South Carolina, 1997

Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in South Carolina, July 23 to 24, 1997

July 23 to 24, 1997 · NWS GSP · 10 events in 9 counties and zones

The remnants of Hurricane Danny moved out of northeast Georgia and across the Upstate from the late afternoon on the 23rd through the early morning of the 24th. Two weak, short-lived tornadoes were spawned.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
2
Property damage
$635,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GSP wrote it up.

The remnants of Hurricane Danny moved out of northeast Georgia and across the Upstate from the late afternoon on the 23rd through the early morning of the 24th. Two weak, short-lived tornadoes were spawned. One in Abbeville county downed trees and power lines. Another tornado, this one a little stronger, moved across a garbage truck transfer station in Chester county, lifting a trailer off the ground and turning it over. One mobile home was destroyed, injuring an occupant, and others damaged in Anderson county when straight line winds associated with a spiral rain band/squall moved through. Heavy rain collapsed part of a small strip mall in Clemson. Lightning struck a home in Union.Flash flooding from the heavy tropical rain caused most of the damage, however. In Laurens county, North Rabun Creek came out of its banks, covering a few bridges and flooding some homes. Bridges and roads were washed out or inundated by water in Chester county and one woman was injured when she drove across a washed out road. Underpinning and plumbing were washed out in a trailer park in Fort Lawn. At least 7 roads were washed out in the eastern part of York county when the Catawba River and several creeks flowed out of their banks.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood, 2 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Union

When
July 23, 2:41 PM EST
Where
Union County, Union
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
34.689, -81.619 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Abbeville

When
July 23, 3:55 PM EST
Where
Abbeville County, 6 mi NE of Due West
Rating
F0
Path length
3 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
34.400, -82.320

Heavy Rain, Pickens

When
July 23, 4:02 PM EST
Where
Pickens County, Clemson
Coordinates
34.888, -82.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenwood

When
July 23, 4:44 PM EST
Where
Greenwood County, Greenwood
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
34.180, -82.170

Thunderstorm Wind, Anderson

When
July 23, 5:02 PM EST
Where
Anderson County, 8 mi W of Piedmont
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$8,000
Coordinates
34.700, -82.600

Flash Flood, Laurens

When
July 23, 9:30 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Laurens County, 5 mi W of Gray Court
Property damage
$150,000
Coordinates
34.484, -82.006 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Spartanburg

When
July 23, 10:00 PM EST to July 24, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Spartanburg County, Enoree
Property damage
$200,000
Coordinates
34.931, -81.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Chester

When
July 23, 11:00 PM EST to July 24, 3:00 AM EST
Where
Chester County, Ft Lawn
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$43,000
Coordinates
34.692, -81.159 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, York

When
July 23, 11:00 PM EST to July 24, 3:00 AM EST
Where
York County, 1 mi E of Ft Mill
Property damage
$207,000
Coordinates
34.975, -81.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Chester

When
July 24, 12:00 AM EST
Where
Chester County, Ft Lawn
Rating
F1
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
25 yd
Property damage
$15,000
Coordinates
34.700, -80.900

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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.
Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
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.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Carolina in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for South Carolina, 1997Warnings in South Carolina, July 1997

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5608863, 5608864, 5608865, 5608866, 5608867, 5608868, 5608869, 5608870, 5608871, 5608872.