Short answer: The National Weather Service in Charleston records four hurricane landfalls on or near Hilton Head Island: 1894 and 1898 (Category 1), 1911 and 1940 (Category 2). Major hurricanes also struck nearby in 1893 (just south of Savannah) and 1959 (Gracie, near Beaufort). The most damaging recent storm, Matthew in 2016, made landfall near McClellanville, north of Charleston, yet set the record storm tide at Fort Pulaski, Georgia, the nearest NOAA tide gauge, and pushed surge onto the Harbour Town Golf Course.
Key facts
- Hurricane season: June 1 to November 30; peak around September 10, with most activity mid-August to mid-October (National Hurricane Center).
- Landfalls on or near Hilton Head: 1894 (Cat 1), 1898 (Cat 1), 1911 (Cat 2), 1940 (Cat 2) (NWS Charleston).
- Nearby major hurricanes: 1893 "Great Sea Islands" hurricane, Cat 3, about 16 ft of surge; 1959 Gracie, listed as Cat 4 at landfall near Beaufort (NWS Charleston).
- Matthew, October 8, 2016: landfall near McClellanville as a Cat 1; record storm tide at Fort Pulaski, GA, 12.56 ft MLLW; Hilton Head Airport peak gust 76 knots (NHC, NWS).
- Irma, September 2017: a tropical storm far away, yet the then second-highest tide on record at Fort Pulaski (NWS).
- Evacuation: all of Beaufort County is one evacuation zone, and the county has no hurricane shelters; only the Governor can order a mandatory evacuation (SCEMD; Town of Hilton Head Island).
- Re-entry: the Mayor decides when residents may return (Town of Hilton Head Island).
Which hurricanes have made landfall on Hilton Head?
Four, according to the NWS Charleston office's tropical cyclone history. The table lists those and the other storms that hit Hilton Head and the nearby Beaufort County coast hardest.
| Year | Storm | What happened here |
|---|---|---|
| 1893 (Aug 27 to 28) | "Great Sea Islands" hurricane | Landfall just south of Savannah as a large Cat 3, about 115 mph; storm surge about 16 ft; at least 1,000 and possibly over 2,000 deaths in the U.S. |
| 1894 (Sep 26 to 27) | Unnamed | Landfall on Hilton Head Island, Cat 1 |
| 1898 (Aug 30 to 31) | Unnamed | Landfall on Hilton Head, Cat 1; surge ruined rice crops along the Savannah and Ogeechee Rivers |
| 1911 (Aug 27 to 30) | Unnamed | Landfall on Hilton Head, Cat 2, about 100 mph; 110 mph gust in Beaufort; extensive surge flooding from Beaufort to Charleston |
| 1940 (Aug 10 to 13) | Unnamed | Landfall near Hilton Head, Cat 2, about 100 mph, significant surge |
| 1952 (Aug 30 to 31) | Able | Landfall near Beaufort, Cat 2; 90 mph winds at Beaufort |
| 1959 (Sep 28 to 30) | Gracie | Landfall near Beaufort, listed by NWS as Cat 4 with winds near 130 mph; highest storm tide about 12 ft at Edisto Beach |
| 1995 (Aug) | Jerry | Tropical storm rain, about 13 inches at Hilton Head |
| 2016 (Oct 8) | Matthew | Landfall near McClellanville; record tide at Fort Pulaski; surge onto Harbour Town Golf Course; widespread tree damage |
| 2017 (Sep 10 to 11) | Irma | Tropical storm, weak and far away; Fort Pulaski tide 4.73 ft above MHHW, then second highest on record |
| 2019 (Sep 4 to 5) | Dorian | Passed offshore; tropical storm winds, hurricane-force gusts, some coastal flooding |
| 2023 (Aug 30) | Idalia | More than 20 trees down on Hilton Head, two on homes; gusts 45 to 66 mph |
| 2024 (Sep 26 to 27) | Helene | Tropical storm winds across the area; pressure 991.9 mb at Calibogue Sound; EF0 tornado on Daufuskie Island |
Sources: NWS Charleston tropical cyclone history and storm summaries; National Hurricane Center report on Matthew.
How often does a hurricane hit Hilton Head?
Direct landfalls are rare in the modern record: the NWS list shows none on or near the island since 1940, and the most recent hurricane landfall in Beaufort County on that list is Bob, a Category 1, on Fripp Island in 1985. That's real, but it's the wrong number to focus on. Matthew and Irma both did their damage here without making landfall anywhere near the island. What matters for a home is surge, wind and rain, and those come from storms passing offshore or landing well up or down the coast.
We don't put a "once every so many years" figure on it. Short records and a handful of storms don't support one, and the risk to a given house depends far more on its elevation and construction than on the island's landfall count.
What did Hurricane Matthew do to Hilton Head?
Matthew is the storm that shaped today's buyer questions about Hilton Head. It made landfall on October 8, 2016, just south of McClellanville, SC, as a Category 1 hurricane. Even so:
- Record water. Fort Pulaski, Georgia, the nearest NOAA tide gauge to Hilton Head, recorded a storm tide of 12.56 feet MLLW, the highest ever measured there, and a peak surge of 7.70 feet (National Hurricane Center).
- Surge on the island. NWS found that surge reached the Harbour Town Golf Course, more than 500 feet inland from the harbor and more than 1,000 feet from the coast, and came near the entrances of nearby buildings. Several island marinas were damaged.
- Wind. Hilton Head Airport's peak gust was 76 knots (about 87 mph). Many trees were snapped or uprooted across the island, more on the north end, and several fell on buildings; NWS said the tree damage supports gusts of 90 to 100 mph, possibly more in places.
- Rain. A CoCoRaHS observer on Hilton Head measured 16.58 inches.
What should a buyer take from this history?
Three practical points:
- Flood risk isn't only about the zone letter. Matthew's surge went well inland at Harbour Town. Check the parcel's flood zone and the house's elevation certificate, and consider flood insurance even where it isn't required.
- Trees and roofs are the common wind loss. Idalia in 2023 was a tropical storm here and still put trees on homes. Look at the trees near the house and the roof's age and attachment. See hurricane deductibles for what a wind claim would cost you out of pocket.
- Ask for the home's storm history. The seller disclosure form asks about flood damage and claims, and a CLUE report shows insurance claims for up to seven years.
How do evacuations work on Hilton Head?
All of Beaufort County is a single evacuation zone, Zone A, under South Carolina's hurricane plan; when it's called, all residents and visitors are told to leave. In South Carolina only the Governor can order a mandatory evacuation, and the state no longer issues voluntary ones. There are no hurricane shelters on Hilton Head or anywhere in Beaufort County. The state plan includes a lane reversal on US 278 off the island. The Town lists 843-682-5125 (Hilton Head Fire Rescue dispatch) for evacuation assistance.
After a storm, the Mayor of Hilton Head decides when residents can return. Bring a photo ID with your island address, or a utility bill with your name and the address. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office issues special re-entry passes only to qualifying people, not the general public; check with the Sheriff's Office for current rules. Inspectors post green, yellow or red placards on homes after damage surveys.
How we help
For any home you consider, we'll pull the flood zone and elevation certificate, ask the seller about past storm damage and claims, and point out tree and roof questions for your inspector. We'll also share the Town's hurricane pages so you have the evacuation and re-entry rules before your first season.
Questions
When was the last hurricane to make landfall on Hilton Head?
The NWS Charleston history lists the 1940 Category 2 hurricane as the most recent landfall on or near Hilton Head Island. Storms that made landfall elsewhere, such as Matthew in 2016, have caused more damage on the island since.
Was Matthew or Irma the record storm surge near Hilton Head?
Matthew. Fort Pulaski's 12.56 ft MLLW storm tide in October 2016 is the highest on record there. Irma's 2017 tide was the second highest at the time, not the record.
Are there hurricane shelters on Hilton Head?
No. The Town says there are no hurricane shelters on Hilton Head or in Beaufort County, and the whole county is one evacuation zone, so plan to leave the area when an evacuation is ordered.
Sources
- Tropical Cyclone History for Southeast South Carolina and Northern Portions of Southeast Georgia, NWS Charleston (checked October 2026)
- Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Matthew (AL142016), National Hurricane Center (checked October 2026)
- Post Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Matthew, NWS Charleston (checked October 2026)
- Tropical Storm Irma, September 10 to 11, 2017, NWS Charleston (checked October 2026)
- SC Hurricane Plan Annex C, Evacuation Zones and Clearance Times (2026), SC Emergency Management Division (checked October 2026)
- Hurricane FAQs, Town of Hilton Head Island (checked October 2026)