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Natural hazard risk in Horry County, South Carolina

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Relatively High (score 98.1 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$290.4 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1989
32[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$338.2 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
58[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index rates Horry County's overall natural hazard risk Relatively High compared with other US counties, with a Risk Index score of 98.1 out of 100[5]. Within the county, the hazards with the highest FEMA scores are hurricane, tornado and earthquake[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA's National Risk Index estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Horry County at $290.4 million a year, with buildings accounting for $245.4 million[1]. This is FEMA's estimate of average yearly economic loss, not money anyone paid, and it does not predict next year's losses[7]. Hurricane drives most of that estimate, with an Expected Annual Loss of $200.5 million a year[8]. Inland flooding follows at $40.3 million a year[9]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability in the county Relatively High (score 65.3), which describes how susceptible social groups are to the harm hazards cause[10]. FEMA also rates Community Resilience Relatively High (score 66.3), which describes the ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[11].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
HurricaneVery High$200.5 million[8]
TornadoRelatively High$14.3 million[12]
EarthquakeRelatively Moderate$15.0 million[13]
LightningRelatively High$1.7 million[14]
Winter WeatherRelatively High$661,000[15]
Heat WaveRelatively Moderate$5.0 million[16]
Ice StormRelatively High$1.0 million[17]
Inland FloodingRelatively Moderate$40.3 million[9]
WildfireRelatively Moderate$1.1 million[18]
Cold WaveRelatively Moderate$5.0 million[19]
Coastal FloodingRelatively High$4.0 million[20]
Strong WindRelatively High$1.4 million[21]
DroughtRelatively Low$110,000[22]
HailRelatively Low$176,000[23]
LandslideVery Low$563[24]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, volcanic activity[25].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively High65.3[10]
Community resilienceRelatively High66.3[11]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates coastal flooding risk in Horry County Relatively High compared with other US counties, with a score of 87.6[20]. FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate, with a score of 92.0[9]. OpenFEMA data show 20,388 residential flood insurance contracts in force out of 139,337 residential structures as of 2026-08-03, a penetration rate of 14.6%[26]. A HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026 counts 12,525 claims, 8,818 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $338.2 million in total[3]. The years with the most paid claims were 1989 (2,613), 2016 (1,088) and 2018 (942)[3].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[9] Relatively Moderate, $40.3 million expected loss a year
Coastal Flooding, FEMA risk rating[20] Relatively High, $4.0 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[26] 20,388 of 139,337 homes
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 12,525 filed, $338.2 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[27]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 32 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Horry County since 1989, 15 of them major disaster declarations[2]. Hurricanes account for 18 of these declarations[2]. The most recent is EM-3632-SC, Severe Winter Storm, declared 2026-01-23[28]. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center tornado database records 58 tornadoes in Horry County from 1950 to 2024, with the strongest rated F3 and the most recent on 2023-12-17[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Horry County, since 1989
Incident type Declarations
Hurricane[2] 18
Fire[2] 4
Tropical Storm[2] 3
Severe Ice Storm[2] 3
Flood[2] 2
Severe Storm[2] 1
Winter Storm[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
EM-3632-SC[28] Severe Winter Storm 2026-01-23
FM-5554-SC[28] Covington Drive Fire 2025-03-07
DR-4835-SC[28] Tropical Storm Debby 2024-09-29
EM-3619-SC[28] Hurricane Helene 2024-09-26
EM-3606-SC[28] Hurricane Debby 2024-08-05

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Hurricanes

Before

  • Know your hurricane risk, including rain, wind and tornadoes far inland from landfall.
  • Learn your evacuation zone and routes, and practice them with your household and pets.
  • Keep insurance policies and ID current, with password-protected digital copies.
  • Clear drains and gutters, bring in outdoor furniture and consider hurricane shutters.
  • Keep your phone charged, buy backup chargers and gather supplies, including medication and pet supplies.

During

  • If you are in a mandatory evacuation zone and officials order an evacuation, leave right away.
  • For high winds, take shelter in a designated storm shelter or an interior room.
  • If you are trapped by flooding, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Source: Ready.gov, hurricanes

Tornadoes

Before

  • Learn the warning signs: a rotating funnel cloud, an approaching cloud of debris or a loud roar like a freight train.
  • Sign up for community warning systems and learn what your local sirens sound like.
  • Pick a safe spot, such as a safe room built to FEMA criteria or an ICC 500 storm shelter, and practice getting there.
  • Include your pets in the household emergency plan.
  • Keep supplies, food, water and medication in case you have to stay home for a long time.

During

  • Go right away to the safe place you picked in advance.
  • Protect your head and neck with your arms and stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.
  • No place in a car is fully safe. If you can get lower than the road, leave the car and lie down there.

Source: Ready.gov, tornadoes

Earthquakes

Before

  • Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On with your family and coworkers.
  • Sign up for earthquake alerts that can warn you before shaking starts.
  • Make a plan with an out-of-state contact and a place to meet if you get separated.
  • Anchor heavy items such as bookcases, refrigerators and water heaters, and keep heavy things on low shelves.
  • Consider earthquake insurance. Standard homeowners policies do not cover earthquake damage.

During

  • Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck, and hold on until the shaking stops.
  • Indoors, stay where you are and avoid doorways. Outdoors, move to an open area away from buildings and power lines.
  • If you are driving, pull over, stop and set the parking brake.

Source: Ready.gov, earthquakes

Questions people ask

Is Horry County at risk of hurricanes?
FEMA rates hurricane risk in Horry County Very High compared with other US counties, with a score of 99.5[8]. FEMA's National Risk Index estimates hurricane Expected Annual Loss at $200.5 million a year[8].
Does Horry County flood?
FEMA rates coastal flooding risk Relatively High compared with other US counties[20]. FEMA rates inland flooding risk Relatively Moderate[9]. NFIP paid $338.2 million on claims for losses in the county from 1978 to 2026[3].
How do I check if an address in Horry County is in a flood zone?
Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[27]. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of a single address[27].
Does Horry County get tornadoes?
NOAA's Storm Prediction Center tornado database records 58 tornadoes in Horry County from 1950 to 2024[4]. FEMA rates tornado risk Relatively High compared with other US counties, with a score of 96.6[12].
How many federal disasters have been declared in Horry County?
OpenFEMA lists 32 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Horry County since 1989[2]. Of these, 18 were for hurricanes[2].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Horry County is $290.4 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Relatively High, score 97.4). Of this, buildings account for $245.4 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $43.2... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 32 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Horry County since 1989 (15 major disaster, 17 emergency or fire management). By incident type: hurricane 18, fire 4, tropical storm 3, severe ice storm 3, flood 2, severe storm 1, winter storm 1.... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 12,525 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Horry County, 8,818 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $338.2 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid).... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 58 recorded tornadoes touched Horry County. The strongest were rated F3 (most recent of them on 1967-11-24). 2 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2023-12-17. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Horry County is Relatively High, with a Risk Index score of 98.1 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Horry County are hurricane (99.5, Very High), tornado (96.6, Relatively High), earthquake (95.9, Relatively Moderate). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores; FEMA's... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  8. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Horry County: Risk Index rating Very High (score 99.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $200.5 million a year (rating Very High). Annualized frequency 0.3 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172 years for the Atlantic... FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 92.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $40.3 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 1.96 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record... FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Horry County is Relatively High (score 65.3). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Horry County is Relatively High (score 66.3). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 96.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $14.3 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.61 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 95.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $15.0 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0025 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 95.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.7 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 58.88 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 95.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $661,000 a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 1.32 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 94.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $5.0 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 9.21 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18... FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 93.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.0 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.63 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 89.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.1 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.001 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively Moderate (score 88.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $5.0 million a year (rating Relatively High). Annualized frequency 0.47 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), coastal flooding in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 87.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $4.0 million a year (rating Relatively High). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 3.5719 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively High (score 86.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $1.4 million a year (rating Relatively Moderate). Annualized frequency 2.83 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 48.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $110,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 10.34 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Horry County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 44.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $176,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 2.69 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Horry County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 40.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $563 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Horry County: avalanche, volcanic activity. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically possible there. FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  26. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 20,388 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Horry County, out of 139,337 residential structures, a penetration rate of 14.6%. OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  27. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  28. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.