Tornadoes and Hail in South Carolina, March 28, 1984

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in South Carolina, March 28, 1984
Start: 1984-03-28T12:40
End: 1984-03-28T21:00
Location: South Carolina

March 28, 1984 · 65 events in 28 counties and zones

30 thunderstorm wind, 22 hail, 13 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 18
Injuries: 464
Property damage: $230 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 65

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

30 thunderstorm wind, 22 hail, 13 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Richland

When: March 28, 12:40 PM CST
Where: Richland County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 34.000, -80.920

Hail, Oconee

When: March 28, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Oconee County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 34.680, -82.950

Hail, Greenville

When: March 28, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Greenville County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.850, -82.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Oconee

When: March 28, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Oconee County
Coordinates: 34.680, -82.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenville

When: March 28, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Greenville County
Coordinates: 34.850, -82.400

Hail, Pickens

When: March 28, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Pickens County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 34.880, -82.700

Hail, Pickens

When: March 28, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Pickens County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.680, -82.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Pickens

When: March 28, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Pickens County
Coordinates: 34.780, -82.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenville

When: March 28, 3:15 PM CST
Where: Greenville County
Coordinates: 34.900, -82.370

Hail, Greenville

When: March 28, 3:15 PM CST
Where: Greenville County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.900, -82.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Anderson

When: March 28, 3:22 PM CST
Where: Anderson County
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Coordinates: 34.500, -82.720

Tornado, Abbeville

When: March 28, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Abbeville County
Rating: F1
Path length: 3 mi
Path width: 177 yd
Injuries: 24 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.420, -82.330

Hail, Anderson

When: March 28, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Anderson County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.500, -82.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Anderson

When: March 28, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Anderson County
Coordinates: 34.650, -82.770

Tornado, Laurens

When: March 28, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Laurens County
Rating: F2
Path length: 10 mi
Path width: 700 yd
Injuries: 43 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.550, -82.080

Hail, Anderson

When: March 28, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Anderson County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.650, -82.770

Hail, Abbeville

When: March 28, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Abbeville County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.250, -82.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Oconee

When: March 28, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Oconee County
Coordinates: 34.700, -82.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Abbeville

When: March 28, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Abbeville County
Coordinates: 34.370, -82.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Anderson

When: March 28, 3:45 PM CST
Where: Anderson County
Coordinates: 34.450, -82.380

Hail, Laurens

When: March 28, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Laurens County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 34.700, -82.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Laurens

When: March 28, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Laurens County
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 34.700, -82.200

Hail, Greenwood

When: March 28, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Greenwood County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.150, -82.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Spartanburg

When: March 28, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Spartanburg County
Coordinates: 34.900, -81.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenwood

When: March 28, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Greenwood County
Coordinates: 34.180, -82.170

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenwood

When: March 28, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Greenwood County
Coordinates: 34.400, -82.250

Hail, Saluda

When: March 28, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Saluda County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 34.000, -81.750

Hail, Newberry

When: March 28, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Newberry County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 34.320, -81.620

Tornado, Newberry

When: March 28, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Newberry County
Rating: F2
Path length: 23 mi
Path width: 1,000 yd
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 38 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.230, -81.750

Hail, Laurens

When: March 28, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Laurens County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.500, -82.020

Thunderstorm Wind, Spartanburg

When: March 28, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Spartanburg County
Coordinates: 34.750, -82.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Laurens

When: March 28, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Laurens County
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 34.700, -82.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Laurens

When: March 28, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Laurens County
Injuries: 17 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 34.500, -82.020

Hail, Chester

When: March 28, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Chester County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 34.700, -81.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: March 28, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Union County
Coordinates: 34.720, -81.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Chester

When: March 28, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Chester County
Coordinates: 34.700, -81.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherokee

When: March 28, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Cherokee County
Coordinates: 34.980, -81.400

Tornado, Newberry

When: March 28, 4:45 PM CST
Where: Newberry County
Rating: F3
Path length: 4 mi
Path width: 870 yd
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 34.320, -81.420

Tornado, Fairfield

When: March 28, 4:53 PM CST
Where: Fairfield County
Rating: F3
Path length: 15 mi
Path width: 870 yd
Injuries: 10 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $2.5 million
Coordinates: 34.330, -81.370

Tornado, Fairfield

When: March 28, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Fairfield County
Rating: F4
Path length: 21 mi
Path width: 1,000 yd
Deaths: 5 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 49 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.370, -81.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Kershaw

When: March 28, 5:05 PM CST
Where: Kershaw County
Coordinates: 34.330, -80.600

Hail, Lexington

When: March 28, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Lexington County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 33.920, -81.270

Hail, Lexington

When: March 28, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Lexington County
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Coordinates: 33.970, -81.050

Hail, Lexington

When: March 28, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Lexington County
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Coordinates: 34.080, -81.180

Hail, Richland

When: March 28, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Richland County
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Coordinates: 34.000, -81.020

Tornado, Kershaw

When: March 28, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Kershaw County
Rating: F4
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 530 yd
Injuries: 31 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.530, -80.630

Tornado, Lancaster

When: March 28, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Lancaster County
Rating: F4
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 530 yd
Injuries: 5 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.550, -80.620

Hail, Lexington

When: March 28, 5:37 PM CST
Where: Lexington County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 33.930, -81.120

Tornado, Chesterfield

When: March 28, 5:40 PM CST
Where: Chesterfield County
Rating: F2
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 530 yd
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 34.570, -80.170

Tornado, Chesterfield

When: March 28, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Chesterfield County
Rating: F4
Path length: 7 mi
Path width: 700 yd
Injuries: 24 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.580, -79.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When: March 28, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Richland County
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 34.070, -80.950

Tornado, Marlboro

When: March 28, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Marlboro County
Rating: F4
Path length: 14 mi
Path width: 700 yd
Deaths: 7 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 100 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.650, -79.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Lee

When: March 28, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Lee County
Coordinates: 34.220, -80.250

Tornado, Marlboro

When: March 28, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Marlboro County
Rating: F4
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 2,600 yd
Deaths: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 115 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $25 million
Coordinates: 34.630, -79.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Kershaw

When: March 28, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Kershaw County
Coordinates: 34.330, -80.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Calhoun

When: March 28, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Calhoun County
Coordinates: 33.670, -80.780

Thunderstorm Wind, Bamberg

When: March 28, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Bamberg County
Coordinates: 33.300, -81.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Orangeburg

When: March 28, 6:35 PM CST
Where: Orangeburg County
Coordinates: 33.500, -81.280

Hail, Sumter

When: March 28, 6:55 PM CST
Where: Sumter County
Measured: 2 in hail
Coordinates: 33.920, -80.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumter

When: March 28, 6:55 PM CST
Where: Sumter County
Coordinates: 33.920, -80.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Clarendon

When: March 28, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Clarendon County
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 33.700, -80.220

Hail, Florence

When: March 28, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Florence County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 34.200, -79.770

Thunderstorm Wind, Florence

When: March 28, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Florence County
Coordinates: 34.200, -79.770

Tornado, Horry

When: March 28, 8:35 PM CST
Where: Horry County
Rating: F2
Path length: 7 mi
Path width: 353 yd
Injuries: 8 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $250,000
Coordinates: 34.050, -78.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Horry

When: March 28, 9:00 PM CST
Where: Horry County
Coordinates: 34.050, -78.880

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Kind
Thunderstorm Wind, Laurens	1984-03-28	Direct
Tornado, Newberry	1984-03-28	Direct
Thunderstorm Wind, Laurens	1984-03-28	Direct
Thunderstorm Wind, Clarendon	1984-03-28	Direct

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Carolina in 1984 Every state in 1984 This day in weather history The tornado archive for South Carolina, 1984

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10114009, 10114010, 10114011, 10114012, 10114013, 10114014, 10114015, 10114016, 10109764, 10114017, 10109765, 10109766, 10109767, 10109768, 10109769, 10109770, 10109771, 10109772, 10109773, 10109774, 10109775, 10109776, 10109777, 10109778, 10109779, 10109780, 10109781, 10109782, 10109783, 10109784, 10109785, 10109786, 10109787, 10109788, 10109789, 10109790, 10109791, 10109792, 10109793, 10109794, and more.