Fairfield County, South Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 45039 · population 20,909 · 686 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 472 records for Fairfield County, South Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 318 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (300 records). The deadliest single record is the March 28, 1984 tornado: 5 deaths and 49 injuries. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1984, 21 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
- 472on 318 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 781 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $83Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 33strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 Fairfield County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 300 since 1957. 54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 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 | 300 | 211 | 1957-2026 | 0 | 3 | $616K | 30 of 46 |
| Hail | 88 | 66 | 1962-2024 | 0 | 0 | $279K | 40 of 46 |
| Tornadoes | 33 | 26 | 1983-2024 | 6 | 72 | $79M | 18 of 46 |
| Winter storms | 29 | 28 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 6 | $21K | 24 of 46 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 8 | 2008-2024 | 0 | 0 | $115K | 37 of 46 |
| Floods | 7 | 7 | 2008-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 44 of 46 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 4 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 30 of 46 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 1996-1996 | 1 | 0 | – | 32 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 Fairfield County had?
NOAA records 33 tornadoes in Fairfield County from 1983 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 6 deaths and 72 injuries recorded in the county. That is 18th of 46 South Carolina counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 34 tornadoes whose track touched Fairfield County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 33: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 6 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-03-28 17:00, as SPC files it | Winnsboro | F4 | 21 mi | 5 |
| 2004-09-27 19:08, as SPC files it | Ridgeway | F2 | 2 mi | 1 |
| 1984-03-28 16:45, as SPC files it | Winnsboro | F3 | 19 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in South Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Fairfield County (33)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-29 | Rockton, Fairfield County | EF1 4.74 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-12-29 | Rion, Fairfield County | EF0 3.28 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-12-29 | Wallaceville, Fairfield County | EF0 6.69 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-09 | Smallwood, Fairfield County | EF1 1.89 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-09 | Monticello, Fairfield County | EF0 0.34 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-04 | Rion, Fairfield County | EF1 3.9 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-04-15 | Flint Hill, Fairfield County | EF1 4.18 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2013-04-28 | Ridgeway, Fairfield County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $13K |
| 2010-05-17 | Rion, Fairfield County | EF0 0.41 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2010-05-03 | Shelton, Fairfield County | EF1 4.22 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2010-03-28 | Rion, Fairfield County | EF0 2 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2009-05-04 | Lebanon, Fairfield County | EF0 1.87 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2008-08-26 | Shelton, Fairfield County | EF0 4.85 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2008-04-04 | Flint Hill, Fairfield County | EF1 6.54 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-03-15 | Camp Welfare, Fairfield County | EF0 4.61 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-06-11 | White Oak, Fairfield County | EF0 1.1 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2006-04-26 | Winnsboro, Fairfield County | F0 12 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-02-04 | Jenkinsville, Fairfield County | F0 5 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-27 | Ridgeway, Fairfield County | F2 2 mi x 220 yd | 1 | 13 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | Jenkinsville, Fairfield County | F0 16 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-12 | Longtown, Fairfield County | F1 2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $469K |
| 2000-07-22 | Jenkinsville, Fairfield County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-03-16 | Ridgeway, Fairfield County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 1995-01-06 | Centerfield, Fairfield County | F1 0.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $194K |
| 1994-08-16 | Winnsboro, Fairfield County | F0 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-08-16 | Ridgeway, Fairfield County | F2 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-08-16 | Strother To, Fairfield County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1993-05-04 | Fairfield County | F0 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1992-11-22 | Fairfield County | F0 2.7 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-11-22 | Fairfield County | F0 0.6 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-03-28 | Fairfield County | F4 21 mi x 1,000 yd | 5 | 49 | $25M step |
| 1984-03-28 | Fairfield County | F3 15 mi x 870 yd | 0 | 10 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-03-06 | Fairfield County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Fairfield County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 5, 2025 flood ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindSmallwood, Fairfield County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-31 | Heavy SnowFairfield County · forecast zone Fairfield | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-05 | FloodRidgeway, Fairfield County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-07-31 | Thunderstorm WindAdger, Fairfield County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindAdger, Fairfield County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindAdger, Fairfield County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindCrosbyville, Fairfield County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindSmallwood, Fairfield County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindAnderson Quarry, Fairfield County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindSmallwood, Fairfield County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-05 | Thunderstorm WindRidgeway, Fairfield County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-02-16 | Thunderstorm WindStover, Fairfield County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-03-28 | TornadoFairfield County | F4 21 mi x 1,000 yd | 5 | 49 | $25M step |
| 2004-09-27 | TornadoRidgeway, Fairfield County An F2 tornado destroyed 5 mobile homes, did moderate to severe damage to 2 framed homes and injurred 13 people. One 57 year old male died. Two vehicles were moved 20 to 30 yards. | F2 2 mi x 220 yd | 1 | 13 | – |
| 1996-06-22 | HeatFairfield County · forecast zone Fairfield A 31 year old man died of heat stroke. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1984-03-28 | TornadoFairfield County | F3 15 mi x 870 yd | 0 | 10 | $2.5M step |
| 2003-02-17 | Ice StormFairfield County · forecast zone Fairfield An ice storm produced 1/2" of freezing rain on trees, highways, and other structures. | 0 | 6 | – | |
| 2015-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindMitford, Fairfield County DOT reported several trees down in Mitford along Hwy 200. | 55 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 1988-05-23 | Thunderstorm WindFairfield County | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-10-04 | Flash FloodSalem Xrds, Fairfield County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2004-08-12 | TornadoLongtown, Fairfield County | F1 2 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $469K |
| 1995-01-06 | TornadoCenterfield, Fairfield County | F1 0.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $194K |
| 2015-06-24 | Thunderstorm WindFt Wagener, Fairfield County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $149K |
| 1993-05-04 | TornadoFairfield County | F0 0.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 2007-06-11 | TornadoWhite Oak, Fairfield County | EF0 1.1 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2010-05-03 | TornadoShelton, Fairfield County | EF1 4.22 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2010-07-11 | Thunderstorm WindSalem Xrds, Fairfield County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $14K |
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, Fairfield County, 5 killed).
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 Fairfield 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 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 38 | 59 | 127 | 59 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 29 | 29 | 10 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 11 | 13 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
54% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1957 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 18 · Mar 37 · Apr 39 · May 61 · Jun 110 · Jul 93 · Aug 34 · Sep 21 · Oct 4 · Nov 10 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Fairfield County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include Fairfield County: 10 major disasters, 13 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (12) and tropical storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3632 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-09-29 | DR-4829 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 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 |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3400 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2017-10-16 | DR-4346 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2017-09-07 | EM-3386 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 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 |
| 2014-02-12 | 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 |
| 2004-02-13 | DR-1509 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 2000-01-31 | DR-1313 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 Fairfield County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 7 flood or flash flood records for Fairfield County from 2008 to 2025, on 7 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Fairfield County ranks 1449th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $964,000 on 75 claims filed in Fairfield County; the most in one year was 20 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1987: 1 · 1989: 11 · 1990: 2 · 1998: 1 · 2003: 9 · 2010: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 12 · 2016: 4 · 2020: 13 · 2024: 20; 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 Fairfield County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Fairfield County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $475K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.7M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $684K | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $504K | once in about 372 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $587K | 2.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $175K | 55 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $364K | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.5M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Fairfield 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 Fairfield CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Fairfield County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis