As hurricane season winds down, it’s a good time to look back at the storms that have shaped Edisto Beach and the surrounding Lowcountry. From a direct hit in 1959 to the tropical storms that buried Palmetto Boulevard in sand, each one changed the coastline, the community and the way the island prepares. (The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs through November 30.)
Hurricane Gracie (1959)
Gracie is the closest thing Edisto has had to a direct hit in modern times. On September 29, 1959, it came ashore over St. Helena Sound, at the south end of Edisto Island, as a Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds. Its wind and surge caused widespread damage across the barrier islands and left a lasting mark on the community.
Gracie also reshaped the beach itself. In the rebuilding that followed, marsh sediment was dug up and moved to the shoreline. That’s a big reason so much of Edisto Beach today is made of shell hash, and it opened up new oceanfront lots that fueled development along the beach.
Hurricane Hugo (1989)
Hugo came ashore at Sullivan’s Island, more than 40 miles up the coast, as a Category 4 storm and set the all-time record tide in Charleston Harbor at 12.5 feet. Edisto sat on the storm’s weaker southern side, so it was spared the catastrophic damage seen from Charleston northward, but the island still had strong winds and some flooding. Hugo remains the benchmark storm for the entire South Carolina coast.
Hurricane Matthew (2016)
Matthew made landfall near McClellanville on October 8, 2016, as a Category 1 storm, far to the north. Even so, it brought some of the worst damage Edisto Beach had seen in decades. Surge and waves damaged beachfront homes, cut into the dunes and covered Palmetto Boulevard in sand, and the National Guard helped clear the road. In Charleston Harbor, the tide reached 9.29 feet, at the time the third-highest on record. Read how the town recovered in In the Wake of Matthew.
Tropical Storm Irma (2017)
Irma was only a tropical storm by the time it reached South Carolina in September 2017, but its surge topped Matthew’s, cresting at 9.9 feet in Charleston Harbor. On Edisto, it pushed about 12,000 cubic yards of sand onto Palmetto Boulevard, up to 4 feet deep in places, and heavily eroded recently restored dunes. State highway crews needed five days to clear the road. Irma proved that a tropical storm, not just a major hurricane, can do serious damage to a barrier island. More from that week: Hurricane Irma’s impact on the Lowcountry.
Tropical Storm Idalia (2023)
Idalia had weakened to a tropical storm by the time it crossed into South Carolina on August 30, 2023, but it arrived on a blue-moon king tide. Charleston Harbor crested at 9.23 feet, the fifth-highest tide on record. On Edisto, waves broke through the dune line, sand washed onto roads and, according to the town’s mayor, a 9-foot surge knocked down parts of the protected dunes. It’s a good example of how king tides can make a weaker storm far more damaging.
Charleston’s Highest Tides on Record
The Charleston Harbor tide gauge is the long-term benchmark for the Lowcountry coast, and four of its five highest readings came from the storms above.
| Storm | Year | Peak tide |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Hugo | 1989 | 12.5 ft |
| Unnamed hurricane | 1940 | 10.2 ft |
| Tropical Storm Irma | 2017 | 9.9 ft |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016 | 9.29 ft |
| Tropical Storm Idalia | 2023 | 9.23 ft |
Why These Storms Still Matter
Edisto’s history shows that storms of every strength can reshape the island. Flooding, dune loss, beach erosion and property damage have come from weaker systems as often as from major hurricanes. That’s why the town has invested in groins and beach renourishment, including a 50-year renourishment agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed in 2023. With ongoing coastal change, sea-level rise and more development, understanding this storm history is essential for planning and preparedness.
Before the Next Storm
- Know your evacuation zone and route through the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, and follow the Town of Edisto Beach for evacuation and re-entry updates.
- Keep an eye on the Edisto Beach forecast and the tide chart, especially when a storm lines up with a king tide.
- Visiting between June and November? Read our tips for visiting during hurricane season and our hurricane season guide.
