Enter any address in Darlington County, South Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding and tropical storm events are the primary flood drivers in Darlington County, SC. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database has recorded 18 flood events, 11 flash flood events, and 5 tropical storm events. For example, Hurricane Ian brought flash flooding to the region in September 2022, and Tropical Storm Elsa caused downed trees and tropical storm gusts in July 2021.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that Zone A properties have experienced the most claims, with 53 claims averaging $17,823 and an average water depth of 3.7 feet. Zone X properties also show significant claim activity, with 32 claims averaging $9,689 and a higher average water depth of 4.4 feet. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED have seen fewer claims but with a higher average payout of $22,063 and an average water depth of 3.8 feet.
Homeowners in Zone A, Zone X, and Zone X_UNSHADED should pay particular attention to flood risk. Those in Zone A and X have experienced the highest volume of claims, while Zone X_UNSHADED claims have resulted in higher average payouts.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
16 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Darlington County, South Carolina has recorded 34 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 18 river or area floods. The county has received 26 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 (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 |
| Hurricane Idalia | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2023 |
| Hurricane Ian | Hurricane | Sep 25, 2022 |
| 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 |
| Hurricane Irma | Hurricane | Sep 6, 2017 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 30, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Jul 8, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 17, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 16, 2018 | 10.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 14, 2018 | 40.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Oct 8, 2016 | 150.00K |
| Flash Flood | Oct 8, 2016 | 300.00K |
| Flash Flood | Oct 8, 2016 | 800.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 8, 2016 | — |
Tropical Storm — Sep 30, 2022
Hurricane Ian made landfall along the west coast of Florida on September 28, 2022, then moved across the Florida peninsula and exited off the east coast of Florida on September 29, 2022. Ian then moved north and made a second landfall near Georgetown, SC on September 30, 2022. Ian resulted in a variety of impacts across northeast South Carolina from tropical storm force winds to flash flooding,...
Tropical Storm — Jul 8, 2021
Tropical Storm Elsa made landfall in the panhandle of Florida, then moved northeastward into the Carolinas and weakened. The storm still managed to down some trees and had tropical storm gusts.
Flash Flood — Sep 17, 2020
Moisture from Tropical Storm Sally produce flash flooding and strong storms.
Flash Flood — Sep 16, 2018
Hurricane Florence began its long Atlantic trek from the Cape Verde Islands in early September. It made landfall near Wrightsville Beach during the morning of September 14th. The barometric pressure at landfall was 959 millibars, or 28.32 inches.The strongest winds were recorded at 106 mph at Cape Lookout, as well as 105 mph measured at the Wilmington International Airport. In addition to the ...
Tropical Storm — Sep 14, 2018
Hurricane Florence began its long Atlantic trek from the Cape Verde Islands in early September. It made landfall near Wrightsville Beach during the morning of September 14th. The barometric pressure at landfall was 959 millibars, or 28.32 inches.The strongest winds were recorded at 106 mph at Cape Lookout, as well as 105 mph measured at the Wilmington International Airport. In addition to the ...
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 Darlington 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 Darlington 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.