Robeson County, North Carolina Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · NC
MediumComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 91th
Robeson County faces medium composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 91.1, 91th national percentile), driven primarily by strong wind and tornado exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $57M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Robeson County carries a medium composite natural disaster risk, with a National Risk Index score of 91.1 out of 100 — placing it in the 91st national percentile and near the national midpoint for natural-disaster risk. The score blends Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across all 18 FEMA hazard types.
Risk here concentrates in strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at Very High risk — $3M in expected annual loss and about 2.86 events per year; tornado (violently rotating columns of air capable of catastrophic local damage) at High risk — $10M in expected annual loss and about 0.54 events per year; and hurricane (tropical cyclones bringing extreme wind, rain, and storm surge) at High risk — $18M in expected annual loss and about 0.25 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $57M in expected annual loss for a population of 116K.
Beyond physical exposure, Robeson County has a very high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a very low community resilience rating (its capacity to prepare for and recover from disasters). That combination — a more vulnerable population with limited resilience — can amplify the human cost of any given event.
The county's disaster history tells the same story: Robeson County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1984, including 15 for hurricane events and 3 for severe storm events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm (winter storm), declared in January 2026.
Among 100 North Carolina counties, Robeson County ranks #10 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Strong Wind | Very High | 2.86 / yr | $3M |
| Tornado | High | 0.54 / yr | $10M |
| Hurricane | High | 0.25 / yr | $18M |
| Winter Weather | High | 2.58 / yr | $328K |
| Earthquake | Medium | 0.00 / yr | $3M |
| Lightning | High | 55.37 / yr | $652K |
| Heat Wave | Medium | 7.74 / yr | $2M |
| Ice Storm | High | 0.86 / yr | $474K |
| Wildfire | Low | 0.00 / yr | $573K |
| Riverine Flood | Medium | 0.71 / yr | $16M |
| Hail | Medium | 3.57 / yr | $495K |
| Cold Wave | Medium | 0.47 / yr | $1M |
| Drought | Medium | 12.72 / yr | $223K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 0.15 / yr | $91 |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Coastal Flood | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Tsunami | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $0 |
Disaster History
Robeson County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1984, most recently Severe Winter Storm in January 2026. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (15), Severe Storm (3), Tropical Storm (2).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| September 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| August 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 2022 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| March 2021 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Eta |
| August 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| October 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| September 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Robeson County?
Robeson County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 91.1 out of 100, placing it in the Medium category and the 91th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Robeson County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Strong Wind (Very High, $3M EAL), Tornado (High, $10M EAL), Hurricane (High, $18M EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Robeson County compare to other North Carolina counties?
Robeson County ranks #10 of 100 North Carolina counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a medium rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Robeson County had?
FEMA records 24 federal disaster declarations for Robeson County since 1984, most often 15 for hurricane events and 3 for severe storm events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm, declared in January 2026.
What does Expected Annual Loss (EAL) mean?
EAL is FEMA's estimate of average annual dollar losses from natural hazards, calculated from historical event data and exposure models. Robeson County's $57M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.