Kershaw County, South Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 45055 · population 65,395 · 727 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 547 records for Kershaw County, South Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 365 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (327 records). The deadliest single record is the July 2, 1998 heat, filed for the forecast zone Kershaw, which covers the county: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1977, 26 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
- 547on 365 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 453 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $81Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 24strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 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 Kershaw County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 327 since 1960. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 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 | 327 | 227 | 1960-2026 | 1 | 14 | $3.8M | 28 of 46 |
| Hail | 130 | 97 | 1960-2024 | 0 | 0 | $756K | 20 of 46 |
| Winter storms | 33 | 32 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 2 | $31K | 23 of 46 |
| Tornadoes | 24 | 17 | 1964-2020 | 0 | 35 | $72M | 39 of 46 |
| Floods | 17 | 14 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 2 | $242K | 33 of 46 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 5 | 2008-2023 | 0 | 0 | $786K | 43 of 46 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 5 | 5 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | 26 of 46 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2012-2017 | 0 | 0 | $743K | 36 of 46 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 2 | 0 | – | 33 of 46 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 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 Kershaw County had?
NOAA records 24 tornadoes in Kershaw County from 1964 to 2020, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 35 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 Kershaw County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 24, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-03-28 17:20, as SPC files it | Kershaw | F4 | 4 mi | 0 |
| 2004-09-07 09:15, as SPC files it | Camden | F3 | 7 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in South Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Kershaw County (24)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-01-11 | Clyburn, Kershaw County | EF2 0.55 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-03-15 | Liberty Hill, Kershaw County | EF1 19.61 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-03-15 | Elgin, Kershaw County | EF2 6.89 mi x 1,230 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2008-03-15 | Lugoff, Kershaw County | EF0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-03-15 | Lugoff, Kershaw County | EF2 23.04 mi x 660 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-26 | Camden, Kershaw County | F0 1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-04-26 | Lugoff, Kershaw County | F0 1 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2004-09-07 | Camden, Kershaw County | F3 7 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | Cassatt, Kershaw County | F1 5 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | Camden, Kershaw County | F0 3 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-07-24 | Bethune, Kershaw County | F1 1.5 mi x 85 yd | 0 | 0 | $46K |
| 1997-07-23 | Camden, Kershaw County | F2 6 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 1 | $414K |
| 1996-05-29 | Cassatt, Kershaw County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-03-16 | Camden, Kershaw County | F0 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-08-16 | Kershaw County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-02-16 | Kershaw County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1984-03-28 | Kershaw County | F4 2 mi x 530 yd | 0 | 31 | $25M step |
| 1983-03-06 | Kershaw County | F1 1.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1978-05-04 | Kershaw County | F1 0.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1969-04-18 | Kershaw County | F2 0.8 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1969-04-18 | Kershaw County | F1 4.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-04-07 | Kershaw County | F1 2 mi x 133 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-08-16 | Kershaw County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1964-08-29 | Kershaw County | F1 0.1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Kershaw County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 27, 2024 tropical storm ($2.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Many trees and power lines down. Some roads closed. Sections of the county were without power. Falling trees damaged numerous structures across the county. At least 154 homes sustained some level of damage including 1 destroyed and 19 with major damage. Camden Woodward Field (KCDN) measured a max gust of 31 knots (36 mph) before the site stopped reporting. Areas of minor flooding, especially in the southwestern portion of the county with maximum measured 3.79 inches from a CoCoRaHS gage south of Lugoff near the Richland County line.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1210747)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindLugoff, Kershaw County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindWarren Xrds, Kershaw County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindCamden, Kershaw County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Heavy SnowKershaw County · forecast zone Kershaw | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Heavy SnowKershaw County · forecast zone Kershaw | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Ice StormKershaw County · forecast zone Kershaw | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Ice StormKershaw County · forecast zone Kershaw | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-12 | Thunderstorm WindMc Caskill, Kershaw County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindElgin, Kershaw County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-07 | Thunderstorm WindMc Caskill, Kershaw County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindCamden Woodward Airport, Kershaw County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindKirkland, Kershaw County | 52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-07-02 | HeatKershaw County · forecast zone Kershaw An 84 year old male and a 63 year old female were found dead in their mobile home in Elgin of heat stress. The home was not air conditioned and the temperature inside reached to at least 100 degrees with no ventilation. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-10-04 | Flash FloodLugoff, Kershaw County Two people were swept off of Pine Grove Road by flood waters. The incident occurred along Twenty Five Mile Creek. The was barricaded. It is suspected they drove around the barricade. Their car stalled in flood waters and was swept down the creek. The male driver of the vehicle drowned. | 1 | 2 | $25K | |
| 1996-06-20 | Thunderstorm WindBethune, Kershaw County TREES AND POWERLINES WERE TAKEN DOWN BY A STORM JUST NORTH OF BETHUNE ON HIGHWAY 341. THREE PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN A TRAFFIC RELATED ACCIDENT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THEY LOST CONTROL OF THEIR VEHICLE IN AN INTENSE DOWNBURST OF RAIN ALSO ON HIGHWAY 341. | 1 | 0 | $34K | |
| 1984-03-28 | TornadoKershaw County | F4 2 mi x 530 yd | 0 | 31 | $25M step |
| 1999-05-06 | Thunderstorm WindLugoff, Kershaw County Sheriff and damage survey found extensive damage from an intense microburst. Two metal frame buisnessess were flattened. Three brick buildings had walls blown out. Several homes and mobile homes had moderate damage. | 0 | 12 | – | |
| 2008-03-15 | TornadoElgin, Kershaw County An EF2 tornado went through the Elgin community doing heavy damage to many homes including partial to total roofs gone and destroying 4 mobile homes. None of the mobiles were tied down and crumbled from rolling. Numerous trees and powerlines were down and there were 2 injuries. | EF2 6.89 mi x 1,230 yd | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2003-02-17 | Ice StormKershaw County · forecast zone Kershaw An ice storm produced 1/4" of freezing rain on trees, highways, and other structures. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1998-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindBethune, Kershaw County Sheriff reported trees down...some on cars with two minor injuries. | 0 | 2 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-01-06 | Thunderstorm WindWestville And North, Kershaw County | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormKershaw County · forecast zone Kershaw | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2016-10-08 | High WindKershaw County · forecast zone Kershaw | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $738K |
| 2012-03-17 | LightningElgin, Kershaw County | 0 | 0 | $514K | |
| 1997-07-23 | TornadoCamden, Kershaw County | F2 6 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 1 | $414K |
| 2011-04-09 | HailCamden, Kershaw County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $184K |
| 2011-04-09 | HailCamden, Kershaw County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $177K |
| 2004-08-12 | Thunderstorm WindCassatt, Kershaw County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $156K |
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, Kershaw 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 Kershaw 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 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 58 | 71 | 110 | 65 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 53 | 36 | 14 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 12 | 12 | 8 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 9 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 27 · Feb 24 · Mar 37 · Apr 47 · May 82 · Jun 118 · Jul 103 · Aug 58 · Sep 25 · Oct 7 · Nov 9 · Dec 10 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Kershaw County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Kershaw County: 13 major disasters, 15 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 |
| 2024-09-29 | 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 |
| 2016-10-11 | 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 |
| 2014-02-12 | 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 |
| 1999-09-21 | DR-1299 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-15 | EM-3145 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1990-10-22 | DR-881 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1989-09-22 | DR-843 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hugo |
| 1984-03-30 | DR-700 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 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 Kershaw County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 17 flood or flash flood records for Kershaw County from 1996 to 2024, on 14 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Kershaw County ranks 1201st 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 $973,000 on 122 claims filed in Kershaw County; the most in one year was 34 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 2 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 9 · 1990: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1997: 2 · 1999: 2 · 2003: 6 · 2008: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 29 · 2016: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 22 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 34; 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 Kershaw County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Kershaw County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $23.5 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 | $1.5M | 5.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $472K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $3.9M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.5M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $445K | 58 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.9M | once in about 328 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $1.2M | 4.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $156K | once in about 1,113 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Kershaw 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 Kershaw CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Kershaw County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis