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Davie County, North Carolina

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

Very Low overall risk
85th of 100highest risk in North Carolina
$13Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Davie County, North Carolina has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 58% of US counties. It ranks 85th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $13 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $307 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (8 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (56 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $147,000 on 12 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Davie County

$8.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
$1.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
$762,753 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 10 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow58.6
$9M
Cold waveLow52.5
$1M
TornadoLow37.2
$763K
Ice stormHigh85.7
$637K
HurricaneLow70.0
$597K
EarthquakeVery Low55.2
$365K
Strong windLow32.5
$324K
DroughtLow56.1
$222K
HailLow37.3
$163K
Heat waveVery Low31.5
$148K
LightningLow33.3
$125K
Winter weatherLow33.8
$36K
WildfireVery Low23.1
$10K
LandslideVery Low30.4
$324

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 relatively low and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Davie County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane8
Snowstorm4
Severe Ice Storm2
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Tornado1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Aug 6, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyEmergency
Oct 1, 2022Hurricane IanEmergency
Mar 3, 2021Tropical Storm EtaMajor disaster
Aug 2, 2020Hurricane IsaiasEmergency
Sep 3, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Jan 31, 2019Tropical Storm MichaelMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 7, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Show all 20
Mar 31, 2014Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Dec 12, 2002Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Feb 23, 1996Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 17, 1993Severe Snowfall & Winter StormEmergency
Sep 25, 1989Hurricane HugoMajor disaster
May 17, 1989TornadoesMajor disaster
Aug 11, 1977DroughtEmergency
Mar 2, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency

North Carolina also had 22 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1959

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 244 storm reports in Davie County since 1959, with 0 deaths and 2 injuries and about $729,500 in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on May 8, 2008 near Advance.

7tornadoes
79hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
147damaging thunderstorm winds
7floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
May 8, 2008EF2Advance0 / 0
May 24, 2017EF0Cana1 / 0
May 27, 2003F0Farmington0 / 0
Mar 4, 2008EF0Mocksville0 / 0
Mar 6, 1983F0–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 8, 2008TornadoAdvance$200K
May 24, 2017TornadoCana$100K
Nov 13, 2020FloodCalahaln$75K
Mar 7, 2004Thunderstorm WindSheffield$70K
Jul 2, 1996LightningMocksville$60K
Jun 2, 2015Thunderstorm WindMocksville$50K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 20, 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 1859, 1 hurricane and 15 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Davie County, 6 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 75 mph about 54 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
15tropical storms
2018most recent: Michael

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 28, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 75 mph54 mi
Sep 22, 1989HugoTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Sep 12, 1878UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph58 mi
Aug 28, 1949UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph55 mi
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph53 mi
Sep 5, 1979DavidTropical storm, 50 mph56 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 11, 2018MichaelTropical storm, 55 mph53 mi
Sep 22, 1989HugoTropical storm, 70 mph60 mi
Jul 25, 1985BobTropical storm, 50 mph58 mi
Sep 5, 1979DavidTropical storm, 50 mph56 mi
Sep 30, 1959GracieTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Aug 31, 1952AbleTropical storm, 50 mph65 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 Davie County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (56 policies)
44.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$146,848paid on 12 flood claims since 1978
2014costliest year, with $84,533 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 Davie County

$253,900median home value (North Carolina $288,900, US $332,700)
1990median year homes were built (North Carolina 1991, US 1980)
36%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
16.2%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; 19,311 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
Forsyth CountyModerate23
Iredell CountyLow21
Davidson CountyModerate27
Rowan CountyModerate19
Yadkin CountyVery Low19

Common questions about Davie County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Davie County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Davie County, about $8.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.1 million.

How many federal disasters has Davie County had?

Davie County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 8 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Davie County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 85th 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 Davie County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Davie 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 Davie County had?

NOAA records list 7 tornadoes in Davie County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on May 8, 2008 near Advance. The weather service has also logged 79 hail reports and 7 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Davie County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 15 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Davie County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with winds near 75 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.