Union County, South Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Union County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 58.2 of 100, higher than 58% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by ice storm, lightning. Its storm record holds 473 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 | 88.4 | $492K |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.0 | $556K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | $2.2M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 79.1 | $2.4M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 64.6 | $518K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 74.1 | $668K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 71.1 | $415K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 70.6 | $587K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 53.4 | $4.5M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 51.5 | $173K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 58.4 | $2K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 53.5 | $36K |
| Drought | Very Low | 27.4 | $11K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 14.9 | $8K |
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 | 217 | 0 | $552K | 18th of 46 | 495th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 96 | 0 | $723K | 17th of 46 | 1011th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 50 | 0 | $14M | 6th of 46 | 1588th of 3,077 |
| Drought | 36 | 0 | – | 5th of 46 | 612th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 1 | $16M | 30th of 46 | 1482nd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 16 | 0 | $551K | 27th of 46 | 2167th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 10 | 1 | $776K | 21st of 46 | 1837th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 0 | $62M | 9th of 46 | 1360th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 8 | 1 | $217K | 16th of 46 | 469th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 4 | 1 | – | 11th of 46 | 1641st of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 0 | $1.9M | 38th of 46 | 773rd of 1,849 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | $6K | 35th of 46 | 1937th 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 Union County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.