Natural hazards · Atlantic Beach

Atlantic Beach, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Atlantic Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 3 claims here since 1989. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Atlantic Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Atlantic Beach to be higher than in 92% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes78%Inland flooding10%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Atlantic Beach faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Hurricanes

78% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

10% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 6% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Atlantic Beach flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Atlantic Beach, from FEMA’s records.

3paid claims since 1989

$98Kpaid to owners

0homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Hugo: 1 claim, $17K
Hurricane Matthew: 1 claim, $56K
October severe storms: 1 claim, $25K

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Atlantic Beach isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Horry County.

Disasters that hit Atlantic Beach

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Atlantic Beach itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Atlantic Beach.

Brought FEMA money into Atlantic BeachDeclared for Horry County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

4 households applied for aid $300 aid approved $7K to the Town of Atlantic Beach for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

$7K to the Town of Atlantic Beach for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

6 households applied for aid $4K aid approved $10K to the Town of Atlantic Beach for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $3K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

1 household applied for aid $1K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Charley

$3K to the Town of Atlantic Beach for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$4K to the Town of Atlantic Beach for repairs

Horry County has had 23 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and fires.

Around Atlantic Beach

Atlantic Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Atlantic Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

North Myrtle Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Atlantic Beach is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Atlantic Beach’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Atlantic Beach. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.