Enter any address in Kershaw County, South Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense thunderstorms is the most frequent type of flood event in Kershaw County, SC, with 13 occurrences in the last 30 years. This type of flooding was observed on August 3, 2024, driven by atmospheric instability and high moisture content. Tropical storms have also impacted the county, with notable events including Tropical Storm Helene on September 27, 2024, and Tropical Storm Ian on September 30, 2022, which brought widespread wind damage and flooding.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with an average payout of $7,880 and an average water depth of 5.4 feet. Properties in Zone X also see claims, though with lower average payouts and water depths. Residents in Zone A, and those in other flood zones with recorded claims, should be particularly aware of their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
6 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Kershaw County, South Carolina has recorded 22 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 13 flash floods and 4 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 |
| 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 27, 2024 | 2.00M |
| Flash Flood | Aug 3, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 30, 2022 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 15, 2018 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 14, 2018 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 11, 2018 | — |
| Flood | May 19, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Oct 4, 2015 | 20.00K (1 deaths) |
| Flood | May 8, 2013 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Jun 4, 2013 | 4.00K |
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 — Aug 3, 2024
An upper trough and frontal boundary was approaching the region from the west. The atmosphere was quite unstable with surface based CAPE around 3000-4000 J/kg, 3000 J/kg of mixed layer CAPE. Wind shear was relatively weak with effective bulk shear less than 25 knots and atmospheric moisture was high with precipitable water values around 2 inches and dewpoints in the mid to upper 70s. Relatively...
Tropical Storm — Sep 30, 2022
Ian first formed as Tropical Depression Nine in the Caribbean Sea on September 23,|2022. It moved west and northwest into the Western Caribbean and strengthened|into a hurricane. The cyclone turned to the north and crossed over the western tip|of Cuba on September 27th.||Ian strengthened into a major hurricane and moved NNE across the SE Gulf of Mexico,|and intensified into a high end categor...
Tropical Storm — Sep 15, 2018
Hurricane Florence began as an area of disturbed weather that moved west off the African coast around August 29-30, 2018. It gradually developed into a tropical cyclone on August 31, 2018 while just south of the Cape Verde islands. The cyclone continued to move to the WNW across the Atlantic Ocean in the ensuing two weeks, undergoing fluctuations in intensity. The cyclone reorganized and str...
Tropical Storm — Sep 14, 2018
Hurricane Florence began as an area of disturbed weather that moved west off the African coast around August 29-30, 2018. It gradually developed into a tropical cyclone on August 31, 2018 while just south of the Cape Verde islands. The cyclone continued to move to the WNW across the Atlantic Ocean in the ensuing two weeks, undergoing fluctuations in intensity. The cyclone reorganized and str...
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 Kershaw 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 Kershaw 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.