South Carolina cold wave risk
Oconee County has the highest cold wave risk in South Carolina, scoring 98.5 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oconee County | 98.5 | Relatively High |
| 2 | Anderson County | 95.9 | Relatively High |
| 3 | Greenville County | 95.8 | Relatively High |
| 4 | Laurens County | 94.1 | Relatively High |
| 5 | Spartanburg County | 94 | Relatively High |
| 6 | Marion County | 91.3 | Relatively High |
| 7 | Greenwood County | 90.7 | Relatively High |
| 8 | Horry County | 88.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 9 | Charleston County | 87.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 10 | Lancaster County | 87.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 11 | York County | 84.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 12 | Pickens County | 83.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 13 | Richland County | 80.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 14 | Cherokee County | 80.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 15 | Abbeville County | 80 | Relatively Moderate |
| 16 | Union County | 79.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 17 | Berkeley County | 77.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 18 | Lexington County | 77.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 19 | Orangeburg County | 75.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 20 | Beaufort County | 73.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 21 | Aiken County | 70.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 22 | Sumter County | 70.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 23 | Darlington County | 70.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 24 | Florence County | 68.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 25 | Dorchester County | 67.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 26 | Chester County | 66.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 27 | Williamsburg County | 65.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 28 | Newberry County | 65.3 | Relatively Low |
| 29 | Dillon County | 63.6 | Relatively Low |
| 30 | Kershaw County | 62.6 | Relatively Low |
| 31 | Marlboro County | 58.5 | Relatively Low |
| 32 | Chesterfield County | 57.9 | Relatively Low |
| 33 | Colleton County | 50.9 | Relatively Low |
| 34 | Georgetown County | 49.9 | Relatively Low |
| 35 | Lee County | 44.2 | Relatively Low |
| 36 | Clarendon County | 43.8 | Relatively Low |
| 37 | Saluda County | 39.3 | Relatively Low |
| 38 | Hampton County | 33.8 | Relatively Low |
| 39 | Fairfield County | 33.5 | Relatively Low |
| 40 | Barnwell County | 33.4 | Relatively Low |
| 41 | Jasper County | 30.9 | Relatively Low |
| 42 | McCormick County | 30.8 | Relatively Low |
| 43 | Edgefield County | 26.3 | Relatively Low |
| 44 | Calhoun County | 22.7 | Very Low |
| 45 | Allendale County | 21.4 | Very Low |
| 46 | Bamberg County | 14.5 | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Cold Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in South Carolina:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest cold wave risk county in South Carolina?
Oconee County, SC has the highest cold wave risk in South Carolina, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 98.5 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes cold wave risk in South Carolina?
Cold wave risk captures expected losses from extended periods of extreme cold, including wind chill. The northern Plains, Great Lakes, and interior New England see the most severe and frequent cold events. Cold extremes cause significant excess mortality, especially among unhoused populations, the elderly, and those with inadequate heating or insulation. Cold and wind chill events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.