Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Beaufort County, NC

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
37013
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2030-04-29. Plan: Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656), approved 2025-04-30.

Since the plan was approved on 2025-04-30: 1 new hazard declaration (1 incident) and 34 NOAA Storm Events records; details under "What changed since your last plan".

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Hurricane ($40,409,340 a year), Inland Flooding ($6,381,797) and Tornado ($2,276,146).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2030-04-29
Plan:
Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656)
Approved:
2025-04-30
Days to expiry:
1,307

What changed since your last plan (approved 2025-04-30)

New federal declarations:
1 new hazard declaration (1 incident): EM-3637-NC (Severe Winter Storm)
Storm Events records since approval:
34 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 169, SRL 394 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 1,425
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryNotes
Beaufort County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedApproved, expires 2030-04-29Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656)2025-04-302030-04-291,307this jurisdiction approved 2025-07-02
Aurora townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656)2025-04-302030-04-291,307this jurisdiction approved 2025-09-11
Bath townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656)2025-04-302030-04-291,307this jurisdiction approved 2025-11-17
Belhaven townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656)2025-04-302030-04-291,307this jurisdiction approved 2025-06-18
Chocowinity townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656)2025-04-302030-04-291,307this jurisdiction approved 2025-11-17
Pantego townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656)2025-04-302030-04-291,307this jurisdiction approved 2025-12-09
Washington cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-29Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656)2025-04-302030-04-291,307this jurisdiction approved 2025-05-13
Washington Park townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29Pamlico Sound Regional (FEMA plan 110656)2025-04-302030-04-291,307this jurisdiction approved 2025-05-07

Plan 110656 covers 31 other participants, named in the Excel file.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1HurricaneRelatively HighRelatively High$36,630,684$1,915,805$1,862,851$40,409,34026
2Inland FloodingRelatively LowRelatively Low$6,023,627$117,883$240,287$6,381,79729
3TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,211,934$2,622$1,061,589$2,276,14627
4Coastal FloodingRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$1,686,775n/a$312,916$1,999,6926
5Heat WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$61$335$707,284$707,6807
6Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$49,946$82,322$519,074$651,342173Includes 4 High Wind and 2 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
7Winter WeatherRelatively HighRelatively High$75,914$267$392,559$468,73933
8Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$3,129$47,278$367,886$418,2932Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
9LightningRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$47,754n/a$354,757$402,5112
10EarthquakeVery LowVery Low$148,759n/a$37,641$186,400Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
11HailRelatively LowRelatively Low$56,370$38,391$38,114$132,874128
12WildfireRelatively LowRelatively Low$88,192$134$9,269$97,5950No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
13DroughtRelatively LowRelatively Lown/a$95,449n/a$95,44913
14Ice StormRelatively LowRelatively Low$65,557n/a$15,354$80,9111
15LandslideVery LowVery Low$207n/a$6$2130Declared 1 time; no Storm Events record of this type.
TsunamiInsufficient DataInsufficient Datan/an/an/an/a0No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local wildfire, landslide and tsunami records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Coastal Flooding and Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 9303 (Relatively Low, 65.1); tract 9304 (Relatively Low, 48.8); tract 9310.02 (Relatively Low, 45.1)
Hurricanetract 9303 (Very High, 99.9); tract 9304 (Very High, 99.8); tract 9307 (Very High, 99.8)
Landslidetract 9309 (Relatively Low, 83.5); tract 9307 (Very Low, 73.5); tract 9308 (Very Low, 72.1)
Tornadotract 9303 (Relatively High, 90.9); tract 9304 (Relatively High, 88.3); tract 9302 (Relatively High, 87.8)
Tsunamino tract has a National Risk Index rating for this hazard
Wildfiretract 9308 (Relatively Moderate, 91.6); tract 9307 (Relatively Low, 86.5); tract 9309 (Relatively Low, 85.7)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 9303 is Census Tract 9303). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Coastal Flood, Storm Surge/Tidenone in data (flood depth: FIRM)6 records, 2001 to 2023 (5 zone-level)Storm Surge/Tide, 2011-08-26, $40,000,000 property; $0 crops (2011 dollars); NWS zone NCZ080No event record names a jurisdiction in the plan. Zone-level records (5) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map.
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill1 record, 1998 (1 zone-level)3 days; 1 with a recorded value3 consecutive days, 1998-03-11 to 1998-03-13, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage1 record, 2004 (1 zone-level)No crop damage reported in 1 record.Countywide (zone-level records).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)13 records, 2011 to 2026 (13 zone-level)6 days to 92 days (median 49 days); 5 with a recorded value92 days (about 3.0 months), 2026-03-31 to 2026-06-30, a run of 4 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)137 records, 1973 to 20250.75 in to 2.75 in (median 1 in); 137 with a recorded value2.75 in hail, 2009-07-24; same size also recorded on 1998-06-03, 2006-06-12Hail, 2000-05-27, $100,000 property; crops not reported (2000 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Chocowinity town (13 records), Washington city (12 records), Aurora town (11 records), Belhaven town (10 records), Bath town (7 records), Pantego town (6 records), Washington Park town (2 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)7 records, 2019 to 2025 (7 zone-level)1 day to 3 days (median 1.5 days); 6 with a recorded value3 consecutive days, 2025-07-26 to 2025-07-28, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson26 records, 1996 to 2022 (26 zone-level)Strongest recorded: Hurricane record (NOAA event type 'Hurricane (Typhoon)'), 2011-08-26 to 2011-08-28, category 1, $10,000,000 property; $10,000,000 crops (2011 dollars); NWS zone NCZ080Countywide (zone-level records).Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)1 record, 2015 (1 zone-level)No damage reported in 1 record.Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)29 records, 1996 to 2024 (1 zone-level)Flash Flood, 2010-09-30, $500,000 property; $55,000,000 crops (2010 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Washington city (12 records), Aurora town (3 records), Chocowinity town (3 records), Belhaven town (2 records). Zone-level records (1) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)2 records, 2001 to 2002Lightning, 2002-10-11, $100,000 property; crops not reported (2002 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Pantego town (1 record), Washington city (1 record).Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)6 records, 2002 to 2022 (6 zone-level)43 kt (49 mph) to 53 kt (61 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 6 with a recorded value53 kt (61 mph) measured gust, High Wind, 2006-06-14; NWS zone NCZ080High Wind, 2004-03-07, $5,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2004 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)195 records, 1959 to 202650 kt (58 mph) to 74 kt (85 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 169 with a recorded value74 kt (85 mph) measured gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2005-03-08Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Chocowinity town (18 records), Washington city (12 records), Aurora town (11 records), Belhaven town (11 records), Pantego town (9 records), Bath town (4 records), Washington Park town (1 record).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)38 records, 1954 to 2023F/EF0 to F/EF3 (median F/EF1); 37 with a recorded valueEF3 tornado, 2014-04-25, 20.99 mi within this county, 350 yd wide, $15,000,000 property; $0 crops (2014 dollars), 16 direct injuriesEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Bath town (3 records), Pantego town (3 records), Belhaven town (2 records), Chocowinity town (2 records), Washington city (2 records), Aurora town (1 record).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Tsunaminone (count and damage only)0
Wildfireacres burned (local data)0
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)33 records, 1996 to 2026 (33 zone-level)Winter Storm, 1996-02-02, $45,000 property; crops not reported (1996 dollars), 2 direct deaths, 12 direct injuries (reported for the zone); NWS zone NCZ080Countywide (zone-level records).

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of debris flow, lightning and tsunami.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 32 declarations covering 22 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2026-01-242026-01-21EM-3637-NCEmergencySevere Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 years
2024-09-262024-09-25EM-3617-NCEmergencyHurricane HeleneHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding, Landslideno Public Assistance recordedin the 12 months before plan approval; within last 5 years
2024-08-062024-08-05EM-3608-NCEmergencyTropical Storm DebbyHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedin the 12 months before plan approval; within last 5 years
2022-10-012022-09-28EM-3586-NCEmergencyHurricane IanHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedwithin last 5 years
2021-03-032020-11-12DR-4588-NCMajor disasterTropical Storm EtaHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
2020-10-142020-07-31DR-4568-NCMajor disasterHurricane IsaiasHurricane$625,495.02
2020-08-022020-07-31EM-3534-NCEmergencyHurricane IsaiasHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4568
2020-03-252020-01-20DR-4487-NCMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$169,013.47
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3471-NCEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4487
2019-10-042019-09-01DR-4465-NCMajor disasterHurricane DorianHurricane$1,720,552.61
2019-09-032019-09-01EM-3423-NCEmergencyHurricane DorianHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4465
2018-09-142018-09-07DR-4393-NCMajor disasterHurricane FlorenceHurricane$3,932,300.56
2018-09-102018-09-07EM-3401-NCEmergencyHurricane FlorenceHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4393
2016-10-102016-10-04DR-4285-NCMajor disasterHurricane MatthewHurricane$757,423.24
2016-10-072016-10-04EM-3380-NCEmergencyHurricane MatthewHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4285
2011-08-312011-08-25DR-4019-NCMajor disasterHurricane IreneHurricane$5,548,722.97
2011-08-252011-08-25EM-3327-NCEmergencyHurricane IreneHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4019
2010-10-142010-09-27DR-1942-NCMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, and Straight-Line WindsInland Flooding; Strong WindPA not declared for this county
2010-09-012010-09-01EM-3314-NCEmergencyHurricane EarlHurricane$37,101.82
2008-10-082008-09-04DR-1801-NCMajor disasterTropical Storm HannaHurricane$127,482.56
2005-09-142005-09-11EM-3254-NCEmergencyHurricane OpheliaHurricane$38,783.38
2005-09-052005-08-29EM-3222-NCEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2003-09-182003-09-18DR-1490-NCMajor disasterHurricane IsabelHurricane$1,607,590.56
1999-09-161999-09-15DR-1292-NCMajor disasterHurricane Floyd Major Disaster DeclarationsHurricane$1,753,317.75
1999-09-151999-09-15EM-3146-NCEmergencyHurricane Floyd Emergency DeclarationsHurricaneno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-1292
1999-09-091999-08-29DR-1291-NCMajor disasterHurricane DennisHurricanePA not declared for this county
1999-09-011999-08-29EM-3141-NCEmergencyHurricane DennisHurricane$173,829.74same incident as DR-1291
1998-08-271998-08-20DR-1240-NCMajor disasterHurricane BonnieHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
1996-09-061996-09-05DR-1134-NCMajor disasterHurricane FranHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
1996-07-181996-07-10DR-1127-NCMajor disasterHurricane BerthaHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
1993-03-171993-03-13EM-3110-NCEmergencySevere Snowfall & Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1968-02-101968-02-10DR-234-NCMajor disasterSevere Ice StormIce Stormno Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1964-10-131964-10-13DR-179-NCMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Flooding
1962-03-161962-03-16DR-130-NCMajor disasterSevere Storm, High Tides & FloodingInland Flooding (primary); also designated: Coastal Flooding
1960-09-161960-09-16DR-107-NCMajor disasterHurricane DonnaHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding
1958-10-011958-10-01DR-87-NCMajor disasterHurricane & Severe StormHurricane
1956-04-241956-04-24DR-56-NCMajor disasterSevere StormHazard not mapped (severe storm title names no single hazard); not counted
1955-08-131955-08-13DR-37-NCMajor disasterHurricanesHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding
1954-10-171954-10-17DR-28-NCMajor disasterHurricaneHurricane (primary); also designated: Inland Flooding

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

1 Fire Management declaration (1986-05-10 to 1986-05-10) FEMA filed as Statewide with no county; each names one local fire. Listed on the state page.

Public Assistance filed under this county for declarations that do not list it: 1 row, $51,823.65

Sources: 2, 3

FEMA numberDeclaredTitleApplicantPA obligatedfederal share obligated, nominal dollars
DR-1608-NC2005-10-07Hurricane OpheliaTideland Electric Membership Corporation$51,823.65

FEMA's Public Assistance summaries file these applicants under this county, but FEMA's declaration rows for these disasters do not designate it (an electric cooperative or district serving several counties, for example). Not in any declaration row above and not counted.

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Coastal Flooding6002001996 to 2026-06-30
Cold Wave2000001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 1 Frost/Freeze record.
Drought138210001996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail137317001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave7225001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane260011801996 to 2026-06-30
Ice Storm1000101996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding29011201996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000101996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 1 federal declared incident (see declarations table)
Lightning2000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind201191251101955 to 2026-06-30Includes 4 High Wind and 2 Strong Wind records.
Tornado38002001950 to 2026-06-30
Tsunami0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Wildfire0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Winter Weather33225211996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2025-07-26Excessive Heatdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone NCZ080 (BEAUFORT), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Excessive Heat, Heat
2014-04-25TornadoEF3, 20.99 mi within this county, 350 yd wide$15,000,000 property; $0 crops (2014 dollars)0, 16CHOCOWINITY to YEATESVILLEB1-c worst recorded: Tornado
2012-07-01Thunderstorm Wind60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust$0 property; $0 crops (2012 dollars)2, 0MC CONNELLdeaths or injuries recorded
2011-08-26Storm Surge/Tide$40,000,000 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)0, 0NWS zone NCZ080 (BEAUFORT), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Coastal Flood, Storm Surge/Tide
2011-08-26Hurricane (NOAA event type 'Hurricane (Typhoon)')category 1$10,000,000 property; $10,000,000 crops (zone total, 2011 dollars)0, 0NWS zone NCZ080 (BEAUFORT), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical Depression
2010-09-30Flash Flood$500,000 property; $55,000,000 crops (2010 dollars)0, 0OLD FORD to WILKINSONB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
2006-06-14High Wind53 kt (61 mph) measured gustdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone NCZ080 (BEAUFORT), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2005-03-08Thunderstorm Wind74 kt (85 mph) measured gust$100,000 property; crops not reported (2005 dollars)0, 0COUNTYWIDEB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2002-10-11Lightning$100,000 property; crops not reported (2002 dollars)0, 0PANTEGOB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
1998-03-11Cold/Wind Chilldamage not reported0, 0NWS zone NCZ080 (BEAUFORT), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
1998-01-19Winter Stormdamage not reported2, 1NWS zone NCZ080 (BEAUFORT), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
1996-02-02Winter Storm$45,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 1996 dollars)2, 12NWS zone NCZ080 (BEAUFORT), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (495 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Coastal Flooding2.61events per year at a location (modeled)about 2.6 per year at a given location in the countyHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-fDescriptor from NRI: the rate at a location is 1 or more a year, so the county rate is at least that.
Cold Wave0.421event-days per yearabout 0.421 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)82005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought2.41event-days per yearabout 2.41 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 3 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (10%)1192000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.000915annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.0915%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail2.37events per yearabout 2.37 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)98.9 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave8.53event-days per yearabout 8.53 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 4 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (13.3%)1372005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.357events per yearabout 1 in 3 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)1331851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm0.615event-days per yearabout 0.615 days per yearPossibleStorm Events event-days in 1 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (3.33%)411946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding0.679event-days per yearabout 0.679 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 13 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (43.3%)191996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.111events per year (modeled)about 1 in 9 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning52.4days per year with a strikeabout 52.4 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind0.921events per yearabout 0.92 per yearLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)361986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.648events per yearabout 0.65 per yearLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Tsunamiannual probability at the most exposed location (used in place of a county value)Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Wildfire0.000634annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.0634%Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Winter Weather3.42event-days per yearabout 3.42 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 17 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (56.7%)652005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202569302.3
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20256300.2
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 2025140304.67
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20258300.267
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 20252300.0667
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202522300.733
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20254300.133
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20251300.0333

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Coastal Flooding13 of 1372.495.399.3Very High 1, Relatively High 5, Relatively Moderate 4, Relatively Low 2, Very Low 1
Cold Wave13 of 1334.143.356.3Relatively Moderate 4, Relatively Low 9
Drought12 of 1375.285.892.7Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 9, Very Low 2, No Rating 1
Earthquake13 of 1321.230.665.1Relatively Low 4, Very Low 9
Hail13 of 1346.560.070.2Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 12
Heat Wave13 of 1353.064.680.9Relatively Moderate 10, Relatively Low 3
Hurricane13 of 1397.999.499.9Very High 13
Ice Storm13 of 1346.161.279.0Relatively Moderate 3, Relatively Low 10
Inland Flooding13 of 1330.843.979.2Relatively High 1, Relatively Moderate 5, Relatively Low 7
Landslide13 of 1326.250.183.5Relatively Low 1, Very Low 12
Lightning13 of 1373.984.594.3Relatively High 9, Relatively Moderate 4
Strong Wind13 of 1371.383.090.8Relatively High 8, Relatively Moderate 5
Tornado13 of 1360.472.090.9Relatively High 6, Relatively Moderate 7
Tsunami0 of 13Insufficient Data 13
Wildfire13 of 1336.882.191.6Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 11, Very Low 1
Winter Weather13 of 1395.797.699.2Very High 11, Relatively High 2

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Beaufort County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedApproved, expires 2030-04-29FMA RL 118, SRL 232; any 849$2,666,058.250 total; 0 since its planIncludes $169,013.47 for declarations not counted as hazard incidents (DR-4487-NC).
Aurora townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 2$290,848.2426 total; 1 since its plan
Bath townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29FMA RL 2, SRL 1; any 5$63,271.9314 total; 0 since its plan
Belhaven townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29FMA RL 16, SRL 93; any 287$794,584.5025 total; 3 since its plan
Chocowinity townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$267,854.4736 total; 0 since its plan
Pantego townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 3$10,207.5019 total; 0 since its plan
Washington cityCityApproved, expires 2030-04-29FMA RL 24, SRL 49; any 204$3,991,611.1639 total; 2 since its plan
Washington Park townTownApproved, expires 2030-04-29FMA RL 9, SRL 19; any 74$127,517.553 total; 0 since its plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2025-04-30county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Coastal Flooding$2,501,210,022n/a8,989$1,686,775n/a$312,9160.0674%
Cold Wave$10,610,352,531$144,252,05444,607$3,129$47,278$367,886under 0.0001%
Droughtn/a$32,733,996n/an/a$95,449n/a0.292% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$18,837,419,459n/a44,652$148,759n/a$37,6410.00079%
Hail$10,610,352,531$144,252,05444,607$56,370$38,391$38,1140.000531%
Heat Wave$10,610,352,531$144,252,05444,607$61$335$707,284under 0.0001%
Hurricane$10,610,342,574$143,157,97644,607$36,630,684$1,915,805$1,862,8510.345%
Ice Storm$10,610,352,531n/a44,607$65,557n/a$15,3540.000618%
Inland Flooding$10,577,286,692$12,507,0536,939$6,023,627$117,883$240,287n/a (see note)NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$34,247,087n/a119$207n/a$60.000604%
Lightning$10,610,352,531n/a44,607$47,754n/a$354,7570.00045%
Strong Wind$10,610,352,531$144,252,05444,607$49,946$82,322$519,0740.000471%$0
Tornado$10,610,352,531$144,252,05444,607$1,211,934$2,622$1,061,5890.0114%
Tsunamin/an/an/an/an/an/aNRI publishes no building exposure for this county
Wildfire$1,542,978,499$26,557,19911,221$88,192$134$9,2690.00572%
Winter Weather$10,610,352,531$144,252,05444,607$75,914$267$392,5590.000715%no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)

Totals since 2025-04-30 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 22 county-coded records, 1 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0; 12 zone-level records, 0 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: none recorded on the 1 counted declaration.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population44,607
Building value (total, not at risk)$10,610,352,531
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$144,252,054
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Moderate
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$48,389,395
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$5,919,588
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively High
Community resilience ratingRelatively Moderate
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)169Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)394
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition1,318Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition310

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total1693941,3183101,42598716
of which: Beaufort County (unincorporated area)11823278618584961443
of which: Aurora town0020202
of which: Belhaven town16932657028710143
of which: Pantego town0030301
of which: Washington city2449187392042173
of which: Washington Park town919691574653
of which: Bath town2151501
of which: Chocowinity town0010100
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file0020200

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Beaufort County (unincorporated area)37001311823278618584961443
Aurora town3700140020202
Bath town3702882151501
Belhaven town37001516932657028710143
Chocowinity town3702890010100
Pantego town3700160030301
Washington city3700172449187392042173
Washington Park town370268919691574653

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential1533411,1952621,29790683
2 to 4 unit residential251651711
other residential1131301
non-residential134710442108731
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 54 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 1,203 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Beaufort County, NC: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 37013). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/nc/37013/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: [email protected]