Yadkin County, North Carolina
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Yadkin County, North Carolina has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 62% of US counties. It ranks 88th of 100 counties in North Carolina. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $9.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $259 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (7 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Only 12 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 Yadkin 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.
- 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.
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 53.2 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 47.5 | $912K | ||
| Cold wave | 48.2 | $709K | ||
| Strong wind | 51.6 | $464K | ||
| Hurricane | 68.2 | $408K | ||
| Drought | 69.3 | $403K | ||
| Ice storm | 78.8 | $298K | ||
| Earthquake | 54.8 | $286K | ||
| Hail | 48.0 | $194K | ||
| Lightning | 32.2 | $95K | ||
| Heat wave | 19.7 | $47K | ||
| Winter weather | 36.2 | $31K | ||
| Wildfire | 17.5 | $5K | ||
| Landslide | 46.3 | $869 |
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 high and community resilience is relatively low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Yadkin County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 19
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 337 storm reports in Yadkin County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 8 injuries and about $13 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF2 tornado on May 24, 2017 near Courtney.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2017 | EF2 | Courtney | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 22, 1992 | F1 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Apr 5, 1957 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 30, 1960 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Feb 13, 1966 | F1 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2017 | Tornado | Courtney | $10M |
| Jul 13, 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $500K |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Flash Flood | Enon | $500K |
| Nov 22, 1992 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jul 8, 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wagoner | $200K |
| Jun 13, 2013 | Hail | Yadkinville | $150K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 12, 2025. 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 14 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Yadkin County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1893, with top winds near 75 mph about 53 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 1893 | Unnamed | Category 1, 75 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 22, 1989 | Hugo | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 12, 1878 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 55 mi |
| Aug 28, 1949 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 59 mi |
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2020 | Zeta | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 11, 2018 | Michael | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 22, 1989 | Hugo | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
| Jul 25, 1985 | Bob | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 5, 1979 | David | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 30, 1959 | Gracie | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 61 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 Yadkin 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 Yadkin 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; 17,253 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Forsyth County | 23 | |
| Iredell County | 21 | |
| Surry County | 18 | |
| Wilkes County | 20 | |
| Davie County | 20 |
Common questions about Yadkin County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Yadkin County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Yadkin County, about $5.8 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $912,455.
How many federal disasters has Yadkin County had?
Yadkin County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 7 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Yadkin County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Very Low, 88th 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 Yadkin County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Yadkin 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 Yadkin County had?
NOAA records list 10 tornadoes in Yadkin County since 1950. The strongest was an EF2 tornado on May 24, 2017 near Courtney. The weather service has also logged 69 hail reports and 30 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Yadkin County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 14 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Yadkin 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.