Tornado Risk in South Carolina
All South Carolina counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index tornado score
Tornado risk — violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage — is rated for 46 of 46 South Carolina counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Lexington County carries the state's highest tornado score at 97.6, with $24M in expected annual tornado losses.
7 South Carolina counties are rated High or Very High for tornado, and expected annual losses from tornado total roughly $202M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Tornado
| # | County | Tornado Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington County | High | 0.56 / yr | $24M | |
| 2 | York County | High | 0.42 / yr | $23M | |
| 3 | Horry County | High | 0.61 / yr | $14M | |
| 4 | Greenville County | High | 0.46 / yr | $20M | |
| 5 | Richland County | High | 0.56 / yr | $12M | |
| 6 | Florence County | High | 0.45 / yr | $9M | |
| 7 | Anderson County | High | 0.44 / yr | $8M | |
| 8 | Lancaster County | Medium | 0.35 / yr | $6M | |
| 9 | Spartanburg County | Medium | 0.51 / yr | $6M | |
| 10 | Aiken County | Medium | 0.71 / yr | $5M | |
| 11 | Greenwood County | Medium | 0.31 / yr | $5M | |
| 12 | Chesterfield County | Medium | 0.45 / yr | $4M | |
| 13 | Darlington County | Medium | 0.32 / yr | $4M | |
| 14 | Cherokee County | Medium | 0.24 / yr | $4M | |
| 15 | Beaufort County | Medium | 0.34 / yr | $4M | |
| 16 | Oconee County | Medium | 0.34 / yr | $3M | |
| 17 | Newberry County | Medium | 0.47 / yr | $3M | |
| 18 | Dillon County | Medium | 0.22 / yr | $3M | |
| 19 | Union County | Medium | 0.37 / yr | $2M | |
| 20 | Berkeley County | Medium | 0.60 / yr | $5M | |
| 21 | Marion County | Medium | 0.26 / yr | $2M | |
| 22 | Sumter County | Medium | 0.47 / yr | $3M | |
| 23 | Dorchester County | Medium | 0.32 / yr | $4M | |
| 24 | Chester County | Medium | 0.41 / yr | $2M | |
| 25 | Marlboro County | Medium | 0.25 / yr | $2M | |
| 26 | Kershaw County | Medium | 0.50 / yr | $3M | |
| 27 | Charleston County | Medium | 0.49 / yr | $3M | |
| 28 | Fairfield County | Medium | 0.50 / yr | $2M | |
| 29 | Orangeburg County | Medium | 0.76 / yr | $1M | |
| 30 | Abbeville County | Medium | 0.33 / yr | $2M | |
| 31 | Barnwell County | Medium | 0.35 / yr | $1M | |
| 32 | Laurens County | Medium | 0.50 / yr | $2M | |
| 33 | Saluda County | Low | 0.32 / yr | $1M | |
| 34 | Colleton County | Low | 0.59 / yr | $1M | |
| 35 | Clarendon County | Low | 0.48 / yr | $1M | |
| 36 | Lee County | Low | 0.26 / yr | $1M | |
| 37 | Pickens County | Low | 0.27 / yr | $1M | |
| 38 | Georgetown County | Low | 0.39 / yr | $1M | |
| 39 | Williamsburg County | Low | 0.51 / yr | $666K | |
| 40 | Hampton County | Low | 0.30 / yr | $600K | |
| 41 | Allendale County | Low | 0.23 / yr | $588K | |
| 42 | McCormick County | Low | 0.25 / yr | $519K | |
| 43 | Calhoun County | Low | 0.29 / yr | $599K | |
| 44 | Jasper County | Low | 0.29 / yr | $517K | |
| 45 | Bamberg County | Low | 0.26 / yr | $436K | |
| 46 | Edgefield County | Low | 0.34 / yr | $568K |
46 South Carolina counties with measurable tornado risk. See the national tornado ranking or all South Carolina counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which South Carolina county has the highest tornado risk?
Lexington County has the highest FEMA tornado risk score in South Carolina at 97.6 (High), with $24M in expected annual losses and about 0.56 events per year.
How many South Carolina counties face significant tornado risk?
46 South Carolina counties record measurable tornado risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 7 of them are rated High or Very High.