North Carolina landslides and avalanches

Every recorded landslide or avalanche record since 1996 · 23 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 64 landslide and avalanche records in North Carolina from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 4.4 a year since 2000. The deadliest was Hurricane Helene (September 27, 2024) in Buncombe County: 13 deaths and $941,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. North Carolina ranks 11th of 37 states and territories by count and 9th of 37 per square mile.

Landslides and avalanches in North Carolina, 1996 to 2026

Landslide records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

recorded, no damage figure
under $1 million
$1 million or more
$10 million or more
$100 million or more, or 10 deaths
$1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
a year with a death

Records: 641996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000: 4.4average
Deaths: 2211 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars: $58Mas filed
Busiest year: 200417 records

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Are landslide and avalanche records common in North Carolina?

North Carolina averages about 4.4 landslide and avalanche records a year since 2000, 11th of 37 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2004 (17). Per 10,000 square miles of land, North Carolina records 13 landslide and avalanche records since 1996, 9th of 37 states and territories by that measure.

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.

Which counties in North Carolina have the most landslide and avalanche records?

Per square mile, Watauga County leads North Carolina: 7 days with a landslide or avalanche record since 1996, 22.4 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Haywood County has the most landslide records (7 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the slide season in North Carolina?

44% of its landslide and avalanche records since 1996 fell in September and October. The busiest month is September (22 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 5 · Feb 2 · Mar 1 · Apr 3 · May 12 · Jun 2 · Jul 5 · Aug 4 · Sep 22 · Oct 6 · Nov 1 · Dec 1 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest landslide and avalanche records in North Carolina?

North Carolina: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
2024-09-27	Hurricane Helene · Debris FlowBlue Ridge, Buncombe County A large debris flow developed along Old Fort Rd in the Fairview area, destroying multiple homes and killing 11 members of the same family. A second large debris flow later developed and killed two emergency workers responding to the first event.	13	0	$941K
2004-09-16	Hurricane Ivan · Debris FlowMacon County · forecast zone Macon One named storm filed by several offices: 3 records in 3 episodes, 2004-09-16 to 2004-09-17; the totals are the storm's. In response to persistent moderate to heavy rainfall associated with the remnants of Hurricane Ivan, severe flooding developed across the mountains for the second time in 9 days. Flooding first developed across the southwest mountains, when several small streams and creeks overflowed their banks, including Toot Hollow ...	4	9	$19M
2018-05-30	Debris FlowTriplett, Watauga County Media accounts said that a debris flow, described as as a 'landslide' impacted the home around 230 PM EDT and the homeowner contacted the gas company at 430 PM to turn off liquid propane supply to the home. The account stated that around this time the owners attempted to remove gas fumes by ventilating the residence. ...	2	0	$646K
2021-08-17	Tropical Storm Fred · Debris FlowCruso, Haywood County North Carolina Geologic Survey surveyed a large debris flow that developed off a ridge just west of Highway 276 in Cruso in conjunction with a major flash flooding event in the East Fork Pigeon River watershed. The debris field swept downslope toward 276, sweeping away and killing a 68-year-old man outside of his ...	1	0	$218K
2013-05-06	Debris FlowGraphite, McDowell County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places, 2013-05-06 to 2013-05-07; the totals are the episode's. A strong upper low slowly lifted northeast across the southern Appalachian Mountains over the 3 day period. While precipitable water values were not particularly strong with the low, a strong low level jet in advance of the system brought strong moisture transport and orographic ascent to the region, centered over the ...	1	0	$659K
2018-05-18	Debris FlowValhalla, Polk County EM reported numerous small to large slope failures developed along the Highway 176 corridor in Polk County after as much as 8 inches of rain fell across the western part of the county in just a few hours. Around 30 homes were damaged, with a couple destroyed. One 59-year-old woman died when her garage collapsed as she ...	1	0	$588K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

The costliest landslide and avalanche records in North Carolina

North Carolina: the most damaging storms since 1993, 2025 dollars
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
2004-09-08	Tropical Storm Frances · Debris FlowBuncombe County · forecast zone Buncombe One named storm filed by several offices: 7 records in 3 episodes; the totals are the storm's.	0	0	$28M
2004-09-16	Hurricane Ivan · Debris FlowMacon County · forecast zone Macon One named storm filed by several offices: 3 records in 3 episodes, 2004-09-16 to 2004-09-17; the totals are the storm's.	4	9	$19M
2013-01-16	Debris FlowSmokemont, Swain County	0	0	$6.3M
2024-09-27	Hurricane Helene · Debris FlowBlue Ridge, Buncombe County	13	0	$941K
2013-05-06	Debris FlowGraphite, McDowell County One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places, 2013-05-06 to 2013-05-07; the totals are the episode's.	1	0	$659K
2018-05-30	Debris FlowTriplett, Watauga County	2	0	$646K
2018-05-18	Debris FlowValhalla, Polk County	1	0	$588K
2009-01-07	Debris FlowHaywood County · forecast zone Haywood	0	2	$275K

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.

Are landslide and avalanche records becoming more frequent in North Carolina?

North Carolina's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.

Landslides and avalanches: North Carolina and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
Decade	North Carolina	United States	North Carolina's share
1996-99	2	98	2.0%
2000s	26	790	3.3%
2010s	25	1,304	1.9%
2020-26	11	1,224	0.9%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent landslide and avalanche records in North Carolina

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
Date	Record	Killed	Injured	Damage
2024-09-27	Debris FlowBlue Ridge, Buncombe County	13	0	$941K
2021-08-17	Debris FlowCruso, Haywood County	1	0	$218K
2018-05-30	Debris FlowTriplett, Watauga County	2	0	$646K
2018-05-18	Debris FlowValhalla, Polk County	1	0	$588K
2013-05-07	Debris FlowLake Lure, Rutherford County	0	0	$633K
2013-05-06	Debris FlowGraphite, McDowell County	1	0	$25K
2013-01-16	Debris FlowSmokemont, Swain County	0	0	$6.3M
2009-01-07	Debris FlowHaywood County · forecast zone Haywood	0	2	$275K
2004-09-17	Debris FlowAvery County · forecast zone Avery	0	0	$781K
2004-09-17	Debris FlowBuncombe County · forecast zone Buncombe	0	0	$16M
2004-09-16	Debris FlowMacon County · forecast zone Macon	4	9	$2.5M
2004-09-08	Debris FlowMitchell County · forecast zone Mitchell	0	0	$1.6M

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.

Federal disaster declarations for landslide and avalanche records in North Carolina

FEMA has declared 3 disasters in North Carolina for landslide and avalanche, counting its incident type and declarations that name landslide or mudslide in the title (FEMA files most storm disasters under Severe Storm); 3 were major disasters, the latest on October 29, 2013.

The 12 most recent
Declared	Number	Title	Areas named
2013-10-29	DR-4153	Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides	6
2013-09-25	DR-4146	Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides	14
2013-03-01	DR-4103	Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides	1

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), through October 2, 2026. OpenFEMA dataset page.