South Carolina State Climate Office

South Carolinas Tornado Climatology

1950-2012

Mark Malsick
Severe Weather Liaison
( malsickm@dnr.sc.gov)

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

SOUTH CAROLINA TORNADOES 1950-2012

(924)
Averages:
1950-2012:
1950-1993:
1994-2012:
2000-2012:

14.7
8.7
28.4
26.6

TOP 25 TORNADO STATES 2000-2012

140.0
136.3

120.0

104.6
100.0

80.0
65.5
58.9 58.8

60.0

56.5 55.3
54.3 54.0

52.1
47.1
44.0 43.9

42.2
36.3 34.8 34.8

40.0

32.3

30.2 29.0

26.8 26.5 26.4

23.3
19.5

20.0

0.0
TX

KS

AL OK MO

IL

MS

IA

NE

FL MN CO AR

LA ND GA TN NC SD KY

WI

IN

SC

VA OH

SOUTH CAROLINA TORNADO INTENSITY1950-2012

400

383

373

350

288
300

250

1950-2012

179

200

1994-2012

130

150

100

49
50

28

10

14

(E)F4

(E)F3

(E)F2

(E)F1

(E)F0

EF-2, 3 4 TORNADOES 1950-2012

18

AVERAGES:

16

1950-2012: 2.7/year

14

1950-1993: 2.3/year

12

1994-2012: 3.5/year

10

2000-2012: 2.3/year
EF2, 3, 4 TORNADOES

SC TORNADOES
1950-2012

60

TORNADOES BY COUNTY 10 Most, 10 Least

51
50

39

40

38
35

35
33

32

31

30

30

29
1950-2012

24

24

21
20

1994-2012

20

20

18
13

14
12

14

14

12

13

13

13

10

10

10

8
6

10
6

8
5

8
4

160

MONTHLY TORNADOES 1950-2012

140

136

136

122

121

120

100

96
85

84
1950-2012

77

80
72

70

1994-2012

70
61

60
51

49

48

44
40
40
26
21
20

22

21
16

14
6

0
JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

140

OCCURRENCE TIME VS INTENSITY 1950-2012

120

100

80

(E)F4
(E)F3
(E)F2
(E)F1

60

(E)F0

40

20

0
00

10

11

12

13

14

14

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

TROPICAL TORNADOES*
100

90

2004: Charley, Francis

(47), Gaston, Ivan
Jeanne (17)

86

80

76

70

60

57
54

50
Tornado Total

42

40

Tropical Related

40

36

30

24

23

23
20

20

17

18

17
14
12
10

10

7
0

4
0

14
10

8
4

20

19

18

5
2

*Tornadoes triggered by decaying tropical storms over land.

South Carolinas Tornado

Climatology: 1950-2012
SOUTH CAROLINA TORNADO CLIMATE BASICS:
Annual climate feature, Spring preferred, any month fair game.
Afternoons preferred, any hour fair game.
Midlands and Piedmont preferred, any County fair game.
EF0 and EF1 tornadoes: 81% (65-110 mph, EF4: 166-200 mph) .
Short, narrow tracks, short lived (AVG: 3.5 miles, 110 yds.). But
Longest: 62 miles, (400yds wide, F3, McCrmck-Edgfld-Slda, 11 NOV 1992)

Widest: 2600yds, (5 mile track, F4, Marlboro, 28 MAR 1984)

Tropical tornadoes a significant inland threat.