Natural hazards · Awendaw

Awendaw, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Awendaw comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 2004. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Awendaw?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Awendaw to be higher than in 95% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes63%Inland flooding11%Earthquakes9%Wildfire9%Coastal flooding6%Everything else4%

By hazard

What Awendaw faces

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

Hurricanes

63% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 98% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 18% of U.S. places

Recorded about 4 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Wildfire

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Coastal flooding

6% of expected damage

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

Lower here

TornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

AvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Awendaw flood?

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

6paid claims since 2004

$127Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

20042026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Matthew: 2 claims, $60K
October severe storms: 1 claim, $8K
Hurricane Debby: 1 claim, $40K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Awendaw is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Charleston County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1buildings retrofitted against wind

Disasters that hit Awendaw

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into AwendawDeclared for Charleston County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

37 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$2K to the Town of Awendaw for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

64 households applied for aid $158K aid approved

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

243 households applied for aid $333K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

10 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2004

Tropical Storm Gaston

$188 to the Town of Awendaw for repairs

Charleston County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and severe storms.

Around Awendaw

Awendaw and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Awendawmostly hurricanesVery high

Mount Pleasantmostly 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. Awendaw 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 Awendaw’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Awendaw. 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.