Natural hazards · Conover

Conover, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Conover comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 2003. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Conover?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Conover to be higher than in 12% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding55%Tornadoes14%Earthquakes11%Ice storms6%Everything else15%

By hazard

What Conover faces

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

Inland flooding

55% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 15% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 63% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 69% of U.S. places

Ice storms

6% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Conover flood?

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

13paid claims since 2003

$362Kpaid to owners

3homes flooded more than once

20032026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Eta: 1 claim, $16K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Conover isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Catawba County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

1homes raised above flood level

Disasters that hit Conover

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ConoverDeclared for Catawba County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

719 households applied for aid $700K aid approved $145K to the City of Conover for repairs

2013

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides

$1.5M to the City of Conover for repairs

2004

Tropical Storm Frances

2 households applied for aid $221 aid approved

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$53K to the City of Conover for repairs

Catawba County has had 18 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Conover

Conover and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Hickorymostly inland floodingLow

St. Stephensmostly inland floodingLow

Conovermostly inland floodingVery low

Newtonmostly inland floodingVery low

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. Conover covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Conover’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Conover. 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 Conover total about $1.5M 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.