Nash County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37127 · population 94,907 · 540 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 540 records for Nash County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 359 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (262 records). The deadliest single record is the September 15, 1999 flash flood: 4 deaths. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1968, 26 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
- 540on 359 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 1160 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $614Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 19strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 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 Nash County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 262 since 1974. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1974 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 | 262 | 173 | 1974-2026 | 0 | 1 | $1.5M | 42 of 100 |
| Hail | 104 | 67 | 1976-2026 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 57 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 61 | 61 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 2 | $663K | 55 of 100 |
| Floods | 38 | 30 | 1996-2025 | 6 | 0 | $287M | 64 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 19 | 1953-2024 | 2 | 54 | $315M | 36 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 17 | 1997-2020 | 1 | 0 | $1.9M | 59 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 12 | 5 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 47 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 12 | 12 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $6.1M | 34 of 100 |
| Heat | 6 | 6 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 100 |
| Lightning | 6 | 6 | 1998-2022 | 0 | 3 | $1.2M | 50 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 75 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 Nash County had?
NOAA records 19 tornadoes in Nash County from 1953 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 2 deaths and 54 injuries recorded in the county. That is 36th 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 19 tornadoes whose track touched Nash County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 19, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 4 people, 2 of them in Nash County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-11-27 23:00, as SPC files it | Raleigh | F4 | 83 mi | 4 |
| 2024-09-27 11:30, as SPC files it | Rocky Mount | EF3 | 0.25 mi | 0 |
| 2023-07-19 10:25, as SPC files it | Rocky Mount | EF3 | 13.53 mi | 0 |
| 1953-03-15 20:00, as SPC files it | Wilson | F3 | 30.1 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Nash County (19)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | Little Easonburg, Nash County | EF3 0.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 15 | $1.1M |
| 2024-08-08 | Hillirdston, Nash County | EF0 0.22 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $9K |
| 2023-07-19 | Dortches, Nash County | EF3 7.19 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 16 | $291M |
| 2019-05-13 | Middlesex, Nash County | EF1 6.96 mi x 385 yd | 0 | 0 | $289K |
| 2019-04-19 | Drake, Nash County | EF1 11.07 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | $404K |
| 2009-05-05 | Middlesex, Nash County | EF0 0.23 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-05-14 | Spring Hope, Nash County | F0 1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-09 | Nashville, Nash County | F0 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-15 | Spring Hope, Nash County | F1 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 1988-11-28 | Nash County | F4 10 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 22 | $2.5M step |
| 1984-09-13 | Nash County | F0 0.1 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1984-03-28 | Nash County | F2 2 mi x 177 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1983-03-18 | Nash County | F2 3 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1981-02-11 | Nash County | F2 3.3 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1979-04-03 | Nash County | F1 0.5 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1978-06-03 | Nash County | F1 0.2 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-05-28 | Nash County | F0 1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1969-10-02 | Nash County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1953-03-15 | Nash County | F3 1.3 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 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 Nash 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 WindMiddlesex, Nash County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindSalem, Nash County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindNashville, Nash County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindSamaria, Nash County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-14 | HailDortches, Nash County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | HailWestry, Nash County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-14 | HailDortches, Nash County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindBailey, Nash County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindGoldrock, Nash County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindDortches, Nash County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindRed Oak, Nash County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormNash County · forecast zone Nash | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-15 | Flash FloodCountywide, Nash 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 ... | 4 | 0 | – | |
| 1988-11-28 | TornadoNash County | F4 10 mi x 200 yd | 2 | 22 | $2.5M step |
| 2025-08-06 | Flash FloodSpring Hope, Nash County Two people died after their vehicle was swept off North Carolina Highway 581 and into a ravine or ditch that was overflowing with fast moving flood waters. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2010-12-04 | Winter WeatherNash County · forecast zone Nash Two to three inches of snow fell across the county. A 16 year old girl from Southern Nash High School was killed when she lost control of her SUV near Elm City at 5:43 pm. The vehicle slid off the road and rolled before striking a tree. The victim was not wearing a seat belt according to Highway patrol.Two other ... | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2011-08-27 | High WindNash County · forecast zone Nash Trees and power-lines were blown down all throughout the county. Several homes were damaged from fallen trees and branches. A Nash County man was killed by a tree limb while going to feed his horses outdoors. | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $459K |
| 2009-03-02 | Winter WeatherNash County · forecast zone Nash Between one to two inches of snow fell countywide resulting in slippery roads. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-07-19 | TornadoDortches, Nash County The remnants of a Mesoscale Convective Vortex initiated a tornadic supercell on its southeastern quadrant as it quickly moved into the northern Coastal Plain early Wednesday morning. The tornado initially touched down southwest of Dortches, NC where power poles were bent and hardwoods snapped at the trunk were ... | EF3 7.19 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 16 | $291M |
| 2024-09-27 | TornadoLittle Easonburg, Nash County A powerful but brief tornado touched down in Rocky Mount North Carolina around 12:30 PM. While the path was short, the damage was intense, as all but one of the masonry exterior walls was blown over at an auto repair shop, and another nearby brick building was completely leveled with none of the walls left standing. ... | EF3 0.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 15 | $1.1M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-07-19 | TornadoDortches, Nash County | EF3 7.19 mi x 600 yd | 0 | 16 | $291M |
| 2016-10-09 | FloodMiddlesex, Nash County | 0 | 0 | $287M | |
| 2006-09-01 | Tropical StormNash County · forecast zone Nash | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Nash County · forecast zone Nash | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2003-08-17 | LightningSalem, Nash County | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2024-09-27 | TornadoLittle Easonburg, Nash County | EF3 0.25 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 15 | $1.1M |
| 1995-01-07 | Thunderstorm WindWilson, Nash County | 0 | 0 | $581K | |
| 2011-08-27 | High WindNash County · forecast zone Nash | 52 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $459K |
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 28, 1988 (tornado, Nash County, 2 killed); February 11, 1981 (tornado, Nash County); March 28, 1984 (tornado, Nash 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 Nash 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 | 6 | 18 | 36 | 61 | 75 | 66 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 43 | 19 | 20 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 18 | 27 | 9 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 13 | 9 | 7 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1974 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 42 · Feb 30 · Mar 52 · Apr 40 · May 64 · Jun 82 · Jul 99 · Aug 66 · Sep 28 · Oct 12 · Nov 11 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Nash County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Nash County: 14 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (14) and tropical storm (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 |
| 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 |
| 2018-09-10 | 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 |
| 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 |
| 1998-03-22 | DR-1211 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 1996-09-06 | DR-1134 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1087 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1988-12-02 | DR-818 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1984-03-30 | DR-699 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
| 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 Nash County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 38 flood or flash flood records for Nash County from 1996 to 2025, on 30 days, with 6 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Nash County ranks 405th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-15 | 1 | 4 |
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isaias | 2020-08-04 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dorian | 2019-09-06 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | 2018-10-11 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-13 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-09 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $33.7 million on 735 claims filed in Nash County; the most in one year was 370 in 1999. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 7 · 1979: 4 · 1980: 2 · 1983: 4 · 1984: 4 · 1985: 1 · 1987: 8 · 1989: 2 · 1993: 9 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 35 · 1998: 30 · 1999: 370 · 2000: 3 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 3 · 2006: 24 · 2008: 1 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 9 · 2013: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 137 · 2017: 7 · 2018: 7 · 2020: 43 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 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 Nash County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Nash County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $36.6 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 | $830K | 5.9 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $6.1M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $1.2M | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $4.4M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $1.6M | 7.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $19M | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $705K | 3.8 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $424K | 48 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 Nash 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 Nash CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Nash County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis