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Warren County, North Carolina

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

Relatively Low overall risk
74th of 100highest risk in North Carolina
$10Mexpected losses a year
22federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Warren County, North Carolina has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 51% of US counties. It ranks 74th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $10 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $550 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 28 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Warren County

$4.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Hurricane

Moderate
$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 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.
$999,942 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
Inland floodingLow55.9
$5M
HurricaneModerate84.9
$2M
TornadoLow57.7
$1000K
DroughtModerate82.5
$668K
Cold waveLow32.2
$288K
Heat waveLow51.4
$249K
EarthquakeVery Low55.4
$227K
HailLow56.3
$207K
Strong windLow30.7
$185K
Winter weatherModerate78.6
$120K
LightningLow32.4
$74K
Ice stormLow46.0
$44K
WildfireVery Low26.6
$7K
LandslideVery Low22.6
$93

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 Warren County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane12
Snowstorm4
Tropical Storm2
Drought1
Severe Storm1
Severe Ice 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
Sep 3, 2019Hurricane DorianEmergency
Sep 10, 2018Hurricane FlorenceEmergency
Oct 10, 2016Hurricane MatthewMajor disaster
Oct 7, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Aug 31, 2011Hurricane IreneMajor disaster
Show all 22
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 18, 2003Hurricane IsabelMajor disaster
Dec 12, 2002Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Jan 31, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Sep 16, 1999Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsMajor disaster
Sep 15, 1999Hurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsEmergency
Sep 6, 1996Hurricane FranMajor disaster
Feb 23, 1996Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 13, 1996Blizzard of 96Major disaster
Mar 17, 1993Severe Snowfall & Winter StormEmergency
Aug 11, 1977DroughtEmergency
Mar 2, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency

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

Storm history since 1966

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 221 storm reports in Warren County since 1966, with 3 deaths and 3 injuries and about $3.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on November 2, 1966.

6tornadoes
35hail reports, largest 2 inches
149damaging thunderstorm winds
25floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 2, 1966F2–0 / 0
Oct 2, 1969F2–0 / 0
May 27, 2020EF0Paschall0 / 0
Oct 27, 1995F0Wise0 / 0
May 19, 2001F0Ridgeway0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 5, 1997HailInez$2M
Nov 2, 1966Tornado–$250K
Oct 2, 1969Tornado–$250K
Oct 8, 2016Flash FloodPaschall$250K
May 11, 1996Thunderstorm WindLittleton$75K
Aug 5, 1997Thunderstorm WindInez$50K

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, 5 hurricanes and 32 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Warren County, 16 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with top winds near 100 mph about 60 miles away.

5hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
32tropical storms
2023most recent: Ophelia

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 23, 1878UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph60 mi
Oct 13, 1893UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi
Sep 18, 2003IsabelCategory 1, 85 mph49 mi
Sep 17, 1876UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph62 mi
Sep 30, 1896UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph55 mi
Jul 13, 1996BerthaTropical storm, 70 mph59 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 2023OpheliaTropical storm, 50 mph53 mi
Jul 8, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 50 mph59 mi
Jun 21, 2021ClaudetteTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi
Aug 4, 2020IsaiasTropical storm, 70 mph42 mi
Sep 6, 2008HannaTropical storm, 50 mph48 mi
Aug 30, 2004GastonTropical storm, 35 mph57 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 Warren County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (28 policies)
8.3%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 4 flood claims since 1978
2005costliest year

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 Warren County

$154,200median home value (North Carolina $288,900, US $332,700)
1988median year homes were built (North Carolina 1991, US 1980)
34%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
40.8%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; 11,723 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
Nash CountyLow26
Franklin CountyLow21
Halifax CountyLow24
Vance CountyLow21
Mecklenburg County, VALow18
Northampton CountyLow23
Brunswick County, VAVery Low17

Common questions about Warren County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Warren County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Warren County, about $4.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $2.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Warren County had?

Warren County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is Warren County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 74th 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 Warren County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Warren 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 Warren County had?

NOAA records list 6 tornadoes in Warren County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on November 2, 1966. The weather service has also logged 35 hail reports and 25 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Warren County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 32 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Warren County. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1878, with winds near 100 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.