Williamsburg County, South Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 45089 · population 30,987 · 934 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 308 records for Williamsburg County, South Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 210 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (150 records). The deadliest single record is the September 5, 1996 high wind, filed for the forecast zone Williamsburg, which covers the county: 1 death, 2 injuries and $376,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1989, 28 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
- 308on 210 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 122 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $31Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 30latest 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 Williamsburg County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 150 since 1965. 45% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1965 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 | 150 | 111 | 1965-2025 | 0 | 4 | $1.1M | 46 of 46 |
| Hail | 79 | 57 | 1982-2024 | 0 | 0 | $210K | 45 of 46 |
| Floods | 23 | 11 | 2001-2024 | 0 | 0 | $13M | 43 of 46 |
| Winter storms | 16 | 16 | 2000-2026 | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | 38 of 46 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 11 | 1962-2019 | 0 | 15 | $3.7M | 46 of 46 |
| Drought | 7 | 7 | 1999-2008 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 46 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 4 | 1996-2011 | 1 | 3 | $384K | 46 of 46 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2011-2015 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 46 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1996-2015 | 0 | 0 | $656K | 35 of 46 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2002-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 46 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 3 | 2004-2022 | 0 | 0 | $6.6M | 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 Williamsburg County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Williamsburg County from 1962 to 2019, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 15 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Williamsburg County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in South Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Williamsburg County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-19 | Salters, Williamsburg County | EF0 0.25 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-03-15 | Trio, Williamsburg County | EF1 4.01 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $274K |
| 2008-03-15 | Edwards, Williamsburg County | EF1 2.49 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-02 | Salters, Williamsburg County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2003-05-06 | Hemingway, Williamsburg County | F1 3.8 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 3 | $513K |
| 1998-06-10 | Cades, Williamsburg County | F1 20 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $311K |
| 1995-11-07 | Sandridge, Williamsburg County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $290K |
| 1995-11-07 | Kingstree, Williamsburg County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 11 | $678K |
| 1995-11-07 | Kingstree, Williamsburg County | F0 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 1983-06-07 | Williamsburg County | F1 2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-05-04 | Williamsburg County | F2 10.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1977-06-19 | Williamsburg County | F1 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1965-05-08 | Williamsburg County | 0 | 0 | $25K step | |
| 1962-02-22 | Williamsburg County | F1 1.5 mi x 60 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 Williamsburg County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the October 8, 2016 flash flood ($307,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Flood waters were reportedly rushing across several roads. A few structures were also impacted by the flood waters. The time was estimated.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 664369)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-01 | Winter StormWilliamsburg County · forecast zone Williamsburg | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormWilliamsburg County · forecast zone Williamsburg | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-08 | Thunderstorm WindNesmith, Williamsburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindHemingway, Williamsburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindIndiantown, Williamsburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindBartell Xrds, Williamsburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindCades, Williamsburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindTaft, Williamsburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-31 | Thunderstorm WindWarsaw, Williamsburg County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-21 | Winter StormWilliamsburg County · forecast zone Williamsburg | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-04-19 | TornadoSalters, Williamsburg County | EF0 0.25 mi x 15 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2016-10-08 | Flash FloodMillwood, Williamsburg County | 0 | 0 | $307K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-09-05 | High WindWilliamsburg County · forecast zone Williamsburg Winds from hurricane Fran, estimated around 45 mph, caused a fire of 5000 tires in the White Oak community. Downed trees caused power outages, and caused an auto fatality and injury. Evacuation shelters housed 1,139 people. $200,000 was spent for clean-up. | 1 | 2 | $376K | |
| 1995-11-07 | TornadoKingstree, Williamsburg County Two tornado touchdowns destroyed a laundromat and downed trees onto homes. | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 11 | $678K |
| 2003-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindKingstree, Williamsburg County A NWS storm survey concluded a downburst rolled a manufactured home (that was not tied down) 75 feet over a car and into a ditch. Four people were in the home and were treated for minor injuries. | 70 kt wind | 0 | 4 | $136K |
| 2003-05-06 | TornadoHemingway, Williamsburg County A National Weather Service storm survey determined an F1 tornado touched down approximately 2.5 miles west of Hemingway. The tornado overturned two singlewide mobile homes and tore the roof off another, dropping it on a vehicle and causing damage. The damage estimate in this area was $100K. Two people were ... | F1 3.8 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 3 | $513K |
| 1999-09-15 | High WindWilliamsburg County · forecast zone Williamsburg The center of Hurricane Floyd, a category 3 storm, moved northeast about 60 miles off the coast of Georgetown County, and as close as 40 miles from North Myrtle Beach in Horry County before making landfall at Cape Fear NC as a category 2 storm. Wind gusts were recorded 50 to 60 mph in Georgetown, where bricks were ... | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1995-11-07 | TornadoSandridge, Williamsburg County Several mobile homes damaged or destroyed. | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 1 | $290K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-10-04 | FloodKingstree, Williamsburg County | 0 | 0 | $10.0M | |
| 2016-10-08 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Williamsburg County · forecast zone Williamsburg | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | |
| 2004-01-26 | Ice StormWilliamsburg County · forecast zone Williamsburg | 0 | 0 | $5.9M | |
| 2015-10-04 | Flash FloodHolly Tree Plantatio, Williamsburg County | 0 | 0 | $996K | |
| 1995-11-07 | TornadoKingstree, Williamsburg County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 11 | $678K |
| 2004-08-29 | Flash FloodGreeleyville, Williamsburg County | 0 | 0 | $625K | |
| 2015-06-30 | LightningGreeleyville, Williamsburg County | 0 | 0 | $623K | |
| 2015-10-04 | Flash FloodKingstree, Williamsburg County | 0 | 0 | $623K |
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: May 4, 1978 (tornado, Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg 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 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 39 | 63 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 41 | 18 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 2 | 20 | 1 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1965 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 16 · Feb 10 · Mar 15 · Apr 33 · May 50 · Jun 69 · Jul 44 · Aug 27 · Sep 7 · Oct 20 · Nov 14 · Dec 3 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Williamsburg County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Williamsburg County: 16 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (17) and severe storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-23 | EM-3632 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-09-29 | DR-4829 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | 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 |
| 2019-09-30 | DR-4464 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 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 |
| 2004-09-15 | DR-1547 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Gaston |
| 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 |
| 1996-09-30 | DR-1140 | Flood | Severe Winds and Flooding Assoc With Hurricane Fran |
| 1989-09-22 | DR-843 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hugo |
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 Williamsburg County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 23 flood or flash flood records for Williamsburg County from 2001 to 2024, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Williamsburg County ranks 1218th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 2 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Gaston | 2004-08-29 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $3.4 million on 118 claims filed in Williamsburg County; the most in one year was 46 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 3 · 1989: 4 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 4 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 5 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 2 · 2010: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2015: 46 · 2016: 31 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 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 Williamsburg County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Williamsburg County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $30.2 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 High | $15M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $4.6M | once in about 255 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $906K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $188K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $373K | 62 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.1M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $588K | once in about 388 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $773K | 9.2 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Williamsburg County's FEMA declarations (CSV)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis