Jones County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37103 · population 9,165 · 471 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 276 records for Jones County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 209 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (94 records). The deadliest single record is the March 17, 1965 tornado: 1 death and 5 injuries. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1996, 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
- 276on 209 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 216 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $202Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 22strongest 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 Jones County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 94 since 1958. 44% 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 | 94 | 73 | 1958-2026 | 0 | 3 | $1.6M | 85 of 100 |
| Hail | 66 | 49 | 1958-2021 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 71 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 28 | 28 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 86 of 100 |
| Floods | 23 | 19 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8.8M | 87 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 22 | 18 | 1965-2023 | 1 | 13 | $35M | 30 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 19 | 18 | 1996-2020 | 1 | 0 | $156M | 17 of 100 |
| Drought | 11 | 11 | 2011-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 45 of 100 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 2023-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 2004-2022 | 0 | 0 | $16K | 96 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1998-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 68 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1997-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 35 of 100 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 2015-2015 | 0 | 0 | $2K | 87 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 Jones County had?
NOAA records 22 tornadoes in Jones County from 1965 to 2023, the strongest rated F3, with 1 death and 13 injuries recorded in the county. That is 30th 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 23 tornadoes whose track touched Jones County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 22: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 1 of them in Jones County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-03-17 20:50, as SPC files it | New Bern | F3 | 41.3 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Jones County (22)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-22 | Trenton, Jones County | EF0 0.14 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2023-04-22 | Phillips Xrds, Jones County | EF1 0.57 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-13 | Ravenswood, Jones County | EF0 0.08 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-04-13 | Maysville, Jones County | EF0 0.7 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2018-09-14 | Combs Fork, Jones County | EF0 8 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-09-18 | Phillips Xrds, Jones County | EF0 4.98 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2011-04-16 | Hargetts, Jones County | EF2 2.41 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2008-08-07 | Trenton, Jones County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2008-06-23 | Comfort, Jones County | EF0 0.16 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-05-11 | Maysville, Jones County | EF2 3.87 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2004-10-13 | Pollocksville, Jones County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-07-02 | Trenton, Jones County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-04-15 | Hargetts, Jones County | F2 15 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 8 | $3.5M |
| 1998-05-04 | Wise Fork, Jones County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-05-04 | Hargetts, Jones County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-04-01 | Wise Fork, Jones County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-26 | Pollocksville, Jones County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-26 | Comfort, Jones County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1991-03-29 | Jones County | F1 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1978-04-19 | Jones County | F2 0.7 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-13 | Jones County | F1 5.6 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1965-03-17 | Jones County | F3 8.2 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 5 | $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 Jones County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 15, 2021 thunderstorm wind ($11,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds and large hail along Emmett Lane and White Oak River Road, to the northwest of Maysville in Southern Jones County, NC. The damage path started near the intersection of these two roads, where multiple smaller branches and leaf debris were found. One medium size hardwood tree was uprooted, along with a larger section of a pecan tree that was broken at the base. A few pieces of vinyl siding received minor damaged due to wind, with many others showing more extensive damage due to large hail. A witness to the storm said the hail was slightly larger than quarter size. A large section of a metal roof was blown and peeled off, along with some shingles on an adjacent property on an outbuilding. The metal roof was of poor construction so the uprooted trees were used as the estimate of wind. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 970136)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | DroughtJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindTrenton, Jones County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-24 | DroughtJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Winter StormJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-06 | Flash FloodTaylors Corner, Jones County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-08-06 | Flash FloodCombs Fork, Jones County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindMaysville, Jones County | 50 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-03-17 | TornadoJones County | F3 8.2 mi x 100 yd | 1 | 5 | $2.5M step |
| 1999-09-14 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Jones County · forecast zone Jones Hurricane Floyd caused the largest peace time evacuation in the nations history. He also caused massive record flooding across inland sections of eastern North Carolina. At one time Floyd was classified as a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir/Simpson scale and will likely be categorized as one of the nation's most ... | 1 | 0 | $17M | |
| 1999-04-15 | TornadoHargetts, Jones County On the night of April 15, 1999 several tornadoes touched down. One multi-vortex tornado touched down in Duplin County about a half mile south of Kenansville. The tornado tracked east northeast between Pink Hill and Beulaville and just to the north of Potters HIll before entering Jones County. Once in Jones County the ... | F2 15 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 8 | $3.5M |
| 1995-11-11 | Thunderstorm WindPollocksville, Jones County | 0 | 2 | $10K | |
| 1990-05-10 | Thunderstorm WindJones County | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-09-13 | Tropical StormJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | $39M | |
| 1996-07-12 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Jones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | $38M | |
| 2011-08-26 | Tropical StormJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | $37M | |
| 1999-09-14 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Jones County · forecast zone Jones | 1 | 0 | $17M | |
| 2010-09-30 | Flash FloodTrenton, Jones County | 0 | 0 | $8.8M | |
| 2006-08-31 | Tropical StormJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | $7.5M | |
| 1999-09-01 | Tropical StormJones County · forecast zone Jones | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | |
| 1999-04-15 | TornadoHargetts, Jones County | F2 15 mi x 900 yd | 0 | 8 | $3.5M |
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 17, 1965 (tornado, Jones County, 1 killed); March 29, 1991 (tornado, Jones 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 Jones 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 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 27 | 25 |
| Hail | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 30 | 16 | 2 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 9 | 9 | 4 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
44% 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 18 · Feb 18 · Mar 19 · Apr 33 · May 34 · Jun 45 · Jul 37 · Aug 33 · Sep 16 · Oct 11 · Nov 5 · Dec 7 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Jones County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Jones County: 13 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (21) 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 |
| 2020-10-14 | DR-4568 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 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 |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-08-25 | EM-3327 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-10-14 | DR-1942 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010-09-01 | EM-3314 | Hurricane | Hurricane Earl |
| 2005-10-07 | DR-1608 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ophelia |
| 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 |
| 1998-08-27 | DR-1240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bonnie |
| 1996-09-06 | DR-1134 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran |
| 1996-07-18 | DR-1127 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bertha |
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 Jones County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 23 flood or flash flood records for Jones County from 1996 to 2025, on 19 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Jones County ranks 932nd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-14 | 1 | 1 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-13 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-26 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-17 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dennis | 1999-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-04 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Bertha | 1996-07-12 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $17.0 million on 205 claims filed in Jones County; the most in one year was 101 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1996: 3 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 34 · 2006: 6 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 36 · 2011: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 18 · 2018: 101 · 2024: 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 Jones County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Jones County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $14.3 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 High | $11M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $85K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $75K | 7.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $130K | 3 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $145K | 8.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $245K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $81K | 54 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $17K | 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 Jones 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 Jones CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Jones County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis