States › North Carolina › Polk County
Polk 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 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Between 1950 and 2026, NCEI recorded 339 storm events in Polk County, North Carolina, led by damaging wind.
That is 142.6 events per 100 square miles, above the North Carolina figure of 112.5, and 172.5 per 10,000 residents against 51.8 statewide.
0 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 4 deaths and 8 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $37M and crop damage at $1.4M.
FEMA has designated the county in 23 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 79 claims since 1978, of which 63 were paid, totalling $4.4M (about $70K per paid claim). FEMA counts 80 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Very Low" and its expected annual loss as "Very Low" ($8.0M a year across 18 hazards).
23 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with North Carolina and the United States
| Measure | Polk County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 339 | 54,696 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 142.6 | 112.5 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 172.5 | 51.8 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 0 | 1,437 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 4 | 622 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $37M | $15B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 10.4 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $70K | $28K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 75.0 | 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: 160 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 165 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 May 2018 | Heavy Rain | Other | — | — | — | 2 | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2024 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $15M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 18 May 2018 | Debris Flow | Other | — | $500K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2006 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 6 | County |
| 4 Jul 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | 2 | County |
| 2 Feb 1996 | Ice Storm | Winter | — | $10M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 2002 | Ice Storm | Winter | — | $9.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Sep 2004 | Flood | Flood | — | $900K | $900K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Flood | Flood | — | $7K | $500K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | $400K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2017 | Tornado | Tornado | EF1 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1997 | Lightning | Lightning | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Tornado | Tornado | EF0 | $100K | — | — | — | 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 |
| 22 Mar 2025 | FM-5574 | Fire management assistance | Fire | Black Cove Fire Complex | Public assistance |
| 28 Sep 2024 | DR-4827 | Major disaster | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 26 Sep 2024 | EM-3617 | Emergency | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene | Public assistance |
| 1 Oct 2022 | EM-3586 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian | Public assistance |
| 2 Aug 2020 | EM-3534 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias | Public assistance |
| 8 May 2020 | DR-4543 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | 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 |
| 3 Sep 2019 | EM-3423 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian | Public assistance |
| 14 Sep 2018 | DR-4393 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence | Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2018 | EM-3401 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence | Public assistance |
| 25 Sep 2013 | DR-4146 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Public assistance |
| 5 Sep 2005 | EM-3222 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 18 Sep 2004 | DR-1553 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2004 | DR-1546 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 12 Dec 2002 | DR-1448 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Public assistance |
| 6 Sep 1996 | DR-1134 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran | Individual assistance |
| 23 Feb 1996 | DR-1103 | Major disaster | Snowstorm | Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 13 Jan 1996 | DR-1087 | Major disaster | Snowstorm | Blizzard Of 96 | Public assistance |
| 17 Mar 1993 | EM-3110 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 9 Nov 1977 | DR-542 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 11 Aug 1977 | EM-3049 | Emergency | Drought | Drought | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 31 | 26 | $3,379,080 | $129,965 |
| 2023 | 4 | 4 | $55,109 | $13,777 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2020 | 7 | 7 | $538,056 | $76,865 |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2018 | 14 | 10 | $244,011 | $24,401 |
| 2017 | 1 | 1 | $8,287 | $8,287 |
| 2016 | 1 | 1 | $32,419 | $32,419 |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2014 | 1 | 1 | $20,406 | $20,406 |
| 2013 | 2 | 2 | $70,830 | $35,415 |
| 2004 | 4 | 4 | $63,297 | $15,824 |
| 1995 | 4 | 3 | $14,090 | $4,697 |
| 1994 | 1 | 1 | $3,735 | $3,735 |
| 1984 | 1 | 1 | $1,258 | $1,258 |
| 1979 | 3 | 1 | $1,080 | $1,080 |
| 1978 | 1 | 1 | $4,369 | $4,369 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $4,131,273 | |
| Tornado | $967,704 | |
| Cold wave | $551,913 | |
| Landslide | $511,687 | |
| Ice storm | $496,712 | |
| Strong wind | $435,226 | |
| Lightning | $307,690 | |
| Earthquake | $207,118 | |
| Hurricane | $156,566 | |
| Hail | $106,687 | |
| Drought | $81,883 | |
| Heat wave | $29,709 | |
| Wildfire | $21,956 | |
| Winter weather | $6,313 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helene | 2024 | 84 mi | 52 mph |
| Zeta | 2020 | 81 mi | 52 mph |
| Michael | 2018 | 86 mi | 52 mph |
| Hugo | 1989 | 50 mi | 63 mph |
| Bob | 1985 | 100 mi | 52 mph |
| David | 1979 | 92 mi | 52 mph |
| Gracie | 1959 | 59 mi | 52 mph |
| Able | 1952 | 89 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1949 | 40 mi | 58 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1927 | 80 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1916 | 36 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1915 | 66 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1912 | 85 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1907 | 57 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1906 | 77 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1902 | 44 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1901 | 32 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1893 | 94 mi | 75 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1893 | 91 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1889 | 75 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1886 | 66 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1882 | 54 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1859 | 70 mi | 46 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 Polk County, NC?
NCEI records 75 hail events in Polk County since 1950, in 31 different years; that is about 1.0 recorded events a year. 8 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Polk County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 4 tornadoes in Polk County since 1950, 0 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 0.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Polk County?
24 Jan 2026: Severe Winter Storm, a emergency declaration for winter storm. The county appears in 23 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Polk County, and how much was paid?
79 NFIP claims since 1978, 63 of them paid, for $4.4M in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Polk County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Very Low" for overall risk, "Very Low" for expected annual loss, "Very High" for social vulnerability and "Relatively Low" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Polk County compare with the rest of North Carolina?
142.6 recorded events per 100 square miles against 112.5 statewide, and 4.0 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 1 Oct 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 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.