Hoke County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37093 · population 52,053 · 390 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 298 records for Hoke County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 235 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (132 records). The deadliest single record is the February 11, 1981 tornado: 1 death. FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1996, 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
- 298on 235 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 111 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $49Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F2
- 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 Hoke County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 132 since 1965. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1965 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 | 132 | 105 | 1965-2026 | 0 | 4 | $760K | 56 of 100 |
| Hail | 58 | 46 | 1960-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 37 | 36 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 100 |
| Floods | 27 | 24 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 0 | $41M | 57 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 11 | 11 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 65 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 11 | 1975-2020 | 1 | 6 | $2.1M | 48 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 10 | 10 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 28 of 100 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 100 |
| Lightning | 4 | 4 | 1997-2016 | 0 | 1 | $110K | 51 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 57 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 2 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 73 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 Hoke County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Hoke County from 1975 to 2020, the strongest rated F2, with 1 death and 6 injuries recorded in the county. That is 48th 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Hoke County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people, 1 of them in Hoke County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 13:33, as SPC files it | Fayetteville | EF3 | 52.86 mi | 2 |
| 1981-02-11 02:30, as SPC files it | Fayetteville | F2 | 12.4 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Hoke County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-05-21 | Raeford Municipal Airport, Hoke County | EF1 0.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2011-04-16 | Raeford Municipal Airport, Hoke County | EF0 2.88 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2004-09-08 | Rockfish, Hoke County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-07 | Arabia, Hoke County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-08-29 | Raeford, Hoke County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-19 | Hoke County | F1 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $387K |
| 1990-10-23 | Hoke County | F0 0.5 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1988-05-19 | Hoke County | F0 0.4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1986-05-19 | Hoke County | F2 13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1981-02-11 | Hoke County | F2 1.9 mi x 847 yd | 1 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-03-24 | Hoke County | F1 11 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 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 Hoke County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 11, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindSilver City, Hoke County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | Frost/FreezeHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-26 | Excessive HeatHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-06 | Flash FloodTimberland, Hoke County | 0 | 0 | $10K | |
| 2025-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindAshmont, Hoke County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindMc Cain, Hoke County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2022-09-30 | Tropical StormHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 0 | 0 | $756K | |
| 2020-10-29 | Strong WindHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-02-11 | TornadoHoke County | F2 1.9 mi x 847 yd | 1 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1986-05-19 | TornadoHoke County | F2 13 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1984-03-20 | Thunderstorm WindHoke County | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 2016-05-29 | LightningArabia, Hoke County A female was struck by lightning approximately 2 miles west-southwest of Rockfish. Lightning was also responsible for a house fire shortly after 6 PM on the 1100 block of Turnpike Road in Fayetteville. | 0 | 1 | $31K | |
| 2010-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindRaeford Municipal Airport, Hoke County Microburst wind damage was observed as far south as Johnson Mill Road and Adcox Road, just south of Highway 401 and as far north as Plank Road near the Fort Bragg Military Reservation. The most significant structural damage occurred in the Willow Trace Mobile Home Park where 44 mobile home out of 50 suffered damage. ... | 70 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $406K |
| 1995-05-19 | TornadoHoke County Tornado damage across the county from State Roads # 401 and # 1207 eastward to near State Road 211. Numerous trees down, some across houses. Damage to several mobile homes. Twelve roads impassable. | F1 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $387K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-09-17 | FloodEdenburg, Hoke County | 0 | 0 | $36M | |
| 2016-10-08 | Flash FloodAshmont, Hoke County | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2016-09-29 | Flash FloodRockfish, Hoke County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2019-09-05 | Tropical StormHoke County · forecast zone Hoke | 0 | 0 | $577K | |
| 2010-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindRaeford Municipal Airport, Hoke County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $406K |
| 1995-05-19 | TornadoHoke County | F1 6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $387K |
| 2020-05-21 | TornadoRaeford Municipal Airport, Hoke County | EF1 0.2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2016-05-29 | LightningArabia, Hoke County | 0 | 1 | $31K |
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: February 11, 1981 (tornado, Hoke County, 1 killed); May 19, 1986 (tornado, Hoke 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 Hoke 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 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 29 | 49 | 22 |
| Hail | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 0 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 13 | 12 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 7 | 12 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1965 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 28 · Feb 23 · Mar 13 · Apr 34 · May 35 · Jun 53 · Jul 49 · Aug 16 · Sep 24 · Oct 9 · Nov 8 · Dec 6 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Hoke County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Hoke County: 9 major disasters, 11 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (13) 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 |
| 2019-10-04 | DR-4465 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2019-09-03 | EM-3423 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018-09-14 | DR-4393 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2018-09-10 | EM-3401 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| 2016-10-10 | DR-4285 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2016-10-07 | EM-3380 | Hurricane | Hurricane Matthew |
| 2011-04-19 | DR-1969 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-10 | DR-1546 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| 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 |
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 Hoke County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 27 flood or flash flood records for Hoke County from 1997 to 2025, on 24 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Hoke County ranks 1784th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression Chantal | 2025-07-06 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dorian | 2019-09-05 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-13 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $616,000 on 39 claims filed in Hoke County; the most in one year was 12 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1985: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 2 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 12 · 2018: 12 · 2020: 1 · 2025: 1; 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 Hoke County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hoke County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $98K | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $146K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $500K | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $333K | once in about 375 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $844K | 8.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $484K | once in about 546 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Hoke 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 Hoke CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Hoke County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis