Enter any address in Colleton County, South Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Colleton County experiences a mix of flood types, with tropical storms and flash floods being the most frequent over the last 30 years. Coastal flooding also occurs frequently, driven by weather systems and astronomical influences. For example, coastal flooding was reported in October 2025 due to strong northeast winds and tidal influences. Heavy rainfall from thunderstorms also caused flash flooding, as seen in August 2025.
The National Flood Insurance Program data shows that Zone A properties have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $8,854 and an average water depth of 3.0 feet. Zone V properties also have a significant number of claims. Homeowners in coastal areas, as well as those in Zone A and Zone V, should pay particular attention to flood risk. Properties located in areas with lower flood insurance rates, such as Zone X and X_Unshaded, have also seen substantial payouts, indicating potential for significant damage even in lower-risk zones.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
79 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Colleton County, South Carolina has recorded 128 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 33 flash floods and 21 river or area floods. The county has received 28 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 (1989–2026)
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 |
| Tropical Storm Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 |
| Hurricane Idalia | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2023 |
| Hurricane Ian | Hurricane | Sep 25, 2022 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Apr 12, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Dorian | Hurricane | Aug 31, 2019 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Aug 23, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 22, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 11, 2025 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 10, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 | 576.00K |
| Flood | Aug 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 9, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Aug 7, 2024 | 0.00K |
Flood — Aug 23, 2025
Mid-level energy tracking across the region along with a deep moisture and modest instability residing near a stalled front led to an environment supportive of heavy rainfall across Southeast South Carolina.
Flood — Aug 22, 2025
A slow moving cold front encountering an environment displaying deep moisture and moderate instability supported thunderstorms capable of heavy rainfall across Southeast South Carolina.
Coastal Flood — Oct 11, 2025
Persistent and strong northeast winds resulting from high pressure inland and low pressure offshore led to coastal flooding along coastal Southeast South Carolina.
Coastal Flood — Oct 10, 2025
Strong northeast winds resulting from high pressure inland and developing low pressure offshore along with astronomical influences associated with a recent full moon and perigee led to coastal flooding along coastal Southeast South Carolina.
Flash Flood — Aug 5, 2025
A surface front and mid-level energy encountering a moderately unstable and deep moisture environment led to thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds and heavy rainfall across Southeast South Carolina.
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 Colleton 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 Colleton 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.