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Tornado in Oconee County, South Carolina
31 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.
Oconee County, South Carolina, has 31 tornado events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 19 different years.
April is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 18 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.4% of the 1,319 tornado events recorded in South Carolina; its 4.9 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 17 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 5 at (E)F2, 2 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with South Carolina
| Measure | Oconee County | South Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 31 | 1,319 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.9 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 3.9 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 67 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
2Mar
4Apr
6May
6Jun
3Jul
0Aug
2Sep
3Oct
4Nov
0Dec
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 31 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 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | EF3 | $100M | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 14 Oct 2014 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F1 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 1999 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jan 1995 | Tornado | F1 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1994 | Tornado | F2 | $500K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 Mar 1994 | Tornado | F3 | $5.0M | $5.0M | — | 12 | County |
| 23 Mar 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 May 1989 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 1989 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 27 May 1973 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Oconee County had?
31 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 Oconee 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 Oconee County?
The tornado of 13 Apr 2020, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $100M; 1 death recorded.
How does Oconee County compare with South Carolina for tornado?
4.9 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 31 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.