NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Bluffton, SC
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
103 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Bluffton, South Carolina since 1851, 23 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Debby in 2024. Since 1950, 69 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 1 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 23
- Tropical storms
- 80
- Tornadoes
- 69
- EF3 or stronger
- 1
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
3 deaths in all
Tropical storms and hurricanes near Bluffton
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | DebbyAug 6 | 19 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2023 | IdaliaAug 30 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2022 | ColinJul 1 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2021 | ElsaJul 8 | 66 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2021 | DannyJun 28 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2020 | EtaNov 12 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2016 | MatthewOct 8 | 24 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 5 |
| 2016 | JuliaSep 14 | 32 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2016 | HermineSep 2 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 1 |
| 2016 | ColinJun 7 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2013 | AndreaJun 7 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2012 | BerylMay 30 | 30 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2007 | BarryJun 3 | 3 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 2004 | CharleyAug 14 | 62 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 4 |
| 2002 | KyleOct 11 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1998 | EarlSep 3 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1996 | JosephineOct 8 | overhead | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1995 | AllisonJun 6 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1994 | JohnSep 8 | 61 mi | Category 1 (77 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1989 | HugoSep 22 | 74 mi | Category 4 (138 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1988 | ChrisAug 28 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1985 | KateNov 22 | 34 mi | Tropical storm (56 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1985 | BobJul 25 | 21 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1984 | IsidoreSep 29 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1982 | Unnamed 1982 stormJun 18 | 63 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1981 | DennisAug 19 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1979 | DavidSep 4 | 15 mi | Category 1 (79 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormSep 15 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | DottieAug 20 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1976 | Unnamed 1976 stormMay 24 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1970 | AlmaMay 25 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (45 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1968 | AbbyJun 7 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1966 | AlmaJun 10 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1964 | DoraSep 13 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1964 | CleoAug 29 | 35 mi | Tropical storm (51 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1960 | BrendaJul 29 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (66 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1959 | GracieSep 29 | 24 mi | Category 4 (132 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | Unnamed 1957 stormJun 9 | 20 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1956 | FlossySep 26 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1954 | Unnamed 1954 stormJul 10 | 26 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1953 | FlorenceSep 27 | 27 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1952 | AbleAug 31 | 17 mi | Category 2 (98 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormOct 15 | 31 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1947 | Unnamed 1947 stormSep 24 | 22 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1946 | Unnamed 1946 stormOct 8 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1945 | Unnamed 1945 stormSep 17 | 2 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1944 | Unnamed 1944 stormOct 20 | 10 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1941 | Unnamed 1941 stormOct 8 | 36 mi | Tropical storm (44 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1940 | Unnamed 1940 stormAug 11 | 9 mi | Category 1 (93 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1935 | Unnamed 1935 stormSep 5 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1932 | Unnamed 1932 stormSep 15 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1929 | Unnamed 1929 stormOct 1 | 68 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1928 | Unnamed 1928 stormSep 18 | 16 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 5 |
| 1927 | Unnamed 1927 stormOct 3 | 33 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 30 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1924 | Unnamed 1924 stormSep 16 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1923 | Unnamed 1923 stormJun 27 | 17 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1919 | Unnamed 1919 stormOct 1 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormOct 4 | 48 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1916 | Unnamed 1916 stormMay 16 | 15 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1912 | Unnamed 1912 stormJul 15 | 65 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1911 | Unnamed 1911 stormAug 28 | 3 mi | Category 1 (84 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1910 | Unnamed 1910 stormOct 19 | 23 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormSep 29 | 8 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1907 | Unnamed 1907 stormJun 29 | 25 mi | Tropical storm (63 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1906 | Unnamed 1906 stormOct 21 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1902 | Unnamed 1902 stormJun 15 | 69 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1901 | Unnamed 1901 stormSep 18 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1900 | Unnamed 1900 stormOct 12 | 62 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1898 | Unnamed 1898 stormAug 31 | 6 mi | Category 1 (83 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1896 | Unnamed 1896 stormSep 29 | 16 mi | Category 2 (97 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormOct 9 | 29 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1894 | Unnamed 1894 stormSep 27 | 10 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormOct 13 | 50 mi | Category 3 (121 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormAug 28 | 19 mi | Category 2 (102 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1893 | Unnamed 1893 stormJun 16 | 1 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormOct 11 | 59 mi | Tropical storm (72 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormSep 10 | 41 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1886 | Unnamed 1886 stormJul 1 | 55 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormOct 12 | 56 mi | Tropical storm (49 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormSep 21 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 31 | 50 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1885 | Unnamed 1885 stormAug 25 | 32 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1884 | Unnamed 1884 stormSep 11 | 40 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1882 | Unnamed 1882 stormOct 11 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (68 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1881 | Unnamed 1881 stormAug 28 | 40 mi | Category 2 (104 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1880 | Unnamed 1880 stormSep 9 | 46 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormOct 11 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (47 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1878 | Unnamed 1878 stormSep 12 | 25 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1877 | Unnamed 1877 stormSep 21 | 70 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1874 | Unnamed 1874 stormSep 28 | 24 mi | Category 1 (86 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1873 | Unnamed 1873 stormSep 19 | 5 mi | Tropical storm (59 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormOct 6 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormSep 7 | 73 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 29 | 60 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1871 | Unnamed 1871 stormAug 19 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (69 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1868 | Unnamed 1868 stormOct 5 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1867 | Unnamed 1867 stormJun 22 | 60 mi | Category 1 (81 mph) | Category 1 |
| 1860 | Unnamed 1860 stormAug 14 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1856 | Unnamed 1856 stormSep 1 | 67 mi | Tropical storm (58 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1854 | Unnamed 1854 stormSep 9 | 29 mi | Category 1 (90 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1853 | Unnamed 1853 stormOct 21 | 58 mi | Category 1 (92 mph) | Category 2 |
| 1852 | Unnamed 1852 stormOct 10 | 49 mi | Tropical storm (60 mph) | Category 2 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Bluffton: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Bluffton
By decade
- 2020s7
- 2010s10
- 2000s17
- 1990s9(1 EF3+)
- 1980s5
- 1970s8
- 1960s10
- 1950s3
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9, 1998 | F3 | 25 mi | 8 mi | 2 / 17 |
| May 23, 2017 | EF2 | 14 mi | 7.49 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF2 | 20 mi | 0.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 15, 2008 | EF2 | 22 mi | 7 mi | 0 / 5 |
| May 23, 1980 | F2 | 18 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Nov 9, 1973 | F2 | 21 mi | 1 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 25, 1970 | F2 | 15 mi | 2.5 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Sep 13, 1961 | F2 | 19 mi | 0.2 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 12, 1974 | F1 | 21 mi | 2 mi | 1 / 3 |
| Jul 7, 2021 | EF1 | 13 mi | 0.13 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jul 7, 2021 | EF1 | 14 mi | 0.63 mi | 0 / 0 |
| May 4, 2019 | EF1 | 17 mi | 2.2 mi | 0 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 69, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
How to read this page
A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Bluffton while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.
Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.
Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.