Wilkes County, North Carolina Natural Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index assessment · NC
MediumComposite Risk Score
National percentile: 83th
Wilkes County faces medium composite natural disaster risk (NRI Risk Index score 82.6, 83th national percentile), driven primarily by ice storm and riverine flood exposure. Expected annual loss across all 18 hazard types is $33M.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 · Updated December 2025
Risk Overview
Overall natural disaster risk in Wilkes County is medium, with a National Risk Index score of 82.6 out of 100 — placing it in the 83rd 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 ice storm (freezing rain that coats surfaces in heavy, damaging ice) at High risk — $868K in expected annual loss and about 1.14 events per year; riverine flood (rivers and streams overflowing their banks after heavy rain or snowmelt) at Medium risk — $25M in expected annual loss and about 1.64 events per year; and strong wind (damaging straight-line winds outside of tornadoes and hurricanes) at Medium risk — $831K in expected annual loss and about 2.65 events per year. Across all hazards, FEMA estimates $33M in expected annual loss for a population of 66K.
Beyond physical exposure, Wilkes County has a very high social vulnerability rating (how susceptible the population is to harm) and a 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: Wilkes County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including 8 for hurricane events and 3 for tropical storm events. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm (winter storm), declared in January 2026.
Among 100 North Carolina counties, Wilkes County ranks #31 for overall natural disaster risk.
Top Hazards
All 18 Hazard Risks
| Ice Storm | High | 1.14 / yr | $868K |
| Riverine Flood | Medium | 1.64 / yr | $25M |
| Strong Wind | Medium | 2.65 / yr | $831K |
| Landslide | Low | 2.01 / yr | $7K |
| Hurricane | Low | 0.04 / yr | $710K |
| Earthquake | Low | 0.00 / yr | $716K |
| Cold Wave | Medium | 0.74 / yr | $2M |
| Tornado | Medium | 0.24 / yr | $2M |
| Lightning | Medium | 50.48 / yr | $328K |
| Drought | Low | 23.88 / yr | $246K |
| Hail | Low | 4.72 / yr | $207K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 0.00 / yr | $37K |
| Winter Weather | Low | 7.69 / yr | $38K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 0.32 / yr | $81K |
| 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
Wilkes County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in January 2026. Most frequent causes: Hurricane (8), Tropical Storm (3), Flood (3).
| Declared | Type | Disaster |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| September 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 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 |
| September 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 declarations.
Source: FEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (OpenFEMA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overall natural disaster risk for Wilkes County?
Wilkes County has a composite FEMA National Risk Index score of 82.6 out of 100, placing it in the Medium category and the 83th national percentile. This combines Expected Annual Loss, Social Vulnerability, and Community Resilience across 18 hazard types.
What are the top natural hazards in Wilkes County?
The three highest-rated hazards are Ice Storm (High, $868K EAL), Riverine Flood (Medium, $25M EAL), Strong Wind (Medium, $831K EAL). These account for most of the county's expected annual losses.
How does Wilkes County compare to other North Carolina counties?
Wilkes County ranks #31 of 100 North Carolina counties for overall natural disaster risk, with a medium rating.
How many federally declared disasters has Wilkes County had?
FEMA records 22 federal disaster declarations for Wilkes County since 1977, most often 8 for hurricane events and 3 for tropical 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. Wilkes County's $33M EAL is a statistical average, not a guarantee for any specific year or address.