Clarendon County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Clarendon County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 76.5 of 100, higher than 76% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hurricane, lightning. Its storm record holds 505 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 High | 94.2 | $11M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 93.4 | $992K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.1 | $1.2M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 66.6 | $118K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 62.7 | $509K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.4 | $2.7M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 81.2 | $294K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 60.3 | $1.1M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 58.1 | $230K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 50.8 | $100K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.2 | $4.4M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 43.8 | $491K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 36.1 | $25K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 22.6 | $98 |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
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 | 294 | 2 | $1.2M | 25th of 46 | 614th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 116 | 0 | $304K | 29th of 46 | 1281st of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 38 | 2 | $9.1M | 2nd of 46 | 379th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 19 | 0 | $22M | 30th of 46 | 2245th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 18 | 0 | $15K | 31st of 46 | 2531st of 3,077 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 6 | 0 | $659K | 18th of 46 | 481st of 1,849 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 0 | $3K | 15th of 46 | 994th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 0 | $635K | 44th of 46 | 2569th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 3 | 2 | $110K | 32nd of 46 | 1249th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | – | 30th of 46 | 2241st of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Clarendon County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.