Cleveland County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cleveland County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Cleveland County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, lightning, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 16% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (85th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cleveland County has been designated in 20 declarations since 1977, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (7), snowstorm (4), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
Showing the 10 most recent of 20 total declarations since 1977.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 40.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.2 | 8 | 0 | $3.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 81.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 54.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 79.8 | 9 | 0 | $1.2M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 73.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 68.4 | 28 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 38.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 93.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 51 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 82 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 59.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 53.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Cleveland County ranks in the 85th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 85th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 87th | High |
| Household characteristics | 70th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 65th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 81st | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 50th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 45th | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 79.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 46 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 25 in 2016–20 vs 21 in 2021–25 (-16% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Cleveland County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cleveland County, North Carolina are ice storm, lightning, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Cleveland County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cleveland County has received 20 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (7 declarations).
Has Cleveland County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cleveland County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Cleveland County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Gaston County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Cherokee County, SC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Cleveland County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Cleveland County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cleveland County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Cleveland County's composite score of 70 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 70% of US counties.