Hampton County, South Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 45049 · population 18,531 · 560 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 477 records for Hampton County, South Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 292 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (320 records). The deadliest single record is the April 13, 2020 tornado: 5 deaths and 60 injuries. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1977, 23 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
- 477on 292 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 995 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.8Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Hampton County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 320 since 1956. 59% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 320 | 182 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 1 | $461K | 26 of 46 |
| Hail | 50 | 41 | 1964-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 46 |
| Drought | 22 | 22 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 46 |
| Floods | 18 | 11 | 2003-2024 | 0 | 0 | $137K | 32 of 46 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 15 | 1956-2022 | 5 | 66 | $2.7M | 36 of 46 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 13 | 2005-2022 | 1 | 0 | $14K | 15 of 46 |
| Winter storms | 13 | 10 | 2000-2026 | 1 | 2 | $179K | 36 of 46 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 11 | 11 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | 9 of 46 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1996-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 of 46 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 46 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 2 | 26 | – | 38 of 46 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2000-2000 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 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 Hampton County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Hampton County from 1956 to 2022, the strongest rated EF4, with 5 deaths and 66 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Hampton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 5 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-13 04:10, as SPC files it | Estill | EF4 | 23.73 mi | 5 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in South Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Hampton County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-04-05 | Varnville, Hampton County | EF0 1.74 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-13 | Estill Municipal Airport, Hampton County | EF4 23.73 mi x 1,300 yd | 5 | 60 | – |
| 2020-04-13 | Shirley, Hampton County | EF1 0.91 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-04-03 | Gifford, Hampton County | EF0 0.28 mi x 240 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-11 | Varnville, Hampton County | EF0 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-27 | Early Branch, Hampton County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | Brunson, Hampton County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-01 | Hampton County | F1 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-12 | Hampton County | F1 6 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-12 | Early Branch, Hampton County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2000-06-22 | Hampton County | F1 2 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1982-11-03 | Hampton County | F1 0.1 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-08-07 | Hampton County | F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1980-03-08 | Hampton County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 1974-11-30 | Hampton County | F0 0.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1964-04-08 | Hampton County | F1 0.5 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1956-05-03 | Hampton County | F1 10.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Hampton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 5, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindMc Phersonville, Hampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindEarly Branch, Hampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindHampton Varnville Ar, Hampton County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindVarnville, Hampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindEstill Harpers Field, Hampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindEstill, Hampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillHampton County · forecast zone Hampton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Heavy SnowHampton County · forecast zone Hampton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-05 | Thunderstorm WindBrunson, Hampton County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-22 | Heavy RainEarly Branch, Hampton County | 2 | 26 | – | |
| 2025-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindEarly Branch, Hampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindNixville, Hampton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-13 | TornadoEstill Municipal Airport, Hampton County A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team confirmed an EF-4 tornado with an estimated maximum wind speed of 175 mph in central Hampton County. The tornado began just north of Collie Road, approximately 3 miles west-northwest of Scotia, South Carolina, snapping and uprooting trees and causing damage to the Federal ... | EF4 23.73 mi x 1,300 yd | 5 | 60 | – |
| 2025-07-22 | Heavy RainEarly Branch, Hampton County Hampton County Emergency Management reported a multi-vehicle crash near mile marker 41 on Interstate 95 that resulted in 2 fatalities and 26 injuries, 10 of which required hospitalization. South Carolina Highway Patrol confirmed that the crash involved 13 total vehicles, including 6 that were semi-trucks or other ... | 2 | 26 | – | |
| 2014-02-12 | Ice StormHampton County · forecast zone Hampton Storm total ice accumulations across Hampton County ranged from one quarter to one half of an inch. The highest amounts were reported in and around Hampton. Numerous trees and large tree limbs were reported down due to ice. Furthermore, a car crashed into a downed tree in icy conditions on Speed Limit Road near the ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2005-04-02 | Strong WindHampton County · forecast zone Hampton Deep low pressure developed to the north of the region. Southern South Carolina, including Hampton county, was in a dry slot on the 2nd with sunny skies allowing the atmosphere to mix into very strong winds aloft. Wind gusts to 50 mph were common across the region. This brought numerous trees down across the region. ... | 45 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 1980-03-08 | TornadoHampton County | F1 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 6 | $250K step |
| 2004-11-24 | Thunderstorm WindMiley, Hampton County A tree was knocked down onto a car resulting in a minor injury. | 50 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | Tropical StormHampton County · forecast zone Hampton | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | |
| 2012-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindHampton County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2010-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindMauldins Mill, Hampton County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 2025-08-05 | Thunderstorm WindBrunson, Hampton County | 45 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 8, 1980 (tornado, Hampton County); November 30, 1974 (tornado, Hampton 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 Hampton 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 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 79 | 148 | 62 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 10 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 3 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 13 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
59% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 18 · Feb 15 · Mar 27 · Apr 53 · May 50 · Jun 132 · Jul 99 · Aug 40 · Sep 18 · Oct 10 · Nov 10 · Dec 5 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hampton County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Hampton County: 10 major disasters, 15 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (13) and tropical storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3632 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-09-29 | DR-4829 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-29 | DR-4835 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 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 |
| 2020-05-01 | DR-4542 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4492 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-17 | DR-4479 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2016-10-11 | DR-4286 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2016-10-06 | EM-3378 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-21 | DR-1299 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-15 | EM-3145 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1977-08-04 | EM-3047 | Drought | Drought |
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 Hampton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 18 flood or flash flood records for Hampton County from 2003 to 2024, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hampton County ranks 2085th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-26 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $249,000 on 20 claims filed in Hampton County; the most in one year was 5 in 2023. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1998: 2 · 2005: 1 · 2013: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2017: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2023: 5; 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 Hampton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hampton County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $8.3M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $568K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $279K | 26 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $107K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 299 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $739K | 8 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $120K | once in about 946 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $600K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hampton 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 Hampton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hampton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis