Beaufort, South Carolina's History with Tropical Systems

(br) = Brush (ts) = Tropical Storm (bd) = Back Door, meaning coming from over land from opposite coast. Not all names are noted. Also, storms before 1950 were not named. Not every stat on every storm description is given. (since 1871)

Beaufort most likely to be hit by a hurricane between September 7th and September 13th

Years within or near core

1871-3bdts
1873bdts
1874bd
1878
1880tsbr
1881
1882ts
1884ts
1885
1885bdts
1886bdts
1888bdts
1888tsbr
1893bdts
1893
1893m
1894
1894bdts
1896bd
1898
1906ts
1907bdts
1910ts
1911
1913tsbr
1916ts
1924tsbd
1924xtropstbd
1927ts
1928tsbd
1929bdtsbr
1934ts
1935bdts
1940
1941tsbd
1944ts
1945ts
1947
1947bdts
1952
1953bdxtropst
1957bdts
1959br
1959m
1960ts
1963br
1964tsbd
1966bdts
1976subts
1979
1981tsbr
1982subtsbr
1985
1985bdts
1988ts
1989m
1996br
1998bdxtropst
1999
2007bdxtropst
2013bdts
2016-2bdts
2016
2017bdts
2018tsbdbr
2019brm
2021ts
2021tsbd
2022br
2022tsbr
2023bdts
2024bdts
2024bdtsbr

76 times in 153 years (as of end of 2024)

Names from list above (D storms most likely to impact the area)

Able
Florence
Flossy
Cindy
Gracie
Brenda
Ginny
Dora
Alma
David
Dennis
Bob
Kate
Chris
Hugo
Bertha
Josephine
Earl
Irene
Barry
Andrea
Hermine
Julia
Matthew
Irma
Michael
Dorian
Danny
Elsa
Ian
Nicole
Idalia
Debby
Helene

Tropical Storm to Hurricane ratio

TS = 53, 69.74%
H = 23, 30.26%

only 5.71% of all tropical systems in Beaufort are major hurricanes

Longest gap between storms

9 years 1967-1975

How often this area gets affected?

Brushed or hit every 2.01 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits. (hurricane force winds for a few hours)

Once every 8.05 years. (19 hits) State stats

Average years between major hurricane hits.

Once every 51 years. (3 hits)

Average MPH of hurricane hits. (based on sustained winds from advisories, not gusts)

92 mph

Statistically when this area should be affected next

Before the end of 2026

This is just a statistical average & does not mean the area will be affected by that year.

Last affected by

2024 September 27th Tropical Storm Helene brushes inland by 120 miles while moving north with 70 mph winds.

This area's hurricane history

1874 September 28th from the south-southwest 80 mph.
1878 September 12th 85 mph from the south.
1881 August 27th 105 mph from the southeast just south.
1885 August 25th 110 mph hurricane from the south.
1893 August 28th 105 mph winds from the south-southeast.
1893 October 13th from the south with 120 mph winds just east, many killed total devastation 120 mph 1000s killed in South Carolina. A storm tide of 12.6 feet recorded. Wind field map | Hit map
1894 September 27th, 90 mph from the south-southwest.
1896 September 29th, a 95 mph hurricane passes just west while moving northeast extreme wind damage.
1898 August 31st a category 1 hits the area with 80 mph winds just south while moving west-northwest.
1911 August 28th 95 mph from the southeast.
1940 August 11th just south a category one 80 mph hits while weakening to a tropical storm from the east.
1947 October 15th from the east coming in just south with 105 mph winds (HURDAT2) causes high tides here damaging fishing fleets.
1952 August 31st Hurricane Able from the south-southeast with 95 mph winds (HURDAT) causing moderate damage.
1959 September 29th, Hurricane Gracie hits just north with 130 mph winds (HURDAT) & a forward speed of 12 mph in late September. Area got gusts to 140 mph 12 killed by many tornadoes & 11 inches of rain being a fast moving hurricane saved many lives, very heavy damage. One man killed when his car was upended by violent winds. Pressure observed at 28.05 inHg. Highest observed 5 min wind speed was 97 mph from the west-southwest with highest gust 138 mph from the west-southwest. Eye passed near Beaufort with dead calm reported at Coffin point for 35 minutes.
1979 September 5th David hits just west from the south with 85 mph winds while moving north, some moderate damage by the mid September hurricane.
1985 July 24th Hurricane Bob hits from the south with 75 mph winds.
1989 September 22nd, Hugo passed 53 miles to north with 140 mph winds area got minor damage. | Satellite photo| Newspaper headline | More on Hurricane Hugo here | Dr Ted Fujita wind map
1999 October 17th Hurricane Irene hits from the south-southwest just east with 75 mph winds.
2016, October 8th Hurricane Matthew hits with 95 mph winds while moving northeast along the coast three deaths in S.C. wide spread coastal flooding. Radar animation (Brian McNoldy, Univ. of Miami, Rosenstiel School) | Best models | Matthew timeline | USGS surge info

Please keep these stats free. Donate to HurricaneCity.

Stat sources:

Text Sources:

"Divine Wind" by Kerry Emanuel
"Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms" by John M. Williams and Iver W. Duedall
"Florida's Hurricane History" by Jay Barnes
"Hurricane Almanac" by Bryan Norcross
HurricaneCity.com calculations by Jim Williams
"Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States" by Rick Schwartz
"Hurricane Watch" by Dr. Bob Sheets and Jack Williams
"Inside the Hurricane" by Pete Davies
"Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson
"Killer 'Cane" by Robert Mykle
"Lunatic Wind" by William Price Fox
Miami Herald newspaper (microfilm)
"Path of Destruction" by John McQuaid and Mark Schleifstein
Sun Sentinel newspaper (microfilm)
"The Major Hurricanes To Affect The Bahamas" by Wayne Neely
"The Ship and the Storm" by Jim Carrier
Plus many more......