Avery County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37011 · population 17,798 · 247 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 681 records for Avery County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 587 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (403 records). 527 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 deadliest single record is the September 26, 2024 flash flood: 6 deaths and $37.6 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1977, 20 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
- 681on 587 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 711 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $191Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 2strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Avery County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 403 since 1996. 53% 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 | 403 | 376 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $94M | 2 of 100 |
| Hail | 59 | 46 | 1971-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 100 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 52 | 44 | 1985-2023 | 0 | 2 | $27K | 82 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 49 | 49 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 6 of 100 |
| Floods | 38 | 35 | 1996-2024 | 6 | 0 | $81M | 14 of 100 |
| Drought | 35 | 35 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 30 | 30 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $1.4M | 2 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 2001-2016 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 19 of 100 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 3 | 2004-2013 | 0 | 0 | $4.0M | 3 of 100 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2009-2023 | 0 | 8 | $34K | 46 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 2 | 2020-2024 | 0 | 0 | $8.5M | 64 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 2 | 1965-2023 | 0 | 1 | $234K | 92 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2005-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 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 Avery County had?
NOAA records 2 tornadoes in Avery County from 1965 to 2023, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury 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 2 tornadoes whose track touched Avery County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 2, 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 Avery County (2)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-14 | Whaley, Avery County | EF1 2.64 mi x 35 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1965-04-09 | Avery County | F2 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K 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 Avery County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 27, 2024 tropical storm ($8.5 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Tens of thousands of trees were blown down, with hundreds of trees down on homes, vehicles, and power lines. Frequent gusts up to 80 mph occurred, with occasional gusts of 100 mph on exposed high elevation ridgetops.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1218096)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Winter WeatherAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-22 | Heavy SnowAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-07 | High WindAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Heavy SnowAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Cold/Wind ChillAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-30 | Winter WeatherAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-10 | Winter WeatherAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-02-20 | Cold/Wind ChillAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | Flash FloodAvery Co Airport, Avery County A stream gauge on the North Toe River in Newland indicated devastating flash flooding developed along the stream in Newland and vicinity as rainfall rates intensified during the evening of the 26th. The heaviest rainfall and most significant flooding occurred toward sunrise, as tropical rainbands near the center of ... | 6 | 0 | $38M | |
| 1996-02-12 | Cold/Wind ChillAvery County · forecast zone Avery An elderly woman fell outside her home and then died from hypothermia. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-08-13 | LightningLinville, Avery County A lightning strike near Macrae Peak in Grandfather Mountain State Park injured seven people. One individual fell, resulting in a head injury which required them to be airlifted to a nearby hospital. Another suffered burns, while other injuries were minor. | 0 | 7 | – | |
| 2023-07-02 | Thunderstorm WindGragg, Avery County County comms reported a tent was blown over, with minor injuries to two people inside. | 40 kt wind | 0 | 2 | – |
| 2023-07-02 | LightningBalm, Avery County County comms reported a person was struck by lightning and transported to the hospital. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1965-04-09 | TornadoAvery County | F2 0.5 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-02-02 | Ice StormAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | $94M | |
| 2024-09-26 | Flash FloodAvery Co Airport, Avery County | 6 | 0 | $38M | |
| 2004-09-17 | FloodAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | $17M | |
| 2004-09-07 | FloodAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 1998-01-07 | Flash FloodPlumtree, Avery County | 0 | 0 | $10.0M | |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | $8.5M | |
| 2004-09-08 | Debris FlowAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 2004-09-17 | Debris FlowAvery County · forecast zone Avery | 0 | 0 | $781K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 9, 1965 (tornado, Avery 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 Avery 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 | – | – | – | – | 67 | 168 | 118 | 50 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 25 | 13 | 5 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 19 | 14 | 8 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 34 | 6 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 10 | 16 | 5 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 27 | 0 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% 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 152 · Feb 106 · Mar 84 · Apr 41 · May 41 · Jun 25 · Jul 32 · Aug 28 · Sep 23 · Oct 16 · Nov 44 · Dec 89 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Avery County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Avery County: 13 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (9) and flood (4).
| 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 |
| 2022-10-01 | EM-3586 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2021-09-08 | DR-4617 | Hurricane | Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred |
| 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 |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2013-10-29 | DR-4153 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 1998-01-15 | DR-1200 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1995-10-23 | DR-1073 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, High Winds |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3110 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1989-09-25 | DR-844 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hugo |
| 1977-11-09 | DR-542 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Avery County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 38 flood or flash flood records for Avery County from 1996 to 2024, on 35 days, with 6 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Avery County ranks 766th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-26 | 2 | 6 |
| Hurricane Ivan | 2004-09-17 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Frances | 2004-09-07 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $15.2 million on 288 claims filed in Avery County; the most in one year was 137 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 1 · 1980: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1989: 1 · 1994: 12 · 1995: 17 · 1997: 1 · 1999: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 5 · 2004: 83 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2013: 12 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2021: 7 · 2024: 137; 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 Avery County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Avery County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.3 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 | $205K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $408K | 53 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $188K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.9M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.2M | 5 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $180K | once in about 35 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $309K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $601K | once in about 14 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Avery 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 Avery CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Avery County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis