Cherokee County, South Carolina Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · SC
LowComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 70th
Cherokee County faces low composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 69.7, 70th national percentile), driven primarily by ice storm and tornado exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $23M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Cherokee County carries a low composite natural disaster risk, with a National Risk Index score of 69.7 out of 100 — placing it in the 70th national percentile and below the national average for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Most of Cherokee County's expected losses come from ice storm (freezing rain that coats surfaces in heavy, damaging ice) at High risk — $877K in expected annual loss and about 2.05 events per year; tornado (violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage) at Medium risk — $4M in expected annual loss and about 0.24 events per year; and strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at Medium risk — $1M in expected annual loss and about 3.05 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $23M in expected annual loss for a population of 56K.
Beyond physical exposure, Cherokee County has a high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a low community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). That combination — a more vulnerable population with limited resilience — can amplify the human cost of any given event.
The federal record bears this out: Cherokee County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including 11 for hurricane events and 4 for severe ice storm events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm (winter storm), declared in January 2026.
Among 46 South Carolina counties, Cherokee County ranks #30 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Ice Storm | High | 2.05 / yr | $877K |
| Tornado | Medium | 0.24 / yr | $4M |
| Strong Wind | Medium | 3.05 / yr | $1M |
| Cold Wave | Medium | 0.26 / yr | $3M |
| Lightning | Medium | 53.04 / yr | $530K |
| Earthquake | Low | 0.00 / yr | $886K |
| Riverine Flood | Low | 0.39 / yr | $12M |
| Hurricane | Low | 0.06 / yr | $537K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.62 / yr | $2K |
| Hail | Low | 5.63 / yr | $263K |
| Heat Wave | Low | 1.74 / yr | $331K |
| Drought | Low | 33.31 / yr | $116K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $18K |
| Winter Weather | Low | 4.37 / yr | $24K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Cherokee County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in January 2026. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (11), Severe Ice Storm (4), Tropical Storm (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| September 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| September 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| August 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby |
| August 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia |
| November 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| September 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| September 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Cherokee County?
Cherokee County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 69.7 out of 100, placing it in the Low category and the 70th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Cherokee County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Ice Storm (High, $877K EAL), Tornado (Medium, $4M EAL), Strong Wind (Medium, $1M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Cherokee County compare to other South Carolina counties?
Cherokee County ranks #30 of 46 South Carolina counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a low rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Cherokee County had?
FEMA records 24 federal disaster declarations for Cherokee County since 1977, most often 11 for hurricane events and 4 for severe ice storm events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm, declared in January 2026.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Cherokee County's $23M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.