Warren County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37185 · population 18,618 · 429 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 313 records for Warren County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 253 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (145 records). The deadliest single record is the September 16, 1999 flash flood: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1977, 22 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
- 313on 253 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 33 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $12Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 6strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 24latest 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 Warren County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 145 since 1981. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1981 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 | 145 | 115 | 1981-2026 | 0 | 0 | $611K | 57 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 65 | 63 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | 43 of 100 |
| Hail | 35 | 31 | 1974-2020 | 0 | 0 | $3.4M | 91 of 100 |
| Floods | 25 | 22 | 1996-2021 | 3 | 2 | $342K | 71 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 16 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | 49 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 7 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | 42 of 100 |
| Heat | 6 | 6 | 1998-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 6 | 6 | 1966-2020 | 0 | 0 | $4.4M | 82 of 100 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 4 | 1998-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 46 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 65 of 100 |
| Lightning | 2 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 1 | $1K | 85 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 Warren County had?
NOAA records 6 tornadoes in Warren County from 1966 to 2020, the strongest rated F2, 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 6 tornadoes whose track touched Warren County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 6, 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 Warren County (6)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-05-27 | Paschall, Warren County | EF0 0.17 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2003-05-09 | Afton, Warren County | F0 0.5 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2001-05-19 | Ridgeway, Warren County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-10-27 | Wise, Warren County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 1969-10-02 | Warren County | F2 5.6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1966-11-02 | Warren County | F2 3.8 mi x 77 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 Warren County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 27, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($50,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindInez, Warren County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2026-01-31 | Winter StormWarren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormWarren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-11 | Frost/FreezeWarren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-28 | Excessive HeatWarren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-27 | Excessive HeatWarren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-26 | Excessive HeatWarren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindGrove Hill, Warren County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-06-25 | Thunderstorm WindMacon, Warren County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-06-25 | Excessive HeatWarren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-24 | Excessive HeatWarren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-19 | Thunderstorm WindOine, Warren County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $10K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-09-16 | Flash FloodCountywide, Warren County The flooding rains associated with Hurricane Floyd moved west as the night progressed.Rainfall amounts of 6 to 10 inches produced widespread flooding of streams and creeks. These normally placid waterways then flooding nearby roads and communities. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2020-09-01 | Flash FloodDrewry, Warren County Flash flooding was reported at the intersection of Ridgeway Drewry Road and Bloomsbury Road. A car drove into the flood water and a person was swept away and drowned while trying to escape. | 1 | 0 | $11K | |
| 2014-09-08 | Flash FloodWarrenton Wrrn Co Ar, Warren County Up to 9 inches of rain fell in Warren County causing flash flooding and many road closures. A 25 foot section of Airport Road in Warrenton collapsed where it crossed Reedy Creek, causing 2 cars and an underground pipe to be swept away. One car contained a women and her daughter, who both clung to a tree until they ... | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2012-06-29 | LightningEnterprise, Warren County Lightning struck two people just north of Littleton. One person was transported to the hospital. | 0 | 1 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-08-05 | HailInez, Warren County | 1.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | $3.3M |
| 2003-09-18 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Warren County · forecast zone Warren | 0 | 0 | $433K | |
| 1999-04-15 | HailArcola, Warren County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $89K |
| 2020-05-27 | TornadoPaschall, Warren County | EF0 0.17 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2026-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindInez, Warren County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 1995-10-27 | TornadoWise, Warren County | F0 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2020-09-01 | Flash FloodDrewry, Warren County | 1 | 0 | $11K |
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: November 2, 1966 (tornado, Warren County); October 2, 1969 (tornado, Warren 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 Warren 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 | 0 | 23 | 12 | 26 | 54 | 30 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 19 | 27 | 14 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 1 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 4 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1981 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 38 · Feb 29 · Mar 17 · Apr 24 · May 29 · Jun 38 · Jul 59 · Aug 31 · Sep 17 · Oct 9 · Nov 9 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Warren County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Warren County: 10 major disasters, 14 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for hurricane (12) and snowstorm (4).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1993-03-17 | EM-3110 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1977-08-11 | EM-3049 | Drought | Drought |
| 1977-03-02 | EM-3033 | Snowstorm | Drought & Freezing |
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 Warren County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 25 flood or flash flood records for Warren County from 1996 to 2021, on 22 days, with 3 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Warren County ranks 2636th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-16 | 1 | 2 |
| Hurricane Isaias | 2020-08-04 | 1 | 0 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | 2018-10-11 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Matthew | 2016-10-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-18 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $0 on 4 claims filed in Warren County; the most in one year was 1 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1996: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2010: 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 Warren County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Warren County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $10.2 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 | $2.3M | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $668K | 16 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $120K | 6.9 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1000K | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $207K | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.9M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $249K | 5.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $44K | 1.4 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 Warren 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 Warren CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Warren County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis