Horry County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Horry County's overall risk Relatively High (score 98.2 of 100, higher than 98% of rated U.S. counties); 7 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hurricane, tornado, lightning. Its storm record holds 1,170 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 | Very High | 99.6 | $200M |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 96.7 | $14M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.9 | $1.7M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 95.9 | $661K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 93.1 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 87.6 | $4.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 87.0 | $1.4M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 95.9 | $15M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 95.0 | $5.0M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 92.0 | $40M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 89.9 | $1.1M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.2 | $5.0M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.7 | $110K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.5 | $176K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 40.5 | $563 |
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 | 405 | 1 | $7.3M | 44th of 46 | 1365th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 347 | 0 | $1.7M | 27th of 46 | 1256th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 147 | 4 | $28M | 10th of 46 | 1290th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 60 | 0 | $65M | 10th of 46 | 848th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 46 | 1 | $9.1M | 4th of 46 | 152nd of 3,080 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 36 | 34 | – | 2nd of 46 | 57th of 2,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 35 | 4 | $139M | 8th of 46 | 307th of 1,849 |
| Winter storms | 26 | 0 | $5.2M | 44th of 46 | 2832nd of 3,077 |
| Heavy rain | 16 | 0 | $846K | 11th of 46 | 740th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 14 | 0 | $59K | 39th of 46 | 2303rd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 8 | 0 | – | 28th of 46 | 2111th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 8 | 0 | – | 25th of 46 | 1932nd of 3,076 |
| Wildfires | 4 | 0 | $70M | 3rd of 46 | 631st of 2,972 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 1 | $83K | 24th of 46 | 2676th 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 Horry County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.