Disaster Data / States / North Carolina / McDowell County
CountyMcDowell County, North Carolina
McDowell County recorded 15 federal disaster and emergency declarations since FY2000 (through FY2025): 8 major disasters, 7 emergencies, and 0 fire-management declarations. Its most common hazard is hurricane.
The federal disaster record for McDowell County runs between 2002 and 2024, covering 15 declarations in all. Its most recent major disaster declaration was Tropical Storm Helene in 2024. The hazards behind these declarations were most often hurricane, biological, and tropical storm. Since 2000, FEMA has obligated about $17.1 million in Public Assistance funding to the jurisdiction, most of it for emergency protective measures.
Highlighted: McDowell County, NC
Federal Public Assistance by category
Federal share obligated to this jurisdiction under FEMA Public Assistance since 2000, grouped by damage category. Figures are rounded to the nearest dollar and reflect obligations, which may change as projects close out.
| Category | Projects | Federal share obligated |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency protective measures(B) | 80 | $6,917,750 |
| Buildings and equipment(E) | 14 | $3,399,776 |
| Utilities(F) | 15 | $3,026,241 |
| Roads and bridges(C) | 8 | $1,626,757 |
| Parks and recreation(G) | 14 | $1,420,534 |
| Management costs(Z) | 10 | $428,632 |
| Debris removal(A) | 14 | $260,877 |
| Water control facilities(D) | 1 | $3,804 |
| All categories | 156 | $17,084,371 |
Most common hazards
- Hurricane 9
- Biological 2
- Tropical Storm 2
- Severe Ice Storm 1
- Severe Storm 1
Previous occurrences, for your mitigation plan
Every local hazard mitigation plan must document previous occurrences of each hazard. Here is that record for McDowell County, sourced to OpenFEMA and refreshed weekly. Copy it straight into your plan.
| Hazard | Date | FEMA declaration | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 28, 2024 | DR-4827-NC | DR |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 | EM-3617-NC | EM |
| Hurricane | Oct 1, 2022 | EM-3586-NC | EM |
| Hurricane | Aug 2, 2020 | EM-3534-NC | EM |
| Biological | Mar 25, 2020 | DR-4487-NC | DR |
| Biological | Mar 13, 2020 | EM-3471-NC | EM |
| Hurricane | Sep 3, 2019 | EM-3423-NC | EM |
| Hurricane | Jan 31, 2019 | DR-4412-NC | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 14, 2018 | DR-4393-NC | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 10, 2018 | EM-3401-NC | EM |
| Severe Storm | Feb 2, 2010 | DR-1871-NC | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 5, 2005 | EM-3222-NC | EM |
| Hurricane | Sep 18, 2004 | DR-1553-NC | DR |
| Hurricane | Sep 10, 2004 | DR-1546-NC | DR |
| Severe Ice Storm | Dec 12, 2002 | DR-1448-NC | DR |
Every declaration on record
DR = Major disaster (Stafford Act) · EM = Emergency declaration · FM = Fire management assistance
Showing 15 declarations
| Date | Number | Type | Hazard | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 28, 2024 | DR-4827-NC | DR | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| Sep 26, 2024 | EM-3617-NC | EM | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| Oct 1, 2022 | EM-3586-NC | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| Aug 2, 2020 | EM-3534-NC | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| Mar 25, 2020 | DR-4487-NC | DR | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| Mar 13, 2020 | EM-3471-NC | EM | Biological | Covid-19 |
| Sep 3, 2019 | EM-3423-NC | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| Jan 31, 2019 | DR-4412-NC | DR | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
| Sep 14, 2018 | DR-4393-NC | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| Sep 10, 2018 | EM-3401-NC | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
| Feb 2, 2010 | DR-1871-NC | DR | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| Sep 5, 2005 | EM-3222-NC | EM | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| Sep 18, 2004 | DR-1553-NC | DR | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan |
| Sep 10, 2004 | DR-1546-NC | DR | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Frances |
| Dec 12, 2002 | DR-1448-NC | DR | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Ice Storm |
How these numbers are built
Drawn from FEMA's OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, rebuilt each week. A declaration is counted here once for each designated area it names, so a single disaster covering many localities is counted in each one. For that reason these jurisdiction counts do not sum to North Carolina's statewide total. This page counts declarations that named this jurisdiction as a designated area. Totals cover complete fiscal years (Oct 1 to Sep 30); the in-progress year may appear in the most-recent list but is not counted in the totals. Uses OpenFEMA data but is not endorsed by or affiliated with FEMA.