Chowan County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37041 · population 13,708 · 173 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 225 records for Chowan County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 182 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (66 records). The deadliest single record is the April 25, 2014 tornado: 1 death, 1 injury and $623,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1968, 24 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
- 225on 182 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 42 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $36Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 14strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Chowan County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 66 since 1980. 48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1980 fell in May and June. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 66 | 54 | 1980-2026 | 1 | 1 | $952K | 44 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 41 | 41 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 25 of 100 |
| Hail | 33 | 25 | 1985-2022 | 0 | 0 | $76K | 41 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 23 | 22 | 1996-2023 | 0 | 0 | $141K | 3 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 17 | 17 | 1996-2023 | 1 | 0 | $32M | 2 of 100 |
| Floods | 14 | 13 | 1999-2024 | 0 | 0 | $615K | 43 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 14 | 13 | 1973-2021 | 1 | 1 | $1.9M | 5 of 100 |
| Heat | 6 | 6 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 1 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 6 | 1997-2020 | 0 | 0 | $130K | 54 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 1996-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1997-1997 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 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 Chowan County had?
NOAA records 14 tornadoes in Chowan County from 1973 to 2021, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 5th of 100 North Carolina counties and 134th of 3,080 U.S. counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 14 tornadoes whose track touched Chowan County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 14, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 1 of them in Chowan County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-04-25 17:37, as SPC files it | Edenton | EF2 | 35.48 mi | 1 |
| 1984-03-28 21:15, as SPC files it | Edenton | F2 | 6 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Chowan County (14)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-06-20 | St Johns, Chowan County | EF0 3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2017-05-05 | Valhalla, Chowan County | EF0 8.01 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2014-04-25 | Edenton Airport, Chowan County | EF2 3.48 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 1 | $623K |
| 2014-04-25 | Edenton, Chowan County | EF2 9.03 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K |
| 2008-05-09 | Cannon Ferry, Chowan County | EF1 2.53 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2004-06-11 | Rockyhock, Chowan County | F1 6 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $16K |
| 2003-05-09 | Rockyhock, Chowan County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 1998-08-26 | Edenton, Chowan County | F0 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $18K |
| 1992-11-23 | Chowan County | F3 13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-02-21 | Chowan County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-03-26 | Chowan County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1986-06-28 | Chowan County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1984-03-28 | Chowan County | F2 4 mi x 177 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-24 | Chowan County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $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 Chowan County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindRyland, Chowan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindRockyhock, Chowan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $15K |
| 2026-02-01 | Heavy SnowChowan County · forecast zone Chowan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatChowan County · forecast zone Chowan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatChowan County · forecast zone Chowan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-05 | Thunderstorm WindValhalla, Chowan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-05 | Thunderstorm WindGliden, Chowan County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-02-19 | Heavy SnowChowan County · forecast zone Chowan | 0 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2025-01-21 | Heavy SnowChowan County · forecast zone Chowan | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2021-06-20 | TornadoSt Johns, Chowan County | EF0 3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2020-08-04 | Tropical StormChowan County · forecast zone Chowan | 0 | 0 | $570K | |
| 2017-05-05 | TornadoValhalla, Chowan County | EF0 8.01 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-04-25 | TornadoEdenton Airport, Chowan County The tornado started just south of Edenton and tracked northeast to near Burnt Mill Road near the Chowan/Perquimans county line. Numerous trees were downed or snapped off. Houses were damaged or destroyed on Yeopim Road. An 11-month-old boy died two days after being injured during the tornado. One injury was also ... | EF2 3.48 mi x 400 yd | 1 | 1 | $623K |
| 2016-07-28 | HeatChowan County · forecast zone Chowan Hot and humid conditions with high temperatures in the mid 90s and heat index values between 105 and 109 degrees resulted in the death of a man in Chowan county. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chowan County · forecast zone Chowan Hurricane Isabel was a Category 1 hurricane as it crossed the Wakefield WFO county warning area. Sustained tropical storm force winds with frequent gusts to hurricane force occurred over coastal northeast North Carolina. Isabel made landfall near Ocracoke Inlet in North Carolina, tracked northwest into central ... | 1 | 0 | $12M | |
| 1984-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindChowan County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindRockyhock, Chowan County A tree was knocked down onto wires and landed on a car, causing minor injuries. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $15K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-15 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chowan County · forecast zone Chowan | 0 | 0 | $14M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Chowan County · forecast zone Chowan | 1 | 0 | $12M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormChowan County · forecast zone Chowan | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 1996-05-11 | Thunderstorm WindValhalla, Chowan County | 0 | 0 | $753K | |
| 2017-05-05 | TornadoValhalla, Chowan County | EF0 8.01 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2000-05-22 | HailRockyhock, Chowan County | 3.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2008-05-09 | TornadoCannon Ferry, Chowan County | EF1 2.53 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 2021-06-20 | TornadoSt Johns, Chowan County | EF0 3 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
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: March 28, 1984 (tornado, Chowan 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 Chowan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 11 | 21 | 11 | 11 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 12 | 18 | 7 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 8 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 11 | 6 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1980 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 23 · Feb 19 · Mar 8 · Apr 27 · May 28 · Jun 35 · Jul 24 · Aug 19 · Sep 19 · Oct 8 · Nov 8 · Dec 7 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Chowan County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Chowan County: 12 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (19) and tropical storm (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3637 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2020-10-14 | DR-4568 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 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 |
| 2019-10-04 | DR-4465 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2019-09-03 | EM-3423 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-10-10 | DR-4285 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2016-10-07 | EM-3380 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-25 | EM-3327 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-09-01 | EM-3314 | Hurricane | Hurricane Earl |
| 2005-09-14 | EM-3254 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ophelia |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1490 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 1999-09-16 | DR-1292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-15 | EM-3146 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1998-08-27 | DR-1240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bonnie |
| 1996-09-06 | DR-1134 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran |
| 1996-07-18 | DR-1127 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bertha |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1968-02-10 | DR-234 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
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 Chowan County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 14 flood or flash flood records for Chowan County from 1999 to 2024, on 13 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Chowan County ranks 782nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Isaias | 2020-08-04 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Bonnie | 1998-08-26 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.2 million on 282 claims filed in Chowan County; the most in one year was 146 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1982: 1 · 1985: 2 · 1986: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 4 · 1998: 3 · 1999: 21 · 2000: 2 · 2003: 146 · 2004: 2 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 2 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 57 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 23 · 2017: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 1; 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 Chowan County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Chowan County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $5.8M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $90K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $587K | 7.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $132K | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $114K | 1.1 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $283K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $99K | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $353K | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Chowan 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
- Severe thunderstorm wind in North CarolinaThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, 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 Chowan CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Chowan County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis