South Carolina's Coast: What's at Stake

Posted: 29-May-2007; Updated: 31-Jul-2007

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Maps: Storm surge risk in Charleston
See a series of maps showing how storm surge associated with increasing storm intensity can affect Charleston, S.C.

More maps:
Beaufort | Hilton Head | Myrtle Beach

South Carolina Snapshot

Coastline:* 187 miles (9)

Tidal shoreline:* 2,876 miles (9)

Coastal population: 930,204 (nearly 22 percent of state's population) (10)

Percentage of land less than 5 feet above sea level: 909 square miles (11)

Property value of Atlantic Coast counties: Approximately $148.8 billion (12)

Storm history since 1989: See a list of tropical storms and hurricanes that have had a direct impact on South Carolina since 1989.

Insurance rates up 56%: From 2001 to 2006, homeowner premiums climbed an average of 56.4%.

* Coastline refers to the general outline of a state's sea coast; tidal shoreline refers to the coastline, as well as offshore islands, sounds, bays, rivers, and creeks measured to the head of tidewaters or to a point where tidal waters narrow to a width of 100 feet.

Only seven counties in South Carolina border the Atlantic Ocean, but those counties are home to close to a quarter of the state's population—nearly one million people. And the number of coastal residents is growing—the coastal counties of Beaufort, Horry, Georgetown and Charleston are in the state's top ten counties in terms of population growth (1).

South Carolina's 900 square miles of low-lying land are especially susceptible to the effects of sea level rise and destructive storm surges from hurricanes and tropical storms (2).

Coastal economy at risk

Charleston's metropolitan area, including Mt. Pleasant and North Charleston, is an important economic center. In 2005, the Port of Charleston was the busiest container port along the southeast and Gulf coasts. It handled 727,000 tons of cargo worth $46 billion (3).

Tourism is another economic engine of the region. Charleston County's tourism industry generates over $1 billion each year and supports 19,000 jobs (4). Statewide, the industry contributes $9.4 billion to the Gross State Product and supports 207,000 jobs (5). Myrtle Beach alone accounts for 40 percent of this revenue (6). These economic engines are vulnerable to the stronger hurricanes that are expected to come with global warming. Much of South Carolina's coastal area could be inundated by a storm surge from even a minor tropical storm or hurricane.

More destructive storms projected with global warming

Recent studies show that hurricanes are becoming more powerful—for example, there are twice as many Category 4 and 5 hurricanes today than there were 35 years ago. This trend is expected to continue as global warming gets worse. For coastal residents, another alarming consequence of global warming is sea level rise, which will affect storm surges. These powerful, fast-moving walls of water often accompany tropical storms and hurricanes, and can devastate coastal communities, taking lives and destroying property. Higher sea levels will mean higher storm surges that reach further inland.

See a series of maps showing how storm surge associated with increasing storm intensity can put Charleston at risk.

Hurricane Hugo: A cautionary example

Hurricane Hugo was the largest storm system to hit South Carolina in modern history. As a Category 4 hurricane, Hugo's winds extended far inland. Shaw Air Force Base—75 miles from the coast and over 80 miles from Hugo's center—recorded sustained winds of 67 miles per hour, with gusts up to 110 mph. The storm surge from Hugo inundated 80 miles of coastline from Charleston to Myrtle Beach. Maximum storm tides of 20 feet were observed in the Cape Romain-Bulls Bay area.

Hugo was responsible for 20 deaths in South Carolina; in North Carolina the storm killed seven, in Virginia six, and in New York one. Twenty-four South Carolina counties were declared federal disaster areas. Damage was estimated at $7 billion nationwide (7). Hugo's toll on the timber industry alone was $100 million (8).

While Hugo stands out in its destructive power, South Carolina regularly suffers from severe weather systems from tropical storms and hurricanes that make landfall in other states. See a list of tropical storms and hurricanes that have done damage in South Carolina since 1989.