County Hazards

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Winter in Sumter County, South Carolina

31 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.

31 events · 0 deaths recorded · peak month January · county share of state 1.7%

Winter event locations in and around Sumter County. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

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 31 winter events in Sumter County, South Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 13 years.

January is the busiest month, with 23 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 25 events against 6 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.7% of the 1,839 winter events recorded in South Carolina; its 4.7 per 100 square miles compares with 6.1 statewide.

Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.

Compared with South Carolina

MeasureSumter CountySouth CarolinaUS
Winter events since 1950311,839287,339
Per 100 square miles4.76.18.1
Per 10,000 residents3.03.58.7
Deaths recorded0112,509
Busiest monthJanuaryJanuaryJanuary

By year

195019882026
Winter events recorded in Sumter County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
23
Feb
5
Mar
0
Apr
0
May
0
Jun
0
Jul
0
Aug
0
Sep
0
Oct
0
Nov
0
Dec
3
Winter events in Sumter County by month of occurrence, all years.

Recorded events

All 31 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

DateEvent typeMagnitudeProperty damageCrop damageDeathsInjuriesGeography
1 Feb 2026Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
31 Jan 2026Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
25 Jan 2026Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
25 Jan 2026Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
21 Jan 2025Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
10 Jan 2025Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
28 Jan 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
21 Jan 2022Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
16 Jan 2022Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
3 Jan 2018Heavy Snow—————Forecast zone
24 Feb 2015Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
17 Feb 2015Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
12 Feb 2014Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
28 Jan 2014Winter Storm————1Forecast zone
10 Jan 2011Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Dec 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
12 Feb 2010Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
30 Jan 2010Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
20 Jan 2009Winter Weather—————Forecast zone
29 Jan 2005Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Dec 2004Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
26 Jan 2004Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
23 Jan 2003Winter Storm—————Forecast zone
4 Dec 2002Ice Storm—————Forecast zone
2 Jan 2002Winter Storm—————Forecast zone

Questions and answers

How many winter events has Sumter County had?

31 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded winter event in Sumter County?

1 Feb 2026 (Heavy Snow). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Sumter County?

NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.

How does Sumter County compare with South Carolina for winter?

4.7 events per 100 square miles against 6.1 statewide; the county holds 31 of the state's 1,839 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 Winter hub and the county page.