FEMA Records
4
Total declarations
North Carolina · FEMA + NOAA + National Risk Index
McDowell County, NC
4 FEMA disaster declarations (2023–2026), with a FEMA National Risk Index rating of Relatively Low. Most common hazard: Tropical Storm.
- 4
- FEMA declarations
- 1
- Major disasters
- 59
- NRI risk · Relatively Low
- Tropical Storm
- Top hazard
The verdict
McDowell County ranks in the riskiest 41% of U.S. counties for FEMA-modeled hazard risk, with more federally declared disasters than 57% of the 2,791 counties FEMA tracks. FEMA rates the county's overall risk as Relatively Low, based on 4 federal disaster declarations recorded since 2023, most often tropical storm, 4% above the national county average of 4.
- Riskiest 41%
- of U.S. counties for FEMA National Risk Index score
- Relatively Low
- FEMA National Risk Index rating
- 4
- FEMA declarations vs 4 national county avg
- 2
- tropical storm declarations, the most common hazard here
FEMA's National Risk Index score reflects expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience; the declaration count above reflects only Presidentially declared disasters, not every hazard event.
How does McDowell County compare?
McDowell County vs. every U.S. county
FEMA disaster declarations, all-time
4 Top 43% higher than 57% of 2,791 counties
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 · 2026-07-25
McDowell County's FEMA Risk Index score
FEMA National Risk Index composite score vs. the North Carolina county average
How disaster-prone is McDowell County?
Declaration frequency
McDowell County, North Carolina has recorded 4 FEMA disaster declarations between 2023 and 2026, of which 1 were classified as Major Disaster declarations (DR) requiring federal individual and public assistance. That puts the county's average at 1.3 declarations per year across a 3-year record, or roughly 17% below the North Carolina county average of 4.8 and 4% above the national county average of 3.8. The dominant disaster type on record is Tropical Storm, with 2 of 4 declarations falling under this category.
FEMA National Risk Index
This county carries a high composite score on FEMA's National Risk Index, 59.2/100, rated Relatively Low. Its Expected Annual Loss rating is Relatively Low (roughly $16.8M in annualized losses), and a Relatively High social-vulnerability profile combined with Relatively Low community resilience shapes how much of that raw exposure becomes realized harm. Among the 18 modeled hazards, Landslide carries the county's highest rating, a mid-range Relatively Moderate.
Flood exposure & the bottom line
Taken together, McDowell County reads as low relative risk on this historical lens, fewer federally recognized disasters than a typical U.S. county.
Risk Assessment
Risk Level
Low
vs. North Carolina Avg
-17%
State avg: 4.8
vs. National Avg
+4%
National avg: 3.8
Avg Per Year
1.3
Over 3 years
FEMA NRI 8-hazard radar - McDowell County
How to read this radar
The radar plots McDowell County's relative exposure to the eight headline natural hazards used by the FEMA National Risk Index. Each axis is the qualitative NRI risk rating (Very Low through Very High) re-expressed on a 0-100 scale so that the polygon shape lets you compare a county against another at a glance. A rounder polygon means broad multi-hazard exposure; a spiky polygon means one or two dominant hazards drive most of the modeled risk.
NRI Source
FEMA 2023
Latest NRI release
County FIPS
37111
NC state code
Source: FEMA National Risk Index FEMA National Risk Index Per-county per-hazard ratings, 2023 release
Disaster Types
Tropical Storm 2
Winter Storm 1
Hurricane 1
Declaration Types
What DR / EM / FM mean
FEMA categorizes declarations as Major Disasters (DR), Emergencies (EM), or Fire Management Assistance (FM).
Emergency - 3 75.0%
of all 4 declarations
Major Disaster - 1 25.0%
of all 4 declarations
FEMA Declarations Timeline
| Year | Declarations | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 1 | |
Disaster Declarations
| DR# | Title | Type | Incident | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3637 | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM | Winter Storm | 2026-01-24 |
| 4827 | TROPICAL STORM HELENE | DR | Tropical Storm | 2024-09-28 |
| 3617 | HURRICANE HELENE | EM | Tropical Storm | 2024-09-26 |
| 3586 | HURRICANE IAN | EM | Hurricane | 2022-10-01 |
Storm Events in North Carolina
| Storm Type | Events | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 8,693 | 13 | 66 | $69.0M |
| Flash Flood | 2,171 | 113 | 7 | $2.4B |
| Hail | 1,922 | 0 | 0 | $122.5M |
| Winter Weather | 1,492 | 6 | 2 | $425.0K |
| Winter Storm | 932 | 7 | 0 | $11.2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database NOAA Storm Events Database State-level aggregated data, 2015–2025
FEMA National Risk Index
Overall Risk
Relatively Low
Score: 59.2/100
Expected Annual Loss
Relatively Low
$16.8M/year
Social Vulnerability
Relatively High
Community Resilience
Relatively Low
Hazard Risk Breakdown
Landslide Relatively Moderate
Ice Storm Relatively High
Lightning Relatively Moderate
Drought Relatively Moderate
Earthquake Relatively Low
Hurricane Relatively Low
Wildfire Very Low
Cold Wave Relatively Low
Tornado Relatively Low
Strong Wind Relatively Moderate
Hail Relatively Low
Winter Weather Very Low
Heat Wave Very Low
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) Ratings reflect relative scores among all US counties. Data: hazards.fema.gov/nri
Counties with Similar Risk in North Carolina
Disaster Preparedness Guides
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
How many natural disasters has McDowell County, North Carolina had?
McDowell County, North Carolina has received 4 FEMA disaster declarations from 2023 to 2026. Of these, 1 were major disaster declarations.
What is the most common disaster type in McDowell County?
The most common disaster type in McDowell County is Tropical Storm, with 2 declarations. Other disaster types include Winter Storm (1), Hurricane (1).
How does McDowell County's disaster risk compare to the North Carolina average?
McDowell County has 4 disaster declarations, which is 17% lower than the North Carolina county average of 4.8 declarations. Compared to the national county average of 3.8, it is 4% higher.
How many major FEMA disaster declarations has McDowell County received?
McDowell County has received 1 major disaster declaration, representing 25% of all 4 disaster declarations. Major disaster declarations typically involve significant damage requiring federal assistance.
What types of storms are most common in North Carolina?
The most common storm types in North Carolina include Thunderstorm Wind (8,693 events), Flash Flood (2,171 events), Hail (1,922 events). NOAA storm event data covers severe weather from 2015 to 2025.
What was the worst year for disasters in McDowell County?
The most active year for disaster declarations in McDowell County was 2024, with 2 declarations. The county has FEMA disaster data spanning 2023 to 2026.
What is the overall disaster risk level for McDowell County?
McDowell County's 4 FEMA disaster declarations put it in the low-risk band, fewer federally recognized disasters than a typical U.S. county over the same span.
What is the FEMA National Risk Index score for McDowell County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, McDowell County, North Carolina has an overall risk score of 59.2 out of 100 (Relatively Low). The county's social vulnerability rating is Relatively High and community resilience is Relatively Low. The Expected Annual Loss (EAL) score is Relatively Low, representing $16.8M in annualized losses.
Which natural hazard poses the greatest risk to McDowell County?
Based on FEMA NRI data, the highest-risk natural hazard in McDowell County is Landslide (risk rating: Relatively Moderate). Other significant hazards include Ice Storm (Relatively High) and Lightning (Relatively Moderate). These scores are based on FEMA's analysis of historical event frequency, exposed assets, and community vulnerability.
Data Sources & Methodology
Disaster declaration data comes from the FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 API, which includes all federally declared disasters, emergencies, and fire management assistance grants.
Storm event data is sourced from the NOAA Storm Events Database (2015–2025), which tracks significant weather events including thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, and winter storms.
This data is provided for informational purposes only. FEMA disaster declarations represent federal response actions and may not capture all local emergencies or weather events.
What this means for McDowell County
McDowell County, NC runs 17% below the North Carolina county average for federal disaster declarations (4 vs 5), a low historical load overall.
- Its most common federal declaration type is emergency (3 of 4) - know the hazards most likely here before they happen. North Carolina overview
- See how this county ranks against the rest of the country for disaster frequency. Most-disaster rankings
- Read how to read FEMA declarations, NRI risk scores, and what they do and don't tell you. Disaster-data guide
Historical declaration counts describe past federal response, not a forecast. For current threats, follow the National Weather Service and local officials; in an emergency call 911.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, this profile draws on 2,791 tracked U.S. counties in FEMA's Disaster Declarations Summaries dataset, refreshed as of 2026-07-25. Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries v2 - all federally-declared disasters for this county. fema.gov/openfema/disaster-declarations
- FEMA National Risk Index (NRI) - per-county per-hazard risk ratings and expected annual loss. hazards.fema.gov/nri
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database - state-level storm/severe-weather event records, 2015–2025. ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainHazard Editorial
Verify with FEMA → · Verify with FEMA NRI → · Verify with NOAA →
Every figure on PlainHazard is rendered directly from FEMA federal disaster data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FEMA federal disaster data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or national statistics report, or report a data error.