Enter any address in Bamberg County, South Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the most frequent type of flood recorded in Bamberg County over the last 30 years, with 11 such events documented. These can occur rapidly, as seen with flash flooding on July 14, 2024, and September 26, 2024, during Tropical Storm Helene, which brought heavy rain rates and training bands.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has processed 25 claims in Bamberg County. Zone A, which has a higher flood risk, accounted for 15 claims with an average payout of $38,418 and an average water depth of 3.1 feet. Zone X, considered a moderate flood risk area, had 10 claims with a higher average payout of $63,296, though the average water depth was lower at 1.7 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, and those in Zone X who have experienced significant payouts, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Bamberg County, South Carolina has recorded 16 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 1 river or area floods. The county has received 28 federal disaster declarations, 2 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 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Nov 6, 2024 |
| Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 2024 |
| Hurricane Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 |
| Tropical Storm 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 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | 1.60M |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Nov 7, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 6, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 5, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 10, 2018 | — |
| Flood | May 19, 2016 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 14, 2025
A weak surface trough developed through the day, triggering scattered thunderstorm. Due to weak bulk shear and mixed layer CAPE over 3000 J/kg, just an isolated storm was able to reach severe limits and produce heavy rainfall during the day. In addition, light steering flow allowed the storm to move slow enough to produce flash flooding.
Tropical Storm — Sep 27, 2024
Tropical Storm Helene formed in the NW Caribbean Sea on September 24. Helene moved northward into the Gulf of Mexico where it strengthened into a hurricane on September 25. Helene made landfall as a major hurricane in the Big Bend area of Florida the night of September 26 before quickly moving inland into east central Georgia by early morning on September 27. Helene weakened to a strong tropica...
Flash Flood — Sep 26, 2024
Tropical Storm Helene formed in the NW Caribbean Sea on September 24. Helene moved northward into the Gulf of Mexico where it strengthened into a hurricane on September 25. During the day on September 26, Helene remained off the coast of Florida and an upper low over the southeast US led to strong moisture transport and strong forcing over the area. Heavy rain rates and training bands led to fl...
Flash Flood — Nov 7, 2024
Record setting rainfall occurred across portions of the southern Midlands as a stalled front and a deep plume of tropical moisture caused rain rates of over 2-4 per hour for over six hours. Hurricane Rafael in the Gulf of Mexico contributed to the influx of extremely anomalous moisture. Northern Orangeburg and western Calhoun counties received over 10 and the surrounding counties saw over 6 as ...
Flash Flood — Aug 6, 2024
Heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Debby occurred across South Carolina for several days resulting in areas of flash flooding. There was also an isolated severe thunderstorm on the 6th.
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 Bamberg 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 Bamberg 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.