Skip to content
Twisters.us
Find my countyFind my countyTexasKansasOklahomaSee all: StatesWhat to do in a tornadoWatch vs. warningStorm shelters and safe roomsSee all: Stay safeTornado Alley mapEF scaleEvery EF5See all: Records

South Carolina · County tornado history

Oconee County, South Carolina tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 31 tornadoes in Oconee County, South Carolina from 1950 through 2024, about one every 2.4 years. That ranks it 18 of 46 counties in South Carolina with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF0 on August 17, 2021.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
31
Since 2000
14
Strongest
EF3, April 13, 2020
Most recent
EF0, August 17, 2021
Peak month
April (6)
Per 1,000 sq mi
46
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Moderate

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 Oconee County

April has brought the most, 6 of 31. About 68% touched down between 2 pm and 8 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) 16
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 8
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 5
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 2
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 0
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 Oconee County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
April 13, 2020 EF3 16.7 mi 1,000 yd 1 5
March 27, 1994 F3 28 mi 1,760 yd 37
May 5, 1989 F2 10.5 mi 300 yd 15
May 27, 1973 F2 22.5 mi 200 yd 1
June 26, 1994 F2 12 mi 900 yd 1
May 27, 1973 F2 1 mi 100 yd
April 4, 1989 F2 6 mi 50 yd
February 10, 1990 F1 3 mi 60 yd 1
March 20, 1984 F1 0.8 mi 100 yd
May 5, 1989 F1 2.1 mi 30 yd

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

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Oconee County was an EF3 on April 13, 2020. It killed 1 person and injured 5 along its 16.7-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
August 17, 2021 EF0 0.1 mi 50 yd
April 10, 2021 EF0 1.2 mi 20 yd
April 13, 2020 EF3 16.7 mi 1,000 yd 1 5
April 13, 2020 EF1 4 mi 400 yd
October 14, 2014 EF0 0.9 mi 100 yd
October 26, 2010 EF0 0.5 mi 200 yd
October 26, 2010 EF0 0.8 mi 150 yd
April 8, 2010 EF0 0.7 mi 30 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 Oconee County as relatively moderate, with a score of 81 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.34 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $3,284,914 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 Oconee County had?

31 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 14 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Oconee County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF0 on August 17, 2021. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Oconee County?

An EF3 on April 13, 2020, with a 16.7-mile path.

When is tornado season in Oconee 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.