South Carolina lightning
Every recorded lightning record since 1996 · 44 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 516 lightning records in South Carolina from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 16 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the June 17, 2000 lightning in Clarendon County: 2 deaths across 2 records. South Carolina ranks 11th of 52 states and territories by count and 11th of 51 per square mile.
Lightning in South Carolina, 1996 to 2026
Lightning records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 5161996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 16average
- Deaths
- 22148 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $58Mas filed
- Busiest year
- 199639 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are lightning records common in South Carolina?
South Carolina averages about 16 lightning records a year since 2000, 11th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 1996 (39). Per 10,000 square miles of land, South Carolina records 172 lightning records since 1996, 11th of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in South Carolina have the most lightning records?
Per square mile, Beaufort County leads South Carolina: 46 days with a lightning record since 1996, 79.9 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Beaufort County has the most lightning records (66 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is the lightning season in South Carolina?
59% of its lightning records since 1996 fell in June and July. The busiest month is July (183 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 7 · Feb 8 · Mar 13 · Apr 23 · May 41 · Jun 120 · Jul 183 · Aug 92 · Sep 25 · Oct 2 · Nov 2 · Dec 0 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.
What were the deadliest lightning records in South Carolina?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-06-17 | LightningSummerton, Clarendon County One storm episode: 2 records, 2000-06-17 to 2000-06-18; the totals are the episode's. Lightning struck a tree and vehicle parked under it. One man was killed when he was getting out of the vehicle during the incident. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2019-07-04 | LightningOlin, Georgetown County Lightning struck a tree at Lawshe Plantation where a group of people were huddled under it. Twelve were injured, and one person later died at the hospital. | 1 | 12 | – | |
| 2007-07-30 | LightningHilton Head Is, Beaufort County A 22 year old male was struck and killed by lightning while walking along the beach. His mother who was walking with him was also struck by lightning and injured. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2011-06-21 | LightningRuby, Chesterfield County EM reported 4 people struck by lightning at a ball field in Ruby. Two adults, one refused treatment and the 26 yr old male died. Two other males, ages 10 and 19 were treated and released. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1998-08-16 | LightningNixons Xrds, Horry County Husband and wife struck by lightning near 13th hole at Colonial Charters Golf Course. Woman was revived, but the man died. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2008-01-11 | LightningAiken County Fifty six year old Brenda F. Baker was struck and killed by lightning while she was taking a break at her job. A second employee was also struck but only suffered minor injuries. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-06-30 | LightningMoncks Corner, Berkeley County Lightning struck a couple while they were riding a jet ski. The man was killed and the woman received minor injuries. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2004-06-08 | LightningLexington County Lightning struck a tree and branched off to hit a man and a woman. The man was killed and the woman had a slight injury. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2007-08-29 | LightningSpartanburg County Lightning struck and killed a 17-year old male and injured an adult at a soccer field in Spartanburg. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2015-06-27 | LightningColumbia Metro, Lexington County Social media reported a woman was struck by lightning as she deplaned onto the tarmac to walk into the terminal at Columbia Metropolitan Airport. She eventually died from her injuries August 5. | 1 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
The costliest lightning records in South Carolina
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-05-25 | LightningStarr, Anderson County | 0 | 0 | $9.4M | |
| 2023-07-05 | LightningNixonville, Horry County | 0 | 0 | $4.8M | |
| 2006-06-12 | LightningColumbia, Richland County | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | |
| 2001-08-20 | LightningHilton Head Is, Beaufort County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2018-08-19 | LightningMcAs Beaufort, Beaufort County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2023-08-11 | LightningBarnwell County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2012-08-01 | LightningShiloh, Sumter County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2001-06-24 | LightningGaffney, Cherokee County | 0 | 0 | $1.7M |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are lightning records becoming more frequent in South Carolina?
South Carolina's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | South Carolina | United States | South Carolina's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 102 | 3,521 | 2.9% |
| 2000s | 188 | 8,052 | 2.3% |
| 2010s | 138 | 5,103 | 2.7% |
| 2020-26 | 88 | 1,544 | 5.7% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent lightning records in South Carolina
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-26 | LightningKnightsville, Dorchester County | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2026-05-22 | LightningPlum Branch, McCormick County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2026-04-30 | LightningBucksville, Horry County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-08-15 | LightningGoose Creek, Berkeley County | 0 | 0 | $15K | |
| 2025-08-11 | LightningHobcaw Pt, Charleston County | 0 | 0 | $3K | |
| 2025-07-31 | LightningCausey, Horry County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-07-29 | LightningHilton Head Is, Beaufort County | 0 | 0 | $5K | |
| 2025-07-12 | LightningPontiac Airstrip Arp, Richland County | 0 | 0 | $300K | |
| 2025-07-11 | LightningSt Andrews, Charleston County | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2025-07-11 | LightningSlandsville, Dorchester County | 0 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2025-07-11 | LightningSummerville Meml Arp, Dorchester County | 0 | 0 | $25K | |
| 2025-07-10 | LightningForest Beach, Beaufort County | 0 | 0 | $1K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Next
- Beaufort County: the county's whole recordThe South Carolina county with the most lightning records per square mile
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