States › North Carolina

North Carolina

The recorded hazard history of every county in North Carolina: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, and National Flood Insurance Program claims since 1978.

North Carolina has 54,696 weather events in the NCEI Storm Events record since 1950 across 100 counties, led by damaging wind: 112.5 per 100 square miles against 56.0 nationally.

NCEI attributes 622 deaths and 3,872 injuries to those events, with property damage estimated at $15B. By events per 100 square miles the leading counties are New Hanover, Avery and Mitchell.

FEMA lists 85 disaster declarations touching the state since 1953, most recently Severe Winter Storm (24 Jan 2026). NFIP policyholders filed 109,593 flood claims since 1978, $2.3B paid; 106,560 residential policies are in force.

1,437events, last 12 monthsto 30 Jun 2026

54,696events since 1950112.5 per 100 sq mi (US 56.0)

85disaster declarations since 1953last 24 Jan 2026

109,593NFIP flood claims$2.3B paid

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. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026; declarations refreshed 29 Sep 2026; claims as of 8 Sep 2026.

Compared with the United States

Measure	North Carolina	US
Recorded events since 1950	54,696	1,977,440
Events per 100 square miles	112.5	56.0
Events per 10,000 residents	51.8	59.6
Deaths recorded by NCEI	622	26,435
Property damage (NCEI estimates)	$15B	$575B
NFIP claims per 1,000 residents	10.4	8.1
Average paid NFIP claim	$28K	$43K
Residential flood policies in force	106,560	3,139,862

Hazard mix

Wind22,958

Hail9,900

Winter8,965

Flood5,375

Tornado1,691

Drought1,652

Tropical1,130

Other987

Lightning813

Cold771

Heat353

Fog68

Wildfire33

Hazard	Events	Share of US	Deaths
■ Wind	22,958	3.3%	87
■ Hail	9,900	2.3%	—
■ Winter	8,965	3.1%	58
■ Flood	5,375	2.9%	186
■ Tornado	1,691	2.1%	137
■ Drought	1,652	1.9%	—
■ Tropical	1,130	10.2%	61
■ Other	987	2.1%	24
■ Lightning	813	4.5%	41
■ Cold	771	1.4%	11
■ Heat	353	0.6%	16
■ Fog	68	0.4%	1
■ Wildfire	33	0.3%	—

Events by decade

Hail: 23Tornado: 78Wind: 67

Hail: 55Tornado: 90Wind: 229

Hail: 139Tornado: 194Wind: 427

Hail: 864Tornado: 169Wind: 1570

Hail: 1763Tornado: 310Flood: 651Wind: 2589Winter: 1277Tropical: 381Heat: 48Cold: 118Drought: 244Wildfire: 1Lightning: 152Fog: 38Other: 113

Hail: 3763Tornado: 321Flood: 1354Wind: 5793Winter: 3327Tropical: 204Heat: 9Cold: 165Drought: 1031Wildfire: 12Lightning: 320Fog: 28Other: 260

Hail: 2496Tornado: 337Flood: 1897Wind: 7577Winter: 3149Tropical: 331Heat: 88Cold: 252Drought: 91Wildfire: 19Lightning: 281Fog: 2Other: 338

Hail: 797Tornado: 192Flood: 1473Wind: 4706Winter: 1212Tropical: 214Heat: 208Cold: 236Drought: 286Wildfire: 1Lightning: 60Other: 276

1681950s3741960s7601970s2,6031980s7,6851990s16,5872000s16,8582010s9,6612020s

Recorded events in North Carolina by decade and hazard group, including events recorded by forecast zone. HailTornadoFloodWindWinterTropicalHeatColdDroughtWildfireLightningFogOther NCEI recorded only tornadoes, hail and thunderstorm wind before 1996.

Counties by events per 100 square miles

County	Events	Last 12 mo	Per 100 sq mi	Per 10k residents	Dominant	Tornadoes	Hail	Declarations	NFIP claims	NRI risk
New Hanover County	643	9	334.5	28.1	Wind	33	112	32	11,183	Relatively High
Avery County	681	11	275.3	381.2	Winter	2	59	22	288	Relatively Low
Mitchell County	607	13	274.3	405.7	Winter	0	35	21	50	Very Low
Durham County	624	16	217.7	19.1	Wind	11	127	25	443	Relatively Moderate
Watauga County	679	12	217.3	125.2	Wind	4	75	24	463	Relatively Low
Mecklenburg County	1,047	10	200.0	9.3	Wind	28	246	18	2,883	Relatively High
Wake County	1,645	51	197.1	14.3	Wind	40	393	26	1,642	Relatively High
Henderson County	728	14	195.2	62.3	Wind	4	152	18	442	Relatively Moderate
Yancey County	599	12	191.6	319.3	Winter	3	36	23	146	Very Low
Catawba County	746	9	185.9	46.1	Wind	20	177	21	210	Relatively Low
Gaston County	651	8	183.0	28.2	Wind	19	169	20	105	Relatively Moderate
Lincoln County	537	11	181.5	59.9	Wind	23	131	21	15	Relatively Low
Surry County	938	50	176.1	131.8	Wind	9	144	20	72	Relatively Low
Forsyth County	715	31	175.3	18.5	Wind	16	109	25	440	Relatively Moderate
Cabarrus County	603	8	166.9	26.1	Wind	15	124	19	241	Relatively Moderate
Alexander County	422	6	162.3	115.2	Wind	11	61	19	6	Relatively Low
Davie County	425	7	161.2	97.6	Wind	7	79	22	12	Very Low
Rockingham County	867	19	153.3	95.0	Wind	12	164	25	108	Relatively Low
Graham County	442	7	151.4	549.5	Winter	1	34	17	7	Very Low
Orange County	584	44	146.9	39.2	Wind	12	84	26	568	Relatively Low
Cleveland County	681	6	146.7	67.9	Wind	28	168	20	54	Relatively Low
Transylvania County	550	7	145.4	165.8	Winter	3	91	18	153	Relatively Low
Madison County	651	13	144.8	302.8	Winter	7	75	23	110	Very Low
Burke County	730	6	144.2	83.3	Wind	10	211	24	131	Relatively Low
Guilford County	924	31	143.1	17.0	Wind	16	206	28	680	Relatively Moderate
Alleghany County	335	13	142.7	303.2	Wind	3	55	20	13	Very Low
Polk County	339	0	142.6	172.5	Wind	4	75	23	79	Very Low
Ashe County	593	11	139.1	222.0	Wind	1	88	26	183	Relatively Low
Buncombe County	892	15	135.9	32.9	Wind	7	207	21	1,192	Relatively Moderate
Rowan County	694	7	135.7	46.8	Wind	13	111	21	65	Relatively Moderate
Stokes County	602	15	134.0	135.1	Wind	9	92	25	18	Very Low
Iredell County	768	19	133.7	40.0	Wind	23	163	23	60	Relatively Low
Lee County	339	12	132.9	52.9	Wind	6	58	23	63	Relatively Low
Yadkin County	440	8	131.4	118.3	Wind	10	69	21	6	Very Low
Pasquotank County	295	5	130.0	72.3	Wind	21	25	23	531	Relatively Low
Chowan County	224	4	129.7	163.2	Wind	14	33	26	282	Very Low
McDowell County	555	4	126.1	124.1	Wind	6	141	21	111	Relatively Low
Alamance County	532	22	125.6	30.6	Wind	10	92	27	168	Relatively Low
Wilson County	452	11	123.0	57.7	Wind	20	69	28	498	Relatively Low
Vance County	307	6	121.6	72.8	Wind	8	53	23	12	Relatively Low
Stanly County	477	19	120.7	75.2	Wind	15	65	21	66	Relatively Low
Person County	461	8	117.5	117.8	Wind	11	84	27	9	Very Low
Lenoir County	460	16	115.3	84.1	Wind	30	111	29	835	Relatively Moderate
Davidson County	633	14	114.4	37.1	Wind	16	116	29	103	Relatively Moderate
Caswell County	480	12	112.8	211.3	Wind	7	78	25	1	Very Low
Caldwell County	520	4	110.2	64.6	Wind	11	127	23	85	Relatively Low
Wayne County	605	18	109.2	51.8	Wind	28	124	28	1,193	Relatively Moderate
Johnston County	864	23	109.1	38.1	Wind	25	173	27	313	Relatively Moderate
Carteret County	550	2	108.4	80.2	Wind	80	88	30	8,997	Relatively Moderate
Greene County	288	17	108.0	141.1	Wind	18	48	27	82	Relatively Low
Wilkes County	794	9	105.3	120.7	Wind	12	139	22	34	Relatively Moderate
Haywood County	581	11	105.0	93.0	Winter	2	63	21	733	Relatively Low
Cumberland County	679	17	104.1	20.2	Wind	23	146	23	827	Relatively Moderate
Rutherford County	569	4	100.6	88.1	Wind	12	131	22	117	Relatively Low
Nash County	540	19	99.9	56.7	Wind	19	104	28	735	Relatively Low
Franklin County	490	25	99.6	68.3	Wind	13	68	23	23	Relatively Low
Union County	630	10	99.6	25.9	Wind	22	130	21	81	Relatively Moderate
Pitt County	647	14	99.2	37.6	Wind	33	175	30	1,205	Relatively Moderate
Scotland County	307	8	96.2	89.7	Wind	11	50	19	20	Relatively Low
Macon County	495	6	96.0	131.8	Winter	4	72	17	79	Relatively Low
Harnett County	559	16	94.0	41.1	Wind	25	131	23	116	Relatively Low
Randolph County	728	25	93.1	50.1	Wind	16	110	24	65	Relatively Low
Swain County	489	9	92.7	345.9	Winter	4	20	17	56	Relatively Low
Perquimans County	223	3	90.2	169.8	Wind	14	23	24	160	Very Low
Moore County	627	35	89.9	61.0	Wind	16	115	23	154	Relatively Low
Craven County	633	9	89.6	62.9	Wind	39	191	32	6,126	Relatively Moderate
Camden County	202	9	84.1	186.4	Wind	5	19	23	285	Very Low
Dare County	312	7	81.4	82.5	Wind	40	54	31	18,950	Relatively Moderate
Chatham County	548	37	80.4	70.4	Wind	12	82	22	41	Relatively Low
Onslow County	611	9	80.2	29.6	Wind	50	193	30	4,432	Relatively High
Currituck County	204	13	77.9	68.8	Wind	10	31	24	2,007	Very Low
Edgecombe County	388	11	76.8	80.2	Wind	13	75	27	795	Relatively Low
Hoke County	298	8	76.4	56.1	Wind	11	58	20	39	Relatively Low
Robeson County	722	6	76.2	62.1	Wind	49	172	24	1,430	Relatively Moderate
Granville County	401	9	75.4	64.7	Wind	9	95	26	15	Relatively Low
Clay County	161	5	74.9	142.4	Wind	6	19	13	35	Very Low
Warren County	313	7	72.9	166.8	Wind	6	35	24	4	Relatively Low
Gates County	248	7	72.8	239.2	Wind	6	35	22	26	Very Low
Hertford County	257	4	72.8	120.8	Wind	18	32	28	159	Relatively Low
Duplin County	589	12	72.3	121.4	Wind	39	140	26	542	Relatively Moderate
Bladen County	628	4	71.8	212.7	Wind	27	166	27	195	Relatively Moderate
Martin County	322	15	70.6	148.0	Wind	21	77	23	42	Relatively Low
Cherokee County	319	5	70.0	109.4	Wind	10	57	16	56	Relatively Low
Montgomery County	343	8	69.8	133.0	Wind	7	59	24	6	Relatively Low
Anson County	364	5	68.5	165.0	Wind	7	53	22	4	Relatively Low
Columbus County	629	13	67.0	125.6	Wind	34	179	29	712	Relatively Moderate
Brunswick County	565	3	66.5	39.2	Wind	45	139	35	9,879	Relatively High
Sampson County	622	10	65.8	105.4	Wind	23	137	25	148	Relatively Moderate
Halifax County	462	15	63.8	95.7	Wind	14	67	26	54	Relatively Low
Washington County	218	14	62.9	200.1	Wind	12	29	24	157	Relatively Low
Richmond County	295	9	62.3	69.0	Wind	4	38	20	25	Relatively Low
Pamlico County	209	14	62.1	169.3	Wind	20	48	30	4,330	Relatively Low
Beaufort County	506	27	60.8	113.8	Wind	38	137	32	9,462	Relatively Moderate
Jones County	276	13	58.6	298.2	Wind	22	66	27	205	Relatively Low
Northampton County	308	5	57.4	179.8	Wind	17	46	25	34	Relatively Low
Pender County	480	2	55.1	76.4	Wind	47	126	31	5,889	Relatively Moderate
Jackson County	225	4	45.8	51.8	Wind	5	61	19	97	Relatively Low
Bertie County	294	3	42.0	168.0	Wind	32	38	28	423	Relatively Low
Tyrrell County	156	9	39.9	479.4	Wind	14	23	25	588	Relatively Low
Hyde County	152	2	24.8	337.2	Wind	21	30	32	1,734	Relatively Low

Events are county-recorded plus zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county. NRI risk is FEMA's National Risk Index overall rating (December 2025).

Counties by flood claims per 100 policies in force

County	Claims, last 10 years	Policies in force	Claims per 100 policies	Claims since 1978	Paid
Robeson County	850	998	85.2	1,430	$55M
Columbus County	396	473	83.7	712	$25M
Rutherford County	77	102	75.5	117	$8.1M
Pamlico County	1,307	1,805	72.4	4,330	$103M
Burke County	77	112	68.8	131	$11M
Buncombe County	674	1,026	65.7	1,192	$104M
Bladen County	112	177	63.3	195	$9.2M
Haywood County	425	695	61.2	733	$36M
Duplin County	311	528	58.9	542	$52M
Hyde County	580	989	58.6	1,734	$45M
Henderson County	288	532	54.1	442	$30M
Avery County	148	274	54.0	288	$15M
Craven County	2,783	5,154	54.0	6,126	$239M
Watauga County	248	485	51.1	463	$16M
Catawba County	103	207	49.8	210	$4.9M

Counties with at least 100 residential policies in force. Claims by year of loss in the ten years to 2026, divided by residential policies in force as of 3 Aug 2026; a rough ratio, since policies in force today differ from those in force when the losses occurred.

Federal disaster declarations by year

195319902026

Declarations touching North Carolina by year declared, 1953 to 2026; each disaster number counted once.

Incident type	Declarations
Hurricane	34
Severe Storm	11
Fire	10
Flood	8
Tropical Storm	4
Severe Ice Storm	4
Snowstorm	4
Tornado	4
Biological	2
Winter Storm	1

Most recent declarations (each disaster number once, with the number of counties designated):

Declared	Number	Type	Incident	Title	Counties
24 Jan 2026	EM-3637	Emergency	Winter Storm	Severe Winter Storm	100
11 Sep 2025	DR-4889	Major disaster	Tropical Depression	Tropical Depression Chantal	7
3 May 2025	FM-5582	Fire management assistance	Fire	Sunset Drive Fire	1
20 Apr 2025	FM-5580	Fire management assistance	Fire	Sam Davis Road Fire	1
27 Mar 2025	FM-5578	Fire management assistance	Fire	Table Rock Fire	1
26 Mar 2025	FM-5577	Fire management assistance	Fire	Alarka Fire	1
22 Mar 2025	FM-5574	Fire management assistance	Fire	Black Cove Fire Complex	1
19 Oct 2024	DR-4837	Major disaster	Tropical Storm	Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight	6
28 Sep 2024	DR-4827	Major disaster	Tropical Storm	Tropical Storm Helene	39
26 Sep 2024	EM-3617	Emergency	Tropical Storm	Hurricane Helene	100
6 Aug 2024	EM-3608	Emergency	Tropical Storm	Tropical Storm Debby	74
1 Oct 2022	EM-3586	Emergency	Hurricane	Hurricane Ian	100
8 Sep 2021	DR-4617	Major disaster	Hurricane	Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred	11
3 Mar 2021	DR-4588	Major disaster	Severe Storm	Tropical Storm Eta	19
14 Oct 2020	DR-4568	Major disaster	Hurricane	Hurricane Isaias	16

Flood insurance claims by year

197820022026

NFIP claims in North Carolina by year of loss, 1978 to 2026.

109,593 claims, 83,082 paid, $2.3B in total; 11,713 repetitive-loss and 1,571 severe repetitive-loss properties. ZIP codes in North Carolina with flood claims (543).

Year by year

Each year's events, declarations and claims: 2026 · 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 · 2021 · 2020 · 2019 · 2018 · 2017 · 2016 · 2015 · 2014 · 2013 · 2012 · 2011 · 2010 · 2009 · 2008 · 2007 · 2006 · 2005 · 2004 · 2003 · 2002 · 2001 · 2000 · 1999 · 1998 · 1997 · and earlier years back to 1950

Questions and answers

Which North Carolina counties have the most recorded tornadoes?

Carteret (80), Onslow (50) and Robeson (49), by NCEI count since 1950. Larger counties record more events; the state table also ranks by events per 100 square miles.

Which North Carolina counties have the most flood insurance claims?

Dare (18,950), New Hanover (11,183) and Brunswick (9,879) since 1978, in the OpenFEMA NFIP claims file.

How many federal disaster declarations has North Carolina had?

85 declarations since 1953 (major disaster, emergency and fire management assistance declarations combined), 1 of them in 2026 so far.

How does North Carolina compare with the national rate?

112.5 recorded events per 100 square miles against 56.0 nationally; 10.4 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 8.1.

Provenance

NOAA NCEI Storm Events through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2 refreshed 29 Sep 2026; OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026); FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; US Census Bureau 2021 population and area. Built 30 Sep 2026. Methodology.