Ashe County, North Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Ashe County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 66.8 of 100, higher than 66% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 593 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93.5 | $67K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.7 | $3.0M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 | $985K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76.8 | $12M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 71.3 | $391K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 69.0 | $144K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 63.5 | $209K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 53.5 | $183K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 47.0 | $40K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 39.8 | $589K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.8 | $220K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 47.9 | $29K |
| Hail | Very Low | 32.5 | $91K |
| Heat Wave | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High wind and dust storms | 155 | 2 | $11M | 2nd of 100 | 51st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 114 | 0 | $413K | 23rd of 100 | 436th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 90 | 1 | $111M | 11th of 100 | 320th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 88 | 0 | $12K | 39th of 100 | 905th of 3,080 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 76 | 0 | $363K | 91st of 100 | 1944th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 28 | 0 | $15M | 29th of 100 | 678th of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 22 | 0 | – | 12th of 100 | 252nd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 0 | $43K | 31st of 100 | 1090th of 3,076 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 6 | 0 | $119K | 4th of 100 | 77th of 2,278 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $12K | 65th of 100 | 964th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 1 | 0 | $7K | 92nd of 100 | 889th of 1,849 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | $12K | 99th of 100 | 2785th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Ashe County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.