Rutherford County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37161 · population 64,379 · 565 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 801 records for Rutherford County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 535 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (254 records). The deadliest single record is the September 27, 2024 tropical storm, filed for the forecast zone Greater Rutherford, which covers the county: 2 deaths and $3.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1977, 20 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
- 801on 535 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 923 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $76Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Rutherford County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 254 since 1964. 57% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1964 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 | 254 | 209 | 1964-2026 | 4 | 3 | $1.9M | 30 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 184 | 128 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $15M | 27 of 100 |
| Hail | 131 | 91 | 1979-2025 | 0 | 0 | $40K | 32 of 100 |
| Drought | 71 | 38 | 1998-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 26 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 60 | 49 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 1 | $2.5M | 16 of 100 |
| Floods | 41 | 34 | 1996-2024 | 1 | 2 | $46M | 59 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 18 | 13 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | 28 of 100 |
| Lightning | 15 | 13 | 1997-2017 | 0 | 7 | $528K | 24 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 11 | 1973-2024 | 0 | 10 | $966K | 70 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 5 | 2002-2009 | 0 | 0 | $14K | 48 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 5 | 5 | 1997-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 2 | 1 | 2024-2024 | 2 | 0 | $4.7M | 98 of 100 |
| Wildfires | 2 | 2 | 2011-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 of 100 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2013-2013 | 0 | 0 | $633K | 23 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 Rutherford County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Rutherford County from 1973 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 10 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Rutherford County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 0 of them in Rutherford County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-05-05 16:20, as SPC files it | ChesneeCrossed NC, SC | F4 | 15 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Rutherford County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-25 | Whitehouse, Rutherford County | EF0 0.38 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2021-04-10 | Henrietta, Rutherford County | EF0 0.07 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2019-06-08 | Ellenboro, Rutherford County | EF0 0.15 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2017-10-23 | Cliffside, Rutherford County | EF1 9.44 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $120K |
| 2012-01-11 | Ellenboro, Rutherford County | EF2 3.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 10 | – |
| 2010-10-26 | Forest City, Rutherford County | EF0 0.27 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $14K |
| 2005-07-07 | Forest City, Rutherford County | F1 0.7 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $76K |
| 2000-05-24 | Rutherfordton, Rutherford County | F0 2 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1989-05-05 | Rutherford County | F4 6 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1975-05-18 | Rutherford County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1975-05-18 | Rutherford County | F2 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-05-27 | Rutherford County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
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 Rutherford County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the September 27, 2024 tropical storm (2 deaths and $3.8 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Tens of thousands of trees were blown down, with hundreds of trees down on homes, vehicles, and power lines. Two fatalities occurred due to trees falling on structures. Frequent gusts up to 70 mph occurred, with occasional gusts of 80 mph.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1218161)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindAlexander Mills, Rutherford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRutherford County · forecast zone Rutherford Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtRutherford County · forecast zone Greater Rutherford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtRutherford County · forecast zone Rutherford Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtRutherford County · forecast zone Greater Rutherford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindHarris Spicers Airport, Rutherford County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-07 | High WindRutherford County · forecast zone Rutherford Mountains | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillRutherford County · forecast zone Rutherford Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Cold/Wind ChillRutherford County · forecast zone Greater Rutherford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Heavy SnowRutherford County · forecast zone Greater Rutherford | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Heavy SnowRutherford County · forecast zone Rutherford Mountains | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-25 | Winter StormRutherford County · forecast zone Greater Rutherford | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormRutherford County · forecast zone Greater Rutherford Tens of thousands of trees were blown down, with hundreds of trees down on homes, vehicles, and power lines. Two fatalities occurred due to trees falling on structures. Frequent gusts up to 70 mph occurred, with occasional gusts of 80 mph. | 2 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2011-05-10 | Thunderstorm WindWhitehouse, Rutherford County Numerous trees were blown down across the county, some of which fell on homes and vehicles. A large tree fell on a mobile home on Spurlin Rd in Ellenboro, killing two 18-year-old twin sisters. | 60 kt wind | 2 | 0 | – |
| 2013-08-01 | Thunderstorm WindGilkey, Rutherford County Several trees were blown down in the Green Hill community. One large tree fell on a vehicle traveling along highway 64/74 near Green Hill, destroying the vehicle and causing serious injuries to the two occupants. The 66-year-old male driver died from his injuries several days later. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $19K |
| 2024-09-26 | Flash FloodChimney Rock, Rutherford County Historic, catastrophic flash flooding developed along the Broad River during the overnight and early morning hours as rainfall rates began to intensify again during the evening. The most intense rainfall occurred around sunrise, as the tropical rain bands near the center of Helene swept across the area. Dozens of ... | 1 | 0 | $33M | |
| 2018-09-15 | Strong WindRutherford County · forecast zone Greater Rutherford A 46-year-old woman was killed in Rutherford County on 9/18 when a tree that had been uprooted by strong winds on the 15th and 16th fell over on her vehicle. | 40 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $6K |
| 2011-04-04 | Thunderstorm WindRutherfordton, Rutherford County Trees were blown down across the north side of the county. One tree fell on a man on Hudlow Rd, about 6 miles north of Rutherfordton. | 55 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| 2000-04-04 | Strong WindRutherford County · forecast zone Rutherford A woman driving a van was impaled by a tree limb during a freak incident where gusty winds of 30 to 40 mph split a tree, causing part of it to fall on her vehicle. She died a week later in the hospital. | 1 | 0 | $3K | |
| 2012-01-11 | TornadoEllenboro, Rutherford County A tornado damage path begin near the Ellenboro community, just northeast of the intersection of Pinehurst Rd and Bridge Rd. The track was relatively weak and intermittent for the first mile or so, as it crossed into a wooded area before emerging on Tiney Rd near the Corinth community. The aluminum siding and some ... | EF2 3.8 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 10 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-26 | Flash FloodChimney Rock, Rutherford County | 1 | 0 | $33M | |
| 1996-09-04 | Flash FloodChimney Rock, Rutherford County | 0 | 0 | $5.6M | |
| 2024-09-27 | Tropical StormRutherford County · forecast zone Greater Rutherford | 2 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 1996-09-04 | Flash FloodLake Lure, Rutherford County | 0 | 0 | $3.8M | |
| 2004-09-07 | FloodRutherford County · forecast zone Rutherford | 0 | 0 | $1.6M | |
| 2021-10-07 | Flash FloodChimney Rock, Rutherford County | 0 | 0 | $817K | |
| 2013-05-07 | Debris FlowLake Lure, Rutherford County | 0 | 0 | $633K | |
| 2006-06-26 | Flash FloodLake Lure, Rutherford County | 0 | 0 | $586K |
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 5, 1989 (tornado, Rutherford 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 Rutherford 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 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 29 | 80 | 93 | 37 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 20 | 65 | 78 | 21 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 53 | 44 | 13 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 7 | 58 | 2 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 8 | 36 | 15 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 19 | 10 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
57% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1964 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 97 · Feb 69 · Mar 35 · Apr 44 · May 109 · Jun 105 · Jul 137 · Aug 59 · Sep 42 · Oct 22 · Nov 24 · Dec 58 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Rutherford County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Rutherford County: 11 major disasters, 10 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (8) and snowstorm (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 |
| 2022-10-01 | EM-3586 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020-08-02 | EM-3534 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020-05-08 | DR-4543 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2016-11-11 | FM-5161 | Fire | Party Rock Fire |
| 2005-09-05 | EM-3222 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2004-09-18 | DR-1553 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| 2004-09-10 | DR-1546 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| 2002-12-12 | DR-1448 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
| 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 |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3110 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1989-05-17 | DR-827 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1977-11-09 | DR-542 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 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 Rutherford County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Rutherford County from 1996 to 2024, on 34 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Rutherford County ranks 1221st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | 2024-09-26 | 3 | 3 |
| Tropical Storm Frances | 2004-09-07 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-04 | 2 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8.1 million on 117 claims filed in Rutherford County; the most in one year was 50 in 2024. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1980: 1 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 6 · 2001: 1 · 2004: 13 · 2005: 2 · 2006: 6 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 9 · 2019: 1 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 9 · 2024: 50; 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 Rutherford County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Rutherford County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $24.0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.3M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $780K | 1.8 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $14M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $523K | 55 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $1.9M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $26K | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.1M | once in about 480 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | $327K | once in about 26 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Rutherford 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 Rutherford CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Rutherford County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis