Alleghany County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37005 · population 10,876 · 235 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 335 records for Alleghany County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 286 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (81 records). 187 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The most damaging was the September 27, 2024 flash flood ($4.7 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1989, 18 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 335on 286 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 011 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $26Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 3strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Alleghany County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 81 since 1996. 69% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The rank column places the county among North Carolina's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 81 | 81 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 1 | $603K | 19 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 72 | 72 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 3 of 100 |
| Hail | 55 | 43 | 1991-2022 | 0 | 0 | $58K | 25 of 100 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 47 | 35 | 1985-2026 | 0 | 0 | $279K | 87 of 100 |
| Floods | 32 | 28 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $5.8M | 17 of 100 |
| Drought | 22 | 22 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 15 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 8 | 8 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $43K | 19 of 100 |
| Lightning | 8 | 8 | 1996-2019 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 13 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 3 | 2018-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 2 | 1973-2009 | 0 | 7 | $1.9M | 89 of 100 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 3 | – | 63 of 100 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Alleghany County had?
NOAA records 3 tornadoes in Alleghany County from 1973 to 2009, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 7 injuries recorded in the county. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 3 tornadoes whose track touched Alleghany County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 3, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Alleghany County (3)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-05-08 | Blevins Xrds, Alleghany County | EF1 0.32 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2009-05-08 | Blevins Xrds, Alleghany County | EF2 4.92 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 6 | $275K |
| 1973-05-27 | Alleghany County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Alleghany County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindEdmonds, Alleghany County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindRoaring Gap, Alleghany County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindEdmonds, Alleghany County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindRoaring Gap, Alleghany County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindBarrett, Alleghany County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-21 | DroughtAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Winter StormAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-29 | High WindAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-12-19 | High WindAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-05-08 | TornadoBlevins Xrds, Alleghany County A low end EF-2 tornado touched down on Osee Road and was intermittently on the ground approximately 5 miles moving east-southeast, finally lifting between Old Barrett Road and Glade Valley Road. A single wide mobile home was destroyed on Osee Road, causing four injuries. Along the track, cement silos were collapsed, 5 ... | EF2 4.92 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 6 | $275K |
| 2012-06-29 | HeatAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany Three heat related incidents reported, with persons taken to hospital. | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1996-01-06 | Heavy SnowAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1973-05-27 | TornadoAlleghany County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | Flash FloodLaurel Spgs, Alleghany County | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | |
| 2024-09-27 | High WindAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 2013-06-30 | Flash FloodSparta, Alleghany County | 0 | 0 | $633K | |
| 2019-07-16 | LightningTopia, Alleghany County | 0 | 0 | $577K | |
| 2025-02-11 | Winter StormAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 0 | 0 | $400K | |
| 2016-08-17 | LightningGlade Vly, Alleghany County | 0 | 0 | $369K | |
| 2004-09-08 | FloodAlleghany County · forecast zone Alleghany | 0 | 0 | $289K | |
| 2009-05-08 | TornadoBlevins Xrds, Alleghany County | EF2 4.92 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 6 | $275K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 27, 1973 (tornado, Alleghany County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Alleghany County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 20 | 21 | 23 | 17 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 32 | 23 | 13 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 26 | 4 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 12 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 4 | 14 | 8 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 5 | 12 | 0 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
69% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 52 · Feb 42 · Mar 27 · Apr 17 · May 28 · Jun 35 · Jul 30 · Aug 24 · Sep 23 · Oct 15 · Nov 13 · Dec 29 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Alleghany County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Alleghany County: 10 major disasters, 10 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and tropical storm (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3637 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024-09-28 | DR-4827 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024-09-26 | EM-3617 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-08-06 | EM-3608 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2022-10-01 | EM-3586 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2021-03-03 | DR-4588 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Eta |
| 2020-08-02 | EM-3534 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020-03-25 | DR-4487 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3471 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-09-03 | EM-3423 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018-09-14 | DR-4393 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2013-09-25 | DR-4146 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2010-02-02 | DR-1871 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1553 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2004-09-10 | DR-1546 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3110 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1989-09-25 | DR-844 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hugo |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Alleghany County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 32 flood or flash flood records for Alleghany County from 1996 to 2024, on 28 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Alleghany County ranks 2262nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Frances | 2004-09-08 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $475,000 on 13 claims filed in Alleghany County; the most in one year was 4 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2013: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2024: 4; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Alleghany County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Alleghany County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.6 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $34K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $669K | 15 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $253K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $112K | once in about 31 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $93K | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $257K | once in about 17 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Alleghany County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in North CarolinaEvery North Carolina tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Winter storms in North CarolinaThe state's winter storm records, by county, year and month
- The North Carolina recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Alleghany CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Alleghany County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis