Macon County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37113 · population 36,973 · 516 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 495 records for Macon County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 406 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (165 records). 282 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 September 16, 2004 debris flow, filed for the forecast zone Macon, which covers the county: 4 deaths, 9 injuries and $2.5 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 17 declarations naming the county since 1973, 15 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
- 495on 406 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 512 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $22Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 17latest 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 Macon County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 165 since 1996. 57% 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 | 165 | 157 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 of 100 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 88 | 73 | 1970-2024 | 0 | 1 | $657K | 90 of 100 |
| Hail | 72 | 54 | 1984-2025 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 70 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 44 | 44 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 1 | $1.2M | 18 of 100 |
| Floods | 38 | 35 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 0 | $8.9M | 50 of 100 |
| Drought | 37 | 37 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 23 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 20 | 20 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | 16 of 100 |
| Lightning | 14 | 13 | 1998-2010 | 0 | 1 | $2.6M | 20 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 8 | 1996-2013 | 0 | 0 | $142K | 21 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1976-2011 | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | 94 of 100 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 3 | 2004-2020 | 4 | 9 | $2.7M | 11 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 96 of 100 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 17 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 Macon County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Macon County from 1976 to 2011, the strongest rated F1, 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 4 tornadoes whose track touched Macon County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4, 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 Macon County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-27 | Sealy Mtn, Macon County | EF0 0.24 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2005-08-30 | Franklin, Macon County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1976-07-29 | Macon County | F1 1.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1976-02-18 | Macon County | F1 3.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K 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 Macon County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 16, 2025 high wind ($10,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Heavy SnowMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Cold/Wind ChillMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-10 | HailOtto, Macon County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-16 | High WindMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2025-03-04 | High WindMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-22 | Cold/Wind ChillMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-20 | Cold/Wind ChillMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-10 | Winter StormMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-16 | Debris FlowMacon County · forecast zone Macon A landslide (debris flow) began at the top of Fishhawk Mountain and flowed through the Peeks Creek valley. The slide, consisting of water, boulders, trees, mud, and other debris, destroyed or severely damaged 20 to 30 homes and mobile homes. Four people and an unborn child were killed as their homes were overwhelmed ... | 4 | 9 | $2.5M | |
| 2024-09-27 | Flash FloodGneiss, Macon County A stream gauge on the Cullasaja River in the Gneiss community indicated flash flooding developed along the lower portion of the river after 10-15 inches of rain fell across the headwaters over three days. 1.5 to 3.5 inches of that fell in less than six hours during the early morning of the 27th. Portions of River Rd ... | 1 | 0 | $470K | |
| 2004-09-16 | Thunderstorm WindFranklin, Macon County A mobile home at the base of Fishhawk Mountain was destroyed in the Peeks Creek community. The home's resident was injured when debris from the collapsing home fell on him. At least one other home was damaged in the area. | 65 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $78K |
| 2004-09-16 | High WindMacon County · forecast zone Macon High winds developed across the mountains, as the remants of Hurricane Ivan moved just west of the area. Locations near the southern exposure of the Blue Ridge were the hardest hit, with major damage occurring in and around Highlands, Cashiers, Brevard, and southern Henderson County. Thousands of trees were blown ... | 55 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $156K |
| 2004-04-13 | LightningFranklin, Macon County A 28-year-old woman received minor injuries when lightning struck the building she was in. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-16 | FloodMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | $6.9M | |
| 2004-09-16 | Debris FlowMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 4 | 9 | $2.5M | |
| 2010-05-16 | LightningHighlands, Macon County | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2004-09-07 | FloodMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2007-04-16 | High WindMacon County · forecast zone Macon | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $854K |
| 2024-09-27 | Flash FloodGneiss, Macon County | 1 | 0 | $470K | |
| 1997-07-04 | Thunderstorm WindFranklin, Macon County | 0 | 0 | $460K | |
| 2010-05-15 | LightningFranklin Airport, Macon County | 0 | 0 | $338K |
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 18, 1976 (tornado, Macon 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 Macon 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 | – | – | – | – | 25 | 76 | 53 | 11 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 31 | 27 | 14 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 26 | 27 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 33 | 3 | 2 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 16 | 9 | 4 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 6 | 27 | 2 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% 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 82 · Feb 61 · Mar 50 · Apr 36 · May 45 · Jun 42 · Jul 39 · Aug 26 · Sep 21 · Oct 16 · Nov 28 · Dec 49 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Macon County
FEMA's register lists 17 declarations that include Macon County: 8 major disasters, 9 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (7) 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 Macon County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 38 flood or flash flood records for Macon County from 1996 to 2024, on 35 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Macon County ranks 1424th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-27 | 2 | 1 |
| Hurricane Ivan | 2004-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Frances | 2004-09-07 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.0 million on 79 claims filed in Macon County; the most in one year was 22 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1981: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2004: 22 · 2009: 8 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2012: 1 · 2013: 3 · 2015: 12 · 2018: 2 · 2020: 9 · 2021: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 14; 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 Macon County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Macon County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $24.4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively High | $3.5M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $7.2M | 3.4 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $453K | 59 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $199K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $10M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $577K | once in about 360 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $308K | once in about 30 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.4M | 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 Macon 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 Macon CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Macon County's FEMA declarations (CSV)17 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis