Barnwell County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Barnwell County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 45.8 of 100, higher than 45% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 337 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 85.3 | $2.3M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 66.1 | $1.3M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 80.6 | $999K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 62.1 | $365K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 56.0 | $166K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.6 | $116K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 50.3 | $318K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 47.0 | $43K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 41.1 | $107K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 35.0 | $2.4M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 33.4 | $284K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 59.9 | $48K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 19.1 | $61 |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 17.3 | $9K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 201 | 0 | $1.5M | 38th of 46 | 899th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 67 | 0 | $19K | 37th of 46 | 1531st of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 0 | $41M | 23rd of 46 | 1315th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 0 | $152K | 24th of 46 | 1978th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 11 | 0 | – | 35th of 46 | 2685th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 9 | 0 | $16K | 37th of 46 | 2472nd of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 6 | 0 | $2.1M | 21st of 46 | 653rd of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 0 | $5.6M | 24th of 46 | 586th of 1,849 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 25th of 46 | 1526th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Barnwell County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.