Charleston County, South Carolina Hurricane History
Since 1867, 73 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Charleston County, South Carolina — about one every 2.2 years. Of those, 20 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Debby (2024), which passed 24 miles away on 8 August 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentDebby (2024) — 24 mi away, 8 August 2024
- Strongest stormHugo (1989) — 120 kt (138 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1885) — 2.5 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Hugo (1989) — 8.3 miles
- Passes within 25 miles39 of 73
- Peak monthSeptember — 22 storms (30% of all)
- Most active year2016 — 4 storms
- Most active decade1900s, 1980s and 2020s — 7 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi4
- Record span1867–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 22 | 13 | 3 | 0 |
Activity by decade
| 1860s | 1870s | 1880s | 1890s | 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debby (2024) | 8 Aug 2024 | 24.1 mi | TS / TD | 41 kt |
| Idalia (2023) | 31 Aug 2023 | 20.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Ian (2022) | 30 Sep 2022 | 47.1 mi | Cat 1 | 71 kt |
| Colin (2022) | 2 Jul 2022 | 7.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Danny (2021) | 28 Jun 2021 | 43.8 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Isaias (2020) | 3 Aug 2020 | 47.0 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Bertha (2020) | 27 May 2020 | 15.7 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Matthew (2016) | 8 Oct 2016 | 13.8 mi | Cat 1 | 78 kt |
| Hermine (2016) | 2 Sep 2016 | 20.3 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Colin (2016) | 7 Jun 2016 | 33.1 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Bonnie (2016) | 29 May 2016 | 4.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Andrea (2013) | 7 Jun 2013 | 37.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Beryl (2012) | 30 May 2012 | 12.6 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Gaston (2004) | 29 Aug 2004 | 23.8 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Charley (2004) | 14 Aug 2004 | 25.1 mi | Cat 1 | 68 kt |
| Bonnie (2004) | 13 Aug 2004 | 13.9 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Kyle (2002) | 11 Oct 2002 | 12.1 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Gordon (1994) | 21 Nov 1994 | 39.5 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Hugo (1989) | 22 Sep 1989 | 8.3 mi | Cat 4 | 120 kt |
| Charley (1986) | 15 Aug 1986 | 34.7 mi | TS / TD | 15 kt |
| Kate (1985) | 22 Nov 1985 | 31.4 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Bob (1985) | 25 Jul 1985 | 41.2 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1982) | 18 Jun 1982 | 46.7 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Dennis (1981) | 19 Aug 1981 | 27.5 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1981) | 3 Jul 1981 | 26.5 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1979) | 16 Jun 1979 | 11.5 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Clara (1977) | 5 Sep 1977 | 3.3 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1976) | 15 Sep 1976 | 29.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Dottie (1976) | 20 Aug 1976 | 4.0 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Dawn (1972) | 14 Sep 1972 | 17.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1971) | 11 Sep 1971 | 4.8 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Alma (1966) | 10 Jun 1966 | 19.9 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Dora (1964) | 13 Sep 1964 | 25.8 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Brenda (1960) | 29 Jul 1960 | 14.1 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Gracie (1959) | 29 Sep 1959 | 33.8 mi | Cat 4 | 115 kt |
| Cindy (1959) | 9 Jul 1959 | 24.2 mi | Cat 1 | 65 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1957) | 9 Jun 1957 | 46.3 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1954) | 11 Jul 1954 | 42.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Able (1952) | 31 Aug 1952 | 46.5 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 17 Sep 1945 | 34.4 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 20 Oct 1944 | 49.9 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1941) | 8 Oct 1941 | 12.7 mi | TS / TD | 36 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1928) | 18 Sep 1928 | 8.5 mi | Cat 1 | 72 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1927) | 3 Oct 1927 | 32.4 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | 17 Sep 1924 | 16.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 14 Jul 1916 | 25.8 mi | Cat 2 | 89 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 16 May 1916 | 7.1 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1913) | 8 Oct 1913 | 28.8 mi | TS / TD | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1910) | 20 Oct 1910 | 10.8 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1909) | 3 Jul 1909 | 32.7 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1907) | 29 Sep 1907 | 27.7 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1907) | 29 Jun 1907 | 19.0 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 17 Sep 1906 | 48.7 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 4 Nov 1904 | 14.2 mi | TS / TD | 31 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 14 Sep 1904 | 47.8 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 18 Sep 1901 | 42.2 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 9 Oct 1894 | 24.9 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 27 Sep 1894 | 24.9 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 13 Oct 1893 | 19.8 mi | Cat 3 | 105 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 16 Jun 1893 | 9.4 mi | TS / TD | 49 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 11 Oct 1888 | 43.1 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 25 Aug 1885 | 2.5 mi | Cat 2 | 88 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1884) | 12 Sep 1884 | 7.0 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1882) | 12 Oct 1882 | 25.1 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1880) | 9 Sep 1880 | 39.0 mi | TS / TD | 63 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 12 Sep 1878 | 23.9 mi | Cat 1 | 77 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1874) | 28 Sep 1874 | 3.3 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1873) | 20 Sep 1873 | 14.4 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 6 Oct 1871 | 12.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 29 Aug 1871 | 20.9 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1871) | 19 Aug 1871 | 39.5 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1868) | 5 Oct 1868 | 46.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1867) | 22 Jun 1867 | 13.2 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 10 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 | 34.9 mi | 20 kt |
| Barry (2007) | Post-tropical | 3 Jun 2007 | 3.3 mi | 40 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 2000 | 44.1 mi | 25 kt |
| Earl (1998) | Post-tropical | 4 Sep 1998 | 42.5 mi | 40 kt |
| Josephine (1996) | Post-tropical | 8 Oct 1996 | 14.7 mi | 45 kt |
| Allison (1995) | Post-tropical | 6 Jun 1995 | 47.3 mi | 35 kt |
| Flossy (1956) | Post-tropical | 26 Sep 1956 | 46.3 mi | 45 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1947) | Post-tropical | 24 Sep 1947 | 44.0 mi | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1924 | 40.9 mi | 56 kt |
Storms that came back
3 named storms in this record passed Charleston County, South Carolina more than once.
- Bonnie — 2 passes (2004, 2016)
- Charley — 2 passes (1986, 2004)
- Colin — 2 passes (2016, 2022)
How Charleston 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, Charleston County, South Carolina ranks #24 — more exposed than 98.9% of them. Within South Carolina it ranks #3 of 46, against a state average of 44.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 4 Hugo (1989) passed 8 miles away on 22 September 1989 as a hurricane, reaching 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 4 Gracie (1959) passed 34 miles away on 29 September 1959 as a hurricane, reaching 115 kt (132 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 20 miles away on 13 October 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 105 kt (121 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Unnamed Storm (1916) passed 26 miles away on 14 July 1916 as a hurricane, reaching 96 kt (110 mph) while within 50 miles.
63 of the 73 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 2.2 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 73 storms spread over the 159 years from 1867 to 2025. 14 separate years saw more than one storm pass within 50 miles while stretches of a decade or more have passed with none. The longest recorded quiet stretch was 13 years, between 1928 and 1941. It has been 1 year since the last one; 36 of the 54 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Charleston County, South Carolina?
20 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Charleston County, South Carolina at hurricane strength since 1867. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 73.
When was the last hurricane in Charleston County, South Carolina?
Ian (2022), on 30 September 2022, passing 47 miles away — 4 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Debby (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect Charleston County, South Carolina?
Hugo (1989), which reached 120 kt (138 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 8 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Charleston County, South Carolina?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 2.2 years — 73 storms over the 159 years from 1867 to 2025, the end of the HURDAT2 record. That is a historical average, not a schedule or a forecast.
Nearby counties
Charleston County, South Carolina borders or sits close to 4 other counties with a published storm record. Georgetown County, South Carolina has 70 on record.