Washington County, North Carolina: hazard risk
FEMA rates Washington County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 59.6 of 100, higher than 59% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 15 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hurricane. Its storm record holds 219 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 93.8 | $10M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 73.9 | $101K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 53.9 | $289K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Low | 47.2 | $41K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 42.1 | $112K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 41.6 | $590K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.9 | $32K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 26.4 | $162K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 47.2 | $26K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 36.7 | $80K |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 26.4 | $16K |
| Riverine Flooding | Very Low | 20.8 | $1.6M |
| Hail | Very Low | 17.6 | $40K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 16.6 | $112K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 7.0 | $9 |
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 86 | 0 | $150K | 74th of 100 | 1441st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 36 | 1 | $28K | 58th of 100 | 1442nd of 3,077 |
| Hail | 29 | 0 | – | 93rd of 100 | 2218th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 26 | 0 | $55M | 9th of 100 | 54th of 1,849 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 0 | $4.5M | 38th of 100 | 1317th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 11 | 0 | – | 41st of 100 | 1298th of 3,063 |
| Floods | 9 | 5 | $1.4M | 99th of 100 | 2244th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 5 | 0 | – | 16th of 100 | 1186th of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 0 | – | 54th of 100 | 2195th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 2 | 0 | – | 97th of 100 | 2615th 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 Washington County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.