Enter any address in Anderson County, South Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding events are the most frequent type of flooding recorded in Anderson County over the last 30 years, with 43 occurrences. These events have resulted in one reported death. Tropical storms have also contributed to flooding and fatalities, with two events causing two deaths. A major frontal system brought widespread rain on January 9, 2024, leading to numerous reports of flooding. More recently, on September 27, 2024, Tropical Cyclone Helene produced heavy rainfall and flash flooding across the region.
NFIP claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest average payouts and water depths, with an average payout of $43,416 and an average water depth of 13.1 feet over 14 claims. Zone X properties have also seen significant payouts, averaging $12,832 with an average water depth of 6.5 feet across 16 claims. Homeowners in or near areas designated as Zone A or Zone X should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
14 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Anderson County, South Carolina has recorded 61 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 43 flash floods and 16 river or area floods. The county has received 21 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1977–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 21, 2026 |
| Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 2024 |
| Hurricane Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 |
| Hurricane Idalia | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2023 |
| Hurricane Ian | Hurricane | Sep 25, 2022 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 6, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Dorian | Hurricane | Aug 31, 2019 |
| Hurricane Florence | Hurricane | Sep 8, 2018 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 300.00K (1 deaths) |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | 7.00M (2 deaths) |
| Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Oct 7, 2021 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Oct 7, 2021 | 50.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 29, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 20, 2020 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2020 | 500.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 6, 2020 | 500.00K |
| Flood | Dec 30, 2015 | 0.50K |
Flash Flood — Sep 27, 2024
Tropical Cyclone Helene began organizing over the western Caribbean on the 23rd and 24th of September before rapidly intensifying as it moved north through the eastern Gulf of Mexico on the 25th and 26th. A plume of moisture extending from the intensifying storm interacted with a slow-moving cold front to produce a band of widespread heavy rain showers and embedded scattered thunderstorms over ...
Tropical Storm — Sep 27, 2024
Tropical Cyclone Helene began organizing over the western Caribbean on the 23rd and 24th of September before rapidly intensifying as it moved north through the eastern Gulf of Mexico on the 25th and 26th. A plume of moisture extending from the intensifying storm interacted with a slow-moving cold front to produce a band of widespread heavy rain showers and embedded scattered thunderstorms over ...
Flood — Jan 9, 2024
A major/complex frontal system brought widespread rain with embedded thunderstorms to upstate South Carolina, mainly during the late morning and afternoon of the 9th. Widespread rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches (with locally higher amounts) in around 12 hours resulted in numerous reports of flooding. Isolated severe thunderstorms also resulted in a a few damaging wind gusts reports over the Pi...
Flood — Oct 7, 2021
A slow moving area of upper level low pressure over the Mid-Mississippi Valley pumped semi-tropical weather into the western Carolinas for a couple of days, resulting in occasional rounds of moderate to heavy in the day leading up to the 7th. Scattered slow-moving thunderstorm clusters developed during the morning of the 7th, producing torrential rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour and tot...
Flash Flood — Oct 7, 2021
A slow moving area of upper level low pressure over the Mid-Mississippi Valley pumped semi-tropical weather into the western Carolinas for a couple of days, resulting in occasional rounds of moderate to heavy in the day leading up to the 7th. Scattered slow-moving thunderstorm clusters developed during the morning of the 7th, producing torrential rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour and tot...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Anderson County, South Carolina:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Anderson County, South Carolina that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.