Forsyth County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37067 · population 382,522 · 408 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 715 records for Forsyth County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 433 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (404 records). The deadliest single record is the January 20, 2016 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Forsyth, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1977, 23 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
- 715on 433 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 563 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $184Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Forsyth County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 404 since 1958. 45% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 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 | 404 | 229 | 1958-2026 | 1 | 3 | $2.0M | 6 of 100 |
| Hail | 109 | 81 | 1970-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 19 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 88 | 87 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 1 | $819K | 29 of 100 |
| Floods | 62 | 45 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $798K | 22 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 17 | 1998-2020 | 1 | 1 | $1.5M | 44 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 13 | 1973-2008 | 0 | 58 | $175M | 42 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 8 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $3.3M | 39 of 100 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 2003-2021 | 0 | 0 | $338K | 54 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1998-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 77 of 100 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 70 of 100 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 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 Forsyth County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Forsyth County from 1973 to 2008, the strongest rated EF3, with 0 deaths and 58 injuries recorded in the county. That is 42nd of 100 North Carolina 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 16 tornadoes whose track touched Forsyth County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-08 20:25, as SPC files it | Winston-Salem | EF3 | 2.9 mi | 0 |
| 1998-05-07 16:30, as SPC files it | Clemmons | F3 | 2 mi | 0 |
| 1989-05-05 17:50, as SPC files it | Winston-Salem | F3 | 10.5 mi | 0 |
| 1985-05-22 16:30, as SPC files it | Winston-Salem | F3 | 3.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Forsyth County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-08 | Clemmons Station, Forsyth County | EF3 2.9 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 2 | $3.4M |
| 2008-05-08 | Clemmons Station, Forsyth County | EF2 0.34 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-09-14 | Clemmons, Forsyth County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-07-07 | Lewisville, Forsyth County | F0 8 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-07 | Clemmons, Forsyth County | F3 2 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 5 | $91M |
| 1992-11-22 | Forsyth County | F1 6 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-05 | Forsyth County | F2 5.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 10 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-05-05 | Forsyth County | F3 10.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 30 | $25M step |
| 1989-05-05 | Forsyth County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 8 | $2.5M step |
| 1985-05-22 | Forsyth County | F3 3.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-07-22 | Forsyth County | F1 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1983-03-05 | Forsyth County | F1 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-06-03 | Forsyth County | F0 0.1 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1981-06-06 | Forsyth County | F2 9.4 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1980-04-09 | Forsyth County | F1 1.9 mi x 37 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-28 | Forsyth County | F0 | 0 | 2 | $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 Forsyth County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindFive Pts, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindVienna, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindWalkertown, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindLewisville, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindStanleyville, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindKernersville, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGuthrie, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindDennis, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindStanleyville, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindFive Pts, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindOldtown, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindOldtown, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-01-20 | Winter WeatherForsyth County · forecast zone Forsyth Snowfall amounts of 0.25 to 0.5 inches fell across the county. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2014-03-12 | Strong WindForsyth County · forecast zone Forsyth A 25 year old male was killed when a tree fell on his vehicle on the 2000 block of Reynolda Road. Also, a 26 year old female passenger sustained non life-threatening injuries. | 43 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $12K |
| 1997-03-05 | Thunderstorm WindWinston-Salem, Forsyth County Trees and power lines were downed across Forsyth county including the Winston-Salem and Clemmons areas. One adult was killed and a child was injured as a large tree crushed their van. The family was leaving the Hine Park soccer complex after practice. | 1 | 1 | $37K | |
| 2011-01-10 | Winter StormForsyth County · forecast zone Forsyth One to three inches of snow fell across the area during the morning and afternoon hours. Snow changed over to freezing rain during the afternoon resulting in nearly an eighth inch of ice on top of the snow. All area roads were covered in snow resulting in the closure of schools and businesses. A man was killed in a ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-01-06 | Winter WeatherForsyth County · forecast zone Forsyth A high school student attending Regan High School was killed on his way to school when his SUV slid on a patch of ice then striking a tree. Rapidly clearing skies allowed temperatures to fall below freezing in the morning resulting in areas of ice on road surfaces. Numerous other accidents were reported. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1989-05-05 | TornadoForsyth County | F3 10.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 30 | $25M step |
| 1989-05-05 | TornadoForsyth County | F2 5.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 10 | $2.5M step |
| 1989-05-05 | TornadoForsyth County | F2 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 8 | $2.5M 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-05-07 | TornadoClemmons, Forsyth County | F3 2 mi x 1 yd | 0 | 5 | $91M |
| 2008-05-08 | TornadoClemmons Station, Forsyth County | EF3 2.9 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 2 | $3.4M |
| 2020-10-29 | Tropical StormForsyth County · forecast zone Forsyth | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | |
| 2011-02-25 | Strong WindForsyth County · forecast zone Forsyth | 38 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2018-10-11 | Tropical StormForsyth County · forecast zone Forsyth | 0 | 0 | $588K | |
| 2014-03-06 | Ice StormForsyth County · forecast zone Forsyth | 0 | 0 | $499K | |
| 2018-10-11 | Flash FloodUnion Cross, Forsyth County | 0 | 0 | $294K | |
| 2025-07-12 | Thunderstorm WindBrookwood, Forsyth County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 5, 1989 (tornado, Forsyth 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 Forsyth 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 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 19 | 17 | 67 | 140 | 136 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 15 | 45 | 26 | 9 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 30 | 35 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 16 | 24 | 18 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 55 · Feb 44 · Mar 39 · Apr 64 · May 103 · Jun 119 · Jul 127 · Aug 81 · Sep 31 · Oct 18 · Nov 15 · Dec 19 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Forsyth County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Forsyth County: 11 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (11) and snowstorm (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 |
| 2024-08-06 | EM-3608 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2022-10-01 | EM-3586 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 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 |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-10-07 | EM-3380 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1553 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2003-03-27 | DR-1457 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 2002-12-12 | DR-1448 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 1999-09-16 | DR-1292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-15 | EM-3146 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 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 Forsyth County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 62 flood or flash flood records for Forsyth County from 1996 to 2024, on 45 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Forsyth County ranks 567th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | 2018-10-11 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $4.7 million on 440 claims filed in Forsyth County; the most in one year was 39 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 6 · 1979: 24 · 1980: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 11 · 1983: 6 · 1984: 5 · 1985: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 16 · 1989: 1 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 21 · 1993: 3 · 1994: 1 · 1996: 9 · 1997: 5 · 1998: 16 · 1999: 18 · 2000: 1 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 36 · 2004: 11 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 7 · 2007: 19 · 2008: 19 · 2009: 6 · 2010: 23 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 36 · 2013: 10 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2017: 14 · 2018: 39 · 2019: 3 · 2020: 28 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2025: 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 Forsyth County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Forsyth County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $104 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 | $2.7M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $72M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $454K | 7.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $7.7M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $7.4M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.0M | 48 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $1.6M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.5M | once in about 12 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Forsyth 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 Forsyth CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Forsyth County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis