Natural hazards · Boone

Boone, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Boone comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 115 claims here since 1979. 6 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Boone?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Boone to be higher than in 26% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding64%Cold waves18%Tornadoes7%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Boone faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

64% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 48% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

18% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 54% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingHeat wavesDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Boone flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Boone, from FEMA’s records.

115paid claims since 1979

$7.3Mpaid to owners

9homes flooded more than once

19792026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Helene: 56 claims, $5.8M
Hurricane Hugo: 3 claims, $27K
Hurricane Sandy: 1 claim, $2K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (4) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

🏷️ 20% off flood insurance. Boone is in FEMA’s Community Rating System (class 6) for its flood-proofing work.

Insurance rates: Watauga County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

45flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

1homes raised above flood level

1flood-prone homes bought out and moved

Disasters that hit Boone

6 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Boone itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Town of Boone.

Brought FEMA money into BooneDeclared for Watauga County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

3,588 households applied for aid $11.5M aid approved $5.5M to the Town of Boone for repairs

2021

Remnants of Tropical Storm Fred

$8K to the Town of Boone for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

$43K to the Town of Boone for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

$600K to the Town of Boone for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

63 households applied for aid $92K aid approved $124K to the Town of Boone for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

57 households applied for aid $157K aid approved $17K to the Town of Boone for repairs

Watauga County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Boone covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Boone’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Boone. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Boone total about $4.9M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.