Natural hazards · Lowell

Lowell, NC natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Lowell comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. 2 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Lowell?

Low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Lowell to be higher than in 30% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding58%Tornadoes16%Earthquakes6%Strong wind6%Ice storms5%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Lowell faces

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

Inland flooding

58% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 43% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

16% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

6% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Strong wind

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Ice storms

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 96% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 Lowell flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Lowell.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Gaston County.

Disasters that hit Lowell

2 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into LowellDeclared for Gaston County only

2024

Tropical Storm Helene

141 households applied for aid $88K aid approved

2002

Severe Ice Storm

$86K to the City of Lowell for repairs

Gaston County has had 17 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and winter storms.

Around Lowell

Lowell and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Gastoniamostly inland floodingModerate

Lowellmostly inland floodingLow

McAdenvillemostly inland floodingLow

Ranlomostly 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. Lowell covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Lowell’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Lowell. 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 Lowell total about $762K 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.