Chesterfield County, South Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 45025 · population 43,159 · 799 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 512 records for Chesterfield County, South Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 304 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (258 records). The deadliest single record is the June 21, 2011 lightning: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1984, 24 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 23, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 512on 304 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 273 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $81Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Chesterfield County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 258 since 1958. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among South Carolina's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 258 | 170 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 15 | $2.9M | 43 of 46 |
| Hail | 126 | 88 | 1962-2024 | 0 | 0 | $854K | 34 of 46 |
| Floods | 39 | 22 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $114K | 25 of 46 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 37 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $20K | 19 of 46 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 18 | 1957-2017 | 0 | 55 | $77M | 41 of 46 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 12 | 7 | 2004-2024 | 1 | 0 | $517K | 21 of 46 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 5 | 2013-2018 | 0 | 0 | $241 | 21 of 46 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 5 | 2009-2024 | 0 | 0 | $31K | 45 of 46 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2005-2011 | 1 | 1 | $76K | 39 of 46 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 46 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Chesterfield County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Chesterfield County from 1957 to 2017, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 55 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 24 tornadoes whose track touched Chesterfield County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people, 0 of them in Chesterfield County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-04-08 16:00, as SPC files it | LaurinburgCrossed NC, SC | F4 | 121.4 mi | 4 |
| 1984-03-28 17:45, as SPC files it | Cash | F4 | 7 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in South Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Chesterfield County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-05-04 | Patrick, Chesterfield County | EF0 0.2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-02-24 | Patrick, Chesterfield County | EF0 8.89 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-03-15 | Angelus, Chesterfield County | EF1 6.97 mi x 110 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2004-09-27 | Chesterfield County | F0 3 mi x 120 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | Mc Bee, Chesterfield County | F2 7 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 5 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | Cheraw, Chesterfield County | F1 8 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | Patrick, Chesterfield County | F0 1 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-12 | Chesterfield County | F1 6 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 1997-07-24 | Mc Bee, Chesterfield County | F0 1.5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-08-05 | Chesterfield County | F0 0.7 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1991-03-29 | Chesterfield County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
| 1989-02-21 | Chesterfield County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-03-28 | Chesterfield County | F4 7 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 24 | $25M step |
| 1984-03-28 | Chesterfield County | F2 2 mi x 530 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-04-27 | Chesterfield County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-04-27 | Chesterfield County | F1 0.3 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-10-09 | Chesterfield County | F0 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-11-12 | Chesterfield County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1975-07-13 | Chesterfield County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-03-24 | Chesterfield County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 3 | $25K step |
| 1966-02-28 | Chesterfield County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1957-04-08 | Chesterfield County | F4 34.5 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 16 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Chesterfield County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 27, 2024 tropical storm (1 death and $517,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Many trees and power lines down. Some roads closed. Sections of the county without power. A few structures damaged by falling trees. Maximum wind gust recorded at a RAWS station in Carolina National Wildlife Refuge was 40 mph. Areas of flooding with a USGS gage north of McBee measuring 3.95 inches of rain. One person died from a medical emergency while emergency communications were down.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1210504)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-01 | Heavy SnowChesterfield County · forecast zone Chesterfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Heavy SnowChesterfield County · forecast zone Chesterfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Ice StormChesterfield County · forecast zone Chesterfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Ice StormChesterfield County · forecast zone Chesterfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindRuby, Chesterfield County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindMontrose, Chesterfield County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindKimberly, Chesterfield County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindPatrick, Chesterfield County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindMc Kennon, Chesterfield County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-21 | Heavy SnowChesterfield County · forecast zone Chesterfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-10 | Winter WeatherChesterfield County · forecast zone Chesterfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormChesterfield County · forecast zone Chesterfield | 1 | 0 | $517K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-06-21 | LightningRuby, Chesterfield County EM reported 4 people struck by lightning at a ball field in Ruby. Two adults, one refused treatment and the 26 yr old male died. Two other males, ages 10 and 19 were treated and released. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormChesterfield County · forecast zone Chesterfield Many trees and power lines down. Some roads closed. Sections of the county without power. A few structures damaged by falling trees. Maximum wind gust recorded at a RAWS station in Carolina National Wildlife Refuge was 40 mph. Areas of flooding with a USGS gage north of McBee measuring 3.95 inches of rain. One person ... | 1 | 0 | $517K | |
| 1984-03-28 | TornadoChesterfield County | F4 7 mi x 700 yd | 0 | 24 | $25M step |
| 1957-04-08 | TornadoChesterfield County | F4 34.5 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 16 | $250K step |
| 2020-01-24 | Thunderstorm WindThompson, Chesterfield County A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team determined that a downburst produced straight-line wind damage approximately 5 miles north of the town of Patrick. The damage occurred on Cresthaven Rd, just off of Hunts Mill Rd, and was confined to a small area that was approximately 175 yards long by 175 yards wide. At ... | 65 kt wind | 0 | 6 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | TornadoMc Bee, Chesterfield County An F2 destroyed 2 mobile homes and did moderate to severe damage to several others. Numerous trees and powerlines were down. | F2 7 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 5 | – |
| 2011-08-21 | Thunderstorm WindCheraw, Chesterfield County Sheriff reported trees down in Cheraw... some on vehicles and some on homes. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $105K |
| 1991-03-29 | TornadoChesterfield County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08-23 | Thunderstorm WindChesterfield County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.4M |
| 2004-08-12 | TornadoChesterfield County | F1 6 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2005-07-28 | Thunderstorm WindChesterfield County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $604K |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormChesterfield County · forecast zone Chesterfield | 1 | 0 | $517K | |
| 1999-09-15 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Chesterfield County | 0 | 0 | $266K | |
| 2011-08-21 | Thunderstorm WindCheraw, Chesterfield County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $105K |
| 2012-07-01 | HailRivers, Chesterfield County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $77K |
| 2012-07-01 | HailPageland, Chesterfield County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $51K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 28, 1984 (tornado, Chesterfield County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Chesterfield County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 1 | 2 | 4 | 23 | 18 | 50 | 108 | 52 |
| Hail | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 36 | 47 | 28 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 23 | 7 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 14 | 13 | 9 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 36 · Feb 28 · Mar 18 · Apr 48 · May 67 · Jun 78 · Jul 122 · Aug 49 · Sep 44 · Oct 9 · Nov 6 · Dec 7 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Chesterfield County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Chesterfield County: 12 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (15) and tropical storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3632 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3619 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-08-05 | EM-3606 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| 2023-08-31 | EM-3597 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| 2022-11-21 | DR-4677 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2022-09-29 | EM-3585 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4492 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3470 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-09-01 | EM-3421 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018-09-16 | DR-4394 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3400 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2017-10-16 | DR-4346 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-07 | EM-3386 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016-10-11 | DR-4286 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2016-10-06 | EM-3378 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2015-10-05 | DR-4241 | Flood | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2015-10-03 | EM-3373 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2014-03-12 | DR-4166 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2014-02-12 | EM-3369 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3233 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-10-07 | DR-1566 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| 2000-01-31 | DR-1313 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1999-09-21 | DR-1299 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-15 | EM-3145 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1989-09-22 | DR-843 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hugo |
| 1984-03-30 | DR-700 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Chesterfield County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 39 flood or flash flood records for Chesterfield County from 1996 to 2024, on 22 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Chesterfield County ranks 2262nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 1 | 1 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $166,000 on 13 claims filed in Chesterfield County; the most in one year was 7 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1983: 1 · 2012: 2 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Chesterfield County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Chesterfield County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $22.5 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.2M | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $344K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $561K | 56 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $6.2M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.6M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $953K | once in about 396 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $211K | once in about 863 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.6M | about once a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Chesterfield County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in South CarolinaEvery South Carolina tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in South CarolinaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The South Carolina recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Chesterfield CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Chesterfield County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis