 67 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | May | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
3May
6Jun
1Jul
1Aug
3Sep
1Oct
1Nov
3Dec
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 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Nov 2023 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2022 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Nov 1995 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 1995 | Tornado | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1995 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 1994 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1994 | Tornado | F2 | $5.0M | — | 1 | 4 | County |
| 19 Apr 1981 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1975 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Apr 1955 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Chester County had?
19 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 Chester County?
21 Nov 2023 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Chester County?
The tornado of 16 Apr 1994, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $5.0M; 1 death recorded.
How does Chester County compare with South Carolina for tornado?
3.3 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 19 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.