Currituck County, North Carolina
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Currituck County, North Carolina has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 82% of US counties. It ranks 98th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and coastal flooding. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $380 per resident. Since 1988 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 5 homes here carry federal flood insurance (3,032 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $22 million on 2,007 claims here, including $6.7 million for floods in 2016.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Currituck County
- Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
- Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- Learn your evacuation zone; it is set by surge risk, not by distance from the beach.
- Ask about flood insurance even outside a mapped high-risk zone.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 24.5 | $5M | ||
| Hurricane | 80.7 | $3M | ||
| Coastal flooding | 57.6 | $612K | ||
| Lightning | 58.4 | $494K | ||
| Tornado | 21.9 | $439K | ||
| Heat wave | 38.8 | $338K | ||
| Cold wave | 18.0 | $298K | ||
| Strong wind | 16.0 | $215K | ||
| Winter weather | 66.8 | $182K | ||
| Wildfire | 57.2 | $112K | ||
| Hail | 10.7 | $54K | ||
| Earthquake | 22.0 | $53K | ||
| Ice storm | 25.5 | $38K | ||
| Drought | 17.1 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 10.0 | $43 |
Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very low and community resilience is very high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Currituck County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 22
North Carolina also had 22 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1979
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 206 storm reports in Currituck County since 1979, with 3 deaths and 2 injuries and about $1.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F1 tornado on November 5, 1988.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 1988 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 16, 2011 | EF1 | Harbinger | 0 / 0 |
| Aug 15, 1992 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jun 7, 2003 | F0 | Moyock | 2 / 0 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | EF0 | Jarvisburg | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2016 | Flood | Mayock | $500K |
| Nov 5, 1988 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Apr 16, 2011 | Tornado | Harbinger | $40K |
| May 6, 1996 | Lightning | Moyock | $30K |
| Jun 23, 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Mayock | $30K |
| Jun 7, 2003 | Tornado | Moyock | $25K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 28, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Hurricane risk by county ›Since 1851, 25 hurricanes and 42 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Currituck County, 31 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1944, with top winds near 115 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 1944 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 18, 1899 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 18, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 2, 110 mph | 34 mi |
| Sep 27, 1985 | Gloria | Category 2, 100 mph | 43 mi |
| Sep 16, 1933 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 23, 1878 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 61 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 21, 2021 | Claudette | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 40 mi |
| Jul 10, 2020 | Fay | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 4, 2014 | Arthur | Category 2, 100 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 27, 2011 | Irene | Category 1, 75 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 9, 2007 | Gabrielle | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 12, 2002 | Kyle | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 56 mi |
Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.
Flood insurance in Currituck County
Check your address flood zone ›National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.
Homes in Currituck County
Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 17,079 housing units.
Compare in North Carolina
All 100 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Wake County | Inland flooding | |
| Mecklenburg County | Inland flooding | |
| Guilford County | Inland flooding | |
| Forsyth County | Inland flooding | |
| Cumberland County | Inland flooding | |
| Durham County | Inland flooding | |
| Buncombe County | Inland flooding | |
| Union County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City, VA | 16 | |
| Chesapeake City, VA | 16 | |
| Dare County | 29 | |
| Camden County | 21 | |
| Tyrrell County | 23 |
Common questions about Currituck County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Currituck County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Currituck County, about $4.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $3.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Currituck County had?
Currituck County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1988, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Currituck County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 98th highest of 100 in North Carolina. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.
Do I need flood insurance in Currituck County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 5 homes in Currituck County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.
How many tornadoes has Currituck County had?
NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Currituck County since 1950. The strongest was an F1 tornado on November 5, 1988. The weather service has also logged 32 hail reports and 35 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Currituck County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 25 hurricanes and 42 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Currituck County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1944, with winds near 115 mph.
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.