Natural hazards · North Myrtle Beach

North Myrtle Beach, SC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in North Myrtle Beach comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 2,847 claims here since 1979. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is North Myrtle Beach?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

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

Hurricanes80%Inland flooding11%Everything else9%

By hazard

What North Myrtle Beach faces

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

Hurricanes

80% 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

11% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 13% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong 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 North Myrtle Beach flood?

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

2,847paid claims since 1979

$61.9Mpaid to owners

364homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Hugo: 1,132 claims, $31.7M
Hurricane Matthew: 330 claims, $8.2M
Hurricane Ian: 190 claims, $7.3M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 7 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (52) ■ flooded 2+ times

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Horry County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

3buildings retrofitted against wind

1buildings floodproofed

Disasters that hit North Myrtle Beach

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into North Myrtle BeachDeclared for Horry County only

2022

Hurricane Ian

115 households applied for aid $86K aid approved $359K to the City of North Myrtle Beach for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

189 households applied for aid $76K aid approved $500K to the City of North Myrtle Beach for repairs

2017

Hurricane Irma

$12K to the City of North Myrtle Beach for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

277 households applied for aid $279K aid approved $1.6M to the City of North Myrtle Beach for repairs

2015

Severe Storms and Flooding

298 households applied for aid $219K aid approved $203K to the City of North Myrtle Beach for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

18 households applied for aid $10K aid approved

2004

Hurricane Charley

$85K to the City of North Myrtle Beach for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$194K to the City of North Myrtle Beach for repairs

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

Around North Myrtle Beach

North Myrtle Beach and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Little Rivermostly hurricanesVery high

North Myrtle Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

Atlantic Beachmostly hurricanesVery high

Briarcliffe Acresmostly hurricanesVery high

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. North Myrtle Beach covers 3 census tracts, combined by population.

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

FEMA’s expected losses across North Myrtle Beach total about $20.3M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

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.