Richmond County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37153 · population 42,920 · 474 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 295 records for Richmond County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 232 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (158 records). The most damaging was the September 17, 2018 flood ($60.9 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 20 declarations naming the county since 1977, 18 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
- 295on 232 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 01 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $68Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 4strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 20latest 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 Richmond County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 158 since 1970. 53% 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 | 158 | 118 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 1 | $1.1M | 61 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 41 | 41 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 100 |
| Hail | 38 | 27 | 1980-2025 | 0 | 0 | $938K | 96 of 100 |
| Floods | 24 | 22 | 1997-2024 | 0 | 0 | $61M | 81 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 12 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.2M | 70 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 8 | 8 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | 41 of 100 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 4 | 4 | 1964-2012 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 90 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 1998-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 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 Richmond County had?
NOAA records 4 tornadoes in Richmond County from 1964 to 2012, the strongest rated F3, 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 Richmond County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 4, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964-08-29 13:30, as SPC files it | Rockingham | F3 | 21.9 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Richmond County (4)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-05-14 | Diggs, Richmond County | EF1 1.98 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $129K |
| 2004-09-27 | Plainview, Richmond County | F0 0.5 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1973-05-11 | Richmond County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1964-08-29 | Richmond County | F3 14.6 mi x 50 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 Richmond County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($4,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindMarston, Richmond County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHamlet, Richmond County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindRockingham, Richmond County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormRichmond County · forecast zone Richmond | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormRichmond County · forecast zone Richmond | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | Frost/FreezeRichmond County · forecast zone Richmond | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatRichmond County · forecast zone Richmond | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatRichmond County · forecast zone Richmond | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-26 | Excessive HeatRichmond County · forecast zone Richmond | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-02 | HailCordova, Richmond County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindWest Rockingham, Richmond County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindCordova, Richmond 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-07-08 | Thunderstorm WindDerby, Richmond County A tree was blown down on Sycamore Lane. A vehicle struck the tree in the road and the driver sustained minor injuries. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-09-17 | FloodEveretts Mill, Richmond County | 0 | 0 | $61M | |
| 2003-05-03 | HailHoffman, Richmond County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $938K |
| 1995-01-06 | Thunderstorm WindHamlet, Richmond County | 0 | 0 | $533K | |
| 2012-05-14 | TornadoDiggs, Richmond County | EF1 1.98 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $129K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindHamlet, Richmond County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2025-05-02 | Thunderstorm WindCordova, Richmond County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindMarston, Richmond County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2025-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindDerby, Richmond County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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: May 11, 1973 (tornado, Richmond 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 Richmond 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 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 35 | 68 | 31 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 15 | 15 | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 9 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 3 | 10 | 8 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
53% 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 32 · Feb 23 · Mar 9 · Apr 27 · May 29 · Jun 51 · Jul 54 · Aug 33 · Sep 15 · Oct 6 · Nov 7 · Dec 9 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Richmond County
FEMA's register lists 20 declarations that include Richmond County: 8 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (12) 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 |
| 2018-09-14 | 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 |
| 1989-09-25 | DR-844 | Hurricane | Hurricane Hugo |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
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 Richmond County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 24 flood or flash flood records for Richmond County from 1997 to 2024, on 22 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Richmond County ranks 2003rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-13 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $318,000 on 25 claims filed in Richmond County; the most in one year was 6 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1987: 1 · 1996: 1 · 2008: 6 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2016: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 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 Richmond County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Richmond County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $15.8 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 | $3.1M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $3.0M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $244K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $773K | 2.8 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $69K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $219K | 54 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $297K | once in about 488 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $673K | once in about 578 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Richmond 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 Richmond CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Richmond County's FEMA declarations (CSV)20 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis