Bamberg County, South Carolina Hurricane History
Since 1851, 53 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Bamberg County, South Carolina — about one every 3.3 years. Of those, 9 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Idalia (2023), which passed 36 miles away on 31 August 2023.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentIdalia (2023) — 36 mi away, 31 August 2023
- Strongest stormGracie (1959) — 106 kt (122 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1888) — 0.3 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Gracie (1959) — 16.1 miles
- Passes within 25 miles23 of 53
- Peak monthSeptember — 20 storms (38% of all)
- Most active year1852 — 2 storms
- Most active decade1850s, 1880s, 1970s, 1980s and 2010s — 5 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi1
- Record span1851–2023
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 20 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1850s | 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idalia (2023) | 31 Aug 2023 | 35.9 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Elsa (2021) | 8 Jul 2021 | 18.6 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Florence (2018) | 16 Sep 2018 | 27.4 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Hermine (2016) | 2 Sep 2016 | 41.0 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Bonnie (2016) | 29 May 2016 | 45.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Andrea (2013) | 7 Jun 2013 | 35.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Beryl (2012) | 30 May 2012 | 49.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Alberto (2006) | 14 Jun 2006 | 26.7 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 13 Jun 2001 | 24.6 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 23 Sep 2000 | 42.2 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Gordon (1994) | 21 Nov 1994 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Hugo (1989) | 22 Sep 1989 | 48.1 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Chris (1988) | 28 Aug 1988 | 3.4 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Kate (1985) | 22 Nov 1985 | 27.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Bob (1985) | 25 Jul 1985 | 22.4 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1981) | 3 Jul 1981 | 44.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| David (1979) | 5 Sep 1979 | 5.6 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1976) | 15 Sep 1976 | 40.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 21 Jun 1972 | 28.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 11 Sep 1971 | 47.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Alma (1970) | 26 May 1970 | 10.8 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Dora (1964) | 13 Sep 1964 | 31.8 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1964) | 23 Jul 1964 | 41.4 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Gracie (1959) | 29 Sep 1959 | 16.1 mi | Cat 1 | 82 kt |
| Able (1952) | 31 Aug 1952 | 14.9 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1946) | 8 Oct 1946 | 33.6 mi | TS / TD | 43 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 17 Sep 1945 | 35.9 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 20 Oct 1944 | 20.5 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1941) | 8 Oct 1941 | 30.2 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1935) | 5 Sep 1935 | 19.6 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1927) | 3 Oct 1927 | 24.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | 16 Sep 1924 | 48.5 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1915) | 3 Aug 1915 | 49.1 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1913) | 9 Oct 1913 | 46.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 4 Nov 1904 | 34.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 15 Jun 1902 | 20.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 18 Sep 1901 | 16.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 29 Sep 1896 | 30.9 mi | Cat 1 | 82 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 9 Oct 1894 | 33.9 mi | TS / TD | 62 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 27 Sep 1894 | 45.6 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 28 Aug 1893 | 8.2 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 10 Sep 1888 | 0.3 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 20 Oct 1887 | 35.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 1 Jul 1886 | 6.7 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 12 Oct 1885 | 15.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1884) | 11 Sep 1884 | 2.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 12 Sep 1878 | 45.8 mi | Cat 1 | 73 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1877) | 4 Oct 1877 | 25.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 1 Sep 1856 | 11.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1854) | 9 Sep 1854 | 20.4 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 10 Oct 1852 | 13.0 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 27 Aug 1852 | 18.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1851) | 24 Aug 1851 | 21.5 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 11 systems passed within 50 miles after losing tropical characteristics. These are excluded from the counts above because they were no longer tropical cyclones at their closest approach — but several were highly damaging, so they are listed here. Showing the 9 most recent.
| Storm | Status | Closest approach | Distance | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 8 Jul 2020 | 6.7 mi | 20 kt |
| Nestor (2019) | Post-tropical | 20 Oct 2019 | 20.1 mi | 40 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 2000 | 24.0 mi | 25 kt |
| Earl (1998) | Post-tropical | 3 Sep 1998 | 16.6 mi | 40 kt |
| Allison (1995) | Post-tropical | 6 Jun 1995 | 14.4 mi | 35 kt |
| Marco (1990) | Post-tropical | 13 Oct 1990 | 48.3 mi | 15 kt |
| Flossy (1956) | Post-tropical | 26 Sep 1956 | 14.0 mi | 42 kt |
| Love (1950) | Post-tropical | 22 Oct 1950 | 16.4 mi | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1924 | 24.8 mi | 55 kt |
How Bamberg County, South Carolina compares
Among the 2,208 U.S. counties and county-equivalents that have recorded at least one tropical cyclone within 50 miles, Bamberg County, South Carolina ranks #174 — more exposed than 92.1% of them. Within South Carolina it ranks #17 of 46, against a state average of 44.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 3 Gracie (1959) passed 16 miles away on 29 September 1959 as a hurricane, reaching 106 kt (122 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Hugo (1989) passed 48 miles away on 22 September 1989 as a hurricane, reaching 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 2 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 8 miles away on 28 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 85 kt (98 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 31 miles away on 29 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 82 kt (94 mph) while within 50 miles.
46 of the 53 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.3 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 53 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025. 5 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while decades have gone by with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 21 years, between 1856 and 1877. It has been 2 years since the last one; 24 of the 47 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Bamberg County, South Carolina?
9 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Bamberg County, South Carolina at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 53.
When was the last hurricane in Bamberg County, South Carolina?
Hugo (1989), on 22 September 1989, passing 48 miles away — 37 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Idalia (2023) in 2023.
What was the strongest storm to affect Bamberg County, South Carolina?
Gracie (1959), which reached 106 kt (122 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 16 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Bamberg County, South Carolina?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.3 years — 53 storms over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Bamberg County, South Carolina borders or sits close to 5 other counties with a published storm record. Hampton County, South Carolina has 64 on record.