South Carolina lightning risk

46 counties scored 2 rated Very High

Greenville County has the highest lightning risk in South Carolina, scoring 98.3 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded lightning events across South Carolina have increased 16% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.

#	County	NRI score	Rating	NOAA events 2016–2026
1	Greenville County	98.3	Very High	2
2	Spartanburg County	96.9	Very High	5
3	Richland County	96.3	Relatively High	10
4	Beaufort County	96.2	Relatively High	32
5	Georgetown County	96	Relatively High	1
6	Horry County	95.9	Relatively High	15
7	Anderson County	93.5	Relatively High	2
8	Clarendon County	93.4	Relatively High	0
9	Charleston County	92.6	Relatively High	25
10	Lexington County	92.2	Relatively High	2
11	York County	91.1	Relatively High	0
12	Aiken County	90.2	Relatively High	4
13	Berkeley County	89	Relatively High	11
14	Pickens County	87.7	Relatively High	0
15	Orangeburg County	86.6	Relatively High	0
16	Florence County	85.6	Relatively High	2
17	Union County	84	Relatively High	0
18	Oconee County	83.1	Relatively High	1
19	Dorchester County	82.7	Relatively High	5
20	Chesterfield County	82.4	Relatively High	0
21	Laurens County	81.3	Relatively Moderate	0
22	Lancaster County	81.2	Relatively Moderate	1
23	Sumter County	79	Relatively Moderate	2
24	Cherokee County	77.2	Relatively Moderate	1
25	Chester County	76.4	Relatively Moderate	1
26	Williamsburg County	74.2	Relatively Moderate	0
27	Kershaw County	69.5	Relatively Moderate	1
28	Darlington County	69.3	Relatively Moderate	0
29	Marion County	67.2	Relatively Moderate	0
30	Greenwood County	66.6	Relatively Moderate	0
31	Newberry County	63.8	Relatively Moderate	2
32	Colleton County	63.5	Relatively Moderate	8
33	Dillon County	58.6	Relatively Moderate	0
34	Marlboro County	57.9	Relatively Moderate	0
35	Barnwell County	56	Relatively Low	1
36	Jasper County	53.8	Relatively Low	2
37	Fairfield County	53.1	Relatively Low	0
38	Edgefield County	50.7	Relatively Low	1
39	Lee County	43.3	Relatively Low	0
40	Saluda County	41.3	Relatively Low	0
41	Abbeville County	40.3	Relatively Low	0
42	Hampton County	39.9	Relatively Low	0
43	Bamberg County	34.2	Relatively Low	0
44	Calhoun County	26.2	Relatively Low	0
45	McCormick County	22.4	Very Low	0
46	Allendale County	18.3	Very Low	1

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.

Lightning risk nationally:

Top 50 US counties

Other hazard risks in South Carolina:

Wildfire Inland Flooding Coastal Flooding Earthquake Heat Wave Tornado Hurricane Hail Strong Wind Winter Weather Ice Storm Cold Wave Drought Landslide Avalanche Tsunami Volcanic Activity

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest lightning risk county in South Carolina?

Greenville County, SC has the highest lightning risk in South Carolina, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 98.3 out of 100 (rated "Very High").

How many counties in South Carolina are rated Very High for lightning risk?

2 of 46 scored South Carolina counties are rated "Very High" for lightning risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.

What causes lightning risk in South Carolina?

Lightning risk reflects expected annual losses from cloud-to-ground strikes, which ignite building fires, damage electrical systems, and cause fatalities. Florida consistently leads the US in lightning density. High scores also appear across the Gulf Coast, Southeast, and central Plains, where afternoon convective storms are most frequent in summer months.