FEMA Records
26
High volume
North Carolina · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
Chowan County, NC
26 FEMA disaster declarations (1968-2026), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Very Low. Most common hazard: Hurricane.
- 26
- FEMA declarations
- 12
- Major disasters
- 34
- NRI risk · Very Low
- Hurricane
- Top hazard
The verdict
Two federal records point in the busier direction for Chowan County. Its 26 FEMA declarations are 8% above the North Carolina county mean and exceed the count for 75% of the 3,266 counties in this registry. Separately, FEMA's National Risk Index places it safer than 34%, based on modeled expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience.
- Safer than 34%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Very Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 26
- FEMA declarations vs 21 national county avg
- 282
- NFIP flood insurance claims filed
FEMA's National Risk Index and its declaration registry are separate measures. This county's registry includes Major Disaster (DR) and Emergency (EM) records; an EM authorizes a narrower set of federal assistance than a DR.
FEMA OpenFEMA declaration desk
County FIPS 37041 · Chowan County 26 declarations · rank 805/3,266
DECL-HEAVY · MAJOR-LIGHT · RANK-MID · PHOTO-FINISH · NRI-LOW · ACT-HIGH · TYPE-LEAD · VS-ST-ABOVE
- DECL-HEAVY 26
- MAJOR-LIGHT 46%
- RANK-MID #805
- PHOTO-FINISH Hunterdon
- NRI-LOW Very Low
- ACT-HIGH High
- TYPE-LEAD Hurricane
- VS-ST-ABOVE +8%
Nearest declaration peer: Hunterdon, NJ (0 declaration gap)
FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 filing stamps for this county register. Read with this county → · North Carolina state profile
Chowan County among high-volume declaration counties
FEMA declaration records among Chowan County and nearest peers by total count
- Los Angeles · largest
Los Angeles · largest
88 declarations
- Chowan · this county 26
Chowan · this county
26 declarations
- Hunterdon · near 26
Hunterdon · near
26 declarations
- Pierce · near 26
Pierce · near
26 declarations
- San Sebastián · near 26
San Sebastián · near
26 declarations
- Ujelang · smallest 1
Ujelang · smallest
1 declarations
What this shows Chowan County carries 26 FEMA declaration records, ranked 805 of 3,266 counties in this registry.
Where Chowan County ranks in the national declaration registry
Chowan County vs. high-volume counties in this registry
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time · Chowan County
26 Top 25% higher than 75% of 3,266 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-08-25
Chowan County's FEMA Risk Index score
What does Chowan County's hazard record show?
Reading the federal records together
The NFIP claims register shows a middle-volume loss record here: 282 paid claims, totaling $6.2M. PlainHazard uses 50-499 claims for this descriptive band; FEMA does not publish it as a safety or coverage category. The $21.9K average describes payments on recorded claims only, leaving uninsured damage and properties without a claim outside the measure.
The declaration register points in the busier direction. Chowan County's 26 federal records stand 8% above the North Carolina county mean of 24.0. That comparison describes how often federal action was recorded, including any Major Disaster, Emergency, and Fire Management entries shown on this page; it does not convert the count into future probability.
FEMA National Risk Index
FEMA's data shows an elevated National Risk Index composite of 34.3/100 for this county (Very Low rating). Expected Annual Loss comes in at Very Low (roughly $9.2M in annualized losses). Social vulnerability (Relatively High) and community resilience (Relatively Moderate) both factor into how that raw exposure plays out on the ground. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Hurricane carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate. FEMA's modeled frequency puts that hazard at roughly once every 3 years here, based on 84 historical events on record.
60 /100
Historical Activity Index
High historical activity
Chowan County, NC · PlainHazard-derived composite from federal records
This 0–100 index is an explicit PlainHazard composite from FEMA declaration history only on the county surface (this DB has no county-level NOAA damage row) . It is not FEMA's National Risk Index, not a forecast, and not a safety, insurance, or preparedness rating. Open the calculator · Methodology
FEMA Declarations (1953–present) High
19/30
26 OpenFEMA declarations, full ingest window (1.3x national county average)
County Disaster Density High
14/25
26 declarations (1.1x state county average of 24)
Major Disaster Share Moderate
12/25
12 of 26 declarations are major disasters (46%)
Hazard Diversity Very High
15/20
6 different disaster types declared in Chowan County
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - Chowan County
How to read this radar
Each axis: NRI risk rating (Very Low-Very High) on a 0-100 scale. Rounder = broad exposure; spiky = one or two hazards dominate.
Major Disaster share
46%
Mixed major share
NRI risk score
34
Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, December 2025 release
How often does each hazard strike Chowan County?
FEMA's National Risk Index models a historical event count and an annualized frequency for each hazard type. Most hazards are expressed as modeled occurrences per year; FEMA expresses drought and heat-wave frequency as event-days per year. These modeled frequencies are not forecasts.
| Hazard | NRI Risk Rating | Recurrence |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | roughly once every 3 years |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | an average of 2.8 times per year |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 7.1 modeled event-days per year |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | an average of 3.4 times per year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 1.1 modeled event-days per year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | roughly once every 1 years |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | an average of 46 times per year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | roughly once every 1,195 years |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | roughly once every 8 years |
| Wildfire | Very Low | roughly once every 3,163 years |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | roughly once every 2 years |
| Hail | Very Low | an average of 2 times per year |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | roughly once every 3 years |
| Landslide | Very Low | roughly once every 44 years |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index Modeled annualized frequency; drought and heat wave use event-days/year, December 2025 release
Disaster Types
Hurricane 19
Tropical Storm 2
Biological 2
Winter Storm 1
Snowstorm 1
Severe Ice Storm 1
What Hurricane declarations mean here
Hurricane is the most frequent declaration type on Chowan County's federal record, 73% of its declarations. Atlantic tropical systems run on a defined season, 1 June to 30 November, with most activity concentrated between August and October; Pacific and territorial basins run on their own calendars. A single named storm routinely produces one declaration number covering a long corridor of counties at once, well inland as well as on the coast, which is why an affected county's count can jump by several in one year without several separate events having occurred.
One practical distinction matters when reading these records: a tropical declaration usually bundles wind, storm surge and inland rainfall flooding under a single incident, but the insurance behind them is split. Wind damage falls to property insurers, while flood and surge damage is covered only under a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy. That is why a county can show heavy declaration activity and a comparatively small NFIP claims record, or the reverse.
Declaration counts describe past federal action. They are a record of what was declared, not a forecast of future hazard probability.
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Emergency - 14 53.8%
of all 26 declarations
Major Disaster - 12 46.2%
of all 26 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 2 | |
| 2011 | 2 | |
| 2010 | 1 | |
| 2005 | 2 | |
| 2003 | 1 | |
| 1999 | 2 | |
| 1998 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 3 | |
Show 1 earlier declaration years
| 1968 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
How the 26 FEMA declarations break into federal action codes (DR / EM / FM). Same DISTINCT grain as the table below.
Download these 26 declarations as CSV . FEMA source data is public domain; our derived presentation is CC0.
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3637 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Winter Storm | 2026-01-24 |
| 3617 | HURRICANE HELENE | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-09-26 |
| 3608 | TROPICAL STORM DEBBY | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-08-06 |
| 3586 | HURRICANE IAN | EM | Hurricane | 2022-10-01 |
| 4568 | HURRICANE ISAIAS | DR | Hurricane | 2020-10-14 |
| 3534 | HURRICANE ISAIAS | EM | Hurricane | 2020-08-02 |
| 4487 | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR | Biological | 2020-03-25 |
| 3471 | COVID-19 | EM | Biological | 2020-03-13 |
| 4465 | HURRICANE DORIAN | DR | Hurricane | 2019-10-04 |
| 3423 | HURRICANE DORIAN | EM | Hurricane | 2019-09-03 |
| 3401 | HURRICANE FLORENCE | EM | Hurricane | 2018-09-10 |
| 4285 | HURRICANE MATTHEW | DR | Hurricane | 2016-10-10 |
| 3380 | HURRICANE MATTHEW | EM | Hurricane | 2016-10-07 |
| 4019 | HURRICANE IRENE | DR | Hurricane | 2011-08-31 |
| 3327 | HURRICANE IRENE | EM | Hurricane | 2011-08-25 |
| 3314 | HURRICANE EARL | EM | Hurricane | 2010-09-01 |
| 3254 | HURRICANE OPHELIA | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-14 |
| 3222 | HURRICANE KATRINA EVACUATION | EM | Hurricane | 2005-09-05 |
| 1490 | HURRICANE ISABEL | DR | Hurricane | 2003-09-18 |
| 1292 | HURRICANE FLOYD MAJOR DISASTER DECLARATIONS | DR | Hurricane | 1999-09-16 |
Show 6 earlier declaration records
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3146 | HURRICANE FLOYD EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS | EM | Hurricane | 1999-09-15 |
| 1240 | HURRICANE BONNIE | DR | Hurricane | 1998-08-27 |
| 1134 | HURRICANE FRAN | DR | Hurricane | 1996-09-06 |
| 1127 | HURRICANE BERTHA | DR | Hurricane | 1996-07-18 |
| 1087 | BLIZZARD OF 96 | DR | Snowstorm | 1996-01-13 |
| 234 | SEVERE ICE STORM | DR | Severe Ice Storm | 1968-02-10 |
Storm Events in North Carolina
Statewide NOAA context only. PlainHazard does not currently attribute these state totals to Chowan County.
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 7,123 | 11 | 60 | $62.9M |
| Flash Flood | 1,881 | 105 | 6 | $2.3B |
| Hail | 1,623 | 0 | 0 | $122.5M |
| Winter Weather | 1,272 | 6 | 2 | $425.0K |
| Winter Storm | 743 | 7 | 0 | $10.7M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015-2025
NFIP Flood Insurance Claims
Total Claims
282
Total Paid
$6.2M
Avg Per Claim
$21.9K
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA Claims Data
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Very Low
Score: 34.3/100
Expected Annual Loss
Very Low
$9.2M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively High
Community Resilience
Relatively Moderate
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Hurricane Relatively Moderate
Winter Weather Relatively Moderate
Heat Wave Relatively Low
Coastal Flooding Relatively Low
Drought Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Low
Lightning Relatively Low
Earthquake Very Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Wildfire Very Low
Ice Storm Very Low
Cold Wave Very Low
Hail Very Low
Riverine Flooding Very Low
Landslide Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
The model's sharpest exposure here: Hurricane
Hurricane exposure in the model bundles the three ways a tropical system does harm, which arrive on different timescales and are insured differently: wind, storm surge on the coast, and rainfall flooding that can reach far inland well after landfall.
For Chowan County the two measures on this page point the same way: Hurricane is the county's highest-rated modeled hazard (Relatively Moderate), and Hurricane declarations also lead its federal record. Where the model and the declaration history agree, the reading is comparatively straightforward, the hazard is both expected and repeatedly realised.
National Risk Index ratings are modeled estimates of expected annual loss, not predictions of what will happen in any given year.
Data-matched county comparisons
Chowan County's closest FEMA peer: Palo Pinto County, TX
Comparisons use published FEMA declaration fields plus the National Risk Index composite for Chowan County. Record similarity, not a safety rating.
Closest declaration profiles
Chowan County shows 26 FEMA declarations, led by Hurricane.
Similar Major-disaster share
Chowan County: 12 of 26 of its declarations are Major.
Similar modeled NRI score
Chowan County: NRI composite 34.3 (Very Low).
How these peers are chosen
Cohort: Published U.S. county equivalents outside the source state or territory. Each metric keeps six ETL candidates; three unique destinations are shown after de-duplicating across axes. Declaration-volume ranking combines count and Major-disaster share and prefers a different leading incident type; Major-share ranks the Major fraction adjusted for volume; NRI ranks the modeled composite score only.
Retained FEMA snapshot feed for Chowan County - capture-dated entries only.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by NRI score & FEMA declaration volume
Two PlainHazard-derived comparison paths for Chowan County: nearest out-of-state National Risk Index composite and nearest FEMA declaration count (floor ≥5 records). Record similarity only, not a forecast of the next hazard.
Similar NRI composite
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA NRI score. This county: 34.3 (Very Low).
Similar declaration volume
Nearest out-of-state counties by FEMA declaration count. This county: 26. NRI peers are excluded so the two link sets stay distinct.
Further reading for this county
Understanding disaster data
Chowan County's NFIP claims file (282 claims) and FEMA declaration history measure different federal records - this guide separates them from modeled NRI risk.
More PlainHazard guides
- Most disaster-prone counties - U.S. counties ranked by FEMA declaration totals.
- Understanding disaster data - declarations vs storm events vs NRI scores.
- Preparing for natural disasters - household checklist (not county-specific advice).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common disaster type in Chowan County?
The most common disaster type in Chowan County is Hurricane, with 19 declarations. Other disaster types include Tropical Storm (2), Biological (2), Winter Storm (1).
How does Chowan County's FEMA declaration record compare with the North Carolina average?
FEMA lists 26 declaration records for Chowan County. That is 8% above the North Carolina county mean of 24.0. Its count is also 25% above the national county mean of 20.7. A larger declaration history records more federal actions; it is not a forecast of the county's next hazard.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has Chowan County received?
Chowan County has received 12 major disaster declarations, representing 46% of all 26 disaster declarations.
How many flood insurance claims has Chowan County filed?
Chowan County has 282 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims totaling $6.2M in payments, with an average of $21.9K per claim.
What was the worst year for disasters in Chowan County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in Chowan County was 2020, with 4 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 1968 to 2026.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for Chowan County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, Chowan County, North Carolina has an overall risk score of 34.3 out of 100 (Very Low). On social vulnerability the county rates Relatively High; on community resilience, Relatively Moderate. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Very Low, representing $9.2M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to Chowan County?
FEMA's NRI data points to Chowan County as of the latest release is Hurricane (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Winter Weather (Relatively Moderate) and Heat Wave (Relatively Low). FEMA's modeled event frequency puts hurricane here at roughly once every 3 years, drawn from 84 historical events on record. FEMA derives these ratings from historical event frequency, the assets exposed, and the community's vulnerability profile.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015-2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
Flood insurance data comes from the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) OpenFEMA claims dataset.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
FEMA OpenFEMA declarations + NRI for Chowan County · vintage 2026-08-25 · Methodology · North Carolina profile · Verify with FEMA OpenFEMA · Verify with NOAA Storm Events