FEMA rates relative tornado risk for York County as relatively high and reports historical annualized frequency of 0.39 events per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for York County reports historical annualized frequency of 0.39 events per year for tornado. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is relatively high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for York County.
Tornado
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
97.6/100
FEMA annualizes recorded qualifying tornado occurrences across the FEMA geography and source period.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across York County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Rock Hill, FEMA rates tornado risk for York County as relatively high, with a relative score of 97.6/100. The next highest relative scores are ice storm at 97.4/100 and strong wind at 96.9/100.
Using FEMA data for York County, Rock Hill is #1 among 10 covered South Carolina entries for tornado risk. Charlotte is about 21 straight-line miles from the Rock Hill map point; its FEMA figures cover Mecklenburg County.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Rock Hill? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Rock Hill. All FEMA figures on this page cover York County.
The FEMA figures cover York County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative tornado risk for York County as relatively high. Its historical annualized frequency is 0.39 events per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 10 South Carolina cities covered by this directory, Rock Hill is #1 for relative tornado risk based on FEMA's score for York County. Homes within Rock Hill can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for York County, the highest relative ratings are Tornado (Relatively High), Ice Storm (Very High), and Strong Wind (Relatively High). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover York County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives York County an overall relative risk rating of relatively moderate. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Identify the lowest-floor interior room or nearby rated shelter you can reach quickly. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts and keep a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio available. Use Ready.gov Tornadoes and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Distances are measured between city coordinates.
| City | Distance | Tornado rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 21 mi | Relatively High | 97.9 |
| Gastonia, NC | 23 mi | Relatively Moderate | 92.4 |
| Concord, NC | 38 mi | Relatively Moderate | 91.7 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 51 mi | Relatively Moderate | 89.5 |
| Hickory, NC | 58 mi | Relatively Moderate | 89.2 |
Limited to products tagged for tornado or general preparedness.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site may earn from qualifying purchases.
Water
Filters up to 100,000 gallons. Essential when tap water is compromised.
View product
Power
600 lumens and rechargeable. Hands-free lighting is critical during power outages.
View product
Hazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.