States › South Carolina › Pickens County
Pickens County, South Carolina
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Pickens County, South Carolina, has 579 weather events in the NCEI Storm Events record since 1950, most of them damaging wind.
That is 116.5 events per 100 square miles, in line with the South Carolina figure of 108.7, and 43.8 per 10,000 residents against 62.9 statewide.
4 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 4 deaths and 37 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $12M.
FEMA has designated the county in 26 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Winter Storm (major disaster, 7 Apr 2026).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 63 claims since 1978, of which 53 were paid, totalling $1.7M (about $31K per paid claim). FEMA counts 128 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Low" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively Low" ($37M a year across 18 hazards).
18 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with South Carolina and the United States
| Measure | Pickens County | South Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 579 | 32,670 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 116.5 | 108.7 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 43.8 | 62.9 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 4 | 677 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 4 | 288 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $12M | $1.9B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 9.6 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $31K | $30K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 16.4 | 6.9 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 313 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 229 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jul 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | $50K | — | 2 | 2 | County |
| 7 Jan 1998 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $50K | — | 1 | 3 | County |
| 6 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $50K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 5 Jan 2007 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $50K | — | — | 15 | County |
| 13 Apr 2020 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $200K | — | — | 8 | County |
| 7 Jan 1998 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $3.0M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 2 May 2003 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 10 Apr 1990 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 115 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Jul 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Aug 1997 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 5 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 69 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 30 Nov 2010 | Tornado | Tornado | EF1 | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2020 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 1993 | Hail | Hail | 1.50 in | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1994 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2020 | Flood | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2005 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Dec 1977 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 1990 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Apr 2026 | DR-4908 | Major disaster | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 23 Jan 2026 | EM-3632 | Emergency | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 23 Mar 2025 | FM-5576 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Table Rock Fire Complex | Public assistance |
| 23 Mar 2025 | FM-5575 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Table Rock Fire | Public assistance |
| 29 Sep 2024 | DR-4829 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 26 Sep 2024 | EM-3619 | Emergency | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene | Public assistance |
| 5 Aug 2024 | EM-3606 | Emergency | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Debby | Public assistance |
| 31 Aug 2023 | EM-3597 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Idalia | Public assistance |
| 21 Nov 2022 | DR-4677 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian | Public assistance |
| 29 Sep 2022 | EM-3585 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian | Public assistance |
| 1 May 2020 | DR-4542 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Mar 2020 | DR-4492 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 17 Mar 2020 | DR-4479 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3470 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 1 Sep 2019 | EM-3421 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian | Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2018 | EM-3400 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence | Public assistance |
| 16 Oct 2017 | DR-4346 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma | Public assistance |
| 7 Sep 2017 | EM-3386 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma | Public assistance |
| 12 Nov 2016 | FM-5162 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Pinnacle Mountain Fire | Public assistance |
| 6 Oct 2016 | EM-3378 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew | Public assistance |
| 3 Oct 2015 | EM-3373 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 12 Feb 2014 | EM-3369 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 20 Jan 2006 | DR-1625 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2005 | EM-3233 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 7 Oct 2004 | DR-1566 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances | Individual assistance |
| 4 Aug 1977 | EM-3047 | Emergency | Drought | Drought | Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 13 | $1,038,486 | $79,884 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | $8,205 | $8,205 |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | $4,631 | $4,631 |
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | $136,614 | $68,307 |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | $2,615 | $2,615 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2014 | 1 | 1 | $1,594 | $1,594 |
| 2013 | 5 | 3 | $4,664 | $1,555 |
| 2008 | 1 | 1 | $10,535 | $10,535 |
| 2005 | 3 | 3 | $74,342 | $24,781 |
| 2004 | 7 | 7 | $192,496 | $27,499 |
| 2003 | 3 | 3 | $12,742 | $4,247 |
| 1998 | 3 | 3 | $18,573 | $6,191 |
| 1995 | 4 | 3 | $50,017 | $16,672 |
| 1994 | 4 | 4 | $44,636 | $11,159 |
| 1990 | 1 | 1 | $4,329 | $4,329 |
| 1989 | 5 | 5 | $58,886 | $11,777 |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 | $530 | $530 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $23,485,688 | |
| Cold wave | $4,354,208 | |
| Earthquake | $2,254,814 | |
| Tornado | $1,457,129 | |
| Ice storm | $1,384,828 | |
| Strong wind | $1,277,022 | |
| Lightning | $1,030,014 | |
| Hurricane | $615,343 | |
| Heat wave | $586,608 | |
| Hail | $469,852 | |
| Drought | $54,017 | |
| Wildfire | $49,248 | |
| Winter weather | $17,643 | |
| Landslide | $14,675 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helene | 2024 | 43 mi | 52 mph |
| Zeta | 2020 | 57 mi | 52 mph |
| Michael | 2018 | 80 mi | 52 mph |
| Hugo | 1989 | 91 mi | 63 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1965 | 89 mi | 40 mph |
| Gracie | 1959 | 81 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1949 | 32 mi | 58 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1916 | 8 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1915 | 89 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1907 | 20 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1906 | 80 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1902 | 4 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1901 | 15 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1893 | 81 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1889 | 76 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1886 | 81 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1882 | 44 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1859 | 42 mi | 46 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Pickens County, SC?
NCEI records 171 hail events in Pickens County since 1950, in 43 different years; that is about 2.2 recorded events a year. 26 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Pickens County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 35 tornadoes in Pickens County since 1950, 7 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Pickens County?
7 Apr 2026: Severe Winter Storm, a major disaster declaration for winter storm. The county appears in 26 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Pickens County, and how much was paid?
63 NFIP claims since 1978, 53 of them paid, for $1.7M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Pickens County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Low" for overall risk, "Relatively Low" for expected annual loss, "Relatively Moderate" for social vulnerability and "Relatively Moderate" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Pickens County compare with the rest of South Carolina?
116.5 recorded events per 100 square miles against 108.7 statewide, and 0.5 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 9.6. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 1 Oct 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.