South Carolina
The October 2015 flood, Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Hurricane Florence in 2018. South Carolina experienced three catastrophic flood events in three years. The state's rivers stay in flood stage for days after a major rain event. Hugo in 1989 proved the coast is exposed. The floods proved the interior is too.
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Know your region
Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Georgetown, Beaufort. Hurricane Hugo (1989) made landfall as a Category 4 near Charleston. Storm surge threatens the entire coastline. Charleston floods during routine rainstorms now. The 1886 earthquake (M7.3) was the most powerful in eastern U.S. history.
Primary hazards: hurricanes, storm surge, flooding, earthquakes, heat
Columbia, Sumter, Orangeburg, the Congaree. The October 2015 flood killed 19 people in the Columbia area when a stalled weather system dropped 20 inches of rain. The Congaree and Broad rivers converge here. Dams failed during the 2015 event.
Primary hazards: flooding, severe storms, tornadoes, heat
Greenville, Spartanburg, Florence, the Pee Dee River basin. Florence (2018) dumped historic rain on the Pee Dee basin, and the rivers stayed in flood stage for weeks. Upstate tornadoes strike during spring severe weather. Winter ice storms affect the foothills.
Primary hazards: flooding, tornadoes, severe storms, ice storms
Your hazard profile
Each links to a full guide with during-event protocol, recovery steps, and resources specific to SC.
Hugo (1989) made landfall as a Category 4 near Charleston. Matthew (2016) and Florence (2018) caused catastrophic flooding. The entire coastline from Myrtle Beach to Hilton Head is exposed. Evacuate when ordered.
Read the hurricanes guide →
Three catastrophic floods in three years: 2015, 2016, 2018. South Carolina's rivers stay in flood stage for days after major rain. The Pee Dee, Santee, and Congaree carry floodwater long after storms pass.
Read the flooding guide →
Tropical systems spawn tornadoes along the coast. Supercell tornadoes strike the Piedmont during spring. South Carolina averages 14 tornadoes per year, many with minimal warning time.
Read the tornadoes guide →
Straight-line winds, hail, and lightning strike from spring through fall. Summer storms are intense in the humid subtropical climate.
Read the severe thunderstorms guide →
The 1886 Charleston earthquake (M7.3) killed 60 people and damaged 2,000 buildings. It was the most powerful earthquake in eastern U.S. history. Small earthquakes still occur in the region.
Read the earthquakes guide →
South Carolina resources
South Carolina Emergency Management Division. Coordinates hurricane response, manages evacuations, and runs the state's KnowYourZone program.
South Carolina's official emergency app. Evacuation routes, shelter locations, weather alerts, and traffic conditions during hurricanes.
Central South Carolina forecasts. Severe weather warnings, flood alerts, and tropical storm tracking.
Statewide referral service. Disaster recovery, energy assistance, food banks, and housing resources.
October 2015 through September 2018
In October 2015, a stalled weather system dumped 20 inches of rain on the Columbia area. Nineteen people died. Dams broke. Entire neighborhoods flooded. One year later, Hurricane Matthew pushed storm surge and flooding across the coast and Pee Dee region. Two years after that, Hurricane Florence sat over the state for days, and the Pee Dee River basin experienced its worst flooding in recorded history.
Three catastrophic flood events in three years. Some communities were still rebuilding from 2015 when Matthew hit. Some were still rebuilding from Matthew when Florence arrived. The cumulative toll on housing, infrastructure, and community resilience exceeded anything a single event could cause.
For South Carolina households, the lesson is about flood insurance and repetitive loss. If your property has flooded once, it will flood again. Carry flood insurance. Know that South Carolina's rivers hold water for days and weeks after a major rain event. The storm may be over, but the flood has not crested.