Charleston South Carolina's history with tropical systems
Current weather

(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.

Years within 60 miles
1871-2bd,1872ts,1874bd,1878br,1884bd,1885br,1893bdts,1893,1894,1894bdbr,1904br,1906br
1908tsbr,1910ts,1913ts,1916,1928bdts,1941bdts,1952br,1959,1959,1964bdtsbr
1976-81tsbr,1985tsbd,1989,2002ts,2004-2 ,2006tsbdbr,(2008tsbr not in stats)
31 times in 137yrs end of 2007


Names from list above
Able,Cindy,Gracie,Dora,Dennis,Dottie,Kate,Hugo,Kyle, Charley, Gaston,Alberto,Hanna,

How often Charleston gets affected?
brushed or hit every 4.42 years

Average years between direct hurricane hits.(usually within 40 miles to include small hurricanes)
(12h)once every 11.42 years

Statistically when Charleston should be affected next
brushed in 2008

Last affected by
2008 Sept 5th T.S Hanna brushes to the east while moving north with 70mph winds.

This areas hurricane past
1752 a hurricane caused a storm surge that nearly covered the entire downtown area when the wind shifted the water level fell 5 ft in 10 minutes
1825 ealiest hurricane reported june 3rd heavy damage
1874 a hurricane from the SW hits with 90mph winds while moving NNE causing enough surge to lift railroad cars
1893 oct 13th,storm surge from a hurricane kills 1,500 people est 10 million in damage with many islands offshore under water. Winds measured at 96mph with gusts to 120mph, pressure 985mb 29.08inches,with estimated storm tide 10.1FT wind field map
1911 aug 17 killed area gets najor damage from a hurricane with 105mph winds bar 29.30
1913 Oct 8th from the east cat 1 according to the hurricane research division
1916 July 14th a category 1 hits. The damage south of Charleston to North Edisto River seems to have been confined almost wholly to crop injury.
1959 July 9th a weakening cat 1 comes ashore with 75mph winds from the SE
1959 sept 29th Hurricane Gracie hits with 120mph winds 40 miles to the south. Most homes lost roofs many windows blown in. Folly bch unofficial reports of 140mph gusts hitting at low tide.
1989 Hugo devestates area with 140mph winds & 7 billion in damage 26 killed five of them children 8yrs or younger,935mb sept 21st just south of here . weather map while hitting Puerto Rico setting stage for hit on South Carolina | Newspaper headline | satelite photo | Folly beach surge damage | Newspaper headline | more on Hurricane Hugo here | video from show 911 | Hugo page
2004 August 14th Hurricane Charley hits just east with 80mph winds. Trees down on rt 45 near Mcclelanville. Folly bch, power poles down. Isle of Palms trees down in various locations.Mount pleasant, trees down on US 17 ,A few awnings blown off homes.
2004 August 29th minimal Hurricane Gaston hits just east of here with 75mph winds.No reports of hurricane sustained winds in Charleston.


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