Significant Tornadoes in South Carolina 2016

*Source - Storm Data Publication published by the National Climatic Data Center and severe weather reports issued by the National Weather Service.

2016

Date County Description Length (miles) Width (yards)
1 February 3, 2016 Lexington (EF0)

A strong cold front pushing eastward into the region produced several strong to severe thundertorms across the Midlands. The storms produced damaging winds...a microburst and an EF0 Tornado near Dixiana.

NWS Survey determined that an EF0 tornado touched down near the rail freight automobile storage yard then crossed hwy. 321 and headed northeast down Dixiana Road before lifting near Grace Chapel Church..

0.69 75
2 February 24, 2016 Chesterfield (EF0)

An intense area of low pressure tracked just west of the CWA producing strong wind gusts and a few scattered strong to severe thunderstorms. One storm produced a brief EF0 Tornado just south of Cheraw.

NWS storm survey indicated that an EF0 tornado briefly touched down three separate times between the towns of Patrick and Cheraw along Highway 1. The tornado damaged several trees along with one topped tree. There was no structural damage or injuries.

8.89 70
3 October 8, 2016 Horry (EF0)

A storm survey team from the National Weather Service, with the aid of the North Myrtle Beach Safety Department, confirmed an EF-0 tornado with winds to 85 mph. The weak tornado was spawned by Tropical Storm Matthew. The tornado moved ashore on the east side of North Ocean Boulevard , between 17th Avenue North and 18th Avenue North, causing minor structural damage. The tornado rapidly moved across 17th Avenue North and North Hillside Drive, causing downed trees and additional minor structural damage. It then moved near the intersection of 16th Avenue North and Springland Lane, downing more trees. The tornado then moved across a large tract of the Surf Golf and Beach Club, causing more tree damage. The tornado then crossed near North Kings Highway and 11th Avenue North where it impacted a couple of businesses and a small subdivision, but the structural damage was minor. The tornado lifted northeast of Vereen Road near the Intra-coastal Waterway.

1.53 25
4 November 30, 2016 Greenville, Spartanburg (EF1)

A strong cold front brought a line of showers and strong to severe thunderstorms to Upstate South Carolina during the afternoon. Although severe weather was primarily in the form of sporadic straight-line wind damage, one tornado tracked across southern Greenville and part of Spartanburg County.

This tornado touched down in the vicinity of Sandy Springs Rd, just north of the Preston Rd intersection and tracked east/northeast along an intermittent path. Initial damage was limited to downed large limbs and trees, although some greenhouses were damaged to Woodmont High School (intersection of W Georgia Rd and Reedy Fork Rd. The most significant damage, rated EF1 occurred along a 2.5 mile stretch from near the Fork Shoals Rd/W Georgia Rd intersection, along W Georgia Rd to just outside the city limits of Simpsonville. A garage attached to a frame home collapsed near the intersection of W Georgia Rd and Sullivan Rd. Two frame homes near the intersection of Rivereen Way and Riverchase Ct, and three houses on Leafmore Ct had large sections of roofing removed, as did a home on Plamondon Dr. A house on Glenbow Ct had one side of the exterior wall of its second story and attic removed. At least a dozen additional houses and mobile homes received mostly minor roof damage in this area. The tornado appeared to weaken as it moved into the city of Simpsonville, although numerous large trees were uprooted and large limbs downed across the city. One tree fell on a carport. The tornado continued east/northeast from Simpsonville, roughly paralleling E Georgia Rd. Numerous trees and large limbs were blown down east of the city, while minor structural damage to homes and outbuildings was reported. The tornado crossed into Spartanburg County near the confluence of Gilder Creek with the Enoree River. This tornado continued into Spartanburg County for 1.73 miles as a weak, 100 yard wide, EF0 tornado. Damage in Spartanburg County was limited to the downing of a few trees and numerous large limbs.(Note: The NCEI Storm Events Database lists this as two separate tornadoes.)

16.44 250

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Return to Top