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Greene County, North Carolina

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

Relatively Low overall risk
65th of 100highest risk in North Carolina
$14Mexpected losses a year
25federal declarations
1 in 143homes with flood insurance
Photo: CC0

Greene County, North Carolina has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 63% of US counties. It ranks 65th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are hurricanes, inland flooding and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $702 per resident. Since 1968 it has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (12 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (65 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $2.5 million on 82 claims here, including $1.6 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 Greene County

Hurricane

Moderate
$8.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 4 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.
$3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 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 5 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
HurricaneModerate92.9
$8M
Inland floodingLow39.5
$3M
TornadoLow59.0
$1M
DroughtModerate76.9
$484K
Heat waveLow56.7
$318K
Cold waveLow31.1
$280K
Strong windLow41.0
$268K
HailLow59.6
$236K
Winter weatherModerate84.2
$164K
EarthquakeVery Low47.2
$150K
LightningLow42.4
$111K
Ice stormLow41.0
$35K
WildfireVery Low29.4
$9K
Coastal floodingVery Low23.2
$722
LandslideVery Low10.1
$18

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 high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane19
Tropical Storm2
Severe Ice Storm1
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 14, 2018Hurricane FlorenceMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 10, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Show all 25
Oct 7, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
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
Aug 27, 1998Hurricane BonnieMajor disaster
Sep 6, 1996Hurricane FranMajor disaster
Jul 18, 1996Hurricane BerthaMajor disaster
Mar 30, 1984Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 10, 1968Severe Ice StormMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 214 storm reports in Greene County since 1957, with 8 deaths and 64 injuries and about $57.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on March 28, 1984.

18tornadoes
48hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
113damaging thunderstorm winds
35floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 28, 1984F4–0 / 7
Apr 16, 2011EF3Jason60 / 0
Mar 4, 1977F3–0 / 0
Feb 18, 2008EF2Hookerton3 / 0
Apr 15, 1996F2Ormandsville0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 16, 2011TornadoJason$30M
Mar 28, 1984Tornado–$25M
Jan 14, 2006TornadoSnow Hill$750K
Feb 18, 2008TornadoHookerton$500K
Aug 16, 1966Tornado–$250K
Mar 4, 1977Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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, 17 hurricanes and 45 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Greene County, 29 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Donna (1960), with top winds near 105 mph about 65 miles away.

17hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
45tropical storms
2023most recent: Ophelia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 12, 1960DonnaCategory 2, 105 mph65 mi
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph57 mi
Aug 27, 1998BonnieCategory 2, 95 mph65 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 95 mph60 mi
Sep 19, 1955IoneCategory 1, 95 mph63 mi
Sep 16, 1999FloydCategory 1, 90 mph53 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 2023OpheliaTropical storm, 70 mph63 mi
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph61 mi
Jun 21, 2021ClaudetteTropical storm, 45 mph60 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph54 mi
Sep 3, 2016HermineTropical storm, 65 mph62 mi
Sep 6, 2008HannaTropical storm, 60 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 Greene County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.7%of homes have federal flood insurance (65 policies)
18.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$2.5 millionpaid on 82 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $1.6 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 Greene County

$117,400median home value (North Carolina $288,900, US $332,700)
1984median year homes were built (North Carolina 1991, US 1980)
44%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
36.9%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; 7,939 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
Pitt CountyModerate28
Wayne CountyModerate26
Wilson CountyLow26
Lenoir CountyModerate27

Common questions about Greene County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Greene County?

Hurricane has the highest expected yearly losses in Greene County, about $8.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Inland flooding is second at $3 million.

How many federal disasters has Greene County had?

Greene County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1968, including 12 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Greene County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 65th 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 Greene County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 143 homes in Greene 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 Greene County had?

NOAA records list 18 tornadoes in Greene County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on March 28, 1984. The weather service has also logged 48 hail reports and 35 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Greene County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 17 hurricanes and 45 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Greene County. The strongest was Hurricane Donna (1960), with winds near 105 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.