Natural hazards · Kitty Hawk

Kitty Hawk, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Kitty Hawk comes from hurricanes, and overall the risk is very high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 1,608 claims here since 1989. 9 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Kitty Hawk?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Kitty Hawk to be higher than in 98% of U.S. communities, mostly from hurricanes.

Hurricanes80%Inland flooding8%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Kitty Hawk faces

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

Hurricanes

80% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 3 years in the area

Inland flooding

8% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 11% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 2 years in the area

Lower here

Coastal floodingTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

DroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Kitty Hawk flood?

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

1,608paid claims since 1989

$20.2Mpaid to owners

293homes flooded more than once

19892026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isabel: 409 claims, $6.9M
Hurricane Sandy: 346 claims, $5.0M
The “Halloween” storm: 172 claims, $1.1M

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 5 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (46) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Dare County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

18homes raised above flood level

1flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Kitty Hawk

9 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into Kitty HawkDeclared for Dare County only

2019

Hurricane Dorian

$204K to the Town of Kitty Hawk for repairs

2018

Tropical Storm Michael

$55K to the Town of Kitty Hawk for repairs

2018

Hurricane Florence

$36K to the Town of Kitty Hawk for repairs

2016

Hurricane Matthew

59 households applied for aid $36K aid approved $230K to the Town of Kitty Hawk for repairs

2011

Hurricane Irene

363 households applied for aid $540K aid approved $239K to the Town of Kitty Hawk for repairs

2010

Hurricane Earl

$11K to the Town of Kitty Hawk for repairs

2005

Hurricane Ophelia

$4K to the Town of Kitty Hawk for repairs

2003

Hurricane Isabel

192 households applied for aid $133K aid approved $2.2M to the Town of Kitty Hawk for repairs

1999

Hurricane Floyd Major Disaster Declarations

$96K to the Town of Kitty Hawk for repairs

Dare County has had 22 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Kitty Hawk

Kitty Hawk and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Kitty Hawkmostly hurricanesVery high

Southern Shoresmostly hurricanesVery high

Kill Devil Hillsmostly hurricanesVery high

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. Kitty Hawk covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Kitty Hawk’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Town of Kitty Hawk. 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 Kitty Hawk total about $6.5M 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.