Gates County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37073 · population 10,454 · 341 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 248 records for Gates County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 191 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (94 records). The deadliest single record is the March 28, 1984 tornado: 2 deaths and 10 injuries. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1984, 20 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
- 248on 191 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 414 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $28Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Gates County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 94 since 1985. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1985 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 | 94 | 64 | 1985-2026 | 1 | 2 | $260K | 78 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 46 | 46 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1K | 46 of 100 |
| Hail | 35 | 33 | 1985-2025 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 80 of 100 |
| Floods | 21 | 16 | 1999-2025 | 1 | 0 | $11M | 79 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 21 | 21 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 9 | 9 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $9.0M | 26 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1984-2020 | 2 | 10 | $7.4M | 73 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 1996-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 100 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 4 | 1997-2018 | 0 | 0 | $35K | 85 of 100 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1997-2008 | 0 | 2 | $7K | 69 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 Gates County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Gates County from 1984 to 2020, the strongest rated F3, with 2 deaths and 10 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Gates County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-03-28 20:30, as SPC files it | Sunbury | F3 | 14 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Gates County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-02-06 | Eure, Gates County | EF0 2.99 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $114K |
| 2011-04-16 | Vivian, Gates County | EF1 9.84 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2009-04-06 | Sunbury, Gates County | EF0 0.24 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 1995-11-11 | Extrm Srn, Gates County | F0 2.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 1986-06-28 | Gates County | F0 1 mi x 37 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-03-28 | Gates County | F3 14 mi x 880 yd | 2 | 10 | $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.
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 Gates County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 23, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindAcorn Hill, Gates County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindGreens Fork, Gates County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindHobbsville, Gates County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindWiggins Xrds, Gates County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-01 | Heavy SnowGates County · forecast zone Gates | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatGates County · forecast zone Gates | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindStorys Xrds, Gates County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatGates County · forecast zone Gates | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-16 | Flash FloodMuddy Cross, Gates County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-11 | HailAcorn Hill, Gates County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindAcorn Hill, Gates County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindGatesville, Gates 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-03-28 | TornadoGates County | F3 14 mi x 880 yd | 2 | 10 | $2.5M step |
| 2016-10-08 | Flash FloodCorapeake, Gates County Numerous roads were impassable or closed, and some small creeks or streams were out of their banks due to heavy rain causing flash flooding across much of the county. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-05-01 | Thunderstorm WindEason Xrds, Gates County Tree was downed on a vehicle on Middle Swamp Road. A man was killed when the tree fell on his car. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $3K |
| 1997-07-18 | LightningWilleyton, Gates County Two women injured by lightning strike. | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 1987-06-03 | Thunderstorm WindGates County | 0 | 2 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-15 | Flash FloodCountywide, Gates County | 0 | 0 | $11M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormGates County · forecast zone Gates | 0 | 0 | $7.2M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Gates County · forecast zone Gates | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2020-08-04 | Tropical StormGates County · forecast zone Gates | 0 | 0 | $285K | |
| 2020-02-06 | TornadoEure, Gates County | EF0 2.99 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $114K |
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoVivian, Gates County | EF1 9.84 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindAcorn Hill, Gates County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-05-05 | Thunderstorm WindSelwin, Gates County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 28, 1984 (tornado, Gates County, 2 killed).
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 Gates 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 | 8 | 22 | 26 | 26 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 15 | 19 | 7 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 9 | 5 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1985 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 26 · Feb 23 · Mar 12 · Apr 16 · May 33 · Jun 41 · Jul 38 · Aug 14 · Sep 22 · Oct 7 · Nov 8 · Dec 8 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Gates County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Gates County: 8 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (14) 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 |
| 2020-08-02 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 1996-02-23 | DR-1103 | Snowstorm | Winter Storm |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1984-03-30 | DR-699 | Tornado | Severe Storms & 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 Gates County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 21 flood or flash flood records for Gates County from 1999 to 2025, on 16 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Gates County ranks 1976th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 2 | 1 |
| Hurricane Isaias | 2020-08-04 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $334,000 on 26 claims filed in Gates County; the most in one year was 16 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2003: 3 · 2005: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2016: 16; 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 Gates County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Gates County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $4.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $605K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $213K | 2.7 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $69K | 3.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $99K | 46 a year (modeled) |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | $19K | 3.6 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | $132K | 6.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $59K | once in about 1,016 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Gates 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 Gates CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Gates County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis