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Tornado in Sumter County, South Carolina
28 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 28 tornado events in Sumter County, South Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 20 years.
September is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 12 events against 9 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.1% of the 1,319 tornado events recorded in South Carolina; its 4.2 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to tornadoes.
By rating: 15 at (E)F0, 7 at (E)F1, 3 at (E)F2, 1 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 | Sumter County | South Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 28 | 1,319 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.2 | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 67 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | September | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
1Apr
3May
3Jun
2Jul
4Aug
0Sep
11Oct
0Nov
2Dec
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 28 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Sep 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2020 | Tornado | EF unrated | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2020 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF1 | $48K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $18K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF1 | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2010 | Tornado | EF0 | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Nov 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | $10K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2007 | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | 1 | 5 | County |
| 10 Dec 2004 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F2 | $1.7M | — | — | 3 | County |
| 7 Sep 2004 | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2000 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 1993 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 1989 | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Nov 1985 | Tornado | F0 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1979 | Tornado | F0 | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 1971 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1967 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1964 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 1963 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1962 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Sumter County had?
28 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 Sumter County?
27 Sep 2024 (Tornado, EF0). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Sumter County?
The tornado of 22 Sep 1989, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.5M.
How does Sumter County compare with South Carolina for tornado?
4.2 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 28 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.