Cherokee County

30 Year Climate Normals (Ninety Nine Islands)
Max Temp. Mean Temp. Min Temp. Precip CDD HDD
1971-2000 70.2 F 58.1 F 45.9 F 48.37 Inches 1223 3737
1981-2010 71.3 F 58.4 F 45.5 F 46.01 Inches 1306 3716
1991-2020 70.4 F 57.9 F 45.5 F 45.32 Inches 1235 3788

Temperature Records (1960-2020)


Highest Maximum: 106 F, August 21, 1983; Ninety Nine Islands
Lowest Minimum: -4 F, January 21, 1985; Ninety Nine Islands

Precipitation Records (1941-2020)


Highest Daily Rainfall (COOP): 8.39 Inches, October 16, 1971; Gaffney 6 E
Highest Daily Rainfall (CoCoRaHS): 5.48 inches, August 1, 2014; Gaffney 1.0 SE
Annual Average Rainfall: 47.23 Inches
Wettest Year: 1936, 73.09 inches; Gaston Shoals
Driest Year: 2007, 24.90 Inches; Ninety Nine Islands
Highest Daily Snowfall: 17.0 Inches, February 15, 1902; Gaffney 6 E

Severe Weather Events- Countywide

Tornado

23 Tornadoes (1950-2020)
  • E/F0: 3
  • E/F1: 13
  • E/F2: 5
  • E/F3: 1
  • E/F4: 1
  • Period Of Record: 1950-2019
    Strongest: F4 on May 5, 1989
    Longest Path: 19.8 miles on May 27, 1973
    Widest Path: 700 yards on May 5, 1989
    0 tornado related fatalities
    5 tornado related injuries
    Total Damage Costs: $6.7 Million

    Thunderstorm, High, and Strong Wind Events

    179 Total Wind Events (winds exceeding 50 knots or 58 miles per hour, 1955-2020)
  • 171 Thunderstorm wind events
  • 8 High wind events
  • 0 Strong wind events
  • 1 Wind-related fatality
    1 Wind-related injury
    Total Damage Costs: $1.177 Million

    Hail (>1.0 inch)


    54 Hail events (1955-2020)

    Lightning


    12 Lightning events (1993-2020)
    0 Lightning related fatalities
    4 Lightning related injuries
    Total Damage Costs: $1.200 Million

    Flood

    13 Total Flood Events (1993-2020)
  • 6 Flood Events
  • 0 Coastal Flood Events
  • 7 Flash Flood Events
  • 0 Flood-related fatalities
    0 Flood-related injuries
    Total Damage Costs: $519,000

    Winter Weather-Related Events

    75 Total Winter Weather-Related Events
  • 11 Winter storm events
  • 9 Ice storm events
  • 13 Heavy snow events
  • 2 Frost/freeze events
  • 35 Winter weather events
  • 5 Cold/wind chill events
  • 0 Winter weather-related fatalities
    0 Winter weather-related injuries
    Total Damage Costs: $80.702 Million