Newberry County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Newberry County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 62.0 of 100, higher than 61% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by ice storm. Its storm record holds 633 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 88.7 | $621K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | $3.2M |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 63.8 | $300K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 82.3 | $1.6M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 80.2 | $1.5M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 65.3 | $1.3M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.9 | $7.6M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 56.9 | $391K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 56.5 | $257K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 43.4 | $69K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 41.5 | $330K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 53.9 | $45K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 38.9 | $462 |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 21.9 | $15K |
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 | 419 | 0 | $930K | 14th of 46 | 412th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 112 | 0 | $12K | 24th of 46 | 1222nd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 40 | 2 | $135M | 6th of 46 | 631st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 30 | 0 | $21K | 22nd of 46 | 2334th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 12 | 0 | $380K | 39th of 46 | 2554th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 9 | 0 | $143K | 33rd of 46 | 2189th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 5 | $21M | 28th of 46 | 638th of 1,849 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $47K | 33rd of 46 | 1276th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 1 | 0 | – | 25th of 46 | 2704th 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 Newberry County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.