Enter any address in Laurens County, South Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Laurens County, SC, with 18 recorded instances in the last 30 years. Other flood events, including those associated with tropical systems, have also occurred. For example, heavy rainfall from Tropical Cyclone Helene contributed to flooding and flash flooding in September 2024.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced significantly higher average payouts and water depths compared to Zone X. Homeowners in Zone A, and those in Zone X with a history of claims, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
8 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Laurens County, South Carolina has recorded 34 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 18 flash floods and 14 river or area floods. The county has received 23 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 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 13, 2025 | 7.00K |
| Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | 25.00M (3 deaths) |
| Flash Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 11, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Oct 4, 2015 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Nov 2, 2015 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 21, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2013 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 13, 2025
Scattered thunderstorms and storm clusters developed across upstate South Carolina during the evening. One storm produced a brief tornado in Abbeville County. Storms and clusters tended to move slowly, resulting in locally heavy rainfall, with isolated flash flooding developing where multiple storms moved over the same areas.
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 ...
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 ...
Flash 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...
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 Laurens 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 Laurens 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.