Guilford County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37081 · population 540,974 · 646 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 924 records for Guilford County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 536 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (431 records). The deadliest single record is the May 8, 2008 tornado: 1 death, 3 injuries and $5.5 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1977, 26 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
- 924on 536 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 79 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $153Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 16strongest EF3
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 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 Guilford County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 431 since 1956. 47% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 431 | 266 | 1956-2026 | 2 | 2 | $2.5M | 25 of 100 |
| Hail | 206 | 118 | 1967-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 26 of 100 |
| Floods | 142 | 100 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $28M | 13 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 86 | 85 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 49 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 21 | 18 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | 66 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 16 | 14 | 1954-2021 | 2 | 7 | $102M | 62 of 100 |
| Lightning | 9 | 8 | 1997-2010 | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | 45 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 7 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $4.5M | 58 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 82 of 100 |
| Heat | 2 | 2 | 1998-2008 | 1 | 0 | – | 67 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 93 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 58 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 Guilford County had?
NOAA records 16 tornadoes in Guilford County from 1954 to 2021, the strongest rated EF3, with 2 deaths and 7 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 Guilford County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 16, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 2 of them in Guilford County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-08 21:29, as SPC files it | High Point | EF2 | 3.85 mi | 1 |
| 2010-03-28 17:30, as SPC files it | High Point | EF3 | 3.46 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Guilford County (16)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-03-18 | Whitsett, Guilford County | EF1 0.68 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $545K |
| 2021-03-18 | Sherwood Vlg, Guilford County | EF1 2.63 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $545K |
| 2018-04-15 | Greensboro, Guilford County | EF2 15.15 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 2 | $76M |
| 2010-03-28 | High Pt, Guilford County | EF3 3.46 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $14M |
| 2008-05-08 | Deep River, Guilford County | EF2 3.85 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 3 | $5.5M |
| 2005-07-07 | Oak Ridge, Guilford County | F0 5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-17 | Stokesdale, Guilford County | F1 6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-07 | Climax, Guilford County | F1 1.5 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-07 | Greensboro Airport, Guilford County | F1 1.5 mi x 0 yd | 0 | 0 | $181K |
| 1976-10-08 | Guilford County | F1 0.7 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-05-14 | Guilford County | F1 6.1 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1967-04-17 | Guilford County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-06-12 | Guilford County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1959-09-29 | Guilford County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-04-05 | Guilford County | F1 4.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1954-06-16 | Guilford County | F2 6.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $3K 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 Guilford County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 22, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($15,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindBrowns Summit, Guilford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindBessemer, Guilford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindDeep River, Guilford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-22 | Thunderstorm WindGreensboro Arhrbr Ar, Guilford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindGreensboro May Airport, Guilford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindHillsdale, Guilford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindBrowns Summit, Guilford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGreensboro Airport, Guilford County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormGuilford County · forecast zone Guilford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormGuilford County · forecast zone Guilford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-19 | Thunderstorm WindGreensboro, Guilford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2025-11-11 | Frost/FreezeGuilford County · forecast zone Guilford | 0 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-08 | TornadoDeep River, Guilford County The tornado, originally an EF-0, initially touched down just north of Squire Davis Park near the intersection of Sandy Ridge Road and Johnson Street. From there the tornado tracked northeast and intensified to EF-1 intensity as it approached the Farmers Market and Interstate 40. The tornado overturned several cars and ... | EF2 3.85 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 3 | $5.5M |
| 2018-04-15 | TornadoGreensboro, Guilford County The tornado initially touched down on the north side of I-40 near where Willow Road crosses I-40. Damage at this point consisted of snapped trees and was consistent with 90 mph wind speeds, or EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The tornado remained on the ground as it traveled north toward Peeler Elementary School. ... | EF2 15.15 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 2 | $76M |
| 2018-09-17 | Flash FloodGuilquarry, Guilford County Flash flooding from heavy rainfall of 5 to 8 inches closed several roads across the county. Multiple people were rescued from flooded vehicles in the city of Greensboro. Portions of the Pinecroft apartments were evacuated. A 87 year old male was evacuated to a Guilford County hotel where he fell and struck his head ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-06-03 | Flash FloodGreensboro, Guilford County Numerous streets were closed in downtown Greensboro with as many as 50 to 100 water rescues performed, mainly from stalled out vehicles. Multiple buildings were flooded, with at least 10 to 15 on the UNC-Greenbsoro Campus alone. In addition, as many as two dozen businesses and government buildings were also flooded. ... | 1 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2008-05-27 | HeatGuilford County · forecast zone Guilford Senior Chad Wiley collapsed after a voluntary football workout on campus Tuesday May 27th. Chad was 22 years old. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1989-06-16 | Thunderstorm WindGuilford County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1988-06-26 | Thunderstorm WindGuilford County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2013-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindGuilquarry, Guilford County Several trees were blown down along the wind swath. A 4-year-old boy suffered a cut to his head when a tree hit him as it fell on his aunt's home. Monetary damages were estimated. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $253K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-04-15 | TornadoGreensboro, Guilford County | EF2 15.15 mi x 500 yd | 1 | 2 | $76M |
| 2018-09-17 | FloodHigh Pt Midway Airport, Guilford County | 0 | 0 | $23M | |
| 2010-03-28 | TornadoHigh Pt, Guilford County | EF3 3.46 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $14M |
| 2014-03-06 | Ice StormGuilford County · forecast zone Guilford | 0 | 0 | $10M | |
| 2008-05-08 | TornadoDeep River, Guilford County | EF2 3.85 mi x 200 yd | 1 | 3 | $5.5M |
| 2009-06-03 | Flash FloodGreensboro, Guilford County | 1 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 2010-06-12 | LightningHamilton Lakes, Guilford County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2018-10-11 | Tropical StormGuilford County · forecast zone Guilford | 0 | 0 | $1.8M |
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 5, 1957 (tornado, Guilford County); May 14, 1967 (tornado, Guilford 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 Guilford 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 | 2 | 11 | 9 | 39 | 33 | 80 | 151 | 106 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 24 | 94 | 38 | 26 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 39 | 57 | 42 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 28 | 33 | 16 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 13 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 54 · Feb 39 · Mar 62 · Apr 66 · May 135 · Jun 184 · Jul 148 · Aug 115 · Sep 64 · Oct 24 · Nov 13 · Dec 20 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Guilford County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Guilford County: 14 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (12) 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 |
| 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 |
| 2018-09-14 | DR-4393 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-05-08 | DR-4364 | Severe Storm | Tornado and Severe Storms |
| 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 |
| 2003-03-27 | DR-1457 | Severe Ice Storm | Ice Storm |
| 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 Guilford County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 142 flood or flash flood records for Guilford County from 1996 to 2025, on 100 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Guilford County ranks 426th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-17 | 2 | 1 |
| Tropical Depression Chantal | 2025-07-09 | 3 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | 2018-10-11 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $9.4 million on 680 claims filed in Guilford County; the most in one year was 75 in 1979. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 10 · 1979: 75 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 11 · 1982: 25 · 1983: 7 · 1984: 16 · 1985: 2 · 1986: 3 · 1987: 10 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 9 · 1990: 16 · 1991: 5 · 1992: 9 · 1993: 14 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 45 · 1997: 4 · 1998: 15 · 1999: 6 · 2000: 62 · 2001: 4 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 61 · 2004: 22 · 2005: 3 · 2006: 3 · 2008: 17 · 2009: 10 · 2010: 4 · 2011: 2 · 2012: 7 · 2013: 8 · 2014: 4 · 2016: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2018: 61 · 2019: 57 · 2020: 12 · 2021: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 26 · 2025: 9; 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 Guilford County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Guilford County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $135 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 | $2.1M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $101M | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $795K | 8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.7M | 47 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $2.0M | 4.8 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $7.9M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $6.4M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $6.0M | about once 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 Guilford 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 Guilford CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Guilford County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis