North Carolina and South Carolina compared
Since 1996, NOAA recorded 49,268 storm events in North Carolina and 28,811 in South Carolina; per 1,000 square miles that is 1,013 against 958. FEMA has declared 85 disasters in North Carolina and 51 in South Carolina since 1953.
Side by side
| Measure | North Carolina | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| FEMA declarations for natural disasters since 1953 | 83 | 49 |
| Of which major disasters | 56 | 28 |
| Tornadoes since 1950 (SPC) | 1,551 | 1,225 |
| Storm records since 1996 | 49,268 | 28,811 |
| Storm records per 1,000 sq mi | 1,013 | 958 |
| Storm deaths since 1996 | 633 | 284 |
| Storm deaths per million people | 61 | 56 |
| Storm damage since 1996, 2025 dollars | $23.3B | $1.9B |
| FEMA expected annual loss per person | $425 | $584 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996 to 2026-06-30; FEMA OpenFEMA; FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025) for population and expected annual loss; land area from the Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. Search the record at NCEI.
Hazard by hazard
| Hazard | North Carolina records | South Carolina records | North Carolina deaths | South Carolina deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 20,476 | 16,518 | 46 | 29 |
| Hail | 9,900 | 6,692 | 0 | 0 |
| Winter storms | 8,965 | 1,839 | 57 | 11 |
| Floods | 5,375 | 2,557 | 186 | 31 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2,490 | 1,001 | 41 | 22 |
| Drought | 1,652 | 831 | 0 | 0 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1,130 | 534 | 61 | 39 |
| Lightning | 813 | 516 | 41 | 22 |
| Heavy rain | 821 | 282 | 2 | 5 |
| Extreme cold | 771 | 223 | 11 | 22 |
| Heat | 353 | 186 | 16 | 35 |
| Rip currents and high surf | 180 | 123 | 108 | 54 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 64 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Wildfires | 33 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; forecast-zone records count on every county the zone covers, once per state.