Orangeburg County, South Carolina Hurricane History
Since 1851, 57 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Orangeburg County, South Carolina — about one every 3.1 years. Of those, 7 were at hurricane strength at their closest approach. The most recent was Debby (2024), which passed 50 miles away on 8 August 2024.
Storm tracks within 50 miles
How strong they get
Key facts
- Most recentDebby (2024) — 50 mi away, 8 August 2024
- Strongest stormHugo (1989) — 102 kt (117 mph) at its strongest within 50 miles
- Closest pass on recordUnnamed Storm (1886) — 2.5 miles
- Closest major hurricane (Cat 3+)Gracie (1959) — 5.2 miles
- Passes within 25 miles27 of 57
- Peak monthSeptember — 19 storms (33% of all)
- Most active year1959 — 3 storms
- Most active decade1970s — 6 storms
- Major hurricanes (Cat 3+) within 50 mi2
- Record span1851–2024
When storms arrive
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 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 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
Every tropical or subtropical cyclone within 50 miles
| Storm | Closest approach | Distance | Status | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debby (2024) | 8 Aug 2024 | 49.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Idalia (2023) | 31 Aug 2023 | 43.8 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Elsa (2021) | 8 Jul 2021 | 20.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Bertha (2020) | 27 May 2020 | 44.4 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Florence (2018) | 16 Sep 2018 | 11.3 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Hermine (2016) | 2 Sep 2016 | 46.1 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Bonnie (2016) | 29 May 2016 | 41.9 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Andrea (2013) | 7 Jun 2013 | 29.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Alberto (2006) | 14 Jun 2006 | 29.7 mi | TS / TD | 32 kt |
| Allison (2001) | 13 Jun 2001 | 15.0 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Helene (2000) | 23 Sep 2000 | 35.3 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| Gordon (1994) | 21 Nov 1994 | 26.9 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Hugo (1989) | 22 Sep 1989 | 29.3 mi | Cat 2 | 85 kt |
| Chris (1988) | 28 Aug 1988 | 17.1 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Kate (1985) | 22 Nov 1985 | 35.0 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Bob (1985) | 25 Jul 1985 | 11.9 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1981) | 3 Jul 1981 | 34.4 mi | TS / TD | 25 kt |
| David (1979) | 5 Sep 1979 | 7.1 mi | TS / TD | 55 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1979) | 16 Jun 1979 | 34.9 mi | TD | — |
| Unnamed Storm (1976) | 15 Sep 1976 | 33.1 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Dottie (1976) | 21 Aug 1976 | 46.3 mi | TS / TD | 22 kt |
| Agnes (1972) | 21 Jun 1972 | 17.0 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Alma (1970) | 26 May 1970 | 6.1 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Dora (1964) | 13 Sep 1964 | 38.1 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1964) | 23 Jul 1964 | 27.6 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Gracie (1959) | 29 Sep 1959 | 5.2 mi | Cat 1 | 73 kt |
| Cindy (1959) | 9 Jul 1959 | 44.4 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Arlene (1959) | 2 Jun 1959 | 46.2 mi | TS / TD | 20 kt |
| Able (1952) | 31 Aug 1952 | 7.3 mi | TS / TD | 58 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1946) | 9 Oct 1946 | 43.1 mi | TS / TD | 38 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1945) | 17 Sep 1945 | 28.6 mi | TS / TD | 52 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1944) | 20 Oct 1944 | 13.1 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1941) | 8 Oct 1941 | 41.1 mi | TS / TD | 37 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1935) | 5 Sep 1935 | 19.6 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1927) | 3 Oct 1927 | 6.4 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1916) | 14 Jul 1916 | 36.6 mi | TS / TD | 53 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1913) | 9 Oct 1913 | 25.8 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1906) | 18 Sep 1906 | 33.2 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1904) | 4 Nov 1904 | 43.8 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1902) | 15 Jun 1902 | 20.7 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1901) | 18 Sep 1901 | 23.9 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1896) | 29 Sep 1896 | 16.3 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 9 Oct 1894 | 41.9 mi | TS / TD | 60 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1894) | 27 Sep 1894 | 41.9 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1893) | 28 Aug 1893 | 21.3 mi | Cat 1 | 80 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1888) | 10 Sep 1888 | 5.6 mi | TS / TD | 35 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1887) | 20 Oct 1887 | 29.2 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1886) | 1 Jul 1886 | 2.5 mi | TS / TD | 48 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1885) | 12 Oct 1885 | 20.5 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1884) | 12 Sep 1884 | 16.3 mi | TS / TD | 30 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1878) | 12 Sep 1878 | 34.4 mi | Cat 1 | 70 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1877) | 4 Oct 1877 | 23.0 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1856) | 1 Sep 1856 | 10.3 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1854) | 9 Sep 1854 | 22.8 mi | TS / TD | 57 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 10 Oct 1852 | 15.4 mi | TS / TD | 50 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1852) | 27 Aug 1852 | 4.7 mi | TS / TD | 40 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1851) | 24 Aug 1851 | 13.6 mi | TS / TD | 47 kt |
Post-tropical and extratropical passes
A further 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sally (2020) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 2020 | 43.6 mi | 30 kt |
| Fay (2020) | Remnant low | 8 Jul 2020 | 10.1 mi | 20 kt |
| Nestor (2019) | Post-tropical | 20 Oct 2019 | 22.9 mi | 40 kt |
| Gordon (2000) | Post-tropical | 18 Sep 2000 | 24.2 mi | 25 kt |
| Earl (1998) | Post-tropical | 4 Sep 1998 | 23.9 mi | 40 kt |
| Allison (1995) | Post-tropical | 6 Jun 1995 | 19.9 mi | 35 kt |
| Marco (1990) | Post-tropical | 13 Oct 1990 | 40.0 mi | 15 kt |
| Flossy (1956) | Post-tropical | 26 Sep 1956 | 18.7 mi | 44 kt |
| Unnamed Storm (1924) | Post-tropical | 30 Sep 1924 | 30.7 mi | 55 kt |
How Orangeburg 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, Orangeburg County, South Carolina ranks #141 — more exposed than 93.6% of them. Within South Carolina it ranks #15 of 46, against a state average of 44.7 storms per county.
Notable storms
- Cat 3 Hugo (1989) passed 29 miles away on 22 September 1989 as a hurricane, reaching 102 kt (117 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 3 Gracie (1959) passed 5 miles away on 29 September 1959 as a hurricane, reaching 98 kt (113 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1896) passed 16 miles away on 29 September 1896 as a hurricane, reaching 82 kt (94 mph) while within 50 miles.
- Cat 1 Unnamed Storm (1893) passed 21 miles away on 28 August 1893 as a hurricane, reaching 82 kt (94 mph) while within 50 miles.
49 of the 57 storms made a documented landfall somewhere along their track.
How often to expect a storm
A return interval of 3.1 years does not mean storms arrive on a schedule. It is simply 57 storms spread over the 175 years from 1851 to 2025. 8 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 1 year since the last one; 33 of the 47 gaps in this record were longer than that.
Common questions
How many hurricanes have hit Orangeburg County, South Carolina?
7 tropical cyclones have passed within 50 miles of Orangeburg County, South Carolina at hurricane strength since 1851. Counting all tropical cyclones — including tropical storms and depressions — the total is 57.
When was the last hurricane in Orangeburg County, South Carolina?
Hugo (1989), on 22 September 1989, passing 29 miles away — 37 years ago. The most recent tropical cyclone of any strength was Debby (2024) in 2024.
What was the strongest storm to affect Orangeburg County, South Carolina?
Hugo (1989), which reached 102 kt (117 mph) while within 50 miles; its closest approach was 29 miles.
How often do hurricanes hit Orangeburg County, South Carolina?
On average, one tropical cyclone passes within 50 miles every 3.1 years — 57 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
Orangeburg County, South Carolina borders or sits close to 9 other counties with a published storm record. Berkeley County, South Carolina has 69 on record.