States › North Carolina › Onslow County
Onslow County, North Carolina
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 29 Sep 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
The NCEI record lists 611 events for Onslow County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026; damaging wind account for the largest share.
That is 80.2 events per 100 square miles, below the North Carolina figure of 112.5, and 29.6 per 10,000 residents against 51.8 statewide.
9 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 12 deaths and 201 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $674M and crop damage at $62M.
FEMA has designated the county in 30 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Winter Storm (emergency, 24 Jan 2026).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 4,432 claims since 1978, of which 3,097 were paid, totalling $71M (about $23K per paid claim). FEMA counts 4,401 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively High" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively High" ($216M a year across 18 hazards).
149 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 17 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with North Carolina and the United States
| Measure | Onslow County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 611 | 54,696 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 80.2 | 112.5 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 29.6 | 51.8 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 9 | 1,437 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 12 | 622 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $674M | $15B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 21.5 | 10.4 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $23K | $28K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 23.4 | 24.1 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 341 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 222 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jul 1986 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | 3 | 10 | County |
| 4 Sep 1996 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $500M | — | 2 | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Tornado | Tornado | EF3 | $9.4M | — | — | 120 | County |
| 26 Aug 2011 | Tropical Storm | Tropical | — | $10M | $16M | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Sep 1999 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $13M | $8.2M | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jul 2017 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 11 Apr 2025 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | County |
| 26 Dec 2010 | Heavy Snow | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2015 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Jan 2018 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Feb 1996 | Winter Storm | Winter | — | $45K | — | — | 35 | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jul 1996 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $73M | $30M | — | 10 | Forecast zone |
| 15 Apr 1999 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $2.0M | — | — | 7 | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $150K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 13 Sep 2018 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $35M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Apr 1978 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 9 Jun 1988 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 16 Dec 2000 | High Wind | Wind | 54 mph | — | — | — | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 31 Aug 2006 | Tropical Storm | Tropical | — | $500K | — | — | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 2 Aug 1991 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 2026 | EM-3637 | Emergency | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 19 Oct 2024 | DR-4837 | Major disaster | Tropical Storm | Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight | Public assistance |
| 26 Sep 2024 | EM-3617 | Emergency | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene | Public assistance |
| 6 Aug 2024 | EM-3608 | Emergency | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby | Public assistance |
| 1 Oct 2022 | EM-3586 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian | Public assistance |
| 14 Oct 2020 | DR-4568 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias | Public assistance |
| 2 Aug 2020 | EM-3534 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias | Public assistance |
| 25 Mar 2020 | DR-4487 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3471 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 4 Oct 2019 | DR-4465 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian | Public assistance |
| 3 Sep 2019 | EM-3423 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian | Public assistance |
| 14 Sep 2018 | DR-4393 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2018 | EM-3401 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence | Public assistance |
| 10 Oct 2016 | DR-4285 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 7 Oct 2016 | EM-3380 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew | Public assistance |
| 31 Aug 2011 | DR-4019 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 25 Aug 2011 | EM-3327 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene | Public assistance |
| 19 Apr 2011 | DR-1969 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 14 Oct 2010 | DR-1942 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Straight-Line Winds | Individual assistance |
| 1 Sep 2010 | EM-3314 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Earl | Public assistance |
| 7 Oct 2005 | DR-1608 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ophelia | Public assistance |
| 14 Sep 2005 | EM-3254 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Ophelia | Public assistance |
| 5 Sep 2005 | EM-3222 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 18 Sep 2003 | DR-1490 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 16 Sep 1999 | DR-1292 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 15 Sep 1999 | EM-3146 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations | Public assistance |
| 1 Sep 1999 | EM-3141 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Dennis | Public assistance |
| 27 Aug 1998 | DR-1240 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Bonnie | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 6 Sep 1996 | DR-1134 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 18 Jul 1996 | DR-1127 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Bertha | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2024 | 7 | 4 | $45,220 | $11,305 |
| 2023 | 13 | 10 | $341,207 | $34,121 |
| 2022 | 6 | 3 | $56,627 | $18,876 |
| 2021 | 2 | 1 | $15,869 | $15,869 |
| 2020 | 14 | 8 | $99,192 | $12,399 |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | $2,439 | $2,439 |
| 2018 | 978 | 739 | $30,736,707 | $41,592 |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2016 | 37 | 21 | $325,019 | $15,477 |
| 2015 | 37 | 16 | $327,023 | $20,439 |
| 2014 | 37 | 33 | $714,995 | $21,667 |
| 2013 | 3 | 1 | $3,990 | $3,990 |
| 2012 | 31 | 24 | $334,543 | $13,939 |
| 2011 | 58 | 24 | $749,152 | $31,215 |
| 2010 | 66 | 51 | $1,233,367 | $24,184 |
| 2009 | 10 | 8 | $168,269 | $21,034 |
| 2008 | 11 | 10 | $929,939 | $92,994 |
| 2007 | 13 | 13 | $384,575 | $29,583 |
| 2006 | 22 | 18 | $505,226 | $28,068 |
| 2005 | 214 | 139 | $3,912,927 | $28,151 |
| 2004 | 18 | 1 | $16,898 | $16,898 |
| 2003 | 18 | 5 | $38,186 | $7,637 |
| 2002 | 36 | 19 | $87,461 | $4,603 |
| 2001 | 31 | 23 | $145,738 | $6,336 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | $170,613,391 | |
| Inland flooding | $22,776,825 | |
| Tornado | $6,866,464 | |
| Heat wave | $3,109,836 | |
| Coastal flooding | $2,820,443 | |
| Winter weather | $1,791,921 | |
| Cold wave | $1,779,005 | |
| Lightning | $1,777,135 | |
| Strong wind | $1,678,105 | |
| Wildfire | $967,906 | |
| Earthquake | $833,699 | |
| Ice storm | $394,119 | |
| Hail | $266,042 | |
| Drought | $48,183 | |
| Landslide | $742 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idalia | 2023 | 79 mi | 63 mph |
| Ophelia | 2023 | 23 mi | 69 mph |
| Claudette | 2021 | 92 mi | 46 mph |
| Elsa | 2021 | 99 mi | 52 mph |
| Arthur | 2020 | 94 mi | 52 mph |
| Isaias | 2020 | 38 mi | 92 mph |
| Dorian | 2019 | 57 mi | 104 mph |
| Nestor | 2019 | 94 mi | 46 mph |
| Florence | 2018 | 42 mi | 104 mph |
| Hermine | 2016 | 19 mi | 63 mph |
| Matthew | 2016 | 61 mi | 81 mph |
| Ana | 2015 | 95 mi | 46 mph |
| Arthur | 2014 | 51 mi | 98 mph |
| Andrea | 2013 | 69 mi | 46 mph |
| Beryl | 2012 | 29 mi | 46 mph |
| Irene | 2011 | 51 mi | 86 mph |
| Cristobal | 2008 | 65 mi | 52 mph |
| Hanna | 2008 | 73 mi | 69 mph |
| Barry | 2007 | 90 mi | 46 mph |
| Gabrielle | 2007 | 62 mi | 58 mph |
| Alberto | 2006 | 51 mi | 40 mph |
| Ernesto | 2006 | 34 mi | 69 mph |
| Ophelia | 2005 | 52 mi | 86 mph |
| Alex | 2004 | 74 mi | 98 mph |
| Charley | 2004 | 39 mi | 75 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
ZIP codes with flood claims
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Onslow County, NC?
NCEI records 193 hail events in Onslow County since 1950, in 37 different years; that is about 2.5 recorded events a year. 23 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Onslow County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 50 tornadoes in Onslow County since 1950, 5 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 3.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Onslow County?
24 Jan 2026: Severe Winter Storm, a emergency declaration for winter storm. The county appears in 30 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Onslow County, and how much was paid?
4,432 NFIP claims since 1978, 3,097 of them paid, for $71M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Onslow County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively High" for overall risk, "Relatively High" for expected annual loss, "Very Low" for social vulnerability and "Relatively Moderate" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Onslow County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
80.2 recorded events per 100 square miles against 112.5 statewide, and 21.5 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 10.4. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 29 Sep 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 30 Sep 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.