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Valley Falls, SC Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes

 
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The chance of earthquake damage in Valley Falls is lower than South Carolina average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Valley Falls is about the same as South Carolina average and is higher than the national average.

Topics:Earthquake IndexVolcano IndexTornado IndexOther Weather Extremes EventsVolcanos NearbyHistorical Earthquake EventsHistorical Tornado Events

Earthquake Index, #265

Valley Falls, SC
0.16
South Carolina
0.49
U.S.
1.81

The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.

Volcano Index, #1

Valley Falls, SC
0.0000
South Carolina
0.0000
U.S.
0.0023

The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.

Tornado Index, #259

Valley Falls, SC
146.85
South Carolina
136.91
U.S.
136.45

The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.

Other Weather Extremes Events

A total of 5,096 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Valley Falls, SC were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:

TypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCount
Avalanche:0Blizzard:0Cold:15Dense Fog:3Drought:46
Dust Storm:0Flood:396Hail:1,593Heat:8Heavy Snow:31
High Surf:0Hurricane:1Ice Storm:15Landslide:0Strong Wind:38
Thunderstorm Winds:2,540Tropical Storm:7Wildfire:2Winter Storm:15Winter Weather:23
Other:363 

Volcanos Nearby

No volcano is found in or near Valley Falls, SC.

Historical Earthquake Events

A total of 2 historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Valley Falls, SC.

Distance (miles)DateMagnitudeDepth (km)LatitudeLongitude
43.91945-07-265.6N/A34.5-81.5
34.31981-05-053.51335.33-82.43

Historical Tornado Events

A total of 41 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Valley Falls, SC.

Distance (miles)DateMagnitudeStart Lat/LogEnd Lat/LogLengthWidthFatalitiesInjuriesProperty DamageCrop DamageAffected County
2.01985-08-17234°58'N / 82°00'W35°06'N / 81°55'W9.00 Miles100 Yards0392.5M0Spartanburg
6.11997-02-21234°55'N / 81°58'W34°55'N / 81°58'W1.00 Mile75 Yards00330K0Spartanburg
6.41973-05-27335°00'N / 82°03'W35°10'N / 81°46'W19.80 Miles100 Yards042.5M0Cherokee
8.61989-04-04234°54'N / 82°03'W2.00 Miles73 Yards00250K0Spartanburg
9.61989-05-05435°05'N / 81°56'W35°10'N / 81°50'W6.00 Miles700 Yards2352.5M0Spartanburg
9.91973-05-27334°55'N / 82°13'W35°00'N / 82°03'W11.10 Miles150 Yards0162.5M0Spartanburg
14.31952-05-10334°48'N / 82°08'W34°48'N / 81°51'W16.10 Miles83 Yards240K0Spartanburg
14.51989-05-05435°10'N / 81°50'W35°11'N / 81°48'W3.00 Miles700 Yards002.5M0Cherokee
15.21969-04-18235°01'N / 81°42'W0.50 Mile83 Yards0025K0Cherokee
17.21989-05-05435°11'N / 81°48'W35°15'N / 81°49'W6.00 Miles400 Yards00250K0Rutherford
19.01952-05-10334°48'N / 82°15'W34°48'N / 82°08'W6.60 Miles83 Yards000K0Greenville
21.91994-08-16334°38'N / 81°31'W34°59'N / 81°49'W30.00 Miles250 Yards00500K0Union And Spartanburg
 Brief Description: Tornado began near Santuc as a large multi-vortex F3 tornado. Spotters engaged the storm almost immediately and followed it as it curved north to northwest through the County. The storm had intermittent ground contact of about 30 to 40 percent but there was not a great deal of separation between areas of damage. The path width gradually diminished to about 50 yards from 0.75 mile initially, and the storm intensity gradually weakened to F2 and then to F1 at Pauline. The tornado crossed into Spartanburg County near Pacolet Mills at 1545EST. A well constructed home near Santuc was destroyed, a stationary vehicle was thrown aout 150 yds, and other homes and structures received severe damage along its path.
22.51973-05-27335°10'N / 81°46'W35°18'N / 81°36'W13.20 Miles100 Yards03250K0Cleveland
23.11973-05-27334°46'N / 82°26'W34°55'N / 82°13'W16.00 Miles100 Yards0172.5M0Greenville
23.91994-03-27235°03'N / 82°03'W35°24'N / 81°14'W25.00 Miles75 Yards00500K0Spartanburg
24.11975-11-12234°40'N / 81°52'W0.70 Mile50 Yards04250K0Edgefield
25.21980-05-23234°39'N / 81°52'W2.50 Miles100 Yards00250K0Spartanburg
26.71979-03-23234°51'N / 82°24'W0.10 Mile77 Yards022.5M0Greenville
27.21975-05-18235°23'N / 81°50'W003K0Rutherford
27.21990-02-10235°12'N / 81°33'W0.40 Mile50 Yards00250K0Cleveland
28.01967-05-02234°50'N / 82°25'W1.00 Mile67 Yards0025K0Greenville
29.21984-03-28234°33'N / 82°05'W34°37'N / 81°55'W10.00 Miles700 Yards04325.0M0Laurens
30.61993-04-15234°42'N / 81°35'W34°46'N / 81°30'W6.00 Miles600 Yards025.0M0Union
 Brief Description: Exactly an hour after producing the first severe weather in the upstate, the supercell produced its strongest tornado in South Carolina. A high F1/low F2 tornado struck Union. Property damage resulting from the tornado's winds was estimated about $500,000. More hail damage is likely as the hail accumulated to great depths very quickly and near the tornado track was quite large. Winds were estimated from 60 to 90 mph in downtown sections where plate glass windows were blown out. There was also considerable damage to trees and power lines along with damage from the wind-driven hail. Nearer the tornado track damage was more severe with large trees crushing some homes. Mobile homes were damaged or destroyed, and a couple of houses lost roofs from the wind. The large hail quickly clogged storm drains and an estimated 2 to 3 inches of rain fell causing $50,000 in water damage to equipment in the hospital. Highest winds from south of Union to near Monarch were estimated at 115 mph in a small area. Two people were slighlty injured when a falling tree crushed their car.
31.41957-04-08234°38'N / 81°47'W34°38'N / 81°31'W15.20 Miles100 Yards0225K0Union
32.21989-04-04234°46'N / 82°30'W34°49'N / 82°27'W3.00 Miles73 Yards002.5M0Greenville
34.11973-03-31234°46'N / 82°37'W34°52'N / 82°26'W12.40 Miles100 Yards0025K0Pickens
34.71980-04-13234°34'N / 82°25'W34°43'N / 82°22'W10.60 Miles33 Yards002.5M0Greenville
35.11973-05-27234°53'N / 82°47'W34°59'N / 82°23'W23.60 Miles150 Yards0025K0Pickens
35.41989-04-04234°45'N / 82°32'W34°46'N / 82°30'W2.00 Miles73 Yards00250K0Anderson
37.12005-01-13234°24'N / 82°08'W34°33'N / 82°01'W12.00 Miles350 Yards012.0M0Laurens
 Brief Description: This tornado touched down in the Ekom Community southwest of the city of Laurens, where it damaged a couple of mobile homes. The tornado then tracked northeast to the area around Laurens High School, where some small sheds were destroyed and a portion of the roof removed from a house. At the high school, the roof of a brick concession facility was blown off. Just east of the school, a mobile home was destroyed and a building received significant roof damage. The tornado continued northeast toward the Whelon Rd area, uprooting and snapping off several large trees. A small, frame guest house was damaged and a tractor overturned in this area. The tornado continued to snap and uproot large trees as it moved toward Welcome Church Rd, where 4 mobile homes were damaged and a frame home received minor roof damage. The damage path continued northeast, but ended about 200 yards north of highway 14. After briefly lifting, the tornado struck a tire distribution center just north of the highway 221 I-385 exchange. The roof of a building at the plant was damaged, which sparked a large fire in the building, burning it to the ground. An employee at the plant received minor injuries when debris fell on him. The tornado dissipated near highway 221 north of Laurens.
38.01998-01-07234°48'N / 82°36'W34°50'N / 82°36'W1.50 Miles35 Yards043.0M0Pickens
 Brief Description: A tornado developed from a fast moving severe thunderstorm that raced north out of eastern Georgia. The F2 tornado destroyed several houses and mobile homes and severely damaged many other homes and businesses. Damage was sustained to the south of the track of the tornado due to strong inflow into the storm. Damage from severe thunderstorm winds in the rear flank downdraft occurred north into Easley. A powerful winter storm brought flooding rain, high winds, and a tornado to the Upstate from the evening of the 7th into the early morning of the 8th. Rainfall between 4 and 7 inches during a 2-day period across the mountains and foothills resulted in significant flooding. Many roads and bridges were covered or washed out. A wash out in Pickens county resulted in one fatality. Thunderstorms raced north through the area adding to the deluge as well as creating or enhancing strong to damaging winds. An F2 tornado touched down near Easley. Meso-scale high winds behind the complex of thunderstorms moved across the northern half of Greenville county and blew down trees and power lines. Severe thunderstorm winds combined with strong gradient winds to down trees and power lines in York county as well.
39.61960-03-30234°25'N / 82°00'W34°27'N / 81°50'W9.80 Miles50 Yards0025K0Laurens
39.81973-05-24234°58'N / 81°16'W2.00 Miles67 Yards02250K0York
42.11989-05-05435°28'N / 81°35'W35°32'N / 81°29'W5.00 Miles800 Yards03025.0M0Cleveland
42.21998-05-07235°37'N / 81°59'W35°37'N / 81°59'W3.70 Miles880 Yards00482K0Mcdowell
 Brief Description: Another supercell which tracked across the mountains spawned a tornado that travelled through a portion of Glenwood. Several homes and mobiles sustained damage or were destroyed. Supercell thunderstorms developed in a highly sheared atmosphere in eastern Tennessee then moved east across the mountains, foothills and western piedmont of North Carolina. These long-lived, cyclic supercells produced a considerable amount of large hail and some damaging winds in the mountains. The first tornado of the day in western North Carolina occurred in Madison county. Numerous reports of hail as large as golf balls were reported from the mountains. In Madison and Yancey counties, hail covered roads. More supercell thunderstorms developed behind the previous ones and followed similar tracks. In northern Buncombe county, the town of Barnardsville had three separate severe storms cross overhead and drop hail on the ground to a depth of 3 inches. Yancey county also had 3 separate storms move across the county that accumulated hail to 6 inches in depth. The hail was still on the ground the next morning. As the supercells moved into the foothills, they began to curve a little to the right, indicative of strong mesocyclonic circulations present. One supercell produced several tornadoes from Alexander county to Davie county. Another storm produced a tornado that tracked from western Caldwell county into south-central Alexander county. A third supercell that emerged out of the mountains in McDowell county produced several tornadoes from the southern part of that county to northern Mecklenburg county. Damage was fairly significant across western North Carolina with numerous homes either damaged or destroyed. Fortunately, no one was killed. However, 2 people were injured as a result of the violent F4 tornado in eastern Caldwell county. One person received minor injuries from a lightning strike in Yancey county later in the evening. The storms continued to reform in eastern Tennessee until very late in the evening and still produced large hail as they crossed the border into the mountain counties of North Carolina, before weakening shortly after midnight..
43.11994-04-16234°45'N / 81°17'W34°47'N / 81°15'W3.00 Miles75 Yards145.0M0Chester
 Brief Description: A short-lived, but intense, mesocyclone developed along a squall line ahead of a cold front at about 0045 EST and moved into western Chester County. The mesocyclone intensified within a matter of 10 to 20 minutes into a F2 tornado that touched down four miles southwest of Lowrys and moved four miles to near Lowrys before dissipating. Three mobile homes completely disintegrated, three barns crushed, a new pickup truck was completely destoyed, four mobile homes were damaged, four people were injured (one seriously) and another killed. More than 2000 residents lost electrical power due to the tornado. F64M.
47.51989-05-05435°32'N / 81°29'W35°35'N / 81°27'W3.00 Miles800 Yards41925.0M0Lincoln
47.62010-10-26235°32'N / 81°28'W35°34'N / 81°26'W3.00 Miles200 Yards0111.2M0KLincoln
 Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This strong tornado touched down near the intersection of Locust Trail and Tola Houser Lane. Several homes at the beginning of the track received major damage to the roof and exterior wall. One home was shifted off its foundation by nearly 20 feet, with an upstairs room removed. Two vehicles at this location were rolled several yards. The tornado moved northeast across Northbrook III School Rd. Several homes were damaged or destroyed and numerous trees snapped off or uprooted just north of the Reeps Grove Church Rd intersection. The damage path at this point was nearly 200 yards wide. The tornado continued northeast, crossing Macedonia Church Rd, Peeler Rd and Patriot Way, with additional homes as well as barns and a chicken house damaged or destroyed. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped off in this area as well. As the tornado continued east northeast, damage became more intermittent in the area around Palm Tree Church Rd, where only the tops of trees were snapped. The tornado entered into Catawba County in the vicinity of Dansbury Lane. Eleven people were injured, two seriously. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Scattered supercell thunderstorms developed over the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia as strong wind shear and moderate instability overspread the region ahead of a strong cold front. A number of tornadoes were spawned by the storms. Two strong tornadoes affected the western piedmont and foothills of North Carolina.
49.11998-05-07235°33'N / 81°25'W35°33'N / 81°24'W2.00 Miles440 Yards00212K0Lincoln
 Brief Description: The same supercell that produced the tornado in McDowell county spawned a strong tornado in the Vale and Cat Square area. Four homes were destroyed, 50 homes were damaged, a church roof was partially blown off and numerous trees were downed. Supercell thunderstorms developed in a highly sheared atmosphere in eastern Tennessee then moved east across the mountains, foothills and western piedmont of North Carolina. These long-lived, cyclic supercells produced a considerable amount of large hail and some damaging winds in the mountains. The first tornado of the day in western North Carolina occurred in Madison county. Numerous reports of hail as large as golf balls were reported from the mountains. In Madison and Yancey counties, hail covered roads. More supercell thunderstorms developed behind the previous ones and followed similar tracks. In northern Buncombe county, the town of Barnardsville had three separate severe storms cross overhead and drop hail on the ground to a depth of 3 inches. Yancey county also had 3 separate storms move across the county that accumulated hail to 6 inches in depth. The hail was still on the ground the next morning. As the supercells moved into the foothills, they began to curve a little to the right, indicative of strong mesocyclonic circulations present. One supercell produced several tornadoes from Alexander county to Davie county. Another storm produced a tornado that tracked from western Caldwell county into south-central Alexander county. A third supercell that emerged out of the mountains in McDowell county produced several tornadoes from the southern part of that county to northern Mecklenburg county. Damage was fairly significant across western North Carolina with numerous homes either damaged or destroyed. Fortunately, no one was killed. However, 2 people were injured as a result of the violent F4 tornado in eastern Caldwell county. One person received minor injuries from a lightning strike in Yancey county later in the evening. The storms continued to reform in eastern Tennessee until very late in the evening and still produced large hail as they crossed the border into the mountain counties of North Carolina, before weakening shortly after midnight..
49.31975-01-10235°09'N / 82°50'W35°12'N / 82°48'W4.30 Miles20 Yards0025K0Transylvania
49.51973-05-28235°06'N / 81°06'W2.00 Miles100 Yards0025K0York


* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.


 
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