Jackson County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37099 · population 43,081 · 491 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 800 records for Jackson County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 481 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (355 records). 575 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the August 8, 1999 lightning: 1 death and 2 injuries. FEMA has issued 19 declarations naming the county since 1973, 17 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
- 800on 481 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 113 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $30Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 5strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 19latest 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 Jackson County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 355 since 1996. 55% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 355 | 216 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | 10 of 100 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 106 | 92 | 1969-2026 | 0 | 3 | $908K | 79 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 77 | 44 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | 14 of 100 |
| Drought | 74 | 37 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 21 of 100 |
| Hail | 61 | 48 | 1985-2025 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 77 of 100 |
| Floods | 45 | 34 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 48 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 43 | 22 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 12 of 100 |
| Lightning | 15 | 14 | 1997-2011 | 1 | 10 | $3.6M | 15 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 6 | 1999-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 100 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 6 | 4 | 2004-2020 | 0 | 0 | $348K | 7 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 4 | 1975-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 91 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 4 | 3 | 1998-2005 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | 95 of 100 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | $135K | 16 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 Jackson County had?
NOAA records 5 tornadoes in Jackson County from 1975 to 2024, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 0 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 5 tornadoes whose track touched Jackson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 5, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Jackson County (5)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-08 | Glenville, Jackson County | EF1 1.52 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-05-08 | Pumpkintown, Jackson County | EF1 9.38 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-03-02 | Erastus, Jackson County | EF0 1.75 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $64K |
| 1976-06-28 | Jackson County | F2 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-03-12 | Jackson County | F0 | 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 Jackson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 16, 2025 flash flood ($20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtJackson County · forecast zone Southern Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtJackson County · forecast zone Northern Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtJackson County · forecast zone Southern Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtJackson County · forecast zone Northern Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindCashiers, Jackson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindBarkers Creek, Jackson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillJackson County · forecast zone Southern Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillJackson County · forecast zone Northern Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Heavy SnowJackson County · forecast zone Southern Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Heavy SnowJackson County · forecast zone Northern Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Cold/Wind ChillJackson County · forecast zone Southern Jackson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Cold/Wind ChillJackson County · forecast zone Northern Jackson | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-08-08 | LightningCashiers, Jackson County Lightning struck 3 people hiking at Whiteside Cliffs near the Macon county line and South Carolina state line, and at an elevation of 4900 feet. A teenage boy died and the two others were injured. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 1999-07-03 | LightningBig Ridge, Jackson County A lightning strike caused injuries to 7 people at a campground, including burns to 3 people. | 0 | 7 | – | |
| 2024-06-17 | Thunderstorm WindWilmot, Jackson County Emergency manager reported a large tree limb fell on a vehicle on Highway 19 in the Qualla Boundary. One occupant received minor injuries. | 40 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $941 |
| 2002-07-02 | LightningCashiers, Jackson County A man in a hottub was struck by lightning. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1997-07-04 | Thunderstorm WindCashiers, Jackson County A person was injured when a tree fell on his/her home. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1995-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindJackson County Microburst demolished two mobile homes and damaged seven other homes. | 0 | 1 | $155K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-12-04 | Ice StormJackson County · forecast zone Southern Jackson | 0 | 0 | $4.9M | |
| 1996-05-24 | HailSylva, Jackson County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2011-04-27 | LightningBessie, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2011-04-25 | LightningBig Ridge, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormJackson County · forecast zone Southern Jackson | 0 | 0 | $941K | |
| 2005-06-27 | LightningCashiers, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $302K | |
| 2011-06-19 | LightningBessie, Jackson County | 0 | 0 | $262K | |
| 1995-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindJackson County | 0 | 1 | $155K |
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: June 28, 1976 (tornado, Jackson 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 Jackson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 55 | 165 | 104 | 31 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 34 | 29 | 16 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 13 | 61 | 1 | 2 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 12 | 54 | 4 | 4 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 26 | 18 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 25 | 5 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
55% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 150 · Feb 111 · Mar 75 · Apr 56 · May 65 · Jun 58 · Jul 38 · Aug 33 · Sep 43 · Oct 28 · Nov 43 · Dec 100 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jackson County
FEMA's register lists 19 declarations that include Jackson County: 10 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (8) and flood (3).
| 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 |
| 2021-09-08 | DR-4617 | Hurricane | Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred |
| 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 |
| 2013-09-25 | DR-4146 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2010-02-02 | DR-1871 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms and Flooding |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1553 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2004-09-10 | DR-1546 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1995-10-23 | DR-1073 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, High Winds |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3110 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1973-06-25 | DR-394 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
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 Jackson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 45 flood or flash flood records for Jackson County from 1996 to 2025, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jackson County ranks 1319th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 3 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ivan | 2004-09-16 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.1 million on 97 claims filed in Jackson County; the most in one year was 32 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1990: 1 · 1991: 3 · 1992: 1 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 3 · 1998: 5 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 16 · 2005: 1 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2012: 3 · 2013: 7 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 2 · 2024: 32 · 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 Jackson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jackson County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $28.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $9.0M | 3.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.1M | 58 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | $162K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $15M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $175K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $476K | 3 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $729K | once in about 392 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $284K | once in about 32 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Jackson 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
- Winter storms in North CarolinaThe state's winter storm records, 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 Jackson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jackson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)19 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis