Johnston County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37101 · population 215,586 · 792 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 864 records for Johnston County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 505 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (451 records). The deadliest single record is the October 9, 2016 flood: 4 deaths and $55.0 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1968, 25 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
- 864on 505 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 2094 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $165Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 25strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 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 Johnston County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 451 since 1958. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 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 | 451 | 283 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 4 | $31M | 34 of 100 |
| Hail | 173 | 106 | 1973-2023 | 0 | 0 | $12M | 49 of 100 |
| Floods | 76 | 47 | 1996-2025 | 11 | 0 | $55M | 61 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 60 | 60 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 0 | $718K | 77 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 25 | 17 | 1973-2025 | 1 | 81 | $40M | 63 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 22 | 18 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $21M | 75 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 17 | 7 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 100 |
| Lightning | 15 | 14 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 6 | $472K | 36 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 14 | 12 | 1996-2022 | 4 | 3 | $3.5M | 46 of 100 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 1998-2025 | 1 | 0 | – | 38 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 91 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 1 | 2007-2007 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 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 Johnston County had?
NOAA records 25 tornadoes in Johnston County from 1973 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 81 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched Johnston County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 25, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people, 1 of them in Johnston County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 13:33, as SPC files it | Fayetteville | EF3 | 52.86 mi | 2 |
| 2008-11-15 02:10, as SPC files it | Kenly | EF2 | 4.09 mi | 1 |
| 1992-11-23 02:10, as SPC files it | Wilson to Elizabeth | F3 | 160 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Johnston County (25)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-04 | Blackman Xrds, Johnston County | EF0 0.14 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2019-09-05 | Smithfield, Johnston County | EF0 0.12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2019-07-23 | Drug Store, Johnston County | EF1 0.22 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-04-19 | Timothy, Johnston County | EF1 4.81 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $462K |
| 2013-02-26 | Micro, Johnston County | EF0 0.49 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2011-04-16 | Benson, Johnston County | EF2 14.54 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 67 | $33M |
| 2011-04-16 | Pine Level, Johnston County | EF1 8.59 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-05-05 | Emit, Johnston County | EF1 6.93 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $275K |
| 2009-05-05 | Micro, Johnston County | EF0 0.44 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2009-03-27 | Parkers Mill, Johnston County | EF0 2.27 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2009-03-27 | Coats Xrds, Johnston County | EF0 0.29 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $21K |
| 2008-11-15 | Kenly, Johnston County | EF2 0.73 mi x 150 yd | 1 | 2 | $959K |
| 2008-11-15 | Brogden, Johnston County | EF0 3.28 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $103K |
| 2008-11-15 | Peacocks Xrds, Johnston County | EF1 0.86 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $41K |
| 2008-08-27 | Archer, Johnston County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-09-14 | Emit, Johnston County | EF0 0.38 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-09-14 | Clayton, Johnston County | EF0 0.73 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2007-09-14 | Benson, Johnston County | EF0 0.25 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-06-04 | Princeton, Johnston County | F0 0.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2002-10-11 | Kenly, Johnston County | F1 4 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-11-23 | Johnston County | F3 31 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 12 | $2.5M step |
| 1992-11-04 | Johnston County | F1 0.3 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1992-11-04 | Johnston County | F1 0.4 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1977-03-04 | Johnston County | F1 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-05-29 | Johnston County | F1 17.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Johnston County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 27, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindArchers Lodge, Johnston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindFlowers, Johnston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindArchers Lodge, Johnston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindEmit, Johnston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindEmit, Johnston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindBlackman Xrds, Johnston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormJohnston County · forecast zone Johnston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormJohnston County · forecast zone Johnston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | Frost/FreezeJohnston County · forecast zone Johnston | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-25 | Thunderstorm WindFour Oaks, Johnston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-09-25 | Thunderstorm WindBenson, Johnston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2025-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindDrug Store, Johnston County | 50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-10-09 | FloodDrug Store, Johnston County Torrential rainfall of 9 to 12 inches caused widespread flash flooding across the county. Additional 5 to 6 inches of rainfall upstream caused all-time record major flooding along the Neuse River Basin. Flooding damaged approximately 1,160 structures throughout the county, resulting in $24.7 million in property ... | 4 | 0 | $55M | |
| 2022-09-30 | Tropical StormJohnston County · forecast zone Johnston Frequent wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph resulted in scattered to numerous trees and power lines down across Johnston County, including some on homes. Numerous customers lost power in Johnston County as a result of the tropical storm force wind gusts. A 24 year old woman died when she lost control of her car in wet ... | 3 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 1999-09-15 | Flash FloodCountywide, Johnston County Rainfall associated with Hurricane Floyd produced unprecedented flash flooding across the eastern half of the state. Every river and stream flooded nearby roads and communities. Several lives were lost due to people driving into flooded roadways or directly into streams where roads and bridges were washed out. Several ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-08-31 | Flash FloodSmithfield, Johnston County Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding along Galilee Road. Part of the road washed away in the flooded waters, which resulted in a car being swept off the road. Two individuals were not able to be rescued and drowned in the flood waters. | 2 | 0 | $17K | |
| 2010-03-29 | Flash FloodWilsons Mills, Johnston County Two teenagers drowned when their car hydroplaned, flipped and came to rest in a swollen swampy area. The vehicle was submerged. The passenger was found inside the car, with her seat belt on, while the driver's body was found by a water rescue team 150 feet away from the car. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-11-15 | TornadoKenly, Johnston County The tornado initially touched down around just north of Piney Grove Church Road, and damage was limited to minor tree and structural damage. The tornado then tracked northeast, over bare fields and stands of mature trees for approximately three quarters of a mile, twisting off mature trees, before producing ... | EF2 0.73 mi x 150 yd | 1 | 2 | $959K |
| 1996-09-05 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Johnston County · forecast zone Johnston Hurricane FRAN was the worst natural economic disaster to occur in North Carolina history. In the RAH county warning area along, the damage exceeded 2 billion dollars. Damage to crops, livestock, farm equipment/buildings was over 400 million. The agricultural damage was the greatest in Sampson, Johnston, and Wayne ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2016-01-22 | Winter StormJohnston County · forecast zone Johnston One quarter to one half of an inch of freezing rain accrual was reported across the county. In addition, snowfall/sleet amounts of around one half of an inch fell. Icy roads created difficult travel conditions during the morning of the 22nd, with numerous automobile accidents reported across the county. One of the ... | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-10-09 | FloodDrug Store, Johnston County | 4 | 0 | $55M | |
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoBenson, Johnston County | EF2 14.54 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 67 | $33M |
| 2019-08-15 | Thunderstorm WindBenson, Johnston County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $29M |
| 2011-08-27 | Strong WindJohnston County · forecast zone Johnston | 43 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20M |
| 1997-08-05 | HailBenson, Johnston County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $9.6M |
| 1996-05-29 | HailKenly, Johnston County | 0 | 0 | $2.1M | |
| 2008-11-15 | TornadoKenly, Johnston County | EF2 0.73 mi x 150 yd | 1 | 2 | $959K |
| 2020-08-03 | Tropical StormJohnston County · forecast zone Johnston | 0 | 0 | $570K |
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: November 23, 1992 (tornado, Johnston 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 Johnston 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 | 0 | 9 | 51 | 43 | 95 | 148 | 103 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 34 | 79 | 32 | 8 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 12 | 13 | 29 | 22 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 21 | 25 | 8 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 6 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 10 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 53 · Feb 28 · Mar 38 · Apr 64 · May 153 · Jun 129 · Jul 170 · Aug 110 · Sep 62 · Oct 18 · Nov 25 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Johnston County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Johnston County: 12 major disasters, 15 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (15) 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 |
| 2018-09-14 | 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 |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-25 | EM-3327 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-04-19 | DR-1969 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3033 | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing |
| 1968-02-10 | DR-234 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
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 Johnston County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 76 flood or flash flood records for Johnston County from 1996 to 2025, on 47 days, with 11 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Johnston County ranks 719th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-09 | 1 | 4 |
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 3 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 3 |
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-05 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Isaias | 2020-08-03 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dorian | 2019-09-05 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-13 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $11.4 million on 313 claims filed in Johnston County; the most in one year was 120 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 1 · 1986: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1995: 4 · 1996: 42 · 1998: 4 · 1999: 46 · 2000: 1 · 2004: 3 · 2006: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 5 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 120 · 2017: 14 · 2018: 13 · 2019: 7 · 2020: 25 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 2; 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 Johnston County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Johnston County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $61.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Very High | $1.5M | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $11M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $1.0M | 51 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $541K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $3.2M | 8.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $32M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.5M | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $4.8M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Johnston 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 Johnston CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Johnston County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis