Mitchell County, NC Environment & Hazard Risk

• LandslideRelatively Moderate$96.3K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• LightningRelatively High$741K/yr expected annual loss, about 54 events a year
• Ice stormRelatively Moderate$170K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
• Cold waveRelatively Low$985K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.8 events a year
• HurricaneVery Low$77.6K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 36 years
• EarthquakeVery Low$146K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 570 years
• WildfireVery Low$15K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 661 years
• TornadoRelatively Low$343K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 16 years
• Strong windRelatively Low$206K/yr expected annual loss, about 2.8 events a year
• Winter weatherVery Low$17.5K/yr expected annual loss, about 25 events a year
• HailVery Low$37.5K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.0 events a year

Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, drought, heat wave, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

46 of 8,075 (0.6%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

143

Insured in high-risk zones

31 (22%)

Flood claims since 1978

50

Claims paid since 1978

$2.7M

• Winter Weather239
• Heavy Snow105
• High Wind40
• Drought35
• Thunderstorm Wind34
• Hail33
• Cold/Wind Chill22
• Flash Flood19 · 1 death
• Winter Storm18
• Ice Storm13

• Flash Flood09/27/2024

  Wing, Mitchell County

  1 death, $30M damage

  What happened

  Extensive flooding of the North Toe and Nolichucky Rivers, and their tributaries, including Cane Creek developed during the overnight and early morning hours of the 27th as rainfall rates began to intensify again during the evening of the 26th. The most intense rainfall occurred just after sunrise, as the tropical rain bands near the center of Helene swept across the area. A stream gauge on Cane Creek near Bakersville reached major flood stage of 10 feet just after sunrise before it stopped reporting. Dozens of structures were inundated and damaged throughout the county, with some homes completely swept away. Numerous bridges and roads were also damaged, especially near the Yancey County line. Three-day rainfall totals were 7-12 inches across much of the county. However, amounts of 15-20 inches were reported in the extreme southern part of the county along the McDowell County line. More than 200 landslides were reported in this part of Mitchell County, with some of those causing additional damage to structures. One 41-year-old male was killed when his home was swept away along the North Toe.

• Lightning06/25/2000

  Bakersville, Mitchell County

  1 death, 5 injured

  What happened

  Strong to severe thunderstorms developed in the mountains during the early afternoon and rumbled east across the foothills and into the western piedmont by early evening. All of the damage was produced by straight-line winds estimated almost as high as 70 mph that downed trees and power lines. In the Asheville, Biltmore, and Skyland areas 3300 people were left without power. A couple of houses were damaged by falling trees in Weaverville and Barnardsville. Fifteen to twenty trees were downed in Black Mountain - with some on cars. In Union county, sections of a church roof blew off, doors blew out, nails were pulled out the wall, and shingles were blown away. Gusty winds between 40 and 45 mph blew down one tree which landed on and flattened a car near Stony Point.Lightning struck a tree in a picnic area on top of Roan Mountain. A family was shocked as the lightning spread through the adjacent ground and pavement. One man fell back and hit his head on the pavement. He died five days later from a blood clot in his brain. The other five people suffered minor burns, cuts, and bruises.

• Tropical Storm09/27/2024

  Mitchell

  $7M damage

  What happened

  Perhaps 100,000 trees or more were blown down, with hundreds of trees down on homes, vehicles, and power lines. Frequent gusts up to 80 mph occurred, with occasional gusts of 100 mph on exposed high elevation ridgetops.

• Flash Flood01/08/1998

  Bakersville, Mitchell County

  $5M damage

  What happened

  Major flooding, the worst since 1977, destroyed 23 homes, wiped an entire trailer park out, and damaged 200 homes. The height of the flooding was between midnight and 2 am on the 8th.

• Debris Flow09/08/2004

  Mitchell

  $1M damage

  What happened

  Persistent moderate to heavy rain led to widespread flooding along numerous creeks and streams across the northern foothills and northern mountains during the early evening. By early morning on the 8th, flooding was described as some of the worst in the history of the area. Numerous homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed, particularly in Avery County. One home in Burke County was swept down the Little River. Widespread damage and destruction to roads and bridges also occurred due to flooding or landslides, especially in the southern part of Mitchell County, which experienced severe flooding from Crabtree Creek and the Toe River. Large sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway were washed out. Total damage to the parkway was estimated to be in excess of 10 million dollars in western North Carolina, with the vast majority of that damage occurring between Asheville and Blowing Rock.

• Frost/Freeze04/08/2007

  Mitchell

  $1M damage

  What happened

  An early spring hard freeze saw temperatures fall to the upper teens and lower 20s across much of the western Carolinas and northeast Georgia on the morning of the 8th. This resulted in massive agricultural losses across the region. It was estimated that 90 percent of the apple and peach crop across the area was destroyed. As much as 50 percent of the berry crop was lost, while more than 50 percent of the grape crop across western North Carolina was damaged.

• Spruce Pine, Town ofServes 5,661 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Bakersville, Town ofServes 725 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
• Swiss Pine LakesServes 185 · Purchased surface water · PrivateNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Penland School of CraftsServes 100 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Humpback MountainServes 25 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting