Wake County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37183 · population 1,128,357 · 835 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,645 records for Wake County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 723 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (737 records). The deadliest single record is the April 16, 2011 tornado: 4 deaths, 67 injuries and $151 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 26 declarations naming the county since 1968, 24 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
- 1,645on 723 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 21241 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $1.1Bas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 40strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 26latest 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 Wake County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 737 since 1958. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 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 | 737 | 370 | 1958-2026 | 2 | 21 | $6.5M | 19 of 100 |
| Hail | 393 | 178 | 1958-2025 | 0 | 0 | $127M | 14 of 100 |
| Floods | 291 | 150 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $116M | 8 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 69 | 69 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 2 | $1.3M | 73 of 100 |
| Lightning | 41 | 35 | 1998-2023 | 4 | 1 | $3.7M | 7 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 40 | 34 | 1950-2024 | 7 | 213 | $789M | 23 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 25 | 10 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 32 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 24 | 21 | 1997-2020 | 2 | 2 | $3.2M | 71 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 13 | 13 | 1996-2022 | 3 | 1 | $4.2M | 44 of 100 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 1 | – | 43 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 94 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 1 | 2006-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 61 of 100 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 20 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 Wake County had?
NOAA records 40 tornadoes in Wake County from 1950 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 7 deaths and 213 injuries recorded in the county. That is 23rd 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 40 tornadoes whose track touched Wake County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 40, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 11 people, 7 of them in Wake County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 12:53, as SPC files it | Raleigh | EF3 | 65.23 mi | 6 |
| 1988-11-27 23:00, as SPC files it | Raleigh | F4 | 83 mi | 4 |
| 1982-06-13 14:10, as SPC files it | Zebulon | F1 | 0.3 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Wake County (40)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-08-03 | Varina, Wake County | EF1 1.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $113K |
| 2023-12-10 | Mc Cullers, Wake County | EF1 1.88 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-07-23 | Willow Spgs, Wake County | EF0 1.24 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $58K |
| 2019-05-13 | Knightdale Wndll Arp, Wake County | EF2 10.22 mi x 385 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2018-04-15 | Knightdale Wndll Arp, Wake County | EF1 0.74 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $176K |
| 2014-03-29 | Williams Xrds, Wake County | EF0 0.12 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $6K |
| 2014-03-29 | South Raleigh Airport, Wake County | EF0 0.18 mi x 145 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2012-09-18 | Zebulon, Wake County | EF0 0.51 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-16 | Burt, Wake County | EF3 37.99 mi x 300 yd | 4 | 67 | $151M |
| 2011-03-06 | Rolesville, Wake County | EF0 2.34 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $131K |
| 2010-04-25 | Rockton, Wake County | EF0 3.87 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $372K |
| 2007-09-14 | Garner, Wake County | EF0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-09-27 | Apex, Wake County | F0 4 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-06-01 | Cary, Wake County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-03-20 | Raleigh, Wake County | F0 0.2 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $27K |
| 1998-03-20 | Garner, Wake County | F2 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $1.2M |
| 1998-03-20 | Holly Spgs, Wake County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-07-12 | Cary, Wake County | F0 4.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $94K |
| 1996-04-15 | Wendell, Wake County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 26 | $5.6M |
| 1996-04-15 | Wendell, Wake County | F0 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1993-03-27 | Raleigh, Wake County | F0 0.5 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1990-10-23 | Wake County | F1 0.1 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1988-11-28 | Wake County | F4 20 mi x 400 yd | 2 | 105 | $250M step |
| 1988-03-26 | Wake County | F0 0.2 mi x 13 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-03-14 | Wake County | F1 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-06-16 | Wake County | F2 2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1982-06-13 | Wake County | F1 0.3 mi x 13 yd | 1 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1981-02-11 | Wake County | F2 1.9 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 2 | $250K step |
| 1977-05-07 | Wake County | F0 1 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1975-12-31 | Wake County | F1 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1973-05-29 | Wake County | F0 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1973-05-28 | Wake County | F1 3 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-07-11 | Wake County | F1 1 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-05-14 | Wake County | F0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1966-11-02 | Wake County | F2 37.4 mi x 77 yd | 0 | 9 | $250K step |
| 1956-03-18 | Wake County | F2 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1956-03-18 | Wake County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $25K step |
| 1952-04-05 | Wake County | F2 6.9 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1950-05-12 | Wake County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1950-05-12 | Wake County | F0 1 mi x 200 yd | 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 Wake 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 WindAuburn, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindCario, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindHollemans Xrds, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindMc Cullers, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindHolly Spgs, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindMc Cullers, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-27 | Thunderstorm WindWillow Spgs, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindBarham, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindShotwell, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-06-11 | Thunderstorm WindPet Xrds, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindKnightdale Wndll Arp, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindGarner, Wake County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoBurt, Wake County The tornado exited Chatham County and entered southwest Wake County as an EF0. There was multiple tree and roof damage along Avent Ferry Road, southwest of Holly Springs. The tornado intensified to an EF1 with winds of 86 mph as it reached Fire Station Number Two and the Holly Glenn Subdivision before crossing highway ... | EF3 37.99 mi x 300 yd | 4 | 67 | $151M |
| 1996-09-05 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Wake County · forecast zone Wake Hurricane FRAN was the worst natural economic disaster to occur in North Carolina history. In the RAH county warning area along, the damage exceeded 2 billion dollars. Damage to crops, livestock, farm equipment/buildings was over 400 million. The agricultural damage was the greatest in Sampson, Johnston, and Wayne ... | 3 | 0 | – | |
| 1988-11-28 | TornadoWake County | F4 20 mi x 400 yd | 2 | 105 | $250M step |
| 2014-01-11 | Thunderstorm WindNeuse, Wake County A woman was killed when she and her husband and son were walking on Abbotts Creek Trail when a large tree limb and fell onto the family. The father son sustained minor injuries. | 75 kt wind | 1 | 2 | – |
| 2010-12-04 | Winter WeatherWake County · forecast zone Wake Around a half inch of snow fell across the county with up to one inch reported around Falls Lake and northern Wake county. | 1 | 2 | – | |
| 2019-05-04 | Thunderstorm WindWillow Spgs, Wake County One tree was reported down on a vehicle near the intersection of Jackpot Lane and Walter Myatt Road, with one person reported injured. | 50 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $12K |
| 2018-07-28 | LightningKnightdale, Wake County A 41 year old male was struck by lightning and was taken to the hospital to be treated for his injuries. The victim subsequently passed away from his injuries. | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 1997-04-01 | High WindWake County · forecast zone Wake A strong low pressure system exited North Carolina early on the 1st, followed by a strong gradient wind behind the associated surface cold front. Winds gusted to around 45 knots during the day and were sustained at 30 knots at times from the northwest during the afternoon. Several trees were blown down across the ... | 1 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-04-16 | TornadoBurt, Wake County | EF3 37.99 mi x 300 yd | 4 | 67 | $151M |
| 2019-05-13 | HailWilliams Xrds, Wake County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $110M |
| 2016-10-08 | Flash FloodPurnell, Wake County | 0 | 0 | $81M | |
| 2018-09-17 | FloodKennebec, Wake County | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 2017-09-01 | HailFuquay Spgs, Wake County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $12M |
| 2019-05-13 | HailWilliams Xrds, Wake County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $5.8M |
| 1996-04-15 | TornadoWendell, Wake County | F1 3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 26 | $5.6M |
| 2014-08-12 | Flash FloodRaleigh, Wake County | 0 | 0 | $3.1M |
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 $250M, in the dollars of the day) holds: November 28, 1988 (tornado, Wake County, 2 killed).
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 Wake 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 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 53 | 51 | 135 | 252 | 229 |
| Hail | 1 | 2 | 7 | 28 | 65 | 124 | 97 | 69 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 18 | 57 | 80 | 136 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 21 | 29 | 13 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 3 | 9 | 23 | 6 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1958 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 64 · Feb 71 · Mar 94 · Apr 145 · May 284 · Jun 213 · Jul 343 · Aug 222 · Sep 130 · Oct 21 · Nov 33 · Dec 25 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Wake County
FEMA's register lists 26 declarations that include Wake County: 12 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (11) and severe storm (3).
| 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 |
| 2011-04-19 | DR-1969 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3110 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1988-12-02 | DR-818 | Tornado | Severe Storms & Tornadoes |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3033 | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing |
| 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 Wake County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 291 flood or flash flood records for Wake County from 1996 to 2025, on 150 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Wake County ranks 224th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Fran | 1996-09-05 | 1 | 3 |
| Tropical Storm Eta | 2020-11-12 | 1 | 1 |
| Tropical Depression Chantal | 2025-07-09 | 5 | 0 |
| Hurricane Ian | 2022-09-30 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isaias | 2020-08-04 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | 2018-10-11 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Florence | 2018-09-13 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $31.3 million on 1,642 claims filed in Wake County; the most in one year was 369 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 59 · 1979: 17 · 1980: 12 · 1981: 7 · 1982: 17 · 1983: 24 · 1984: 9 · 1985: 5 · 1986: 43 · 1987: 4 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 14 · 1990: 1 · 1992: 7 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 63 · 1996: 369 · 1997: 42 · 1998: 17 · 1999: 141 · 2000: 5 · 2001: 14 · 2002: 64 · 2003: 29 · 2004: 6 · 2005: 6 · 2006: 185 · 2007: 7 · 2008: 4 · 2009: 20 · 2010: 6 · 2011: 19 · 2012: 6 · 2013: 32 · 2014: 24 · 2015: 3 · 2016: 182 · 2017: 43 · 2018: 39 · 2019: 15 · 2020: 24 · 2021: 17 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 14 · 2025: 7 · 2026: 4; 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 Wake County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Wake County Relatively High overall, with an expected annual loss of $299 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | Relatively High | $13M | 4.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | $222M | 4.6 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | $15M | 6.9 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively High | $20M | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $2.1M | 50 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.5M | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | $12M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $425K | 6.4 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 Wake 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 Wake CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Wake County's FEMA declarations (CSV)26 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis