Hyde County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Hyde County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1989, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Hyde County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, coastal flooding, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Community vulnerability is elevated (87th 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. Hyde County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1989, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (24), biological (2), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Michael |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 total declarations since 1989.
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 | Relatively Low | 74.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 12.7 | 7 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 84.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 19 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 30.2 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 21.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 94.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 17.2 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 18 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 56.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 12.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 15.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 33.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 52 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 1.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Hyde County ranks in the 87th 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 | 87th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 99th | High |
| Household characteristics | 90th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 81st | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 20th | Very low |
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 | 79th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 85th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 62.2% | — |
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 Hyde County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Hyde County, North Carolina are hurricane, coastal flooding, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Hyde County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Hyde County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1989, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (24 declarations).
Has Hyde County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Hyde County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1989.
How does Hyde County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Carteret County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Tyrrell County, NC has the lowest (Relatively Low). Hyde County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Hyde County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Hyde 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. Hyde County's composite score of 66 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 66% of US counties.