Gaston County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37071 · population 227,866 · 356 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 651 records for Gaston County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 469 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (261 records). The deadliest single record is the March 23, 2012 thunderstorm wind: 2 deaths and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1974, 18 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
- 651on 469 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 830 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $63Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Gaston County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 261 since 1955. 48% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 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 | 261 | 215 | 1955-2026 | 4 | 6 | $1.2M | 4 of 100 |
| Hail | 169 | 118 | 1962-2025 | 0 | 0 | $481K | 2 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 71 | 68 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $30M | 35 of 100 |
| Drought | 35 | 35 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 100 |
| Floods | 31 | 29 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | $6.7M | 38 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 23 | 23 | 1996-2024 | 2 | 3 | $1.2M | 25 of 100 |
| Lightning | 19 | 19 | 1996-2014 | 0 | 7 | $781K | 3 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 18 | 1956-2024 | 1 | 14 | $20M | 12 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 10 | 10 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 22 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2003-2012 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 24 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 3 | 2018-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 62 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 1997-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 of 100 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 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 Gaston County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Gaston County from 1956 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 1 death and 14 injuries recorded in the county. That is 12th 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 21 tornadoes whose track touched Gaston County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-02 01:53, as SPC files it | High Shoals | F1 | 9.7 mi | 1 |
| 1994-03-27 17:27, as SPC files it | CharlotteCrossed NC, SC | F3 | 18.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Gaston County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-08 | Gastonia, Gaston County | EF1 8.22 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 2 | $188K |
| 2024-05-08 | Dellview, Gaston County | EF1 7.91 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-01-12 | Spencer Mtn, Gaston County | EF0 6.06 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-05-22 | Crowders, Gaston County | EF0 8.63 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-02-06 | Mountian View, Gaston County | EF1 3.52 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-19 | Long Shoals, Gaston County | EF0 1.05 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $12K |
| 2010-03-28 | Belmont South, Gaston County | EF1 0.13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2008-05-09 | Gastonia, Gaston County | EF2 9.36 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $9.6M |
| 2007-01-05 | Gastonia, Gaston County | F0 0.25 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2006-11-15 | Cramerton, Gaston County | F1 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $73K |
| 2006-05-26 | Cherryville, Gaston County | F1 2.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2006-01-13 | Gastonia, Gaston County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $512K |
| 2005-03-08 | Gastonia, Gaston County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2003-07-12 | Cherryville, Gaston County | F1 18 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.2M |
| 1997-02-21 | Crowders, Gaston County | F1 15 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $460K |
| 1975-05-15 | Gaston County | F1 | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1974-04-02 | Gaston County | F1 9.7 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 10 | $250K step |
| 1973-05-28 | Gaston County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1956-04-06 | Gaston County | F1 56.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Gaston County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 8, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindGastonia, Gaston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtGaston County · forecast zone Gaston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtGaston County · forecast zone Gaston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindBelmont South, Gaston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillGaston County · forecast zone Gaston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Heavy SnowGaston County · forecast zone Gaston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormGaston County · forecast zone Gaston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindRanlo, Gaston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-26 | HailCherryville, Gaston County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindSunnyside, Gaston County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-25 | HailCherryville, Gaston County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindCrowders, Gaston County | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-23 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Gastonia, Gaston County A partially rotted tree fell on and crushed a vehicle on Stagecoach Rd, killing two occupants and seriously injuring a third. | 40 kt wind | 2 | 1 | – |
| 1974-04-02 | TornadoGaston County | F1 9.7 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 10 | $250K step |
| 2024-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindMountian View, Gaston County County comms reported widespread straight-line wind damage to trees and power lines from the Kings Mountain and Bessemer City areas, across Gastonia to McAdenville. A 62-year-old woman was killed and another person injured when a tree fell on a parked vehicle at South New Hope Rd and Dixon Rd in Gastonia. The screen ... | 60 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $19K |
| 2020-07-05 | Thunderstorm WindDuke Power Vlg, Gaston County County comms reported a tree fell on and killed a 34-year-old woman at a boat ramp off Eddie Nichols Dr. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-09 | FloodSpencer Mtn, Gaston County A stream gauge on the South Fork Catawba River at Lowell exceeded its established flood stage after heavy rain fell throughout the Catawba River basin on the 8th and 9th. The stream eventually reached moderate flood stage on the 10th. Multiple roads flooded along the river in Cramerton and McAdenville. Media reported ... | 1 | 0 | $12K | |
| 2018-09-15 | Strong WindGaston County · forecast zone Gaston Media reported a tree fell on a mobile home on Moses Ct in Dallas on the morning of the 16th, killing a 3-month-old boy inside the home. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $12K |
| 2010-01-25 | Strong WindGaston County · forecast zone Gaston A combination of gusty winds and saturated ground from the previous night’s heavy rainfall caused a tree to fell on Lower Dallas Highway, crushing an automobile and killing the 72-year-old woman who was driving. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $14K |
| 2007-04-16 | High WindGaston County · forecast zone Gaston After an intense, but relatively brief high wind event affected the mountains and foothills on the evening of the 15th, another widespread damaging high wind event developed during the day of the 16th. However, this particular event included much of the piedmont. Thousands of trees fell across the area, resulting in ... | 60 kt wind | 0 | 3 | $712K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-12-04 | Ice StormGaston County · forecast zone Gaston | 0 | 0 | $30M | |
| 2008-05-09 | TornadoGastonia, Gaston County | EF2 9.36 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $9.6M |
| 2003-07-12 | TornadoCherryville, Gaston County | F1 18 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $3.2M |
| 2019-06-09 | FloodDuke Power Vlg, Gaston County | 0 | 0 | $2.3M | |
| 2010-03-28 | TornadoBelmont South, Gaston County | EF1 0.13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormGaston County · forecast zone Gaston | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2020-02-07 | FloodSpencer Mtn, Gaston County | 0 | 0 | $570K | |
| 2006-01-13 | TornadoGastonia, Gaston County | F1 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $512K |
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: April 2, 1974 (tornado, Gaston County, 1 killed); April 6, 1956 (tornado, Gaston 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 Gaston 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 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 43 | 74 | 76 | 33 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 29 | 54 | 44 | 14 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 18 | 25 | 21 | 7 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 7 | 26 | 0 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 6 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 9 | 6 | 2 |
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 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 48 · Feb 35 · Mar 39 · Apr 63 · May 107 · Jun 118 · Jul 100 · Aug 75 · Sep 21 · Oct 10 · Nov 11 · Dec 24 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Gaston County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Gaston County: 9 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) 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 |
| 2022-10-01 | EM-3586 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020-08-02 | EM-3534 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020-05-08 | DR-4543 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-10 | DR-1546 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| 2002-12-12 | DR-1448 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 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 |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3033 | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing |
| 1974-04-12 | DR-428 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
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 Gaston County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 31 flood or flash flood records for Gaston County from 1996 to 2024, on 29 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Gaston County ranks 1286th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Eta | 2020-11-12 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.3 million on 105 claims filed in Gaston County; the most in one year was 18 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1979: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 8 · 1991: 2 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 7 · 1997: 3 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 7 · 2001: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 3 · 2008: 3 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 3 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 10 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 18; 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 Gaston County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Gaston County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $59.3 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 | $2.7M | 2.1 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.4M | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $8.4M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.4M | 52 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $36M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $3.2M | once in about 532 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $653K | once in about 14 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $562K | 5.1 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 Gaston 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 Gaston CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Gaston County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis