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Currituck County, North Carolina

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
98th of 100highest risk in North Carolina
$11Mexpected losses a year
22federal declarations
1 in 5homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$4.5 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.
$3.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • 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.
$612,399 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 3 times a year.
  • 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low24.5
$5M
HurricaneLow80.7
$3M
Coastal floodingLow57.6
$612K
LightningModerate58.4
$494K
TornadoVery Low21.9
$439K
Heat waveVery Low38.8
$338K
Cold waveVery Low18.0
$298K
Strong windVery Low16.0
$215K
Winter weatherModerate66.8
$182K
WildfireVery Low57.2
$112K
HailVery Low10.7
$54K
EarthquakeVery Low22.0
$53K
Ice stormVery Low25.5
$38K
DroughtVery Low17.1
$3K
LandslideVery Low10.0
$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

Hurricane17
Tropical Storm2
Tornado1
Severe Storm1
Winter Storm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 6, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyEmergency
Oct 1, 2022Hurricane IanEmergency
Aug 2, 2020Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Oct 4, 2019Hurricane DorianMajor disaster
Sep 3, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Sep 10, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 10, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 22
Aug 31, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Aug 25, 2011Hurricane IreneEmergency
Apr 19, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 1, 2010Hurricane EarlEmergency
Sep 14, 2005Hurricane OpheliaEmergency
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Sep 16, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Sep 15, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
Sep 1, 1999Hurricane DennisEmergency
Aug 27, 1998Hurricane BonnieMajor disaster
Dec 2, 1988Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster

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.

10tornadoes
32hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
87damaging thunderstorm winds
35floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 5, 1988F1–0 / 0
Apr 16, 2011EF1Harbinger0 / 0
Aug 15, 1992F1–0 / 0
Jun 7, 2003F0Moyock2 / 0
Apr 25, 2014EF0Jarvisburg0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Oct 8, 2016FloodMayock$500K
Nov 5, 1988Tornado–$250K
Apr 16, 2011TornadoHarbinger$40K
May 6, 1996LightningMoyock$30K
Jun 23, 2026Thunderstorm WindMayock$30K
Jun 7, 2003TornadoMoyock$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.

25hurricanes
2major hurricanes (Category 3+)
42tropical storms
2021most recent: Claudette

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 14, 1944UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph64 mi
Aug 18, 1899UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph64 mi
Aug 18, 1879UnnamedCategory 2, 110 mph34 mi
Sep 27, 1985GloriaCategory 2, 100 mph43 mi
Sep 16, 1933UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph65 mi
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Jun 21, 2021ClaudetteTropical storm, 45 mph40 mi
Jul 10, 2020FayTropical storm, 50 mph64 mi
Jul 4, 2014ArthurCategory 2, 100 mph63 mi
Aug 27, 2011IreneCategory 1, 75 mph64 mi
Sep 9, 2007GabrielleTropical storm, 50 mph63 mi
Oct 12, 2002KyleTropical storm, 45 mph56 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 ›
19.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (3,032 policies)
59.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$21.9 millionpaid on 2,007 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $6.7 million paid

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

$378,800median home value (North Carolina $288,900, US $332,700)
1998median year homes were built (North Carolina 1991, US 1980)
16%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
9.3%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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 countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Wake CountyHighInland flooding
Mecklenburg CountyHighInland flooding
Guilford CountyModerateInland flooding
Forsyth CountyModerateInland flooding
Cumberland CountyModerateInland flooding
Durham CountyModerateInland flooding
Buncombe CountyModerateInland flooding
Union CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Virginia Beach City, VALow16
Chesapeake City, VALow16
Dare CountyModerate29
Camden CountyVery Low21
Tyrrell CountyLow23

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.