Union County, NC Environment & Hazard Risk

• Ice stormVery High$2.7M/yr expected annual loss, about 1.9 events a year
• TornadoRelatively High$16.4M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• Strong windRelatively High$2.7M/yr expected annual loss, about 2.9 events a year
• EarthquakeRelatively Low$4M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 472 years
• LightningRelatively High$1.3M/yr expected annual loss, about 53 events a year
• HurricaneRelatively Low$3.2M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 9 years
• Cold waveRelatively Moderate$3.8M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
• Winter weatherRelatively Moderate$219K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.7 events a year
• Heat waveRelatively Low$1.4M/yr expected annual loss, about 3.3 events a year
• DroughtRelatively Moderate$713K/yr expected annual loss, about 22 events a year
• HailRelatively Low$726K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.3 events a year
• WildfireVery Low$41K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 13,218 years
• LandslideVery Low$848/yr expected annual loss, about once every 4 years

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, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Check the flood zone for an address

Homes with flood insurance

354 of 82,425 (0.4%)

Homes in high-risk flood zones

196

Insured in high-risk zones

115 (59%)

Flood claims since 1978

81

Claims paid since 1978

$1.7M

• Thunderstorm Wind213
• Hail95
• Flash Flood56 · 2 deaths
• Drought35
• Flood25 · 1 death
• Winter Weather23
• Lightning18
• Heavy Snow13
• Heavy Rain8
• Tornado8

• Ice Storm12/04/2002

  Union

  $11M damage

  What happened

  Freezing rain began over the extreme southern mountains of North Carolina during the early afternoon on the 4th, and had spread into the southwest piedmont by mid afternoon. Resultant damage due to ice accumulation began during the mid-to-late afternoon. The intensity of the freezing rain increased after midnight, and by sunrise on the 5th, devastating ice accumulations of 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches were observed. The hardest hit area was Charlotte metro. Hundreds of thousands lost power, and the outages lasted for as long as 2 weeks in some areas.

• Flash Flood09/16/2018

  Olive Branch, Union County

  1 death, $50K damage

  What happened

  EM reported severe flash flooding developed across Union County after 7 to 13 inches of rain fell across the county in about 24 hours. Dozens of roads were closed at the height of the event during the afternoon of the 16th, some due to poor drainage flooding in urban areas, and others due to small stream flooding, including Goose Creek in the Indian Trail area, where a stream gauge exceeded its established flood stage. Multiple water rescues were necessary, and some homes were isolated by flood waters. A one-year-old boy drowned when his parent drove a vehicle around a barricade and into a swollen creek on Highway 218.

• Flood09/17/2018

  Olive Branch, Union County

  1 death, $5,000 damage

  What happened

  Although heavy rain ended across Union County during the evening, EM reported high water conditions continued through the overnight, as waters were slow to recede in light of the 7 to 13 inches that fell across the county in about 24 hours. During the morning of the 17th, an 88 year-old man drowned when he drove his vehicle through a swollen tributary on Landsford Dr.

• Flash Flood07/12/2003

  West Portion, Union County

  1 death

  What happened

  Slow-moving thunderstorms produced very heavy rainfall that resulted in rapid development of urban flooding. West of Monroe, a 17-year-old man drowned when he jumped into a flooded drainage ditch, and was swept into a storm drain. Urban flooding was more severe in the towns of Indian Trails, Unionville, and Stallings, where several people required rescue from automobiles trapped by rising water.

• Lightning08/16/2003

  Indian Trail, Union County

  2 injured

  What happened

  Two people were struck by lightning.

• Tropical Storm09/27/2024

  Union

  $2M damage

  What happened

  Hundreds of trees were blown down, with dozens of trees down on homes, vehicles, and power lines. Frequent gusts up 50 to 60 mph occurred, with occasional gusts of 70 mph.

• Union County Water SystemServes 169,685 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
• Monroe, City ofServes 43,081 · Surface water · Local government1 health violation+3 monitoring or reporting
• Wingate, Town ofServes 3,950 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
• Marshville, Town ofServes 3,163 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+5 monitoring or reporting
• Jaars, INCServes 625 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations
• Glencroft S/DServes 380 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting