Granville County, North Carolina
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Granville County, North Carolina has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 59% of US counties. It ranks 68th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $20 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $328 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 39 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $196,000 on 15 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Granville 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.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 65.2 | $10M | ||
| Hurricane | 85.4 | $4M | ||
| Tornado | 67.9 | $2M | ||
| Heat wave | 70.5 | $894K | ||
| Drought | 74.8 | $666K | ||
| Earthquake | 62.1 | $492K | ||
| Hail | 64.4 | $421K | ||
| Strong wind | 36.5 | $353K | ||
| Lightning | 52.5 | $245K | ||
| Cold wave | 20.2 | $219K | ||
| Winter weather | 77.4 | $174K | ||
| Ice storm | 51.6 | $87K | ||
| Wildfire | 35.3 | $19K | ||
| Landslide | 25.0 | $184 |
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 moderate 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 Granville County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 24
North Carolina also had 22 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1952
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 306 storm reports in Granville County since 1952, with 0 deaths and 3 injuries and about $5.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on February 24, 2016 near Huntsboro.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 24, 2016 | EF2 | Huntsboro | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 19, 1952 | F2 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Oct 27, 1995 | F2 | Corinth | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 20, 1998 | F2 | Berea | 0 / 0 |
| May 5, 1989 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Feb 24, 2016 | Tornado | Huntsboro | $500K |
| Nov 19, 1952 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Aug 29, 1988 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Oct 27, 1995 | Tornado | Corinth | $250K |
| Jul 20, 2006 | Lightning | Creedmoor | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 19, 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 1854, 3 hurricanes and 28 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Granville County, 12 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 90 mph about 48 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 48 mi |
| Sep 29, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 51 mi |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Isabel | Category 1, 75 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 31, 1899 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 47 mi |
| Sep 6, 1996 | Fran | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 59 mi |
| Aug 28, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 2023 | Ophelia | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 8, 2021 | Elsa | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 58 mi |
| Aug 4, 2020 | Isaias | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 42 mi |
| Sep 6, 2008 | Hanna | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 52 mi |
| Sep 18, 2003 | Isabel | Category 1, 75 mph | 60 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 Granville 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 Granville 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; 24,787 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 24 | |
| Durham County | 23 | |
| Franklin County | 21 | |
| Vance County | 21 | |
| Person County | 25 | |
| Halifax County, VA | 22 | |
| Mecklenburg County, VA | 18 |
Common questions about Granville County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Granville County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Granville County, about $10.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $3.8 million.
How many federal disasters has Granville County had?
Granville County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Granville County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 68th 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 Granville County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Granville 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 Granville County had?
NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Granville County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on February 24, 2016 near Huntsboro. The weather service has also logged 95 hail reports and 25 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Granville County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 28 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Granville County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with winds near 90 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.