Northampton County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37131 · population 17,436 · 537 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 308 records for Northampton County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 226 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (123 records). The most damaging was the September 16, 1999 flash flood ($38.1 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1988, 23 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
- 308on 226 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 018 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $76Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 17strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 25latest 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 Northampton County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 123 since 1956. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 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 | 123 | 85 | 1956-2025 | 0 | 0 | $960K | 84 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 49 | 49 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $923K | 65 of 100 |
| Hail | 46 | 34 | 1990-2022 | 0 | 0 | $114K | 95 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 27 | 24 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 10 of 100 |
| Floods | 23 | 18 | 1999-2025 | 0 | 0 | $39M | 94 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 14 | 1980-2019 | 0 | 18 | $16M | 50 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 7 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $19M | 52 of 100 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 36 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 4 | 1996-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 3 | 3 | 1997-2000 | 0 | 0 | $68K | 99 of 100 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2009-2010 | 0 | 0 | $5K | 79 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 2013-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 40 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 Northampton County had?
NOAA records 17 tornadoes in Northampton County from 1980 to 2019, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 18 injuries recorded in the county. That is 50th 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Northampton County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 17, 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 Northampton County (17)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-04-19 | Gaston, Northampton County | EF0 8.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2019-04-19 | Jackson, Northampton County | EF0 9.75 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $29K |
| 2019-04-19 | Vultare, Northampton County | EF0 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $12K |
| 2011-04-16 | Gaston, Northampton County | EF1 1.77 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $26K |
| 2004-09-08 | Jackson, Northampton County | F0 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 2003-05-09 | Severn, Northampton County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $8K |
| 1996-07-03 | Conway, Northampton County | F0 1 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 1995-11-11 | Woodland, Northampton County | F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $871K |
| 1991-03-29 | Northampton County | F0 0.5 mi x 3 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1990-05-13 | Northampton County | F0 0.2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1990-01-29 | Northampton County | F0 0.7 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1989-03-30 | Northampton County | F2 22 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 11 | $2.5M step |
| 1988-11-28 | Northampton County | F2 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1988-11-28 | Northampton County | F4 10 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.5M step |
| 1985-08-18 | Northampton County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 7 | $250K step |
| 1981-09-15 | Northampton County | F2 1.3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-03-24 | Northampton County | F1 1.2 mi x 150 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 Northampton County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the July 19, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-01 | Heavy SnowNorthampton County · forecast zone Northampton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatNorthampton County · forecast zone Northampton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-19 | Thunderstorm WindGaston, Northampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-07-15 | Flash FloodGaston, Northampton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-15 | Flash FloodGaston, Northampton County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-23 | Excessive HeatNorthampton County · forecast zone Northampton | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindGalatia, Northampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindMargaretsville, Northampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindSeaboard, Northampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindBrewers Xrds, Northampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindGaston, Northampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindHenrico, Northampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-03-30 | TornadoNorthampton County | F2 22 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 11 | $2.5M step |
| 1985-08-18 | TornadoNorthampton County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 7 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Northampton County | 0 | 0 | $38M | |
| 2011-08-27 | Tropical StormNorthampton County · forecast zone Northampton | 0 | 0 | $16M | |
| 1998-12-23 | Ice StormNorthampton County · forecast zone Northampton | 0 | 0 | $905K | |
| 1995-11-11 | TornadoWoodland, Northampton County | F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $871K |
| 1996-07-03 | Thunderstorm WindConway, Northampton County | 0 | 0 | $470K | |
| 2021-03-18 | Thunderstorm WindGaston, Northampton County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $109K |
| 1996-07-03 | TornadoConway, Northampton County | F0 1 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindHenrico, Northampton County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
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 30, 1989 (tornado, Northampton County); November 28, 1988 (tornado, Northampton 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 Northampton 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 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 30 | 19 | 44 | 19 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 18 | 20 | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 8 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 13 | 7 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 2 | 5 | 11 | 5 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 24 · Feb 21 · Mar 14 · Apr 38 · May 45 · Jun 42 · Jul 53 · Aug 21 · Sep 20 · Oct 8 · Nov 12 · Dec 10 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Northampton County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Northampton County: 11 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (15) 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 |
| 2020-08-02 | 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 |
| 2010-09-01 | EM-3314 | Hurricane | Hurricane Earl |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1988-12-02 | DR-818 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
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 Northampton County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 23 flood or flash flood records for Northampton County from 1999 to 2025, on 18 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Northampton County ranks 1851st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $283,000 on 34 claims filed in Northampton County; the most in one year was 10 in 1999. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1994: 1 · 1996: 3 · 1998: 2 · 1999: 10 · 2003: 4 · 2006: 2 · 2011: 5 · 2013: 2 · 2016: 5; 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 Northampton County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Northampton County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $881K | 7.2 modeled event-days a year |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $2.1M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $96K | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $871K | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $212K | 6.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $130K | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $3.4M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $32K | 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 Northampton 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 Northampton CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Northampton County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis