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South Carolina · County tornado history

Hampton County, South Carolina tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 17 tornadoes in Hampton County, South Carolina from 1950 through 2024, about one every 4.4 years. That ranks it 38 of 46 counties in South Carolina with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF0 on April 5, 2022.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
17
Since 2000
11
Strongest
EF4, April 13, 2020
Most recent
EF0, April 5, 2022
Peak month
April (5)
Per 1,000 sq mi
30
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Low

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Hampton County

April has brought the most, 5 of 17. About 59% touched down between 1 pm and 7 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it).

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 6
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 10
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 0
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 0
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 1
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Hampton County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
April 13, 2020 EF4 23.7 mi 1,300 yd 5 60
March 8, 1980 F1 1 mi 30 yd 6
May 3, 1956 F1 10.1 mi 50 yd
April 8, 1964 F1 0.5 mi 27 yd
August 7, 1981 F1 0.3 mi 100 yd
November 3, 1982 F1 0.1 mi 13 yd
June 22, 2000 F1 2 mi 170 yd
June 12, 2001 F1 6 mi 75 yd
July 1, 2003 F1 10 mi 100 yd
September 7, 2004 F1 4.5 mi 100 yd

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Hampton County was an EF4 on April 13, 2020. It killed 5 people and injured 60 along its 23.7-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
April 5, 2022 EF0 1.7 mi 250 yd
April 13, 2020 EF4 23.7 mi 1,300 yd 5 60
April 13, 2020 EF1 5.9 mi 200 yd
April 3, 2017 EF0 0.3 mi 240 yd
May 11, 2008 EF0 0.2 mi 25 yd
September 27, 2004 F0 0.5 mi 40 yd
September 7, 2004 F1 4.5 mi 100 yd
July 1, 2003 F1 10 mi 100 yd

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Hampton County as relatively low, with a score of 43 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.30 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $599,727 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Hampton County had?

17 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 11 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Hampton County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF0 on April 5, 2022. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Hampton County?

An EF4 on April 13, 2020, with a 23.7-mile path.

When is tornado season in Hampton County?

April has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.