Wayne County, NC Environment & Hazard Risk
Relatively Moderate natural hazard risk, led by winter weather. 492 storm events since 1996.
- Expected yearly loss
- $66.3M
- Relatively Moderate nationally
- Storm events since 1996
- 492
- Most often thunderstorm wind
- Flood insurance policies
- 848
- 1.3% of homes
- Hurricanes nearby
- 3
- 18 tropical storms or stronger since 1851
Natural hazard risk
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Overall risk
Relatively Moderate
Score 90.4 of 100
Social vulnerability
Relatively High
Score 73.0 of 100
Community resilience
Relatively Low
Score 37.6 of 100
Community resilience runs the other way: a higher rating means a community can recover faster.
Building value exposed: $30.51B · Agriculture value exposed: $762M · Risk-adjusted yearly loss: $90.28M
Risk by hazard
- Winter weatherVery High$1.15M/yr expected annual loss, about 5.0 events a year
- HurricaneRelatively High$24.36M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 4 years
- TornadoRelatively Moderate$5.41M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
- Heat waveRelatively Moderate$1.96M/yr expected annual loss, about 8.6 events a year
- HailRelatively Moderate$1.12M/yr expected annual loss, about 4.1 events a year
- LightningRelatively High$659K/yr expected annual loss, about 51 events a year
- Ice stormRelatively Moderate$349K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
- Strong windRelatively Moderate$872K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.3 events a year
- DroughtRelatively Moderate$514K/yr expected annual loss, about 7.9 events a year
- EarthquakeRelatively Low$796K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 838 years
- Cold waveRelatively Moderate$1.4M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
- WildfireVery Low$49.07K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 5,558 years
- LandslideVery Low$264/yr expected annual loss, about once every 11 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.
Flood risk and insurance
National Flood Insurance Program and FEMA flood maps
Check the flood zone for an address
- Homes with flood insurance
- 848 of 66,351 (1.3%)
- Homes in high-risk flood zones
- 2,676
- Insured in high-risk zones
- 418 (16%)
- Flood claims since 1978
- 1,193
- Claims paid since 1978
- $47.03M
Flood claims paid per year
- Hurricane Matthew$29.94M · 452 claims
- Hurricane Floyd$10.39M · 370 claims
- Hurricane Florence$4.54M · 152 claims
- Hurricane Fran$825K · 68 claims
- Hurricane Eta$281K · 8 claims
- December Nor'easter$145K · 2 claims
Storm history
Since 1996: 492 events, 12 deaths, $212M in damage
- Thunderstorm Wind225
- Hail96
- Flash Flood53 · 3 deaths
- Winter Storm24 · 1 death
- Winter Weather14 · 2 deaths
- Tornado12
- Lightning11 · 1 death
- Heavy Rain11
- High Wind9 · 1 death
- Strong Wind8
Events per year
28 tornadoes on record (EF0 8, EF1 1, F0 7, F1 7, F2 3, F3 1, F4 1).
Most damaging storms
Since 1996, ranked by deaths, injuries and damage
- Flood10/09/2016
Pinkney, Wayne County
2 deaths, $146M damage
What happened
Torrential rainfall of 12 to 15 inches caused widespread flash flooding across the county. Additional rainfall upstream caused all-time record major flooding along the Neuse River near Goldsboro. Flooding damaged approximately 5,092 structures throughout the county, resulting in $120.8 million in property damage and and at least $20 million in crop damage. Numerous roads were closed due to flooding. Numerous homes and businesses were flooded as well, with more than 125 people rescued from trapped homes and vehicles. There were 2 direct fatalities when a 54 year old male and a 47 year old female when their vehicles were swept away by flood waters along Wayne Memorial Drive near County Day Road.
- Flood09/17/2018
Seven Spgs, Wayne County
$50.93M damage
What happened
Torrential rainfall of 15 to 20 inches upstream caused major flooding along the Neuse River Basin. Flooding damaged approximately 1,482 structures throughout the county, resulting in over $20.93 million in property damage, and over $30 million in crop damage. Numerous streets and roads were reported flooded.
- Winter Weather01/18/2007
Wayne
2 deaths
What happened
Snow moved into Central North Carolina just prior to sunrise on January 18th impacting local schools and morning communters. Between one to two inches of snow fell across the area resulting in numerous accidents. About eight children were injured in Asheboro when a school bus over turned and two indirect deaths were reported near Goldsboro as a result of a single vehicle accident. Snow changed over all rain by afternoon.
- Flash Flood09/16/1999
Countywide, Wayne County
2 deaths
What happened
Rainfall associated with Hurricane Floyd produced unprecedented flash flooding across the eastern half of the state. Every river and stream flooded nearby roads and communities. Several lives were lost due to people driving into flooded roadways or directly into streams where roads and bridges were washed out. Several earthen dams also gave way.
- High Wind54 kt wind08/27/2011
Wayne
1 death, $1M damage
What happened
Trees and power-lines were blown down all throughout the county. Several homes were damaged from fallen trees and a portion of the Berkeley Mall collapsed. A fatality occurred when two cars collided with another at an intersection where the traffic signals were out.
- Tropical Storm09/13/2018
Wayne
1 death, $1M damage
What happened
Frequent wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph resulted in numerous trees down across Wayne County, including on homes, cars, power lines and damage to structures. Numerous customers lost power in Wayne County as a result of the tropical storm force winds.|A 81 year old male died(indirect)when he fell and struck his head while packing to evacuate.
Latest storm reports
Newest first
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/29/2026
Patetown, Wayne County
$5,000 damage
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/29/2026
Goldsboro Arpt, Wayne County
$1,000 damage
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/20/2026
Dudley, Wayne County
$2,000 damage
- Flash Flood07/13/2026
Goldsboro, Wayne County
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/13/2026
Dudley, Wayne County
$5,000 damage
- Flash Flood07/13/2026
Goldsboro, Wayne County
- Flash Flood07/13/2026
Rosewood, Wayne County
$50K damage
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/11/2026
Adamsville, Wayne County
$2,000 damage
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Storms whose track crossed Wayne County, with the wind when it passed
- Tropical Storm Claudette (2021)06/18/2021 · Landfall: LA · 1,003 mbTropical storm46 mph nearby
- Hurricane Isaias (2020)07/28/2020 · Landfall: NC · 986 mbTropical storm69 mph nearby
- Hurricane Hanna (2008)08/28/2008 · Landfall: SC · 977 mbTropical storm69 mph nearby
- Tropical Storm Alberto (2006)06/10/2006 · Landfall: FL · 969 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby
- Tropical Storm Helene (2000)09/15/2000 · Landfall: FL · 986 mbTropical storm46 mph nearby
- Hurricane Dennis (1999)08/24/1999 · Landfall: NC · 962 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby
- Hurricane Earl (1998)08/31/1998 · Landfall: FL · 964 mbTropical storm58 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1965)06/14/1965 · Landfall: FL · 1,005 mbTropical storm46 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1944)07/30/1944 · Landfall: NC · 985 mbTropical storm69 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1928)09/06/1928 · Landfall: FL, SC · 929 mbCategory 181 mph nearby
Drinking water
11 community water systems serve about 125,562 people. Violations since 2021.
4 systems had health-based violations, such as a contaminant over the legal limit or a missed treatment step. 1 system had a violation of any kind still open at last report.
- Wayne Water DistrictsServes 39,403 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+2 monitoring or reporting
- Goldsboro, City ofServes 34,959 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
- Wayne Water Districts PurchaseServes 16,302 · Purchased surface water · Local government1 health violation+5 monitoring or reporting
- Fork Township Sanitary DistrictServes 9,572 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
- Southern Wayne Sanitary DistServes 7,793 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+3 monitoring or reporting
- Seymour Johnson AFBServes 6,875 · Purchased surface water · FederalNo health violations
- Mount Olive, Town ofServes 4,261 · Groundwater · Local government1 health violation+4 monitoring or reporting
- Fork Township PurchaseServes 3,286 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
Largest systems by population served. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or notices were late or missing, not that the water was unsafe.
Climate
1991-2020 normals at Goldsboro 4 SE, 2.1 mi from the county center
Summer highs peak around 91°F in Jul and winter lows bottom out near 35°F in Jan. About 52.3 inches of rain falls in a typical year, with 2.0 inches of snow.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 35°F | 3.55 in | 1.3 in |
| Feb | 58°F | 36°F | 3.24 in | - |
| Mar | 65°F | 43°F | 4.22 in | - |
| Apr | 75°F | 51°F | 3.90 in | - |
| May | 82°F | 60°F | 3.52 in | - |
| Jun | 88°F | 69°F | 4.40 in | - |
| Jul | 91°F | 72°F | 5.42 in | - |
| Aug | 89°F | 71°F | 6.42 in | - |
| Sep | 83°F | 66°F | 7.03 in | - |
| Oct | 75°F | 54°F | 3.79 in | - |
| Nov | 66°F | 43°F | 3.17 in | - |
| Dec | 57°F | 37°F | 3.60 in | 0.7 in |
| Year | 63°F average | 52.3 in | 2.0 in | |
Pollution sites
0 Superfund sites and 7 toxic release facilities in Wayne County
Superfund sites
None in this county.
Toxic release facilities
- Georgia-Pacific Wood Products LLC Dudley Facility64,072 lbs released, Dudley
- US Dod Usaf Seymour Johnson AFB940 lbs released, Goldsboro
- Duke Energy Progress LLC - H F Lee Energy Complex123 lbs released, Goldsboro
- Ap Emissions Technologies Inc0 lbs released, Goldsboro
- Southern Rm LLC - Goldsboro0 lbs released, Goldsboro
- Butterball Goldsboro Grain Mill 20 lbs released, Goldsboro
- S&w Goldsboro Plant0 lbs released, Goldsboro
Total: 65,135 lbs in 2024, 64,159 lbs to air.
Superfund sitesToxic release facilitiesEPA inspections and enforcementAir toxics cancer risk12 historic places
Frequently asked questions
- How risky is Wayne County for natural disasters?
- FEMA rates Wayne County relatively moderate for overall natural hazard risk, with expected losses of $66.3M a year. The highest-rated hazards are winter weather (very high), hurricane (relatively high), tornado (relatively moderate).
- What storms are most common in Wayne County?
- Since 1996, NOAA recorded 492 storm events affecting Wayne County, most often thunderstorm wind (225), hail (96), flash flood (53).
- How many tornadoes have hit Wayne County?
- 28 tornadoes have been recorded in Wayne County since 1950, including 2 rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
- How many homes in Wayne County have flood insurance?
- 848 residential flood insurance policies are in force in Wayne County, covering about 1.3% of homes. The program has paid $47.03M on 1,193 claims here since 1978.
- What is the weather like in Wayne County?
- At Goldsboro 4 SE, average highs reach 91°F in Jul and lows fall to 35°F in Jan, with 52.3 inches of rain a year (1991-2020 normals).
Source: FEMA (National Risk Index, NFIP), NOAA (Storm Events, HURDAT2, Climate Normals), EPA · Last updated 08/01/2026 · Storm counts include events in forecast zones that touch the county. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.