Midlands Earthquake Swarm Longest in Recent History

June 30, 2022 Geologists studying the ongoing swarm of earthquakes in Kershaw County believe this may be the longest period of successive earthquake activity in the state’s recorded history. An earthquake swarm is a sequence of seismic events occurring in a local area within a relatively short…

Hurricane Preparedness Month

April 27, 2023 Columbia, S.C. – Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed the month of May to be the first South Carolina Hurricane Preparedness Month. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division, county emergency managers, the National Weather Service along with all members of the State…

Team South Carolina Responds to Helene

September 27, 2024 South Carolina's state agencies and local partners continue to respond to Helene. As of 2 p.m. today, the storm is located 125 miles south-southeast of Louisville, Kentucky, and is moving to the north-northwest at 28 mph. Moderate to major river flooding is forecasted for many…

Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Cherokee, Saluda Counties

October 17, 2024 Two Disaster Recovery Centers will be open in Cherokee and Saluda counties to provide in-person assistance to South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene. Cherokee County East Gaffney Baptist Church 2308 Cherokee Ave. Gaffney, SC 29340 Open Oct. 17-20, 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Saluda…

Gov. Henry McMaster Announces Team South Carolina County Day in Greenwood

October 17, 2024 Governor Henry McMaster and Lieutenant Governor Pamela S. Evette today announced that state and federal officials and representatives from nonprofits will hold an additional Team South Carolina County Day in Greenwood on Tuesday, October 22. Team South Carolina County Days provide…

Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Aiken, Allendale, Greenwood, Newberry Counties

October 20, 2024 Disaster Recovery Centers will be open in Aiken, Allendale, Greenwood and Newberry counties to provide in-person assistance to South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene. Aiken County Aiken Technical College – Building B 2276 Jefferson Davis Highway Graniteville, SC 29829 Open…

Governor Henry McMaster Declares State of Emergency for Winter Weather

January 10, 2025 Governor Henry McMaster today issued Executive Order 2025-02 to declare a State of Emergency in support of the state's ongoing response efforts to the winter weather moving across South Carolina. The State of Emergency coincides with the South Carolina Emergency Operations Center…

Dam Failure

South Carolina has relatively few natural ponds and lakes. Virtually all ponds and lakes in the state were created by the construction of a dam. There are estimates of over 10,000 man-made dams in South Carolina, but the actual number may be as high as 50,000. The vast majority of dams are below…

Hurricane Preparedness Month (2)

April 22, 2025 Prepare Ahead of Hurricane Season Gov. Henry McMaster has declared May as South Carolina Hurricane Preparedness Month. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division, county emergency managers, the National Weather Service, and all members of the State Emergency Response Team urge…

2025 News Releases

SC Winter Weather Preparedness Week December 1, 2025 Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed November 30 through December 6, 2025, as Winter Weather Preparedness Week in South Carolina. Read More About SC Winter Weather Preparedness Week SCEMD Issues Notice About Emergency Notification System…

S.C. Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week March 10-16, 2019

March 7, 2019 COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 7, 2019) — Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed that South Carolina Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week for 2019 will be observed March 10-16. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service jointly sponsor the week to remind…

S.C. Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week March 8-14, 2020

March 6, 2020 COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 6, 2020) — Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed that South Carolina Severe Weather and Flood Safety Week for 2020 will be observed March 8-14. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service jointly sponsor the week to remind…

South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week (2)

November 25, 2020 Columbia, S.C. - Governor Henry McMaster has proclaimed the week of November 29 through December 5, 2020, as South Carolina Winter Weather Preparedness Week. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service along with the agencies that comprise…

Gov. Henry McMaster Announces Three Team South Carolina County Days for the Upstate

October 7, 2024 Governor Henry McMaster and Lieutenant Governor Pamela S. Evette announced today that state and federal officials and representatives from nonprofits will hold Team South Carolina County Days in Clemson on Wednesday, October 9, Spartanburg on Thursday, October 10, and Greenville on…

Gov. Henry McMaster Announces Three Additional Team South Carolina County Days

October 10, 2024 Governor Henry McMaster and Lieutenant Governor Pamela S. Evette today announced that state and federal officials and representatives from nonprofits will hold additional Team South Carolina County Days in Clinton on Tuesday, October 15, Allendale on Thursday, October 17, and…

Floods

In South Carolina, several variations of flood hazards occur due to the different effects of severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, seasonal rains and other weather-related conditions. The State's low-lying topography, combined with its humid subtropical climate, makes it highly vulnerable to inland or…

Winter Storm, January, 2016

January 22, 2016 Columbia, S.C. (Friday, January 22 2016, 5:30 P.M.) - The South Carolina Management Division continues to monitor the winter weather that is blanketing the eastern United States. Presently, Upstate and northern Midlands counties are experiencing various forms of precipitation to…

Total Eclipse Safety Tips

August 21, 2017 On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible along a thin, roughly 100 mile-wide path that runs diagonally across America from Oregon to South Carolina. Beginning around 2:38 p.m. on Monday, August 21, 2017, viewers who have gathered in areas like Greenville, Columbia…

Earthquakes

Many people are unaware of how common earthquakes are in South Carolina. Approximately 10 to 15 earthquakes are recorded annually in South Carolina with 3 to 5 of them felt or noticed by people. About 70 percent of South Carolina earthquakes are located in the Middleton Place-Summerville Seismic…