Strong Wind Risk in South Carolina
All South Carolina counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index strong wind score
Strong Wind risk — damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes — is rated for 46 of 46 South Carolina counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. York County carries the state's highest strong wind score at 95.4, with $4M in expected annual strong wind losses.
14 South Carolina counties are rated High or Very High for strong wind, and expected annual losses from strong wind total roughly $48M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Strong Wind
| # | County | Strong Wind Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | York County | High | 3.36 / yr | $4M | |
| 2 | Richland County | High | 5.64 / yr | $3M | |
| 3 | Orangeburg County | High | 4.71 / yr | $2M | |
| 4 | Lexington County | High | 5.68 / yr | $3M | |
| 5 | Lancaster County | High | 4.65 / yr | $2M | |
| 6 | Anderson County | High | 2.50 / yr | $2M | |
| 7 | Greenville County | High | 2.56 / yr | $2M | |
| 8 | Laurens County | High | 3.99 / yr | $1M | |
| 9 | Dillon County | High | 3.59 / yr | $1M | |
| 10 | Sumter County | High | 5.32 / yr | $2M | |
| 11 | Chesterfield County | High | 4.35 / yr | $1M | |
| 12 | Horry County | High | 2.83 / yr | $1M | |
| 13 | Kershaw County | High | 5.29 / yr | $2M | |
| 14 | Beaufort County | High | 1.56 / yr | $2M | |
| 15 | Charleston County | Medium | 1.60 / yr | $2M | |
| 16 | Cherokee County | Medium | 3.05 / yr | $1M | |
| 17 | Williamsburg County | Medium | 3.43 / yr | $906K | |
| 18 | Darlington County | Medium | 4.54 / yr | $998K | |
| 19 | Spartanburg County | Medium | 2.87 / yr | $1M | |
| 20 | Pickens County | Medium | 1.98 / yr | $1M | |
| 21 | Berkeley County | Medium | 2.60 / yr | $1M | |
| 22 | Florence County | Medium | 4.09 / yr | $869K | |
| 23 | Aiken County | Medium | 4.94 / yr | $943K | |
| 24 | Marlboro County | Medium | 3.59 / yr | $562K | |
| 25 | Oconee County | Medium | 2.16 / yr | $726K | |
| 26 | Colleton County | Medium | 2.62 / yr | $613K | |
| 27 | Hampton County | Medium | 2.80 / yr | $568K | |
| 28 | Union County | Medium | 4.24 / yr | $518K | |
| 29 | Chester County | Medium | 4.65 / yr | $653K | |
| 30 | Clarendon County | Medium | 4.90 / yr | $509K | |
| 31 | Marion County | Medium | 3.55 / yr | $479K | |
| 32 | Lee County | Medium | 5.24 / yr | $481K | |
| 33 | Bamberg County | Medium | 4.59 / yr | $451K | |
| 34 | Barnwell County | Low | 4.77 / yr | $318K | |
| 35 | Greenwood County | Low | 4.02 / yr | $476K | |
| 36 | Fairfield County | Low | 5.33 / yr | $364K | |
| 37 | Saluda County | Low | 5.08 / yr | $352K | |
| 38 | Edgefield County | Low | 4.79 / yr | $406K | |
| 39 | Abbeville County | Low | 3.47 / yr | $319K | |
| 40 | Calhoun County | Low | 5.68 / yr | $340K | |
| 41 | Newberry County | Low | 5.13 / yr | $330K | |
| 42 | Jasper County | Low | 1.80 / yr | $217K | |
| 43 | Georgetown County | Low | 2.13 / yr | $190K | |
| 44 | McCormick County | Low | 3.71 / yr | $139K | |
| 45 | Dorchester County | Low | 3.21 / yr | $204K | |
| 46 | Allendale County | Low | 3.33 / yr | $100K |
46 South Carolina counties with measurable strong wind risk. See the national strong wind ranking or all South Carolina counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which South Carolina county has the highest strong wind risk?
York County has the highest FEMA strong wind risk score in South Carolina at 95.4 (High), with $4M in expected annual losses and about 3.36 events per year.
How many South Carolina counties face significant strong wind risk?
46 South Carolina counties record measurable strong wind risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 14 of them are rated High or Very High.