Sampson County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37163 · population 59,021 · 946 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 622 records for Sampson County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 414 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (318 records). The deadliest single record is the March 28, 1984 tornado: 10 deaths and 90 injuries. FEMA has issued 25 declarations naming the county since 1984, 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
- 622on 414 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 19224 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $311Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 23strongest 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 Sampson County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 318 since 1966. 49% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1966 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 | 318 | 208 | 1966-2026 | 0 | 20 | $6.1M | 67 of 100 |
| Hail | 137 | 106 | 1967-2024 | 0 | 0 | $3.9M | 66 of 100 |
| Floods | 58 | 40 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $87M | 82 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 39 | 39 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | – | 93 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 23 | 21 | 1957-2024 | 14 | 203 | $168M | 61 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 16 | 1998-2020 | 1 | 0 | $22M | 78 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 11 | 11 | 1996-2022 | 2 | 0 | $24M | 56 of 100 |
| Heat | 6 | 6 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 51 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 5 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 71 of 100 |
| Lightning | 6 | 5 | 2003-2018 | 0 | 1 | $832K | 71 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 96 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 Sampson County had?
NOAA records 23 tornadoes in Sampson County from 1957 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 14 deaths and 203 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 25 tornadoes whose track touched Sampson County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 23: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 27 people, 14 of them in Sampson County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-03-28 18:45, as SPC files it | Salemburg | F3 | 40 mi | 12 |
| 1957-04-08 16:00, as SPC files it | LaurinburgCrossed NC, SC | F4 | 121.4 mi | 4 |
| 1984-03-28 19:15, as SPC files it | Mount Olive | F4 | 21 mi | 3 |
| 2011-04-16 14:25, as SPC files it | Clinton | EF2 | 29.88 mi | 3 |
| 1963-09-29 02:00, as SPC files it | Newton GroveCrossed NC, SC | F2 | 85.8 mi | 3 |
| 1971-02-22 16:30, as SPC files it | Fayetteville | F3 | 85.7 mi | 2 |
| 1969-04-18 15:15, as SPC files it | Clinton | F3 | 25.8 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Sampson County (23)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-09-27 | Garland, Sampson County | EF1 1.55 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $47K |
| 2024-08-07 | Newtons Xrds, Sampson County | EF2 4.6 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $470K |
| 2022-01-03 | Monks Xrds, Sampson County | EF1 0.12 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.5M |
| 2019-04-19 | Midway, Sampson County | EF1 5.34 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $750K |
| 2018-09-16 | Highsmiths, Sampson County | EF0 6.29 mi x 1,000 yd | 0 | 0 | $294K |
| 2017-05-23 | Autryville, Sampson County | EF1 13.74 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.8M |
| 2014-04-29 | Herring, Sampson County | EF1 0.81 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $443K |
| 2011-04-16 | Highsmiths, Sampson County | EF2 21.92 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 9 | $13M |
| 2009-03-27 | Spiveys Corner, Sampson County | EF0 0.9 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $69K |
| 2009-03-27 | Mingo, Sampson County | EF0 0.39 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $28K |
| 2008-11-15 | Clement, Sampson County | EF0 4.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $34K |
| 1996-09-16 | Spiveys Corner, Sampson County | F2 1.4 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $376K |
| 1995-01-07 | Nr Clinton, Sampson County | F1 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 13 | $920K |
| 1984-03-28 | Sampson County | F4 6 mi x 1,407 yd | 0 | 50 | $25M step |
| 1984-03-28 | Sampson County | F3 25 mi x 1,407 yd | 10 | 90 | $25M step |
| 1980-08-01 | Sampson County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1980-07-10 | Sampson County | F1 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1971-02-22 | Sampson County | F3 69.6 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1969-04-18 | Sampson County | F3 21.3 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1962-04-08 | Sampson County | F0 64.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1960-09-11 | Sampson County | F2 1 mi x 37 yd | 0 | 8 | $25K step |
| 1960-05-08 | Sampson County | F1 13.2 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1957-04-08 | Sampson County | F4 5.6 mi x 150 yd | 4 | 32 | $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 Sampson County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindMidway, Sampson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindMoultonville, Sampson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-14 | Thunderstorm WindClinton, Sampson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-05-25 | Flash FloodClinton, Sampson County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Winter StormSampson County · forecast zone Sampson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | Frost/FreezeSampson County · forecast zone Sampson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-31 | Thunderstorm WindMingo, Sampson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatSampson County · forecast zone Sampson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatSampson County · forecast zone Sampson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-26 | Excessive HeatSampson County · forecast zone Sampson | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindMidway, Sampson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindHerring, Sampson County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-03-28 | TornadoSampson County | F3 25 mi x 1,407 yd | 10 | 90 | $25M step |
| 1957-04-08 | TornadoSampson County | F4 5.6 mi x 150 yd | 4 | 32 | $250K step |
| 2018-09-13 | Tropical StormSampson County · forecast zone Sampson Frequent wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph resulted in numerous trees down across Sampson County, including on homes, cars, power lines and damage to structures. Numerous customers lost power in Sampson County as a result of the tropical storm force winds. A 73 year male died(indirect)from his COPD, due to he was without ... | 2 | 0 | $1.2M | |
| 2016-10-08 | Flash FloodGarland, Sampson County Torrential rainfall of 10 to 14 inches caused widespread flash flooding across the county. The heavy rains caused flash flooding on several creeks. Numerous roads were closed due to flooding. Numerous homes and businesses were flooded as well, with numerous water rescues from people trapped in homes and vehicles. A 30 ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2011-08-27 | Strong WindSampson County · forecast zone Sampson Numerous trees and power-lines were blown down throughout the county. However there was only minor structural damage with one mobile home destroyed and a gas station awning ripped off. A fatality also occurred when a tree fell onto a roof of the van and killed one occupant as they were traveling south on Reedsford ... | 43 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $20M |
| 2010-12-16 | Winter WeatherSampson County · forecast zone Sampson A prolonged period of light snow and freezing rain in the morning resulted a half inch of snow with a tenth of an inch of freezing rain. This combination created hazardous driving conditions during the morning commute. An eight year old was killed when she was ejected from a vehicle with lost control on ice near ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1984-03-28 | TornadoSampson County | F4 6 mi x 1,407 yd | 0 | 50 | $25M step |
| 1995-01-07 | TornadoNr Clinton, Sampson County Ten structures were destroyed, 30 damaged, and one turkey house destroyed. | F1 1 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 13 | $920K |
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 | FloodIvanhoe, Sampson County | 0 | 0 | $45M | |
| 2016-10-09 | FloodNewton Grove, Sampson County | 0 | 0 | $36M | |
| 2006-09-01 | Tropical StormSampson County · forecast zone Sampson | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoHighsmiths, Sampson County | EF2 21.92 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 9 | $13M |
| 2020-05-28 | Flash FloodTurkey, Sampson County | 0 | 0 | $5.7M | |
| 2017-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindPiney Green, Sampson County | 78 kt wind | 0 | 12 | $4.2M |
| 1995-05-15 | HailSampson County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.9M |
| 2017-05-23 | TornadoAutryville, Sampson County | EF1 13.74 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.8M |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 28, 1984 (tornado, Sampson County, 10 killed); March 28, 1984 (tornado, Sampson 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 Sampson 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 | 5 | 10 | 27 | 37 | 61 | 98 | 80 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 7 | 18 | 30 | 61 | 14 | 6 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 10 | 9 | 11 | 28 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 4 | 12 | 16 | 7 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 9 | 4 | 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 1966 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 34 · Mar 34 · Apr 54 · May 101 · Jun 124 · Jul 108 · Aug 65 · Sep 34 · Oct 12 · Nov 11 · Dec 11 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Sampson County
FEMA's register lists 25 declarations that include Sampson County: 13 major disasters, 12 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (17) 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 |
| 2021-03-03 | DR-4588 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Eta |
| 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 |
| 2019-10-04 | DR-4465 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 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 |
| 2011-08-31 | DR-4019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2011-04-19 | DR-1969 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1999-09-16 | DR-1292 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations |
| 1999-09-15 | EM-3146 | Hurricane | Hurricane Floyd Emergency Declarations |
| 1998-08-27 | DR-1240 | Hurricane | Hurricane Bonnie |
| 1996-09-06 | DR-1134 | Hurricane | Hurricane Fran |
| 1984-09-21 | DR-724 | Hurricane | Hurricane Diana |
| 1984-03-30 | DR-699 | 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 Sampson County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 58 flood or flash flood records for Sampson County from 1996 to 2026, on 40 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Sampson County ranks 1093rd of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-13 | 2 | 2 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 2 | 1 |
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isaias | 2020-08-03 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dorian | 2019-09-05 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.1 million on 148 claims filed in Sampson County; the most in one year was 52 in 2018. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1984: 3 · 1991: 5 · 1992: 5 · 1993: 2 · 1995: 2 · 1996: 4 · 1997: 1 · 1998: 1 · 1999: 13 · 2003: 2 · 2004: 1 · 2006: 4 · 2008: 4 · 2009: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 39 · 2018: 52 · 2020: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2026: 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 Sampson County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Sampson County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $54.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.2M | 1.9 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | $35M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $430K | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $945K | 9.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $782K | 4.2 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.6M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $248K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $930K | 8.8 modeled event-days a year |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Sampson 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 Sampson CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Sampson County's FEMA declarations (CSV)25 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis