Montgomery County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37123 · population 25,722 · 492 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 343 records for Montgomery County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 252 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (153 records). The most damaging was the September 17, 2018 flood ($24.2 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1977, 22 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
- 343on 252 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 07 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $45Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 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 Montgomery County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 153 since 1970. 50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1970 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 | 153 | 105 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3.2M | 69 of 100 |
| Hail | 59 | 46 | 1970-2024 | 0 | 0 | $45K | 82 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 49 | 47 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 100 |
| Floods | 41 | 33 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 0 | $24M | 52 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 16 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 57 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 8 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 43 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1950-2004 | 0 | 7 | $15M | 81 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 1998-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 63 of 100 |
| Lightning | 3 | 2 | 1998-2010 | 0 | 0 | $14K | 74 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 70 of 100 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | – | 71 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 Montgomery County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Montgomery County from 1950 to 2004, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 7 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Montgomery County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Montgomery County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-09-27 | Star, Montgomery County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-09-29 | Uwharie, Montgomery County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-06-09 | Montgomery County | F1 0.3 mi x 73 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1976-05-15 | Montgomery County | F2 18.8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 7 | $2.5M step |
| 1973-05-28 | Montgomery County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1954-02-21 | Montgomery County | F1 16.6 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1950-05-14 | Montgomery County | F1 3.8 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Montgomery County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($12,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindTroy, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | Frost/FreezeMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-31 | Thunderstorm WindCoggins Mine, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-07-27 | Thunderstorm WindCandor, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindCandor, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-07-09 | Thunderstorm WindMt Gilead, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindTroy, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindCandor, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindTroy, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-05-08 | Thunderstorm WindEther, Montgomery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-05-15 | TornadoMontgomery County | F2 18.8 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 7 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-09-17 | FloodHydro, Montgomery County | 0 | 0 | $24M | |
| 2013-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindPee Dee, Montgomery County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| 2020-10-29 | Strong WindMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2018-09-15 | Tropical StormMontgomery County · forecast zone Montgomery | 0 | 0 | $588K | |
| 1995-05-13 | Thunderstorm WindNr Mt. Gilead, Montgomery County | 0 | 0 | $329K | |
| 1998-05-27 | HailTroy, Montgomery County | 4.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $45K |
| 2025-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindStar, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindTroy, Montgomery County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $12K |
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: May 15, 1976 (tornado, Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 38 | 60 | 35 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 33 | 3 | 6 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 19 | 18 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 11 | 18 | 7 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 10 | 3 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
50% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1970 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 30 · Mar 19 · Apr 25 · May 47 · Jun 58 · Jul 55 · Aug 26 · Sep 23 · Oct 4 · Nov 13 · Dec 9 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Montgomery County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Montgomery County: 11 major disasters, 13 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (13) and snowstorm (3).
| 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 |
| 2019-01-31 | DR-4412 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| 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 |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 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 |
| 1996-02-23 | DR-1103 | Snowstorm | Winter Storm |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1989-09-25 | DR-844 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hugo |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3033 | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing |
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 Montgomery County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Montgomery County from 1997 to 2021, on 33 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Montgomery County ranks 2523rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-15 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $81,000 on 6 claims filed in Montgomery County; the most in one year was 2 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2001: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2023: 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 Montgomery County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Montgomery County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $11.7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.4M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $253K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.6M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $5.9M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $234K | 4.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $77K | 18 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $349K | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $112K | 50 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Montgomery County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis