York County, South Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 45091 · population 281,543 · 681 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 756 records for York County, South Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 509 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (340 records). The deadliest single record is the November 16, 2011 tornado: 3 deaths, 5 injuries and $1.3 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1977, 20 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
- 756on 509 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1022 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $124Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 York County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 340 since 1967. 44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1967 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 | 340 | 257 | 1967-2026 | 2 | 8 | $3.8M | 15 of 46 |
| Hail | 178 | 109 | 1955-2025 | 0 | 0 | $29M | 12 of 46 |
| Winter storms | 65 | 62 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $17M | 7 of 46 |
| Floods | 47 | 37 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 11 of 46 |
| Drought | 34 | 34 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 46 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 23 | 1961-2024 | 3 | 13 | $8.6M | 26 of 46 |
| Lightning | 20 | 19 | 1996-2012 | 2 | 1 | $593K | 7 of 46 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 17 | 1996-2024 | 2 | 0 | $225K | 13 of 46 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $62M | 10 of 46 |
| Heavy rain | 9 | 9 | 1996-2016 | 0 | 0 | $140K | 8 of 46 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1999-2012 | 1 | 0 | – | 14 of 46 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 3 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 34 of 46 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1998-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 22 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 York County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in York County from 1961 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 3 deaths and 13 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched York County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-11-16 16:32, as SPC files it | Lowrys | EF2 | 5.8 mi | 3 |
| 1994-03-27 17:27, as SPC files it | CharlotteCrossed NC, SC | F3 | 18.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in South Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for York County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-12-29 | Bethany, York County | EF0 3.02 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-05-03 | Smyrna, York County | EF1 0.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $381K |
| 2020-05-22 | Kings Creek, York County | EF1 6.49 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-04-15 | Lake Wylie, York County | EF0 1.07 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $59K |
| 2011-11-16 | Mc Connells, York County | EF2 5.8 mi x 200 yd | 3 | 5 | $1.3M |
| 2011-05-26 | Bethany, York County | EF0 0.76 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-06-16 | Filbert, York County | EF1 1.47 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | Rock Hill, York County | F1 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2003-02-22 | Rock Hill, York County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-04-19 | Rock Hill, York County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-04-19 | Clover, York County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $905 |
| 1997-02-21 | Clover, York County | F0 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-01 | York County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 1994-08-16 | York County | F0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1994-03-27 | Clover, York County | F1 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 1 | $995K |
| 1989-03-06 | York County | F0 0.5 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1985-08-17 | York County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1985-08-17 | York County | F1 3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-05-03 | York County | F1 6 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1977-12-05 | York County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-03-24 | York County | F1 9.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-28 | York County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-05-24 | York County | F2 2 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1964-06-22 | York County | F1 1.5 mi x 53 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-07-16 | York County | F0 0.3 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 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 York County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the August 5, 2025 flash flood ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-28 | Thunderstorm WindSmith, York County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindGuthriesville, York County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtYork County · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtYork County · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillYork County · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Heavy SnowYork County · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormYork County · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-05 | Flash FloodHickory Grove, York County | 0 | 0 | $2K | |
| 2025-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindClover, York County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | HailBowling Green, York County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindFt Mill, York County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindBowling Green, York 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-11-16 | TornadoMc Connells, York County The tornado that touched down near Lowrys in extreme northern Chester County moved into York County southeast of McConnells, just east of Darby Rd. The damage path was non-continuous for the first three miles of its track across York County, although open farmland made it difficult to determine if the tornado was in ... | EF2 5.8 mi x 200 yd | 3 | 5 | $1.3M |
| 2023-04-01 | Strong WindYork County · forecast zone York Gusty winds developed across the South Carolina Piedmont in the wake of a cold front, causing a tree to fall on a manufactured home on Goins Ln north of the city of York. A 68-year-old occupant was seriously injured and died from the injuries two days later. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $48K |
| 2020-02-06 | Thunderstorm WindBoyd Hill, York County EM reported a tree was blown down on a moving vehicle on Pleasant Rd in Fort Mill killing the 80-year-old female driver. Other trees were blown down in Rock Hill, including a large tree that fell across three parked vehicles on Park Ave. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $29K |
| 2006-08-29 | LightningYork County Lightning struck and killed a 36-year-old man on Golden Pond Dr. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2002-07-22 | LightningClover, York County Lightning struck a tree, which fell on and killed a bicyclist. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2002-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindFt Mill, York County Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down in the Tega Cay area. An 86-year-old woman was killed on the morning of the 14th, when a tree, apparently weakened by the strong winds, fell on her. | 60 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| 2002-02-04 | High WindYork County · forecast zone York High winds, mostly in the form of peak gusts rather than sustained wind, blew down a number of trees and power lines. In northern Spartanburg, the siding was blown off a building at a university. In Rock Hill, a 45 foot wall at a construction site was blown down. One worker died and 4 others were injured. Wind gusts, ... | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-02 | HeatYork County · forecast zone York Two people perished during a week long spell of very hot temperatures and high humidity. The heat was thought to have contributed to a man's heart attack while mowing the grass in Oconee county. An elderly woman died in her home in rural Rock Hill. | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-20 | HailYork County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $24M |
| 2004-02-26 | Heavy SnowYork County · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormYork County · forecast zone York | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2011-11-16 | TornadoMc Connells, York County | EF2 5.8 mi x 200 yd | 3 | 5 | $1.3M |
| 2014-05-23 | HailYork County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2024-04-20 | Thunderstorm WindEbenezer, York County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 2024-04-20 | Thunderstorm WindYork County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $470K |
| 2021-05-03 | TornadoSmyrna, York County | EF1 0.5 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $381K |
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 24, 1975 (tornado, York County); May 24, 1973 (tornado, York County); May 3, 1984 (tornado, York 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 York 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 | 1 | 6 | 35 | 62 | 85 | 107 | 44 |
| Hail | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 22 | 60 | 56 | 23 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 15 | 23 | 22 | 5 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 11 | 22 | 11 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 26 | 0 | 2 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1967 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 50 · Feb 43 · Mar 46 · Apr 84 · May 116 · Jun 124 · Jul 115 · Aug 83 · Sep 35 · Oct 10 · Nov 23 · Dec 27 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for York County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include York County: 8 major disasters, 14 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 |
| 2015-10-03 | 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 |
| 2003-01-08 | DR-1451 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 2000-01-31 | DR-1313 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1989-09-22 | DR-843 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hugo |
| 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 York County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 47 flood or flash flood records for York County from 1997 to 2025, on 37 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), York County ranks 1437th 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 $651,000 on 77 claims filed in York County; the most in one year was 14 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 14 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 3 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 4 · 2003: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 11 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 13 · 2025: 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 York County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates York County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $99.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Very High | $4.3M | 2.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $23M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $4.2M | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.7M | 53 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $51M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $6.2M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $599K | 27 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $144K | 4.2 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 York 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 York CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download York County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis