Davidson County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37057 · population 168,808 · 553 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 633 records for Davidson County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 419 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (305 records). The deadliest single record is the November 16, 2011 tornado: 2 deaths, 15 injuries and $26.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 29 declarations naming the county since 1977, 27 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
- 633on 419 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 732 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $59Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 29latest 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 Davidson County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 305 since 1964. 48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1964 fell in June and July. 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 | 305 | 192 | 1964-2026 | 2 | 4 | $2.8M | 36 of 100 |
| Hail | 116 | 78 | 1956-2023 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 43 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 80 | 80 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 2 | $7.8M | 44 of 100 |
| Floods | 74 | 56 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $8.8M | 27 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 21 | 16 | 1998-2020 | 1 | 0 | $1.6M | 61 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 13 | 1958-2016 | 2 | 22 | $32M | 57 of 100 |
| Lightning | 10 | 10 | 1997-2018 | 0 | 4 | $801K | 35 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 7 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | 53 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 76 of 100 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 74 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 91 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 Davidson County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Davidson County from 1958 to 2016, the strongest rated EF2, with 2 deaths and 22 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Davidson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-11-16 17:05, as SPC files it | Unnamed | EF2 | 12.51 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Davidson County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-02-03 | Holly Grove, Davidson County | EF1 1.67 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $123K |
| 2016-02-03 | Lexington Airport, Davidson County | EF0 1.03 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2011-11-16 | Silver Hill, Davidson County | EF2 10.07 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 15 | $26M |
| 2010-03-28 | Wallburg, Davidson County | EF1 0.83 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
| 2010-03-28 | Lakeview, Davidson County | EF2 1.39 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 5 | $1.7M |
| 2007-09-14 | Thomasville, Davidson County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-09-14 | Thomasville, Davidson County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-07 | Wallburg, Davidson County | F1 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $91K |
| 1992-03-19 | Davidson County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-10-08 | Davidson County | F1 0.5 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-03-24 | Davidson County | F1 3 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-06-17 | Davidson County | F1 | 0 | 2 | $3K step |
| 1973-05-28 | Davidson County | F1 1.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1961-05-11 | Davidson County | F0 0.5 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1960-02-18 | Davidson County | F1 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1958-07-29 | Davidson County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Davidson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($2,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindWallburg, Davidson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-08 | Flash FloodLinwood, Davidson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGum Tree, Davidson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | Frost/FreezeDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-17 | Thunderstorm WindEller, Davidson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-07-17 | Thunderstorm WindMidway, Davidson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-09 | Flash FloodYadkin College, Davidson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-09 | Flash FloodEller, Davidson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindSilver Hill, Davidson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindNewsom, Davidson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-11-16 | TornadoSilver Hill, Davidson County A tornado with a nearly continuous damage path of approximately 12.5 miles was found about 5 miles east of Linwood in Davidson County to about 10 miles northwest of Asheboro in Randolph County. Damage along the path was found to be EF-1 to EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita tornado rating scale, with wind speeds between 90 ... | EF2 10.07 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 15 | $26M |
| 2010-12-04 | Winter WeatherDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson Around a half inch of snow fell across the county. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2020-04-13 | Thunderstorm WindSouthmont, Davidson County A tree fell on a mobile home on Linwood-Southmont Road, resulting in one injury and one fatality. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $57K |
| 1985-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindDavidson County | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2010-07-13 | Flash FloodLexington, Davidson County Numerous roads were flooded in the Lexington area. Water from a swollen creek flooded a home near the intersection of Union Street and Westside Drive. Also, an infant drowned when his mother's car went off the road, struck a concrete culvert and went down a steep embankment. The car landed upside down in a swollen ... | 1 | 0 | $1K | |
| 2009-12-09 | Strong WindDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson Strong wind gusts between 45 and 55 mph resulted in numerous trees being blown down along resutling in power outages. One man was killed near Denton on Highway 109 when a tree fell onto his vehicle. Another tree fell on a house causing minor damage. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $48K |
| 2010-03-28 | TornadoLakeview, Davidson County An EF1 tornado exited Rowan County, crossing the Yadkin River and entered into Davidson County. Numerous hardwood trees were either sheared off or uprooted in a wooded area south of Seven Oaks Drive. A carport was ripped from a brick home on Seven Oaks Drive. Two out buildings were also destroyed. The tornado tracked ... | EF2 1.39 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 5 | $1.7M |
| 1997-08-20 | LightningSouthmont, Davidson County TWO FIREFIGHTERS WERE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE RESPONDING TO A HOME ALARM SET OFF BY ANOTHER BOLT. BOTH MEN WERE TAKEN TO THE LEXINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, TREATED, THEN RELEASED. | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-11-16 | TornadoSilver Hill, Davidson County | EF2 10.07 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 15 | $26M |
| 2014-03-06 | Ice StormDavidson County · forecast zone Davidson | 0 | 0 | $7.7M | |
| 2018-09-17 | FloodNewsom, Davidson County | 0 | 0 | $7.7M | |
| 2010-03-28 | TornadoLakeview, Davidson County | EF2 1.39 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 5 | $1.7M |
| 2003-05-03 | HailLinwood, Davidson County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2011-04-05 | Thunderstorm WindYadkin College, Davidson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2003-09-23 | Flash FloodNorth Central Portion, Davidson County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2010-03-28 | TornadoWallburg, Davidson County | EF1 0.83 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.0M |
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 28, 1973 (tornado, Davidson County); March 24, 1975 (tornado, Davidson 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 Davidson 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 | 4 | 4 | 22 | 27 | 72 | 93 | 83 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 22 | 43 | 18 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 30 | 28 | 13 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 21 | 28 | 19 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 12 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
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 1964 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 43 · Feb 43 · Mar 30 · Apr 59 · May 94 · Jun 125 · Jul 82 · Aug 84 · Sep 30 · Oct 11 · Nov 13 · Dec 19 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Davidson County
FEMA's register lists 29 declarations that include Davidson County: 15 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (14) and snowstorm (4).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2019-01-31 | DR-4412 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 2018-09-14 | DR-4393 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-10-07 | EM-3380 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2014-03-31 | DR-4167 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1553 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2003-09-18 | DR-1490 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isabel |
| 2002-12-12 | DR-1448 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 2000-01-31 | DR-1312 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1999-09-16 | DR-1292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-15 | EM-3146 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1996-09-06 | DR-1134 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran |
| 1996-02-23 | DR-1103 | Snowstorm | Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 1989-05-17 | DR-827 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3033 | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing |
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 Davidson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 74 flood or flash flood records for Davidson County from 1996 to 2026, on 56 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Davidson County ranks 1290th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression Chantal | 2025-07-09 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | 2018-10-11 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-17 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-23 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.7 million on 103 claims filed in Davidson County; the most in one year was 18 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 1 · 1987: 3 · 1989: 3 · 1990: 3 · 1993: 2 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 2 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 18 · 2004: 2 · 2006: 1 · 2008: 3 · 2009: 6 · 2010: 7 · 2011: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 15 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 15 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 6; 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 Davidson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Davidson County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $64.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Very High | $1.7M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $44M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.6M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $4.9M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $3.3M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $208K | 7.5 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $716K | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Davidson 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 Davidson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Davidson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)29 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis