Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Dorchester County, SC

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
45035
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Expired on 2026-07-06. Plan: Dorchester County (FEMA plan 106789), approved 2021-07-07.

Since the plan was approved on 2021-07-07: 7 new hazard declarations (5 incidents): EM-3585-SC (Hurricane Ian), DR-4677-SC (Hurricane Ian), EM-3597-SC (Hurricane Idalia), EM-3606-SC (Hurricane Debby), EM-3619-SC (Hurricane Helene), DR-4835-SC (Tropical Storm Debby), EM-3632-SC (Severe Winter Storm).

NOAA Storm Events records since that date: 137 records (data through 2026-06-30).

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Hurricane ($84,454,200 a year), Earthquake ($58,228,131) and Inland Flooding ($22,551,047).

Repetitive-loss flood properties now: FMA RL 14, SRL 9 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 96.

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Expired on 2026-07-06
Plan:
Dorchester County (FEMA plan 106789)
Approved:
2021-07-07
Days since expiry:
86
Update underway:
none recorded in FEMA's plan tracker

Until a new plan is approved, FEMA mitigation project grants (HMGP, FMA) need a FEMA exception (44 CFR 201.6(a)(3)).

What changed since your last plan (approved 2021-07-07)

New federal declarations:
7 new hazard declarations (5 incidents): EM-3585-SC (Hurricane Ian), DR-4677-SC (Hurricane Ian), EM-3597-SC (Hurricane Idalia), EM-3606-SC (Hurricane Debby), EM-3619-SC (Hurricane Helene), DR-4835-SC (Tropical Storm Debby), EM-3632-SC (Severe Winter Storm)
Storm Events records since approval:
137 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 14, SRL 9 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 96
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryNotes
Dorchester County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedExpired on 2026-07-06Dorchester County (FEMA plan 106789)2021-07-072026-07-06-86
Harleyville townTownExpired on 2026-07-06Dorchester County (FEMA plan 106789)2021-07-072026-07-06-86this jurisdiction approved 2021-08-23
Reevesville townTownExpired on 2026-07-06Dorchester County (FEMA plan 106789)2021-07-072026-07-06-86this jurisdiction approved 2023-06-14
Ridgeville townTownExpired on 2026-07-06Dorchester County (FEMA plan 106789)2021-07-072026-07-06-86this jurisdiction approved 2023-04-11
St. George townTownExpired on 2026-07-06Dorchester County (FEMA plan 106789)2021-07-072026-07-06-86this jurisdiction approved 2021-08-23
Summerville townTownExpired on 2026-07-06Dorchester County (FEMA plan 106789)2021-07-072026-07-06-86this jurisdiction approved 2021-08-23

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1HurricaneRelatively HighVery High$77,466,722$651,851$6,335,628$84,454,20021Includes 4 Tropical Depression records (outside NRI's Hurricane definition).
2EarthquakeRelatively ModerateRelatively High$28,518,515n/a$29,709,616$58,228,131Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
3Inland FloodingRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$22,267,853$26,508$256,687$22,551,04774
4TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,071,413$1,443$2,705,093$3,777,94816
5Cold WaveRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$14,369$27,393$2,348,279$2,390,0424Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
6Heat WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$180$125$1,081,345$1,081,6507
7LightningRelatively HighRelatively High$75,374n/a$939,338$1,014,71220
8Ice StormRelatively HighRelatively High$537,894n/a$119,665$657,5595
9Coastal FloodingRelatively LowRelatively Moderate$459,619n/a$82,715$542,3340No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
10WildfireRelatively LowRelatively Low$393,948$280$59,941$454,1682
11HailRelatively LowRelatively Low$13,995$1,989$257,070$273,054165
12Strong WindRelatively LowRelatively Low$31,899$419$171,618$203,936488Includes 2 High Wind and 27 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
13Winter WeatherRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,502$29$147,400$148,93111
14DroughtVery LowVery Lown/a$22,258n/a$22,25821
15LandslideVery LowVery Low$65n/a$1$660Declared 1 time; no Storm Events record of this type.

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local landslide records (Storm Events records this hazard only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Coastal Flooding and Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 107 (Very High, 99.7); tract 105.05 (Very High, 98.8); tract 108.13 (Very High, 98.7)
Hurricanetract 107 (Very High, 99.9); tract 108.20 (Very High, 99.8); tract 106.03 (Very High, 99.7)
Landslidetract 108.01 (Very Low, 72.6); tract 104 (Very Low, 65.4); tract 101 (Very Low, 54.1)
Tornadotract 107 (Relatively High, 81.9); tract 106.03 (Relatively Moderate, 73.9); tract 108.13 (Relatively Moderate, 73.1)
Wildfiretract 104 (Relatively Moderate, 94.0); tract 103.01 (Relatively Moderate, 92.6); tract 108.19 (Relatively Moderate, 92.4)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 107 is Census Tract 107). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Coastal Flood, Storm Surge/Tidenone in data (flood depth: FIRM)0Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map.
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill3 records, 1996 to 2026 (3 zone-level)2 days to 3 days (median 2.5 days); 2 with a recorded value3 consecutive days, 1996-02-03 to 1996-02-05, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Wind chill: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage1 record, 2007 (1 zone-level)No crop damage reported in 1 record.Countywide (zone-level records).Temperature: in event narratives only (local data needed).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)21 records, 1996 to 2002 (21 zone-level)31 days to 214 days (median 88 days); 6 with a recorded value214 days (7 months), 2002-03-01 to 2002-09-30, a run of 7 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)185 records, 1963 to 20250.75 in to 2.75 in (median 1 in); 185 with a recorded value2.75 in hail, 2012-08-02; same size also recorded on 1996-03-17Hail, 2011-07-01, $1,500 property; crops not reported (2011 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Summerville town (59 records), Ridgeville town (12 records), St. George town (11 records), Harleyville town (9 records), Reevesville town (6 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)7 records, 1996 to 2010 (7 zone-level)1 day to 31 days (median 17.5 days); 6 with a recorded valueAugust 1999 (1 monthly summary record), zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Heat index: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson21 records, 1996 to 2024 (21 zone-level)Strongest recorded: Hurricane (Typhoon) record (NOAA's event type name), 1996-07-12, 30 kt (35 mph), measurement type not recorded, damage not reported; NWS zone SCZ044Most damaging recorded: Tropical Storm, 2024-09-26, $303,000 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2024 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)5 records, 2002 to 2014 (5 zone-level)No damage reported in 5 records.Countywide (zone-level records).Ice thickness: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)74 records, 1996 to 2025 (4 zone-level)Flash Flood, 2015-10-03, $3,093,450 property; $0 crops (2015 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Summerville town (21 records), Harleyville town (3 records), Reevesville town (2 records), Ridgeville town (1 record), St. George town (1 record). Zone-level records (4) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0Physical measure: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)20 records, 1996 to 2026Lightning, 2019-07-13, $100,000 property; $0 crops (2019 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Summerville town (5 records), St. George town (2 records), Ridgeville town (1 record).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties; physical measure in event narratives only (local data needed).
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)29 records, 2007 to 2024 (29 zone-level)35 kt (40 mph) to 55 kt (63 mph) (median 40 kt (46 mph)); 29 with a recorded value55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust, High Wind, 2008-10-24; NWS zone SCZ044Strong Wind, 2007-02-25, $10,000 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2007 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)507 records, 1955 to 202640 kt (46 mph) to 91 kt (105 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 467 with a recorded value91 kt (105 mph) estimated gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2020-04-13Thunderstorm Wind, 2008-03-15, $60,000 property; $0 crops (2008 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Summerville town (100 records), St. George town (46 records), Ridgeville town (42 records), Reevesville town (33 records), Harleyville town (25 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)22 records, 1958 to 2022F/EF0 to F/EF1 (median F/EF1); 22 with a recorded valueF1 tornado, 1974-05-12, 1.5 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 300 yd wide, $2,500,000 property; crops not recorded (1974 dollars), 2 direct injuriesEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: St. George town (3 records), Harleyville town (2 records), Ridgeville town (2 records), Summerville town (2 records), Reevesville town (1 record).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)2 records, 2010 to 2011 (2 zone-level)Wildfire, 2011-03-24, $500,000 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars); NWS zone SCZ044Countywide (zone-level records).Acres burned: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)11 records, 2000 to 2026 (11 zone-level)No damage reported in 11 records.Countywide (zone-level records).Snow depth: in event narratives only (local data needed).

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records whose zone no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

A monthly summary record covers most or all of a month; it does not count days at wave conditions.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 26 declarations covering 14 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2026-01-232026-01-21EM-3632-SCEmergencySevere Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 years
2024-09-292024-08-04DR-4835-SCMajor disasterTropical Storm DebbyHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding, Tornado$901,221.44new since last plan; within last 5 years
2024-09-262024-09-25EM-3619-SCEmergencyHurricane HeleneHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding, Landslide, Tornadono Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 years
2024-08-052024-08-04EM-3606-SCEmergencyHurricane DebbyHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Floodingno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 yearssame incident as DR-4835
2023-08-312023-08-29EM-3597-SCEmergencyHurricane IdaliaHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding$219,302.42new since last plan; within last 5 years
2022-11-212022-09-25DR-4677-SCMajor disasterHurricane IanHurricane$149,143.90new since last plan; within last 5 years
2022-09-292022-09-25EM-3585-SCEmergencyHurricane IanHurricaneno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 yearssame incident as DR-4677
2020-03-272020-01-20DR-4492-SCMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$126,639.06
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3470-SCEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4492
2019-09-302019-08-31DR-4464-SCMajor disasterHurricane DorianHurricane$928,349.80
2019-09-012019-08-31EM-3421-SCEmergencyHurricane DorianHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4464
2018-09-162018-09-08DR-4394-SCMajor disasterHurricane FlorenceHurricane$268,848.32
2018-09-102018-09-08EM-3400-SCEmergencyHurricane FlorenceHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4394
2017-10-162017-09-06DR-4346-SCMajor disasterHurricane IrmaHurricane$98,308.87
2017-09-072017-09-06EM-3386-SCEmergencyHurricane IrmaHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4346
2016-10-112016-10-04DR-4286-SCMajor disasterHurricane MatthewHurricane$780,693.71
2016-10-062016-10-04EM-3378-SCEmergencyHurricane MatthewHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4286
2015-10-052015-10-01DR-4241-SCMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$2,114,729.81
2015-10-032015-10-01EM-3373-SCEmergencySevere Storms and FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4241
2014-03-122014-02-10DR-4166-SCMajor disasterSevere Winter StormIce Storm$3,311,588.06
2014-02-122014-02-10EM-3369-SCEmergencySevere Winter StormIce Stormno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4166
2005-09-102005-08-29EM-3233-SCEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2000-01-312000-01-22DR-1313-SCMajor disasterSevere Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1999-09-211999-09-14DR-1299-SCMajor disasterHurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsHurricane$317,843.29
1999-09-151999-09-14EM-3145-SCEmergencyHurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-1299
1989-09-221989-09-21DR-843-SCMajor disasterHurricane HugoHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1955-08-201955-08-20DR-44-SCMajor disasterHurricanesHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding
1954-10-171954-10-17DR-29-SCMajor disasterHurricaneHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Coastal Flooding0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Cold Wave4202001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record.
Drought21000001996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail18514613001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave7000001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane214041041996 to 2026-06-30Includes 4 Tropical Depression records.
Ice Storm5000101996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding7419119431996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000111996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 1 federal declared incident (see declarations table)
Lightning20504001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind53686386001955 to 2026-06-30Includes 2 High Wind and 27 Strong Wind records.
Tornado22111221950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire2000001996 to 2026-06-30
Winter Weather11606211996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2025-01-10Winter Weatherproperty not reported; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2025 dollars)0, 2NWS zone SCZ044 (DORCHESTER), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsdeaths or injuries recorded
2020-04-13Thunderstorm Wind91 kt (105 mph) estimated gustdamage not reported0, 0GIVHANSB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2019-07-13Lightning$100,000 property; $0 crops (2019 dollars)0, 0RIDGEVILLEB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2015-10-03Flash Flood$3,093,450 property; $0 crops (2015 dollars)0, 0SUMMERVILLE MEML ARP to SLANDSVILLEB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2012-08-02Hail2.75 in$0 property; $0 crops (2012 dollars)0, 0GIVHANSB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2011-03-24Wildfire$500,000 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2011 dollars)0, 0NWS zone SCZ044 (DORCHESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Wildfire
2008-10-24High Wind55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust$1,500 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2008 dollars)0, 0NWS zone SCZ044 (DORCHESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
1999-08-01Heatdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone SCZ044 (DORCHESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
1996-07-12Hurricane (Typhoon), NOAA's event type namedamage not reported0, 0NWS zone SCZ044 (DORCHESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical Depression
1996-02-03Cold/Wind Chilldamage not reported0, 0NWS zone SCZ044 (DORCHESTER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
1995-07-07Thunderstorm Windspeed not recorded$50,000 property; crops not recorded (1995 dollars)0, 4Summervilledeaths or injuries recorded
1974-05-12TornadoF1, 1.5 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 300 yd wide$2,500,000 property; crops not recorded (1974 dollars)0, 2location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (908 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Coastal Flooding3.5events per year at a location (modeled)about 3.5 per year at a given location in the countyHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-fDescriptor from NRI: the rate at a location is 1 or more a year, so the county rate is at least that.
Cold Wave0.685event-days per yearabout 0.685 days per yearPossible (from Storm Events: 1 of 30 years)event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)132005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought15.4event-days per yearabout 15.4 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 5 of 30 years)event-days in 5 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (16.7%)4692000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.00629annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.629%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail3.05events per yearabout 3.05 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)115.7 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave8.91event-days per yearabout 8.91 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 6 of 30 years)event-days in 6 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (20%)1492005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.314events per yearabout 1 in 3 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)1021851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm1.09event-days per yearabout 1.09 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 4 of 30 years)event-days in 4 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (13.3%)731946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding1.39event-days per yearabout 1.39 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 22 of 30 years)event-days in 22 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (73.3%)391996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.16events per year (modeled)about 1 in 6 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning66.1days per year with a strikeabout 66.1 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind3.21events per yearabout 3.21 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)1231986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.325events per yearabout 1 in 3 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.00135annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.135%Possible (from Storm Events: 2 of 30 years)Storm Events records in 2 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (6.67%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fDescriptor from Storm Events, not NRI.
Winter Weather1.05event-days per yearabout 1.05 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 6 of 30 years)event-days in 6 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (20%)202005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202586302.87
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20254300.133
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 20254133013.8
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 202511300.367
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 202529300.967
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202516300.533
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20250300
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Coastal Flooding20 of 3169.979.698.0Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 3, Relatively Low 10, Very Low 5, No Rating 11
Cold Wave31 of 3132.658.474.8Relatively Moderate 25, Relatively Low 6
Drought17 of 3167.170.188.1Relatively Low 5, Very Low 12, No Rating 14
Earthquake31 of 3179.493.499.7Very High 7, Relatively High 15, Relatively Moderate 9
Hail31 of 3132.751.666.5Relatively Low 28, Very Low 3
Heat Wave31 of 3113.244.066.2Relatively Moderate 6, Relatively Low 22, Very Low 3
Hurricane31 of 3191.598.399.9Very High 23, Relatively High 8
Ice Storm31 of 3150.081.794.0Relatively High 4, Relatively Moderate 23, Relatively Low 4
Inland Flooding31 of 313.556.491.2Relatively High 5, Relatively Moderate 12, Relatively Low 10, Very Low 4
Landslide22 of 318.730.972.6Very Low 22, No Rating 9
Lightning31 of 3143.880.594.1Relatively High 16, Relatively Moderate 13, Relatively Low 2
Strong Wind31 of 3112.624.849.2Relatively Low 24, Very Low 7
Tornado31 of 3138.659.781.9Relatively High 1, Relatively Moderate 24, Relatively Low 6
Wildfire31 of 3154.380.994.0Relatively Moderate 8, Relatively Low 17, Very Low 6
Winter Weather31 of 3137.362.978.8Relatively High 1, Relatively Moderate 26, Relatively Low 4

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Dorchester County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedExpired on 2026-07-06FMA RL 9, SRL 8; any 76$6,300,041.020 total; 0 since its planIncludes $114,447.78 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4492-SC).
Harleyville townTownExpired on 2026-07-06FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$60,780.8039 total; 4 since its plan
Reevesville townTownExpired on 2026-07-06FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded42 total; 9 since its plan
Ridgeville townTownExpired on 2026-07-06FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$4,604.7858 total; 3 since its plan
St. George townTownExpired on 2026-07-06FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$208,405.2563 total; 6 since its plan
Summerville townTownExpired on 2026-07-06FMA RL 5, SRL 1; any 17$683,538.49187 total; 16 since its planIncludes $4,387 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4492-SC).

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2021-07-07county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Coastal Flooding$2,863,529,380n/a14,203$459,619n/a$82,7150.0161%
Cold Wave$29,984,495,069$51,429,342161,445$14,369$27,393$2,348,279under 0.0001%$0
Droughtn/a$14,916,801n/an/a$22,258n/a0.149% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$49,446,938,645n/a161,540$28,518,515n/a$29,709,6160.0577%
Hail$29,984,495,069$51,429,342161,445$13,995$1,989$257,070under 0.0001%$0
Heat Wave$29,984,495,069$51,429,342161,445$180$125$1,081,345under 0.0001%
Hurricane$29,982,865,530$51,429,342161,432$77,466,722$651,851$6,335,6280.258%$303,000$1,269,667.76
Ice Storm$29,984,491,932n/a161,445$537,894n/a$119,6650.00179%
Inland Flooding$29,969,538,750$1,476,9258,755$22,267,853$26,508$256,687n/a (see note)$270,000$1,120,523.86NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$7,468,115n/a36$65n/a$10.000873%no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)
Lightning$29,984,495,069n/a161,445$75,374n/a$939,3380.000251%$107,000
Strong Wind$29,984,495,069$51,429,342161,445$31,899$419$171,6180.000106%$22,250$3,000Storm Events damage since the plan includes 2 zone-level Strong Wind records ($3,000): a NOAA non-thunderstorm wind type, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition.
Tornado$29,984,495,069$51,429,342161,445$1,071,413$1,443$2,705,0930.00357%$901,221.44
Wildfire$4,191,385,254$24,514,87936,502$393,948$280$59,9410.0094%
Winter Weather$29,984,495,069$51,429,342161,445$1,502$29$147,400under 0.0001%$0no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)

Totals since 2021-07-07 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 118 county-coded records, 72 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $399,250; 19 zone-level records, 14 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $306,000 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: $1,269,667.76 on 7 counted declarations, 3 of them with Public Assistance.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population161,445
Building value (total, not at risk)$29,984,495,069
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$51,429,342
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Moderate
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$131,585,642
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$44,214,395
Social vulnerability ratingVery Low
Community resilience ratingRelatively Moderate
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)14Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)9
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition96Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition9

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total14996996062
of which: North Charleston city (plan jurisdiction listed on the Charleston County page)0030302
of which: Dorchester County (unincorporated area)9876876047
of which: Summerville town5117117013
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file0020200

3 of the county's repeat-flood properties belong to NFIP communities whose plan jurisdiction is not listed on this page (the community rows above name the page that lists it).

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Dorchester County (unincorporated area)4500689876876047
Harleyville town4500700000000
Reevesville town4502180000000
Ridgeville town4500710000000
St. George town4500720000000
Summerville town4500735117117013

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential14987987058
2 to 4 unit residential0020201
other residential0030303
non-residential0040400
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 82 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment, organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B. Each section heading names the item its tables support; the plan and FEMA's review decide whether the item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, 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).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Dorchester County, SC: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 45035). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/sc/45035/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: [email protected]

Hazard Plain release 2026-10. As of 2026-09-30; Storm Events data through 2026-06-30. Automated baseline.