Yadkin County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Yadkin County has experienced 21 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Yadkin County's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, drought, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 52% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Yadkin County has been designated in 21 declarations since 1977, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (8), snowstorm (4), tropical storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Debby |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Tropical Storm Eta |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 21 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 | 17.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 53.2 | 19 | 0 | $685K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 54.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 19.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 47.5 | 2 | 0 | $9.5M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 48 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 51.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 36.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 78.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 48.2 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 32.2 | 2 | 0 | $152K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 69.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 46.3 | 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
Yadkin County ranks in the 62nd percentile (Moderate) 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 | 62nd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 72nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 51st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 47th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 52nd | Moderate |
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 | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 24th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 87.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 34 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (-52% — 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 Yadkin County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Yadkin County, North Carolina are ice storm, drought, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Yadkin County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Yadkin County has received 21 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Yadkin County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Yadkin County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Tropical Storm Debby (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Yadkin County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Forsyth County, NC has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Stokes County, NC has the lowest (Very Low). Yadkin County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Yadkin County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Yadkin 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. Yadkin County's composite score of 38 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 38% of US counties.