Washington County, North Carolina
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 37187 · population 11,003 · 347 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 219 records for Washington County, North Carolina from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 180 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (86 records). The deadliest single record is the September 29, 2010 flood: 5 deaths and $1.4 million in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 24 declarations naming the county since 1968, 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
- 219on 180 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 68 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $61Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest 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 Washington County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 86 since 1970. 45% 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 | 86 | 70 | 1970-2026 | 0 | 0 | $150K | 74 of 100 |
| Winter storms | 36 | 36 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 2 | $28K | 58 of 100 |
| Hail | 29 | 23 | 1991-2024 | 0 | 0 | – | 93 of 100 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 26 | 24 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $55M | 9 of 100 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 12 | 1973-2020 | 0 | 6 | $4.5M | 38 of 100 |
| Drought | 11 | 11 | 2011-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 41 of 100 |
| Floods | 9 | 8 | 1999-2019 | 5 | 0 | $1.4M | 99 of 100 |
| Heat | 5 | 5 | 2023-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 16 of 100 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 2 | 1998-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 54 of 100 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2 | 2 | 2000-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 97 of 100 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 1999-1999 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 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 Washington County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Washington County from 1973 to 2020, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 6 injuries recorded in the county. That is 38th 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 13 tornadoes whose track touched Washington County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in North Carolina.
Every tornado record filed for Washington County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-04-13 | Beasley, Washington County | EF0 0.35 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-03-21 | Wenona, Washington County | EF0 0.05 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-08-26 | Scuppernong, Washington County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $98K |
| 2010-09-29 | Plymouth, Washington County | EF0 0.15 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2006-05-14 | Roper, Washington County | F0 1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2003-05-09 | Plymouth, Washington County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 1999-09-15 | Creswell, Washington County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1998-08-26 | Wenona, Washington County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $118K |
| 1988-11-17 | Washington County | F2 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1984-04-15 | Washington County | F1 0.6 mi x 7 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1983-05-16 | Washington County | F2 6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1973-09-14 | Washington County | F2 11.2 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Washington County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 17, 2018 winter storm (1 death).
Widespread snow developed during the evening of January 17th and continued through the early morning of January 18th. Snowfall across the county ranged from 3 to 5 inches with the highest amounts over the eastern sections. Roads were snow and ice covered with hazardous travel conditions. A 26 year old male died in a traffic fatality near Roper when his car slid off an icy and snow covered road.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 727604)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | Thunderstorm WindPlymouth, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindPlymouth Municipal Airport, Washington County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-01 | DroughtWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-05-01 | DroughtWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-01 | DroughtWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-31 | DroughtWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindPleasant Grove, Washington County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindPlymouth Municipal Airport, Washington County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-12 | Thunderstorm WindPlymouth, Washington County | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-01 | DroughtWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-17 | DroughtWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-01 | Winter StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-09-29 | FloodScuppernong, Washington County Several days of very heavy rain led to widespread flooding across Washington County. Numerous small streams flooded causing many acres of crops to be damaged. High water did minor damage to a few homes along Highway 64 from near Plymouth to Scuppernong. Five deaths, near Creswell on the 30th, were directly attributed ... | 5 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 2018-01-17 | Winter StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington Widespread snow developed during the evening of January 17th and continued through the early morning of January 18th. Snowfall across the county ranged from 3 to 5 inches with the highest amounts over the eastern sections. Roads were snow and ice covered with hazardous travel conditions. A 26 year old male died in a ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1983-05-16 | TornadoWashington County | F2 6 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 5 | $250K step |
| 1996-02-02 | Winter StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington An unusual winter storm began with freezing rain on Friday morning, February 2 across Greene, Lenoir, Pitt, Martin, Washington and Beaufort counties. Snow began falling across all of the region Saturday morning with snowfall accumulations of from 2-3 inches except around an inch along immediate coastal areas by Sunday ... | 0 | 2 | $28K | |
| 1988-11-17 | TornadoWashington County | F2 2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-08-26 | Tropical StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $20M | |
| 2003-09-17 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Washington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $19M | |
| 1999-09-14 | Hurricane (Typhoon)Washington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $6.4M | |
| 1999-09-01 | Tropical StormWashington County · forecast zone Washington | 0 | 0 | $5.3M | |
| 2003-05-09 | TornadoPlymouth, Washington County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 2010-09-29 | FloodScuppernong, Washington County | 5 | 0 | $1.4M | |
| 1998-08-26 | TornadoWenona, Washington County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $118K |
| 2011-08-26 | TornadoScuppernong, Washington County | EF0 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $98K |
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 16, 1983 (tornado, Washington County); November 17, 1988 (tornado, Washington 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 Washington 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 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 22 | 22 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 7 | 11 | 11 | 7 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 6 | 4 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Drought | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
45% 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 24 · Feb 16 · Mar 12 · Apr 20 · May 32 · Jun 35 · Jul 24 · Aug 21 · Sep 16 · Oct 10 · Nov 3 · Dec 6 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Washington County
FEMA's register lists 24 declarations that include Washington County: 9 major disasters, 14 emergencies and one fire management assistance declaration. Most were for hurricane (16) 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 |
| 2019-10-04 | DR-4465 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 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 |
| 2011-08-25 | EM-3327 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
| 2010-10-14 | DR-1942 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line Winds |
| 2010-09-01 | EM-3314 | Hurricane | Hurricane Earl |
| 2008-06-13 | FM-2773 | Fire | Evans Road Fire |
| 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 |
| 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 Washington County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 9 flood or flash flood records for Washington County from 1999 to 2019, on 8 days, with 5 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Washington County ranks 1065th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
| Storm | Began | Records | Deaths in the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Irene | 2011-08-26 | 2 | 0 |
| Hurricane Isabel | 2003-09-17 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Floyd | 1999-09-14 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Dennis | 1999-09-01 | 1 | 0 |
| Hurricane Bertha | 1996-07-12 | 1 | 0 |
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $2.8 million on 157 claims filed in Washington County; the most in one year was 52 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1993: 1 · 1996: 3 · 1998: 4 · 1999: 6 · 2000: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 52 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2009: 3 · 2010: 5 · 2011: 38 · 2012: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2016: 29 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 1 · 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 Washington County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Washington County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.6 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 High | $10M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $101K | 3.2 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $289K | 8.3 modeled event-days a year |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | $41K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $112K | 50 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $590K | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Low | $32K | 0.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $162K | about once 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 Washington 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 Washington CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Washington County's FEMA declarations (CSV)24 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis